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No, my

Pleasing with mimic state and puny homage,
A spirit fir'd with hopes of regal sway?
Tamira; thou shalt be a queen.
The world is wide; and well by proof I know,
That flame of glory which my bosom warns
Defies extinction from the blackest storm
Of adverse fate. I'll tell thee, my Tamira,
Even at my falling fortune's deepest ebb,
While all my outward state was most forlorn,
Within I was a king; for still within

Fancy's exhaustless world was all my own.
What bright, what glorious fabrics have I raised
By her creative power! What groves outspread,
Streams bid to flow through valleys of delight,
And meadows gilded by a gayer sun!
And when the devil Disappointment came,
With chilling frowns, to blast my paradise,
Still the sweet angel Hope quick follow'd him,
And with enlivening smiles restored its bloom.
[Exeunt,

ACT IV.

SCENE L-The Inside of the ruinous Temple.

SICARDO solus-his sword drawn.

Sic. I did but for a moment venture forth, To view the fatal field of our defeat, And she was gone, vanish'd, or borne away, I know not how. This island, as I've heard, Has long been noted the peculiar haunt Of spirits reprobate, who for a time Are licens'd forth of their eternal prison, To roam beneath the circuit of the moon. Hither, from the four winds, their flight obscure They bend. Some from the icy poles arrive; Some from the crystal rocks and coral groves Beneath the Indian main; and others spring From the red caverns of the central fire. Oft on the whirl of Ætna's flames they ride, Vexing with yells and groans the gentle night; Or in more gamesome mood, pois'd o'er the sea, Flutter, and mix among the morning clouds, Fantastic shapes presenting, till the sun Arising scares them hence. In such a land The man who darkness loves, or solitude, Must have a heart strong arm'd in innocence; But I

Enter VALDEMAR and TAMIRA from the bottom of the Ruin; as they appear, SICARDO springs towards them, but stops short, and fails on his knee.

Ila!-who art thou?-O mercy!-Spare me!
In tears of blood I will repent my treason!
Val. Give me thy sword, and keep thy recreant
life.

Stir not from hence; and if anon thou'rt question'd,

Take heed, thou saw'st us not-Come, my Tamira,

To love and liberty we fly.
Tum. Heaven guard us!

[Exeunt VAL. and TAM. Sic. [Solus.] I thought to strike him, but my arm was numb'd, And from my sword's point drops of black blood

fell:

Even these old broken marbles seem'd to move Their mutilated limbs. O murder! murder! What can extenuate thy damning stain

On this vile heart?-What though he lives? not less

The sinking load of guilt lies heavy here, Nor lighter will the stroke of vengeance fall. Who shall protect me? Whither can I wander, Outcast abhorr'd?-Men of untainted natures Will shun me, drive me, like a plague-struct wretch,

In solitary misery to die;

And even the associates of my guilt, resenting Their work undone, shall wreak their spleen on it, A wavering, luckless, ineffectual villain.

Enter BENASCAR, from the bottom.

Ben. This way they must have past. The open
door

Betray'd their flight—and lo, here stands the here,
Unarm'd. Propitious fortune! If again
In love or war he cross me, I deserve it.
Ho, Valdemar! where is my fair deserter?
Give me the lady, or thy forfeit life—
Who's this?-Sicardo-ha!—what makest thou

here?

Confused too-frighten'd-then there's knavery, Speak!

Why art thou here?—I yet believe thee faithful.

Sic. Then thou believest I will not wrong my friend.

Ben. Whom mean'st thou?
Sic. Corbred.

Ben. Him thou canst not wrong;
In thy fidelity he puts no trust,
But when compell'd. Oft hath he sworn to me,
That thou for noble counsels art unfit,
And merely as a beast of burden useful.

Sic. Then is he false to both. He hath abused

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Enter CORBRed.

Cor. At length those cursed bands I've past, and now

Fate is my own-the fate of that proud fair.
Ha!-gone!-void!-Death and hell, what do I
see?

Benascar there, and anger in his looks ?—
Are we not friends?

Ben. Ay, true ones, else forsworn
To deepest reprobation. Victor now,
In spite of force and subtlety combined,
Were I not steady to my promised faith,
Thy flattering hopes would, like a sick man's
dream,

Vanish, and leave thee raving. But I scorn
To waver with the fickle wind of fortune.-
Where is Tamira?

Cor. Where-What-knowest thou not? Ben. Else would I ask of thee? Which of your warriors

Entered our halls, like a vile skulking thief,
And seized my charming captive? What bold
hero

That hardy and most dangerous enterprise
So happily achieved?

Cor. And why to me

This questioning? Amid the battle's rage,
To watch the course of each particular troop
Was not my charge.

