_Emp._ Here's my claim, [_Clapping his Hand to his Sword._ And this extinguished thine; thou giv'st me nothing.
_Alm._ My father's, mother's, brother's death, I pardon; That's somewhat sure; a mighty sum of murder, Of innocent and kindred blood struck off. My prayers and penance shall discount for these, And beg of heaven to charge the bill on me: Behold what price I offer, and how dear, To buy Sebastian's life!
_Emp._ Let after-reckonings trouble fearful fools; I'll stand the trial of those trivial crimes: But, since thou begg'st me to prescribe my terms, The only I can offer are thy love, And this one day of respite to resolve. Grant, or deny; for thy next word is fate, And fate is deaf to prayer.
_Alm._ May heaven be so, [_Rising up._ At thy last breath, to thine! I curse thee not; For, who can better curse the plague, or devil, Than to be what they are? That curse be thine.-- Now, do not speak, Sebastian, for you need not; But die, for I resign your life.--Look, heaven, Almeyda dooms her dear Sebastian's death! But is there heaven? for I begin to doubt; The skies are hushed, no grumbling thunders roll.-- Now take your swing, ye impious; sin unpunished; Eternal Providence seems overwatched, And with a slumbering nod assents to murder.
_Enter_ DORAX, _attended by three Soldiers._
_Emp._ Thou mov'st a tortoise-pace to my relief. Take hence that once a king; that sullen pride, That swells to dumbness: lay him in the dungeon, And sink him deep with irons, that, when he would, He shall not groan to hearing; when I send, The next commands are death.
_Emp._ Much at one In a slave's mouth, against a monarch's power. This day thou hast to think; At night, if thou wilt curse, thou shalt curse kindly; Then I'll provoke thy lips, lay siege so close, That all thy sallying breath shall turn to blessings.-- Make haste, seize, force her, bear her hence.
_Alm._ Farewell, my last Sebastian! I do not beg, I challenge justice now.-- O Powers, if kings be your peculiar care, Why plays this wretch with your prerogative? Now flash him dead, now crumble him to ashes, Or henceforth live confined in your own palace; And look not idly out upon a world, That is no longer yours. [_She is carried off struggling; Emperor and_ BENDUCAR _follow._ SEBASTIAN _struggles in his Guards' arms, and shakes off one of them; but two others come in, and hold him; he speaks not all the while._