Zara expects thee-What she wills, obey. [Exit OSMAN. Oras. Ho! Christian enter!- -wait a moment here.

Thank Heaven, it is not, then, unlawful
To see you, yet once more, my lovely sister!
Not all so happy!-We, who met but now,
Shall never meet again-for Lusignan-
We shall be orphans still, and want a father.
Zar. Forbid it, Heaven!

Ner. His last sad hour's at handThat flow of joy, which follow'd our discovery,

Too strong and sudden for his age's weakness, Wasting his spirits, dried the source of life, And nature yields him up to time's demand. Shall he not die in peace?-Oh! let no doubt Disturb his parting moments with distrust; Let me, when I return to close his eyes, Compose his mind's impatience too, and tell him,

You are confirm'd a Christian !—

Zar. Oh! may his soul enjoy, in earth and

own,

Shall you distrust a truth 1 dar'd avow,
And stamp apostate on a sister's heart!
Ner. Ah! do not misconceive me-If I err'd,
Affection, not distrust, misled my fear;
Your will may be a Christian, yet not you;
There is a sacred mark-a sign of faith,
A pledge of promise, that must firm your
claim;

Wash you from guilt, and open Heaven be-
fore you.
[borne,
Swear, swear by all the woes we all have
By all the martyr'd saints, who call you
daughter,

That you consent, this day, to seal our faith, By that mysterious rite which waits your call. Zar. I swear by Heaven, and all its holy host,

Its saints, its martyrs, its attesting angels,
And the dread presence of its living author,
To have no faith but yours!-to die a Chris-
tian!

Now, tell me what this mystic faith requires.
Ner. To hate the happiness of Osman's
throne,
[woes,
And love that God, who, through his maze of
Has brought us all, unhoping, thus together.
For me I am a soldier, uninstructed,
Nor daring to instruct, though strong in faith:
But I will bring th' ambassador of Heaven,
To clear your views, and lift you to your God.
Be it your task to gain admission for him.-
But where? from whom?-Oh! thou immortal
Power!

Who is this slave of Osman? Yes, this slave!
Does she not boast the blood of twenty kings?
Is not her race the same with that of Lewis?
Is she not Lusignan's unhappy daughter?
A Christian, and my sister? yet a slave,
A willing slave!-I dare not speak more
plainly.

Zar. Cruel! go on-Alas you do not know

me.

My pains, my fears, my wishes, and my power:
At once a stranger to my secret fate,
This holy priest with his mysterious blessing;
I am I will be Christian-will receive
I will not do nor suffer aught unworthy
Myself, my father, or my father's race.-
But, tell me-nor be tender on this point,-
What punishment your Christian laws decree,
For an unhappy wretch, who, to herself
Unknown, and all abandon'd by the world,
Lost and enslav'd, has, in her sovereign mas-
ter,

Found a protector, generous as great,
Has touch'd his heart, and given him all her

own?

grow dark,

That the extinguish'd sun may hide thy shame! Could it be thus, it were no crime to kill thee. Zar. Strike, strike-I love him-yes, by Heaven, I love him.

Ner. Death is thy due-but not thy due from me:

Yet, were the honour of our house no bar-
My father's fame, and the too gentle laws
Of that religion which thou hast disgrac'd-
Did not the God thou quitt'st hold back my

me;

My too bold confidence repell'd my caution—
An infidel! a slave!-a heart like mine
Reduc'd to suffer from so vile a rival! [ing?
But tell me, didst thou mark 'em at their part-
Did'st thou observe the language of their eyes?
Hide nothing from me-Is my love betray'd?
Tell me my whole disgrace: nay, if thou trem-
blest,

I hear thy pity speak, though thou art silent.
Oras. I tremble at the pangs I see you suffer.
Let not your angry apprehension urge
Your faithful slave to irritate your anguish ;
I did, 'tis true, observe some parting tears;
But they were tears of charity and grief;
I cannot think there was a cause deserving
This agony of passion-

Osm. Why no-I thank thee-
Orasmin, thou art wise. It could not be
That I should stand expos'd to such an insult.
Thou know'st, had Zara meant me the offence,

She wants not wisdom to have hid it better:

How rightly didst thou judge?-Zara shall

know it,

which I

And thank thy honest service--After all, Might she not have some cause for tears, [her? Claim no concern in--but the grief it gives What an unlikely fear-from a poor slave, Who goes to-morrow, and, no doubt, who wishes,

Nay, who resolves to see these climes no more. Oras. Why did you, Sir, against our country's

custom,

[he

Indulge him with a second leave to come?
He said he should return once more to see her.
Osm. Return! the traitor! he return!-Dares
Presume to press a second interview?
Would he be seen again ?—He shall be seen;
But dead. I'll punish the audacious slave,
To teach the faithless fair to feel my anger.
Be still, my transports; violence is blind:
I know my heart at once is fierce and weak;
I feel that I descend below myself;
Zara can never justly be suspected;
Her sweetness was not form'd to cover treason;
Yet, Osman must not stoop to woman's follies;
Their tears, complaints, regrets, and reconcile-
ments,

With all their light, capricious roll of changes,
Are arts too vulgar to be tried on me.
It would become me better to resume
The empire of my will. Rather than fall
Beneath myself, I must, how dear soe'er
It costs me, rise-till I look down on Zara!--
Away but mark me-these seraglio doors,
Against all Christians be they henceforth shut,

Close as the dark retreats of silent death.
[Exit ORASMIN.
What have I done, just Heaven! thy rage to

Sel. What, will you then regret the glorious loss,

And hazard thus a victory bravely won,
Zar. Inhuman victory!-thou dost not
This love so powerful, this sole joy of life,
know
This first, best hope of earthly happiness,
Is yet less powerful in my heart than Heaven.
To him who made that heart I offer it;
There, there, I sacrifice my bleeding passion;
I pour before him every guilty tear;
I beg him to efface the fond impression,
And fill with his own image all my soul:
But, while I weep and sigh, repent and pray,
Remembrance brings the object of my love,
And every light illusion floats before him.
I see, I hear him, and again he charms;
Fills my glad soul, and shines 'twixt me and
Heaven!