Ben. Thou hast not seen the lady then?
Cor. How should I?

Ben. Nor knowest her fortune?

Cor. No.

Ben. Why, this is well.

A hardy-fronted villain I can love,

Who scorns a falsehood, even to screen his faults;
But from my soul I do abhor that knave

Who trusts in coward lies-and such art thou.
'Twas what I wished-that, ere I drew my sword,
With which I mean to search thy traiterous heart,
Thou shouldst be driven to damn thyself in vain,
Hoping to shun my rage

Cor. Is this to shun thee,
[Drawing.
Fool, driveller, idiot?-Indeed. I meant
To have retain'd thee yet a while, my handle,
My pliant tool; but since thine evil stars
Have made thee blunder on the truth untimely,
First know it all, and then to Mahomet
Carry the dismal tale. Since the first hour
That thou, mistaking much thy wisdom's gage,
Began'st to play the politician's part,
Blind-folded still I've led thee; made thee trudge
Where'er my genius pointed; loaded thee
With all the lumber of the enterprise;
And in the end design'd for thy reward
Despite and disappointment. Nature gave me
A subtle brain, to govern gulls like thee;
Or, failing that, a firm and fearless arm,
Thus at a stroke to sweep them from my way.
[Fight. CORBRED fulls.
Ben. There, dog! there ends thy way; and

such an end

Befits the race of rapine thou hast run.

Down, villain, down!-Thou shalt not have a moment,

Wherein to mock repentance; nor a breath,
To mutter coward prayers. The burning deep
Wide yawns to catch thee, fiends howl for thee-
die!

Cor. Savage-like thee there is no fiend nor fury.

Hell will be tolerable till thou comest-
And all its flames-here, here they are already!
Heart-heart, O hadst thou felt another's pain
As now thine own, perhaps-All gracious power,
Fountain of mercy, hear!-I cannot pray-
Gloom-all is gloom, and-ha! whence came that

cloud,

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His eyes were raised, when staring frenzy fix'd them;

And fearful supplications he intended,

When horror and despair his utterance choaked.
Benascar, mark him well-so villains die.
Find'st thou not something monitory here?
Not angels with dread trumpets rending Heaven,
And threat ning final woe; not fate itself,
Denouncing doom, could more appal my soul,
Than this dead partner of our villainy.

I hear his ravings still, and his last groan
Yet shudders in my heart.

Ben. Think not so deeply:
True men unmoved may see a traitor die.
But tell me, on thy faith, did Valdemar
Now pass this way?

Sic. He did, and 'twas with him
Tamira went.

Ben. How she escaped,

Can never now be known. The secret rests
With that dead dog. I did at first suspect
Our Christian sultaness had freed them both;
But either she excels in nice dissembling,
Beyond my penetration, or her keenness
To have them intercepted equals mine.
While here I came, Zagan flew with a party
Of his swift Barbs down to the narrow vale,
And thither now we'll go to share his fortune.
If they escape him-then farewell to all!
But if he seize them, as I think he must,
Hold thou thy way right onward to the camp,
And stir up Manfred to another fight.
Tell him what thou hast seen; and add, besides,
Whatever moving tale thou canst devise,
Of danger to his daughter. It may chance,
Thou shalt unwitting speak most fatal truth;
For if Alcanzor thwart my tender wishes,

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Man. Deceit, how cruel is thy poisonous bite!
How doubly cruel, when it comes concealed
Among the harlot kisses of feigned friendship!
This traitor Corbred-what a fool was I
So far to trust him!-What avails the name
Of leader, all that's left me, while I wave
An unavailing truncheon?-Every troop
He has seduced; his very nod commands them.
In glory he the vanguard still usurps,
While I, the implement of his designs,
Neglected follow in the lazy rear.
Here, to this post confined, I must remain
Like a poor centinel; while o'er the field
He ranges proudly, circled with his train,
And forms the plan of parting or of fight.
Why so? Forsooth my age must be respected.
Dissembling villain! where was this respect,
When in the battle he to-day forsook me,
Left me surrounded by a thousand swords,
Abandoned to an undistinguished death?
Which soon had been my fate, but for the youth
Who came, as dropt from Heaven, to rescue me,
And with an arm of more than mortal force
Swept down the Moorish ranks-

[Shouts and enter VALDEMAR, Soldiers
crowding round him.

Val. My gallant countrymen-dear fellow-
soldiers,

Again I come to share in all your dangers!
Manfred, my noble father!

Man. Sacred saints!

[Embracing.

What unhoped transport! Valdemar alive!
And thou was my preserver then, my son?
Go, fellows, fly, from tent to tent proclaim
Your general's return! Let the loud trumpets,
With shouts of triumph mingled, cleave the
clouds!

