, to
experience every refinement of torture and every species of agony;
without being really permitted to expire, daily to suffer a thousand and
a thousand deaths. You answer not? you move not?-- rouse, rouse, Venoni;
let us hasten from this dangerous abode: my fate is no less certain than
your own, and flight alone can save me. It's true, the gates are locked,
but I possess the key to a private door of the garden. We are yet
unobserved; rise then and let us hence.

_Venoni._ (_recovering from his stupor, and suddenly starting up_) Where
is he? where does the monster hide himself? I will revenge her! I will
punish her murderers!

_Mi._ (_violently alarmed_) What would you do? whither would you go?

_Venoni._ Whither? whither? to revenge Josepha!

_Mi._ For mercy's sake, recollect yourself! this way; let us fly.

_Venoni._ (_raving_) What? fly? and leave her unavenged? never! I will
die, I will die! but I will punish her assassins!

_Mi._ Silence, silence! these shrieks-- we shall be betrayed: you
destroy yourself, Venoni! yourself and me!

_Venoni._ (_with frantic screams_) Josepha! Josepha!

_Mi._ (_endeavouring to force him away_) I must be gone! follow me, or
you are lost! hark! holy saints they are at hand! wretched youth, they
bring the death warrant of us both! come, come! for heaven's sake come!

_Venoni._ (_without heeding him_) The miscreant! the monster! oh,
Josepha!

_Mi._ (_in despair releasing him_) Remain, then, madman, since thou wilt
have it so! remain, and perish!

[Exit hastily.

_Venoni._ (_alone, and wandering about the garden with a distracted
air_) Where shall I direct-- where seek-- a cloud obscures my
eyes-- despair, rage, powers of vengeance! powers of fury! guide me,
desert me not; give me strength to-- my limbs refuse to bear me:
I faint, I die! (_he falls upon the ground_)

The _prior_, the fathers _Jeronymo_, _Anastasio_, and _Nicolo_,
and other monks enter with torches.

_Pri._ (_speaking without_) What clamours make the garden resound? who
thus disturbs the hallowed silence which---- how? Venoni! alone!
stretched on the earth! he is insensible; yet sure there was some one
with him! speak, Jeronymo; heard you not?--

_Jer._ Two voices certainly seemed to mingle, and the dispute was
earnest.

_Ana._ Whoever was here, cannot have gone far. Let us seek.

_Pri._ Lose not a moment: be Nicolo your companion.

[Exeunt Anastasio and Nicolo.

_Pri._ Meanwhile