Appears Artemis' temple.- O Massilia,
My home, my home! again I throw myself
Upon the earth, with thanks, with gratitude.
Immortal gods, who've watch'd my lonely path,
The work of love is done, and safely back

[Kneeling.

You bring me home again. O, thanks and praise ! Ing. [Aside.] Would that I lay beside my shield in the morass!

Par. [Rising and coming forward, accompanied by INGOMAR.] My father, mother, I shall see them again; Weeping with joy shall sink into their arms,

And kiss the falling tears from their pale cheeks.
O, be saluted by me, my native city!

See how the evening light plays on each column,
Each wall, and tower, like the smile of a god.
Look, Ingomar, is it not glorious?

What ails thee? why art thou now grown sulky,
Like a vex'd child, when joy lends my soul wings?
Didst thou endure with me the burning sun,

The frost of night, and the rough path, and now
Wilt not rejoice, - - now that our toil is over?

Ing. II rejoice?

In the dark forest, the bleak wilderness,
Alone with thee, the heavens above, around us
Loneliness and deep silence, there, yes, there,
Where fear and danger press'd thee to my aid,
Did I rejoice; I was thy world: but here,

Where these accursed walls cast their cold shades,

To tear our souls asunder,

Par.

Yes, I remember,

here—

Not here; come with me to the city.

Ing.

Yonder, with polished Greeks, caged in dark walls?

I, the barbarian, the free man? No, yonder
Thy pathway lies,this to my mountain home.
O, would that I had never seen thee, girl!

Enough farewell, farewell!

[Rushes out.

Par. Ingomar! stay, hear me ! He heeds me not;
He flies up the steep cliff; he's gone, and I

Shall never see him more! Why, how is this?
What sudden change has come upon the world?
How green, how bright, was all before! and now
How dim and dark the twilight grows! How faded
The grass, how dry the leaves ! It seems to me
As if the young Spring were about to die.

What! tears? I must not weep; no, no, I must not.
Rouse thee, Parthenia, thou hast duties. Think,

Thy home awaits thee, parents, friends, companions.
O, Ingomar! whom shall I find there like to thee?

Thou good, thou generous one!

Lost lost!

INGOMAR re-enters and slowly approaches.

Ing. Parthenia!

Par.

Ah! come back again?

Ing. I am: I cannot, will not leave thee.

I will go with thee to the city; I

I will become a Greek!

Par.

How sayest thou?

Ing. Thou dost not despise me, Parthenia; no,
Thou'rt not ashamed of me, but only of

My nation, my rough ways: there's remedy
For that, — it can be mended. Though I am

No Greek, yet I'm a man, for 'tis the soul

That makes the man, and not his outward seeming :

My shield and spear are left in the morass,

So will I leave my nation, manners, all,

To follow thee. In yonder town, for thee

I will become a Greek. And, now I've said it,

I'm strong and well again.

Par.

Thou'lt follow me?

[Weeps.

Ing. I know I've much to learn, but thou wilt teach me,

And that will make all easy.

When 'tis done,

Thou'lt love me then! thou wilt, I feel it here;

Ay, like a sunbeam in my heart it glows;
It shouts like the loud triumph of a conqueror;
Like the voice of the high gods, it penetrates

My soul thou'lt love me then! thou'lt love me then!
Par. [Aside.] If not, O Heaven! whom can I ever love!
Thou'lt follow me to Massilia.

[Exit.

LEAH, THE FORSAKEN.

AUGUSTIN DALY.

CHARACTERS:

ACT IV. SCENE II.

LEAH, a Jewish maiden and a fugitive to Bohemia during a persecution of her race. RUDOLF, the son of an old Christian magistrate, falls in love with Leah, but is shortly after persuaded that she has accepted a sum of money to discard him. While labouring under this impression, he is induced by his parents to marry MADALINA, the niece of FATHER HERMAN, the village priest. The marriage ceremony has just been solemnized in the church when LEAH wanders into the

church-yard.

