( 437 ) 

 CLAVIGO: A TRAGEDY. 



PROM THE GERMAN OP GOETHE. 



( Concluded from last Month.) 



ACT III. Guilbert's House. 

 Sophia Guilbert and Maria Beaumarchais. 



Mar. You have seen him ? How I tremble ! You have seen him ? I 

 nearly fainted when I heard he was come ; and you have seen him ? No 

 I cannot I will not no I can never see him again. 



Sop. I was bewildered when he entered ; for ah ! did not I love him too 

 with the sincerest, purest sisterly love ? Has not his desertion grieved, 

 tortured me ? and then to see the returning penitent at my feet. Sister ! 

 there is something so fascinating in his look, in the tone of his voice. 

 He 



Mar. Never, never more ! 



Sop. He is still the same still the same good, gentle, feeling heart still 

 retains the same ardent love, the same eagerness to be beloved, and suffers 

 the intensest agony lest his affection should be rejected. The same ! the 

 same ! And he speaks of you, Maria, as in those happy days of his most 

 passionate love; it seems as if your guardian spirit had permitted this in- 

 terval of infidelity and desertion to interrupt the drawling monotony of a 

 long courtship, and invigorate the affections with renewed energy. 



Mar. Do you take his part ? 



Sop. No, sister, nor did I promise to do so. But, dearest, I see things as 

 they are. You and our brother view them in too romantic a light. You have, 

 with many other good girls, a lover who proves faithless, and abandons 

 you ! But to find him return penitent, to correct his error, and renew for- 

 mer hopes is such good fortune as any other would not lightly reject. 



Mar. My heart would break ! 



Sop. I imagine so. The first moments would very sensibly affect you 

 but then, dearest, I intreat you not to consider this agitation, this em- 

 barrassment, which seems to subdue your whole mind, as arising in hatred 

 or aversion. Your heart speaks for him more than you think : and, therefore, 

 you will not trust yourself to see him again, although you so ardently de- 

 sire his return. 



Mar. Be merciful ! 



Sop. You will yet be happy. If I felt you despised him, and that 

 he would be indifferent about it, then I would not say another word, nor 

 should he ever see my face again. But as it is, love, you will thank me 

 for having assisted you to overcome this painful irresolution, which be- 

 tokens the sincerest love. 



Enter Guilbert and Buenco. 



Come, Buenco! Guilbert, come! Help me to encourage this wayward 

 girl ; resolution now is every thing. 



Buen. I would I might venture to say, do not receive him again. 



Sop. Buenco! 



Buen. My heart leaps to my mouth at the thought : shall he still possess 

 this angel, whom he has so shamefully injured, whom he has reduced to 

 the brink of the grave ; and shall he possess her? Wherefore? What re- 

 paration can he make for his crime ? What ! because he returns because 

 he chooses now to return, and say, " Now I like her, now I will have her." 

 Just as though this exquisite creature were a piece of damaged merchan- 



M.M. No. 106. 3 L 



