Belv. I know it, thou wilt kill me.
Do, strike thy sword into this bosom: lay me
Dead on the earth, and then thou wilt be safe:
Murder my father! tho’ his cruel nature
Has persecuted me to my undoing,
Driven me to basest wants, can I behold him,
With smiles of vengeance, butchered in his age?
The sacred fountain of my life destroyed?
And canst thou shed the blood that gave me being,
Nay, be a traitor too, and sell thy country?
Can thy great heart descend so vilely low,
Mix with hired slaves, bravos, and common stabbera,
Nose- slitters, alley-lurking villains! join
With such a crew and take a ruffian’s wages
To cut the throats of wretches as they sleep?

Jaff. Thou wrong’st me, Belvidera! I’ve engaged
With men of souls: fit to reform the ills
Of all mankind: there’s not a heart amongst them,
But’s as stout as death, yet honest as the nature
Of man first made, ere fraud and vice were fashions.

Belv. What’s he, to whose curst hands last night thou gav’st me?
Was that well done? Oh! I could tell a story
Would rouse thy lion-heart out of its den
And make it rage with terrifying fury.

Jaff. Speak on, I charge thee!

Belv. O my love! if e’er
Thy Belvidera’s peace deserved thy care,
Remove me from this place: last night, last night—

Jaff. Distract me not, but give me all the truth.

Belv. No sooner wert thou gone, and I alone,
Left in the power of that old son of mischief;
No sooner was I lain on my sad bed,
But that vile wretch approached me; loose, unbuttoned,
Ready for violation: then my heart
Throbb’d with its fears: oh, how I wept and sighed
And shrunk and trembled; wished in vain for him
That should protect me.Thou, alas! wert gone!

Jaff. Patience, sweet Heaven, till I make vengeance sure!

Belv. He drew the hideous dagger forth thou gav’st him,
And with upbraiding smiles, he said, “Behold it;
This is the pledge of a false husband’s love:”
And in my arms then pressed, and would have clasped me;
But with my cries I scared his coward heart,
Till he withdrew, and muttered vows to hell.
These are thy friends! with these thy life, thy honour,
Thy love, all’s staked, and all will go to ruin.

Jaff. No more: I charge thee keep this secret close;
Clear up thy sorrows, look as if thy wrongs
Were all forgot, and treat him like a friend,
As no complaint were made. No more, retire;
Retire, my life, and doubt not of my honour;
I’ll heal its failings and deserve thy love.

Belv. Oh, should I part with thee, I fear thou wilt
In anger leave me, and return no more.

Jaff. Return no more! I would not live without thee
Another night to purchase the creation.

Belv. When shall we meet again?

Jaff. Anon at twelve!
I’ll steal myself to thy expecting arms,
Come like a travelled dove and bring thee peace.

Belv. Indeed!

Jaff. By all our loves!

Belv. ’Tis hard to part:
But sure no falsehood ever looked so fairly.
Farewell—remember twelve. [Exit Belvidera.