With wonderful presence of mind , Don Pedro , the cruel sire , rushed in , dragged out his daughter , with a hasty aside ... `` Do n't laugh ! Act as if it was all right ! '' and , ordering Roderigo up , banished him from the kingdom with wrath and scorn . Though decidedly shaken by the fall from the tower upon him , Roderigo defied the old gentleman and refused to stir . This dauntless example fired Zara . She also defied her sire , and he ordered them both to the deepest dungeons of the castle . A stout little retainer came in with chains and led them away , looking very much frightened and evidently forgetting the speech he ought to have made . Act third was the castle hall , and here Hagar appeared , having come to free the lovers and finish Hugo . She hears him coming and hides , sees him put the potions into two cups of wine and bid the timid little servant , `` Bear them to the captives in their cells , and tell them I shall come anon . '' The servant takes Hugo aside to tell him something , and Hagar changes the cups for two others which are harmless . Ferdinando , the ` minion ' , carries them away , and Hagar puts back the cup which holds the poison meant for Roderigo . Hugo , getting thirsty after a long warble , drinks it , loses his wits , and after a good deal of clutching and stamping , falls flat and dies , while Hagar informs him what she has done in a song of exquisite power and melody . This was a truly thrilling scene , though some persons might have thought that the sudden tumbling down of a quantity of long red hair rather marred the effect of the villain 's death . He was called before the curtain , and with great propriety appeared , leading Hagar , whose singing was considered more wonderful than all the rest of the performance put together . Act fourth displayed the despairing Roderigo on the point of stabbing himself because he has been told that Zara has deserted him . Just as the dagger is at his heart , a lovely song is sung under his window , informing him that Zara is true but in danger , and he can save her if he will . A key is thrown in , which unlocks the door , and in a spasm of rapture he tears off his chains and rushes away to find and rescue his lady love . Act fifth opened with a stormy scene between Zara and Don Pedro . He wishes her to go into a convent , but she wo n't hear of it , and after a touching appeal , is about to faint when Roderigo dashes in and demands her hand . Don Pedro refuses , because he is not rich .
They shout and gesticulate tremendously but can not agree , and Rodrigo is about to bear away the exhausted Zara , when the timid servant enters with a letter and a bag from XXXXX , who has mysteriously disappeared .
Hagar Pedro Roderigo Zara anon dagger fifth fourth retainer third