Look, Dianet; for I dare not trust these eyes; They dance in mists, and dazzle with surprise. Dia. Sir, 'tis Morat; dying he seems, or dead; And Indamora's hand

Aur. Supports his head.

[Sighing. Thou shalt not break yet, heart, nor shall she know My inward torments by my outward show: To let her see my weakness were too base; Dissembled quiet sit upon my face: My sorrow to my eyes no passage find, But let it inward sink, and drown my mind. Falsehood shall want its triumph: I begin To stagger, but I'll prop myself within. The spacious tower no ruin shall disclose, Till down at once the mighty fabric goes. Mor. In sign that I die yours, reward my love, [To IND.

And seal my passport to the bless'd above.

[Kissing her hand. Ind. Oh stay; or take me with you when you go; There's nothing now worth living for below. Mor. I leave you not; for my expanded mind Grows up to heaven, while it to you is join'd: Not quitting, but enlarged! A blazing fire, Fed from the brand.

Mel. Ah me! he's gone! I die!

Ind. Oh, dismal day!

[Dies. [Swoons.

Fate, thou hast ravish'd my last hope away!

[She turns, and sees AURENG-ZEBE standing by her, and starts.

O heaven! my Aureng-Zebe-What strange surprise!

Or does my willing mind delude my eyes,
And shews the figure always present there?
Or liv'st thou? am I bless'd, and see thee here?
Aur. My brother's body, see convey'd with care,
[Turning from her, to her Attendants.

Where we may royal sepulture prepare.
With speed to Melesinda bring relief:
Recal her spirits, and moderate her grief

[Half turning to IND.

I go, to take for ever from your view,
Both the loved object, and the hated too.

[Going away after the bodies, which are
carried off

Ind. Hear me! yet think not that I beg your stay;

[Laying hold of him. I will be heard, and, after, take your way.

Go; but your

late repentance shall be vain :
[He struggles still she lets him go.

:

I'll never, never see your face again.

[Turning away. Aur. Madam, I know whatever you can say: You might be pleased not to command my stay. All things are yet disorder'd in the fort; I must crave leave your audience may be short. Ind. You need not fear I shall detain you long: Yet you may tell me your pretended wrong. Aur. Is that the business? then my stay is vain. Ind. How are you injured?

Aur. When did I complain?

Ind. Leave off your forced respect,

And shew your rage in its most furious form:
I'm arm'd with innocence to brave the storm.
You heard, perhaps, your brother's last desire,
And, after, saw him in my arms expire;
Saw me, with tears, so great a loss bemoan;
Heard me complaining my last hopes were gone.
Aur. "Oh stay, or take me with you when you

go,

"There's nothing now worth living for below." Unhappy sex! whose beauty is your snare: Exposed to trials; made too frail to bear.

-I grow a fool, and shew my rage again: "Tis nature's fault, and why should I complain? Ind. Will you yet hear me?

Aur. Yes, till you relate

What powerful motives did your change create.
You thought me dead, and prudently did weigh
Tears were but vain, and brought but youth's decay.
Then, in Morat, your hopes a crown design'd;
And all the woman work'd within your mind.-
I rave again, and to my rage return,
To be again subjected to your scorn.

Ind. I wait till this long storm be over-blown.
Aur. I'm conscious of my folly: I have done.
I cannot rail; but silently I'll grieve.

How did I trust! and how did you deceive !-
Oh, Arimant, would I had died for thee!
I dearly buy thy generosity.

Ind. Alas, is he then dead?

Aur. Unknown to me,

He took my arms; and, while I forced my way
Through troops of foes, which did our passage stay,
My buckler o'er my aged father cast,
Still fighting, still defending as I past,
The noble Arimant usurp'd my name;
Fought, and took from me, while he gave me, fame.
To Aureng-Zebe, he made his soldiers cry,
And, seeing not, where he heard danger nigh,
Shot, like a star, through the benighted sky,
A short, but mighty aid: At length he fell.
My own adventures 'twere lost time to tell;
Or how my army, entering in the night,
Surprised our foes; the dark disorder'd fight:
How my appearance, and my father shown,
Made peace; and all the rightful monarch own.
I've summ'd it briefly, since it did relate
The unwelcome safety of the man you hate.

4

Ind. As briefly will I clear my innocence:
Your alter'd brother died in my defence.
Those tears you saw, that tenderness I show'd,
Were just effects of grief and gratitude.
He died my convert.

Aur. But your lover too :

I heard his words, and did your actions view;
You seem'd to mourn another lover dead :
My sighs you gave him, and my tears you shed.
But, worst of all,

Your gratitude for his defence was shown:
It proved you valued life, when I was gone.

Ind. Not that I valued life, but fear'd to die : Think that my weakness, not inconstancy.

Aur. Fear shew'd you doubted of your own in

tent:

And she, who doubts, becomes less innocent.
Tell me not you could fear;

Fear's a large promiser; who subject live

To that base passion, know not what they give. No circumstance of grief you did deny ;

And what could she give more, who durst not die? Ind. My love, my faith.

Aur. Both so adulterate grown,

When mix'd with fear, they never could be known.
I wish no ill might her I love befal;

But she ne'er loved, who durst not venture all.
Her life and fame should my concernment be;
But she should only be afraid for me.

Ind. My heart was yours; but, oh! you left it here,
Abandon'd to those tyrants, hope and fear.
If they forced from me one kind look, or word,
Could you not that, not that small part afford?
Aur. If you had loved, you nothing yours could
call;

Giving the least of mine, you gave him all.

True love's a miser; so tenacious grown,
He weighs to the least grain of what's his own;
More delicate than honour's nicest sense,
Neither to give nor take the least offence.
With, or without you, I can have no rest :
What shall I do? you're lodged within my breast:
Your image never will be thence displaced;
But there it lies, stabb'd, mangled, and defaced.
Ind. Yet to restore the quiet of your heart,
There's one way left.

Aur. Oh, name it.
Ind. 'Tis to part.

Since perfect bliss with me you cannot prove,
I scorn to bless by halves the man I love.

Aur. Now you distract me more: Shall then the day,

Which views my triumph, see our loves decay?
Must I new bars to my own joy create?
Refuse myself what I had forced from fate?
What though I am not loved?

Reason's nice taste does our delights destroy:
Brutes are more bless'd, who grossly feed on joy.
Ind. Such endless jealousies your love pursue,
I can no more be fully bless'd than you.

I therefore go, to free us both from pain:
I prized your person, but your crown disdain.
Nay, even my own-

I give it you; for, since I cannot call

Your heart my subject, I'll not reign at all. [Exit. Aur. Go: Though thou leav'st me tortured on

the rack,

'Twixt shame and pride, I cannot call thee back.She's guiltless, and I should submit; but oh! When she exacts it, can I stoop so low?

Yes; for she's guiltless; but she's haughty too. Great souls long struggle ere they own a crime: She's gone; and leaves me no repenting time.