Send a swift herald to the Saracen,
Insult his gates, and dare him to the field,
Where, confident of victory, we stand!
[Exeunt Soldiers.
O happy hour! How my old heart exults
At thy return, son of my noble friend!
But how hast thou escaped? O tell me all.

Val. Escaped! There is no prison so detested,
Where I'd not rather groan in chains and gloom,
Than thus to have escaped, compelled to leave
My heart, my soul, my life, my love behind me!
Thou talkest of victory to a vanquished man,
And vainly hopest a brave defence from him
Whose craven arm now failed to guard a prize
Richer than all the world. Hapless old man,
I must afflict thy heart.

Mun. Meanest thou to leave me?

There is no other way.'

Val. What if I tell thee,

That from the castle I had stolen thy daughter,

And hither quick was hasting, when a band
Of Moorish horsemen met us in the valley,
And tore her from my arms?-I fought my way
Through all their ranks-O unavailing boast!
While she was hurried to their towers agair

Man. But thou art here. Indeed it was hard
fortune-

Yet thou art safe. Tamira was a captive;
She is no worse; and ample means of ransom
Are in our power.

Val. O where ?

Man. In all these tents.

How many thousands there indignant stand,
Burning with shame, hiding in sullen silence
Inglorious wounds, and for another chance
To clear their blotted honour eager parting!
Go shew thyself to them, wave but thy sword,
And bid them follow thee; not one of them
But shall in speed and reckless fury mock
The tyger of the desert. Where thou lead'st,
Shouting around thee they will sweep the plain,
Spurning at opposition. To the sea
The sun declines apace; yet even to-night
In Tauromina's halls, as conquerors,
We shall repose. On this I pledge my life.

Val. To hear me urge delay in such a caue,
I know will much amaze thee; yet to-day
Alcanzor hath so loaded me with kindness,
So softened me with princely courtesy,
I cannot on the sudden steel my heart
To the full temper of this enterprise.
Perhaps the outrage of those Africans
Was done without his bidding, and, when known,
Will not by him be honoured. I'll believe so,
And straight dispatch a heraid to my sister.

Man. Soft, here comes one who may the pur
pose change:

His troubled looks presage disastrous tidings.—
Where hast thou been, Sicardo?

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A flying progress, and exhort my veterans
To fight as they were wont !

Sic. They ne'er were wont

[Exit.

To cope with such a foe as now defies them.
And if again we fail-

Man. Away, Sicardo!

Our pledge of certain victory we possess,

In this beloved, this noble youth, whose presence
Inspires the warrior's heart with martial fire,
As the enlivening sun all nature warms.
Shaded a while in dim eclipse he left us,
And clouds of pale dismay began to lour;
But now returning with recovered splendour,
He in the sky of glory beams supreme,
And we, in his bright influence exulting,
Resume our ardour, and our foes defy.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.-The Portico of the Temple.

Enter BENASCAR.

ACT V.

Ben. Make me his messenger!-'twas wisely
done.

Why, now I seem the darling of Dame Fortune.
This embassy, though, as I well perceive,
Not meant to favour me, yet, as I've managed,
Secures the event most ardently desired;
Prepares the scene of gloom, where I unseen
May like an angry genius glide around,
And strike my destined prey. The fight is cer-

tain.

Both sides boil with revenge, for wrongs and in-

sults

Which owe their being to this fertile brain.
Roll down, thou dazzling orb, roll swifter down,
Among the western waves to quench thy beams,
That under twilight's dim and shadowy veil
To battle we may march!-and then-my ar-

rows-

Ay-in my quiver will I carry fate,
And wing it to the mark with steady aim.
But soft-my unsuspecting quarry comes.

Enter ALCANZOR and ZAGAN.

Bag. Ungrateful curs! will they not quit our
heels?

This is the prosperous fruit, my friend, of mercy ;
Your Christian virtue.

Alc. The peculiar badge
Of sect or party virtue cannot wear:
Free as the general air, men of all climes
Her influence partake. What thou call'st mercy,
Merely to please my heart I did; and pleasure
Of more delicious sort it never felt.

I cannot therefore wish it had not been,
Nor dread its consequence.

Ben. No, let them dread
Who thus enforce us to the extremity
Of dire revenge. There is no disposition
So mild and milky but had taken fire

At their rude insults. Scarce I could be heard
For rising clamours of their common file.
Manfred in scorn demanded why we gave
Freedom so rashly to our prisoners;

And Valdemar, disdaining other answer,
To their deep squadrons pointed with his lance;
Whereat their shields they clashed, their trum-

pets sounded,

And cried for instant battle; in which frenzy
I left them.

