to himself. Not that my heart intends to grant to another what it
refuses to you. No, my Lord, I promise you, and pledge you my word of
honour, that no one shall ever obtain my hand, that a convent shall
protect me against every other...

ALPH. Madam, I have listened long enough to your discourse, and might,
by two words, have prevented it all, if you had given less credit to
false tidings. I know that a common report, which is everywhere
believed, attributes to me the glory of having killed the tyrant; but as
we have been informed, the people alone, stirred up by Don Louis to do
their duty, have performed this honourable and heroic act, which public
rumour ascribed to me. The reason of these tidings was that Don Louis,
the better to carry out his lofty purpose, spread a report that I and my
soldiers had made ourselves masters of the town; by this news he so
excited the people, that they hastened to kill the usurper. He has
managed everything by his prudent zeal, and has just sent me notice of
this by one of his servants. At the same time, a secret has been
revealed to me which will astonish you as much as it surprised me. You
expect a brother, and Leon its true master; Heaven now presents him
before you. Yes, I am Don Alphonso; I was brought up and educated under
the name of Prince of Castile; this clearly proves the sincere
friendship that existed between Don Louis and the King, my father. Don
Louis has all the proofs of this secret, and will establish its truth to
the whole world. But now my thoughts are taken up with other cares; I am
clear how to act towards you; not that my passion is opposed to such a
discovery, or that the brother in my heart quarrels with the lover. The
revelation of this secret has, without the least murmur, changed my
ardour into a love commanded by nature; the tie of relationship which
unites us has so entirely freed me from the love which I entertained for
you, that the highest favour I now long for is the sweet delights of my