SCENE: Night. The churchyard behind an Austrian village church. Tombstones and graves about; at back, the side of the church, showing its stained-glass windows, and a little sacristy door leading from it to yard; among the gravestones, a little to the left of centre of stage, is a half-broken white column.

Enter LEAH, slowly, her hair streaming over her shoulders.

Leah. [Sola.] What seek I here? I know not; yet I feel I have a mission to fulfil. I feel that the cords of my soul are stretched to their utmost effort. Already seven days! So long! As the dead lights were placed about the body of Abraham, as the friends sat nightly at his feet and watched, [Slowly sinking down.] so have I sat for seven days, and wept over the corpse of my love! [With painful intensity.]

What have I done? Am I not a child of man? Is not love the right of all, like the air, the light? And, if I stretched my hands towards it, was it a crime? When I first saw him, first heard the sound of his voice, something wound itself around my heart. Then first I knew why I was created, and for the first time was thankful for my life. [Laying her hand on her brow.] Collect thyself, mind, and think! What has happened? I saw him yesterday, -no! eight days ago! He was full of love: "You'll come," said he. I came. I left my people. I tore the cords that bound me to my nation, and came to him. He cast me forth into the night. And yet, my heart, you throb still. The Earth still stands, the Sun still shines, as if it had not gone down for ever for me. [Low.] By his side stood a handsome maiden, and drew him away with caressing hands. It is her he loves, and to the Jewess he dares offer gold. [Starting up.] I will seek him! I will gaze on his face,-[Church lit up, windows illuminated, organ heard soft.] that deceitful, beautiful face. I will ask him what I have done, that- [Hides her head in her hands and weeps; organ swells louder, and then subsides again to low music.] Perhaps he has been misled by some one, false tongue! His looks, his words seem to reproach me. Why was I silent? Thou proud mouth, ye proud lips, why did you not speak? [Exultingly.] Perhaps he loves me still. Perhaps his soul, like mine, pines in nameless agony, and yearns for reconciliation. [Music soft.] Why does my hate melt away at this soft voice with which Heaven calls to me? That grand music. [Listening.] I hear voices; it sounds like a nuptial benediction; perhaps it is a loving bridal pair. [Clasping her hands, and raising them on high.] Amenamen to that benediction, whoever you may be. [Music stops.] I, poor desolate one, would like to see their happy faces; I must this window. Yes, here I can see into the church. [Goes to window, looks in, screams, and comes down; speaks very fast.] Do I dream? Kind Heaven, that

some

prayer, that amen, you heard it not. I call it back. You did not hear my blessing. You were deaf.

Did no blood

Revenge!

stained dagger drop down upon them? "Tis he! [Throws off her mantle, disclosing white robe beneath; bares her arm, and rushes to the little door, but halts.] No! Thou shalt judge! Thine, Jehovah, is the vengeance. Thou alone canst send it. [Stands beside broken column, rests her left

arm upon it, letting the other fall by her side.

Enter RUDOLF from the little door of church, with rose wreath in his hand.

Rud. I am at last merriment around me.

alone. I cannot endure the joy and How like mockery sounded the pious.

words of the priest. As I gazed towards the church windows, I saw a face, heard a muffled cry. I thought it was her face, her voice.

Leah. [Coldly.] Did you think so?
Rud. Leah! is it you?

Leah. Yes.

Rud. [Tenderly.] Leah

Leah. [With a gesture of contempt.]

Silence, perjured

one ! Can the tongue that lied still speak? The breath that called me wife now swear faith to another? Does it dare to mix with the pure air of heaven? Is this the man I worshipped? whose features I so fondly gazed upon? Ah! [Shuddering.] No-no! The hand of Heaven has crushed, beaten, and defaced them! The stamp of divinity no longer rests there! [Walks away.

Rud. Leah! hear me !

Leah. [Turning fiercely.] Ha! You call me back! I am pitiless now.

Rud. You broke faith first.

You took the money.

Leah. Money! What money?

Rud. The money my father sent you.

Leah. Sent me money! For what?

Rud. [Hesitating.] To induce you to release me-to Leah. That I might release you. And you knew it. You permitted it?

Rud. I staked my life that you would not take it.