Act 5 — SCENE II.
Reading edition
A field.[376]
Enter Alvarez and Louis.
Alv. Good, good: you would fain kill him, and revenge
Your father’s death?
Louis. I would.
Alv. Bravely, or scurvily?[377]
Louis. Not basely, for the world!
Alv. We are secure. [Produces two swords.
Young Louis, two more trusty blades than these
Spain has not in her arm[or]y: with this
Alvarez slew thy father; and this other
Was that the king of France wore when great Charles
In a set battle took him prisoner;
Both I resign to thee.
Louis. This is a new mystery.
Alv. Now see this naked bosom; turn the points
Of either on this bulwark, if thou covet’st,
Out of a sprightly youth and manly thirst
Of vengeance, blood; if blood be thy ambition,
Then call to mind the fatal blow that struck
De Castro, thy brave father, to his grave;
Remember who it was that gave that blow,
His enemy Alvarez: hear, and be sudden,
Behold Alvarez!
196Louis. Death, I am deluded!
Alv. Thou art incredulous; as fate is certain,
I am the man.
Louis. Thou that butcher?
Alv. Tremble not, young man; trust me, I have wept
Religiously to wash off from my conscience
The stain of my offence: twelve years and more,
Like to a restless pilgrim I have run
From foreign lands to lands to find out death.
I'm weary of my life; give me a sword:
That thou mayst know with what a perfect zeal
I honour old De Castro’s memory,
I'll fight with thee; I would not have thy hand
Dipp’d in a wilful murder; I could wish
For one hour’s space I could pluck back from time
But thirty of my years, that in my fall
Thou might’st deserve report: now if thou conquer’st,
Thou canst not triumph, I'm half dead already,
Yet I'll not start a foot.
Louis. Breathes there a spirit
In such a heap of age?[378]
Alv. O, that I had
A son of equal growth with thee, to tug
For reputation! by thy father’s ashes,
I would not kill thee for another Spain,
Yet now I'll do my best. Thou art amaz’d;
Come on.
Louis. Twelve tedious winters' banishment?
’Twas a long time.
Alv. Could they redeem thy father,
197Would every age had been twelve ages, Louis,
And I for penance every age a-dying!
But ’tis too late to wish.
Louis. I am o’ercome;
Your nobleness hath conquer’d me: here ends
All strife between our families, and henceforth
Acknowledge me for yours.
Alv. O, thou reviv’st
Fresh horrors to my fact! for in thy gentleness
I see my sin anew.
Louis. Our peace is made;
Your life shall be my care: ’twill be glad news
To all our noble friends.
Alv. Since heaven will have it so,
I thank thee, glorious majesty! My son,
For I will call thee [so], ere the next morrow
Salute the world, thou shalt know stranger mysteries.
Louis. I have enough to feed on: sir, I'll follow ye.
Exeunt.