OCR Text |
Show 432 THE CODE OF TERPSICHORE. evils they have endured. The utter solitude and horrid silence which reign around are more dreadful to her than the noise of arms, the shouts of the victor and the cries of the vanquished. She dreads the fury of the Castilians, and works herself to the brink of madness at the idea of falling by their hands, without revenge. She calls upon heaven for immediate death; and exclaims against fate, for having raised her from a lowly state to the summit of glory, only to precipitate her in an instant to the abyss of woe and wretchedness. In her fury she becomes odious to herself. The shouts of approaching citizens and a confused noise of arms announces to her that her last hour is arrived. She awaits the coming of her enemies with an intrepidity which is the consequence of despair. A small number of Castilians who are in search of Zara appear; they seize her, and, raising their swords, are about to put an end to her hated existence; but suddenly withholding their arms, they seem reluctant to stain their swords with the blood of a woman, even though guilty as Zara. Fanes arrives; he approves of their forbearance, and orders Zara to be seized and led to her fate. Zara for a moment eludes her enemies, snatches a poniard from the hand of one of them, stabs herself to the heart, and is borne off expiring. Morico, with a number of Moors who have been made prisoners, follow Fanes in expectation of having their fates decided. They are condemned to banishment, and guards lead them off after the body of Zara has been removed. Alphonso appears, accompanied by his friends, the chiefs of the army and people ; he leads Ermangere forward, and the Castilian knights do homage to the Queen. The people crowd in, and testify their joy at this happy reunion. Alphonso throws himself at the feet ofErmangere; he expresses his repentance, and the excess of his grief |