Nour. A fairer creature did my eyes ne'er see!
Sure she was forin'd by heaven, in spite to me!
Some angel copied, while I slept, each grace,
And moulded every feature from my face.
Such majesty does from her forehead rise,
Her cheeks such blushes cast, such rays her eyes,
Nor I, nor envy, can a blemish find.

The palace is, without, too well design'd:
Conduct me in, for I will view thy mind. [To her.
Speak, if thou hast a soul, that I may see,
If heaven can make, throughout, another me.
Ind. My tears and miseries must plead my cause;
[Kneeling.
My words, the terror of your presence awes :
Mortals, in sight of angels, mute become;
The nobler nature strikes the inferior dumb.
Nour. The palm is, by the foe's confession, mine;
But I disdain what basely you resign.

Heaven did, by me, the outward model build;
Its inward work, the soul, with rubbish fill'd.
Yet, oh! the imperfect piece moves more delight;
"Tis gilded o'er with youth, to catch the sight.
The gods have poorly robb'd my virgin bloom,
And what I am, by what I was, o'ercome.
Traitress! restore my beauty and my charms,
Nor steal my conquest with my proper arms.
Ind. What have I done thus to inflame your hate?
I am not guilty, but unfortunate.

Nour. Not guilty,when thy looks my power betray,
Seduce mankind, my subject, from my sway,
Take all my hearts and all my eyes away?
My husband first; but that I could forgive;
He only moved, and talk'd, but did not live.
My Aureng-Zebe!-for I dare own the name,
The glorious sin, and the more glorious flame,—
Him from my beauty have thy eyes misled,
And starved the joys of my expected bed.

Ind. His love so sought, he's happy that he's dead. O had I courage but to meet my fate, That short dark passage to a future state, That melancholy riddle of a breath!

Nour. That something, or that nothing, after death: Take this, and teach thyself. [Giving a Dagger. Ind. Alas!

Nour. Why dost thou shake?

Dishonour not the vengeance I design'd:
A queen, and own a base plebeian mind!
Let it drink deep in thy most vital part;
Strike home, and do me reason in thy heart.
Ind. I dare not.

Nour. Do't, while I stand by and see,
At my full gust, without the drudgery.
I love a foe, who dares my stroke prevent,
Who gives me the full scene of my content;
Shews me the flying soul's convulsive strife,
And all the anguish of departing life.
Disdain my mercy, and my rage defy;
Curse me with thy last breath, and make me see
A spirit, worthy to have rivall'd me.

Ind. Oh, I desire to die, but dare not yet! Give me some respite, I'll discharge the debt. Without my Aureng-Zebe I would not live. Nour. Thine, traitress! thine! that word has wing'd thy fate,

And put me past the tedious forms of hate: I'll kill thee with such eagerness and haste, As fiends, let loose, would lay all nature waste. [INDAMORA runs back: As NoURMAHAL is running to her, clashing of swords is heard within. Sold. Yield, you're o'erpower'd: Resistance is in [Within.

vain.

Mor. Then death's my choice: Submission I dis

dain.

[Within.

Nour. Retire, ye slaves! Ah, whither does he run [At the door. On pointed swords? Disarm, but save my son.

Enter MORAT staggering, and upheld by Soldiers. Mor. She lives! and I shall see her once again! I have not thrown away my life in vain.

[Catches hold of INDAMORA's gown, and falls
by her: She sits.

I can no more; yet even in death I find
My fainting body biass'd by my mind:
I fall toward you; still my contending soul
Points to your breast, and trembles to its pole.

To them MELESINDA, hastily casting herself on the other side of MORAT.

Mel. Ah woe, woe, woe! the worst of woes I find! Live still; Oh live: live e'en to be unkind!— With half-shut eyes he seeks the doubtful day; But, ah! he bends his sight another way. He faints! and in that sigh his soul is gone; Yet heaven's unmoved, yet heaven looks careless on. Nour. Where are those powers which monarchs should defend?

Or do they vain authority pretend

O'er human fates, and their weak empire show,
Which cannot guard their images below?
If, as their image, he was not divine,
They ought to have respected him as mine.
I'll waken them with my revenge; and she,
Their Indamora, shall my victim be,

And helpless heaven shall mourn in vain, like me. [As she is going to stab INDAMOra, Morat raises himself, and holds her hand.

'Mor. Ah, what are we,

Who dare maintain with heaven this wretched strife, Puft with the pride of heaven's own gift, frail life?

That blast which my ambitious spirit swell'd,
See by how weak a tenure it was held!
I only stay to save the innocent;

Oh envy not my soul its last content!

Ind. No, let me die; I'm doubly summon'd now;
First by my Aureng-Zebe, and since by you.
My soul grows hardy, and can death endure;
Your convoy makes the dangerous way secure.
Mel. Let me at least a funeral marriage crave,
Nor grudge my cold embraces in the grave.
I have too just a title in the strife;
By me, unhappy me, he lost his life:

I call'd him hither, 'twas my fatal breath,
And I the screech-owl that proclaim'd his death.

[Shout within.

Abas. What new alarms are these? I'll haste and

see.

[Exit. Nour. Look up and live; an empire shall be thine. Mor. That I condemn'd, even when I thought it mine.

Oh, I must yield to my hard destinies, [To IND. And must for ever cease to see your eyes!

Mel. Ah turn your sight to me, my dearest lord! Can you not one, one parting look afford? Even so unkind in death?—but 'tis in vain ; I lose my breath, and to the winds complain. Yet 'tis as much in vain your cruel scorn; Still I can love, without this last return. For fate, nor you, can my vow'd faith controul; Dying, I follow your disdainful soul:

A ghost, I'll haunt your ghost; and, where you go, With mournful murmurs fill the plains below. Mor. Be happy, Melesinda; cease to grieve, And for a more deserving husband live :

Can you forgive me?

Mel. Can I? Oh, my heart!

Have I heard one kind word before I part?

I can, I can forgive: Is that a task

To love like mine? Are you so good to ask?
One kiss-Oh, 'tis too great a blessing this!

I would not live to violate the bliss.

Re-enter ABAS.

[Kisses him.

Abas. Some envious devil has ruin'd us yet more: The fort's revolted to the Emperor;

The gates are open'd, the portcullis drawn,
And deluges of armies from the town

Come pouring in: I heard the mighty flaw,

When first it broke; the crowding ensigns saw,
Which choked the passage; and, what least I fear'd,
The waving arms of Aureng-Zebe appear'd,
Display'd with your Morat's:

In either's flag the golden serpents bear
Erected crests alike, like volumes rear,
And mingle friendly hissings in the air.

Their troops are join'd, and our destruction nigh.
Nour. "Tis vain to fight, and I disdain to fly.
I'll mock the triumphs which our foes intend,
And, spite of fortune, make a glorious end.
In poisonous draughts my liberty I'll find,
And from the nauseous world set free my mind,
[Exit.
At the other end of the Stage enter AURENG-ZEBE,
DIANET, and Attendants. AURENG-ZEBE turns
back, and speaks entering.

Aur. The lives of all, who cease from combat,

spare;

My brother's be your most peculiar care:

Our impious use no longer shall obtain ;
Brothers no more by brothers shall be slain.—

[Seeing INDAMORA and MORAT. Ha! do I dream? Is this my hoped success? I grow a statue, stiff and motionless.