Cyd.  Sure, ’tis my father calls.

Mont.  Dear child, make haste;
All hope of succour, but from thee, is past: 
As when, upon the sands, the traveller
Sees the high sea come rolling from afar,
The land grow short, he mends his weary pace,
While death behind him covers all the place: 
So I, by swift misfortunes, am pursued,
Which on each other are, like waves, renewed.

Cyd.  Are you alone?

Mont.  I am.

Cyd.  I’ll strait descend; Heaven did you here for both our safeties send.

[CYDARIA descends and opens the door, ALMERIA rushes betwixt with MONTEZUMA.

Cyd.  Almeria here! then I am lost again. [Both thrust.

Alm.  Yield to my strength, you struggle but in vain.  Make haste and shut, our enemies appear.

[CORTEZ and Spaniards appear at the other end.

Cyd.  Then do you enter, and let me stay here.

[As she speaks, ALMERIA overpowers her, thrusts her in, and shuts.

Cort.  Sure I both heard her voice and saw her face: 
She’s like a vision vanished from the place. 
Too late I find my absence was too long;
My hopes grow sickly, and my fears grow strong.

[He knocks a little, then MONTEZUMA, CYDARIA, and ALMERIA, appear above.

Alm.  Look up, look up, and see if you can know Those, whom in vain you think to find below.

Cyd.  Look up, and see Cydaria’s lost estate.

Mont.  And cast one look on Montezuma’s fate.

Cort.  Speak not such dismal words as wound my ear;
Nor name death to me, when Cydaria’s there. 
Despair not, sir; who knows but conquering Spain
May part of what you lost restore again?

Mont.  No, Spaniard; know, he who, to empire born,
Lives to be less, deserves the victor’s scorn: 
Kings and their crowns have but one destiny: 
Power is their life; when that expires, they die.

Cyd.  What dreadful words are these!

Mont.  Name life no more;
’Tis now a torture worse than all I bore;
I’ll not be bribed to suffer life, but die,
In spite of your mistaken clemency. 
I was your slave, and I was used like one;
The shame continues when the pain is gone: 
But I’m a king while this is in my hand—­[His sword. 
He wants no subjects, who can death command: 
You should have tied him up, t’have conquered me;
But he’s still mine, and thus he sets me free.
[Stabs himself.

Cyd.  Oh, my dear father!

Alm.  When that is forced, there yet remain two more. [The Soldiers break open the first door, and go in. 
We shall have time enough to take our way,
Ere any can our fatal journey stay.