a robe of honor,
Nor judged him faithless till it found a motive
To screen and justify his breach of faith.
Forsaken by thy only friend--'twas then
Thou sought'st the arms of Princess Eboli--
A demon's arms! 'Twas she betrayed thee, Carlos!
I saw thee fly to her--a dire foreboding
Struck on my heart--I followed thee too late!
Already wert thou prostrate at her feet,
The dread avowal had escaped thy lips--
No way was left to save thee.

CARLOS.
No! her heart
Was moved, thou dost mistake, her heart was moved.

MARQUIS.
Night overspread my mind. No remedy,
No refuge, no retreat was left to me
In nature's boundless compass. Blind despair
Transformed me to a fury--to a tiger--
I raised my dagger to a woman's breast.
But in that moment--in that dreadful moment--
A radiant sunbeam fell upon my soul.
"Could I mislead the king! Could I succeed
In making him think me the criminal!
However improbable, the very guilt
Will be enough to win the king's belief.
I'll dare the task--a sudden thunderbolt
May make the tyrant start--what want I further?
He stops to think, and Carlos thus gains time
To fly to Brussels."

CARLOS.
And hast thou done this?

MARQUIS.
I have despatched a letter to Prince William,
Saying I loved the queen, and had escaped
The king's mistrust in the unjust suspicion
Which falsely fell on thee--that I had found
Means, through the monarch's favor, to obtain
Free access to the queen. I added, further,
That I was fearful of discovery--
That thou hadst learned my secret, and hadst sped
To Princess Eboli, with hopes through her
To warn the queen--that I had made thee prisoner--
And now that all seemed lost, I had resolved
To fly to Brussels. This same letter I----

CARLOS (interrupts him, terrified).
Hast surely not intrusted to the post!
Thou knowest that letters to Brabant and Flanders----

MARQUIS.
Are given to the king; and as things go
Taxis would seem to have discharged his duty.

CARLOS.
Heavens! then I'm lost.

MARQUIS.
How lost? What meanest thou?

CARLOS.
And thou, alas! art lost together with me--
This dreadful fraud my father ne'er will pardon.

MARQUIS.
This fraud! Thou'rt mad! Who will disclose it to him?

CARLOS (regards him with a fixed look).
Who! Dost thou ask? I will myself.

MARQUIS.
Thou ravest!
Stand back----

CARLOS.
Away! For heaven's sake hold me not.
While I stay here, he's hiring the ass