A. No, upon my word and honor, I never did; I appeal to the Most High to bear me out in this matter.  Send for Malos, and ask him.

F. Send for Malos, aye!  Malos you wish to see; I thought so.  I knew you could not keep his name concealed.  Amelia, sweet Amelia, take heed, take heed of perjury; you are on the stage of death, to suffer for your sins.

A. What, not to die I hope, my Farcillo, my ever beloved.

F. Yes, madam, to die a traitor’s death.  Shortly your spirit shall take its exit; therefore confess freely thy sins, for to deny tends only to make me groan under the bitter cup thou hast made for me.  Thou art to die with the name of traitor on thy brow!

A. Then, O Lord, have mercy upon me; give me courage, give me grace and fortitude to stand this hour of trial.

F. Amen, I say, with all my heart.

A. And, oh, Farcillo, will you have mercy, too?  I never intentionally offended you in all my life, never loved Malos, never gave him cause to think so, as the high court of Justice will acquit me before its tribunal.

F. Oh, false, perjured woman, thou didst chill my blood, and makest me a demon like thyself.  I saw the ring.

A. He found it, then, or got it clandestinely; send for him, and let him confess the truth; let his confession be sifted.

F. And you still wish to see him!  I tell you, madam, he hath already confessed, and thou knowest the darkness of thy heart.

A. What, my deceived Farcillo, that I gave him the ring, in which all my affections were concentrated?  Oh, surely not.

F. Aye, he did.  Ask thy conscience, and it will speak with a voice of thunder to thy soul.

A. He will not say so, he dare not, he cannot.

F. No, he will not say so now, because his mouth, I trust, is hushed in death, and his body stretched to the four winds of heaven, to be torn to pieces by carnivorous birds.

A. What, he is dead, and gone to the world of spirits with that declaration in his mouth?  Oh, unhappy man!  Oh, insupportable hour!

F. Yes, and had all his sighs and looks and tears been lives, my great revenge could have slain them all, without the least condemnation.

A. Alas! he is ushered into eternity without testing the matter for which I am abused and sentenced and condemned to die.

F. Cursed, infernal woman!  Weepest thou for him to my face?  He that hath robbed me of my peace, my energy, the whole love of my life?  Could I call the fabled Hydra, I would have him live and perish, survive and die, until the sun itself would grow dim with age.  I would make him have the thirst of a Tantalus, and roll the wheel of an Ixion, until the stars of heaven should quit their brilliant stations.

A. Oh, invincible God, save me!  Oh, unsupportable moment!  Oh, heavy hour!  Banish me, Farcillo—­send me where no eye can ever see me, where no sound shall ever great my ear; but, oh, slay me not, Farcillo; vent thy rage and thy spite upon this emaciated frame of mine, only spare my life.