Your hearts one ray of hope! There is no ear,
No place for prayers. The judges here are deaf,
Implacable, unknown. The thunderbolt
Falls heavy, and the hand by which 'tis launch'd
Is veil'd in clouds. There is one comfort still,
The sole sad comfort of a parting hour,
I come to bear. Ye may behold him yet.
The moments fly. Arouse your strength of heart.
Oh! fearful is the trial, but the God
Of Mourners will be with you.
Mat. Is there not
One hope?
Ant. Alas! my child!
Scene IV.— A Prison.
Carmagnola.
They must have heard it now—Oh! that at least
I might have died far from them! Though their hearts
Had bled to hear the tidings, yet the hour,
The solemn hour of Nature's parting pangs,
Had then been past. It meets us darkly now,
And we must drain its draught of bitterness
Together, drop by drop. O ye wide fields!
Ye plains of fight, and thrilling sounds of arms!
O proud delights of danger! Battle-cries,
And thou, my war-steed! and ye trumpet-notes
Kindling the soul! Midst your tumultuous joys
Death seem'd all beautiful—And must I then,
With shrinking cold reluctance, to my fate
Be dragg'd, e'en as a felon, on the winds
Pouring vain prayers and impotent complaints?
And Marco! hath he not betray'd me too?
Vile doubt! that I could cast it from my soul
Before I die!—But no! What boots it now
Thus to look back on life with eye that turns
To linger where my footstep may not tread?
Now, Philip! thou wilt triumph! Be it so!
I too have prov'd such vain and impious joys,
And know their value now. But oh! again
To see those lov'd ones, and to hear the last,
Last accents of their voices! By those arms
Once more to be encircled, and from thence
To tear myself for ever!—Hark! they come!
O God of Mercy, from thy throne look down
In pity on their woes!