Atc. And thou seest us well prepared

To meet their madness. Much indeed it grieves

me,

That Valdemar should sullenly refuse

The friendly conference I bade thee ask.
Mutual suspicions might have been dispell'd
By mutual confidence, and many a life,
Now destined to the rav'nous fangs of war,
Remain'd secure. The order of the field

I have arranged: You know your posts, my lords.
The sultaness a short farewell demands;
I'll follow soon. [Exeunt ZAG. and BEN.

This is the hour of fate,
And on the fortune of this dubious fight
Sicilia's empire hangs.

Enter ZIMORNA, attended.

Come, my Zimorna!

Queen of my soul, my life, my charmer, come!
Give me one soft embrace, and bid me think
On that dear strain when struggling in the battle;
Give me one heavenly smile, and bid me go
To bring thee wreaths of triumph from the field.
Zim. Yes, I once more will play the heroine,
Banish cold fear, and send thee forth to conquer;
Nay, more, attend thee in the face of danger.
Look not amazed, nor chide me from my purpose;
For now, my lord, indeed I dare not leave thee.
Alc. Why, sure thou wilt not go into the battle?
Zim. Where'er thou goest, I'll follow.
Alc. No, Zimorna !

Dear though the motive of thy bravery be,

Enter SICARDO.

Sic. Though life be burdensome, yet ere I die I would deserve an honourable grave; I would do something to dispel that gloom Which on the portal of the eternal world Hangs, and with horror freezes up my soul. This is the place, and there he stiff'ning lies[Louis in. I cannot bear the view. The fight's begun; Fierce as conflicting storms, they rush together: I will not join them. What is one poor life, Among those thousands lost ?-If here i fall, And in the general carnage of the battle My corpse be found, perhaps one hole must hold Corbred and me. On that polluted spot No herb shall grow, but, many an age to come, Goblins and mid-night hags upon our bones Practise their rites abhorred.-O blessed saints, Inspire some deed!-Ha!-What if now I went, With some chosen followers, to the castle, And saved Tamira from the crafty Moor? By Heaven I will attempt it! If successful, I have her lover's thanks, a dearer meed Than wreaths of glory; and even if I fail, His pitying tears, like consecrated dew, The dust shall hallow where my limbs are laid.

[Ent.

The effect becomes thee not: To tread the paths Alarm.-Enter ALCANZOR, supporting ZIMOR-
With blood besmear'd, where pain and fury range,
And death o'er mangled ranks infuriate rides,
Ah! wast thou made for this?

Zim. Was I not made

The laws of love and duty to obey?
I am sole cause of this impending fight.
The attempt, at my entreaty made, to bring
My cruel brother back, by him mistaken,
(For all was meant in kindness,) and perhaps
By malice aggravated, hath rekindled

The dying flame of war. On this poor quarrel
Shall brave men's lives be madly thrown away,
And kingdoms set at stake, as if in sport?
No! lead me forth between the opposing hosts,
Where, with undaunted heart and open arms,
I will advance to meet the Christian champion,
Extend this emblem of our common faith,
[Holding forth her cross.
Call on our noble father's honour'd shade,
And claim a brother's love. Will he reject me?
No! for I know his heart. Thou shalt behold him
Dash down his spear, rush eager to my breast,
And in a kind embrace the contest end.

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NA, with an arrow in her hand. Zim. Nay, do not fear, my lord: it went not

deep:

The blood scarce followed when I drew it forth: Thou seest it has no barb.

Alc. None; yet I fear,

For surely from a traiterous hand it came. Thou stood'st behind me when it struck thy side? Zim. I did: Some fav'ring angel placed me there,

To bear one wound for thee.

Alc. O God! O God!

This ropy juice, that smears the barbarous point,
Is not my love's pure blood. Treason is here,
And death to thee, Zimorna. To the castle-
Haste to the castle! Speedy succour yet
May stop the venom's rage. Accursed weapon,
In everlasting flames the hand shall burn
That sent thee! [Shouts.] Hark! the battle rages
high:

Quick let me lead thee off, and find thee help,
Then back to aid my friends.

Zim. Thou shalt not go.

What, leave the field, desert thy gallant warriors,
While victory hovers o'er the adverse hosts,
And in her hand the palm of empire bears,
Yet doubtful where to give it? Fie, my lord!
I feel no pain, no fear; I do not tremble.
Return, my lord, and I'll still follow thee:
There may be more such arrows.
Alc. Matchless woman!
Think'st thou I'll leave thee till thou'rt safely
lodged,

Thou dearer far than empire? No, my love.
[Shorts

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