Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/69

 a poor bargain to give up a sister for a thousand brethren?"

"I hear your words, but cannot comprehend them,"

"Then wretch!—Remain the property of thy father's dust. Blind be thine eyes to the light; and senceless thy heart against the sorrows of life!"

"Why curse me, respected chief? I do not spurn your words, but teach me to understand them. Lead me to the sanctuary of your laws, and then try my docility as a pupil."

"Thou has sought us, Don Carlos: It was thou who didst challenge us to appear before thee. But hast thou maturely poised the consequences, by only seeing us, and then refusing to be of our number? Many a light kills with splendor. Art thou not sensible, that it needs but one word to snatch thee for ever from the natural course of things, or to make thee at least, forget those men, to whose benefit thou imputest the main purpose of thy being?"