Oh, all ye royal ancestors! Oh, father!
Mother! You Christians, and the Christians'
God!

You who deprive me of this generous lover!
If you permit me not to live for him,
Let me not live at all, and I am bless'd:
Let me die innocent; let his dear hand
Close the sad eyes of her he stoop'd to love,
And I acquit my fate, and ask no more.
But he forgives me not--regardless now,
Whether, or how I live, or when I die:
He quits me, scorns me- -and I yet live on,
And talk of death as distant.-

Sel. Ah! despair not;
Trust your eternal helper, and be happy.

Zar. Why- -what has Osman done that he

too should not?

[it? Has Heaven so nobly form'd his heart to hate Generous and just, beneficent and brave, Were he but Christian-What can man be

more?

come

I wish, methinks, this reverend priest was [soul: To free me from these doubts, which shake my Yet know not why 1 should not dare to hope, That Heaven, whose mercy all confess and feel,

Will pardon and approve th' alliance wish'd:
Perhaps it seats me on the throne of Syria,
To tax my power for these good Christians'
comfort.

Thou know'st the mighty Saladine, who first
Conquer'd this empire from my father's race,
Who, like my Osman, charm'd th' admiring
world,

mother.

Sel. What mean you, Madam? Ah! you do not see

Zar. Yes, yes-I see it all; I am not blind:
I see my country and my race condemn me:
I see that, spite of all, I still love Osman.
What if I now go throw me at his feet,
And tell him there sincerely what I am?
Sel. Consider that might cost your brother's
life,

Expose the Christians, and betray you all.
Żar. You do not know the noble heart of
Osman.

Sel. I know him the protector of a faith
Sworn enemy to ours ;- -The more he loves,
The less will he permit you to profess
Opinions which he hates: to-night the priest,
In private introduc'd, attends you here;
You promis'd him admission-

Zar. Would I had not!

I promis'd, too, to keep this fatal secret;
My father's urg'd command requir'd it of me;
I must obey, all dangerous as it is;
Compell'd to silence, Osman is enrag'd,
Suspicion follows, and I lose his love.

Made it a virtue to be lost in love;
When, without blushing, I indulg'd my flame,
And every day still made you dearer to me.
You taught me, Madam, to believe my love
Rewarded and return'd-nor was that hope,
Methinks, too bold for reason. Emperors,
Who choose to sigh devoted at the feet

Of beauties, whom the world conceive their slaves,

Have fortune's claim, at least, t' ensure success: But 'twere profane to think of power in love. Dear as my passion makes you, I decline Possession of her charms whose heart's an

Zara! -you weep!

Zar. If I am doom'd to lose you,
If I must wander o'er an empty world,
Unloving and unlov'd-Oh! yet, do justice
To th' afflicted-do not wrong me doubly:
Punish me, if 'tis needful to your peace,
But say not, I deserv'd it-This, at least,
Believe for not the greatness of your soul
Is truth more pure and sacred- -no regret
Can touch my bleeding heart, for I have lost
The rank of her you raise to share your
throne.

I know I never ought to have been there;
My fate and my defects require I lose you.
But ah! my heart was never known to Osman.
May Heaven that punishes, for ever hate me,
If I regret the loss of aught but you.

Osm. Rise-rise, this means not love!
Zar. Strike- -Strike me, Heaven!
Osm. What is it love to force yourself to
wound

The heart you wish to gladden? But I find,
Lovers least know themselves; for I believ'd,
That I had taken back the power I gave you;
Yet see!-you did but weep, and have resum'd
me!

Proud as I am- -I must confess, one wish
Zara, thy tears were form'd to teach disdain,
Evades my power- -the blessing to forget you.

That softness can disarm it.'l'is decreed.
I must for ever love-but from what cause,
If thy consenting heart partakes my fires,
Art thou reluctant to a blessing meant me?
Speak! Is it levity-or, is it fear?
Fear of a power that, but for blessing thee,
Had, without joy, been painful.--Is it
[made

artifice?

Oh! spare the needless pains-art was not
For Zara-Art, however innocent,
Looks like deceiving-I abhorr'd it ever.

Zar. Alas! I have no art; not even enough To hide this love, and this distress you give me. Osm. New riddles! Speak with plainness to my soul:

What canst thou mean?

Zar. I have no power to speak it.
Osm. Is it some secret dangerous to my

state?

[me? Is it some Christian plot grown ripe against Zar. Lives there a wretch so vile as to be

Depends not on my choice, but your decree : Go but remember how he loves, who thus Finds a delight in pain, because you give it. Zar. It gives me more than pain to make you feel it.

Osm. And can you, Zara, leave me?
Zar. Alas! my lord!
[Exit ZARA.
Osm. [Alone.] It should be yet, methinks,
too soon to fly me!

Too soon as yet to wrong my easy faith.
The more I think, the less I can conceive,
What hidden cause should raise such strange
despair!
[wish
Now, when her hopes have wings, and every
Is courted to be lively!-When I love,
And joy and empire press her to their bosom;
When not alone belov'd, but even a lover:
Professing and accepting; bless'd and bles-
sing;
[love!
To see her eyes, through tears, shine mystic
Tis madness and I were unworthy power,
To suffer longer the capricious insult?
Yet, was I blameless ?-No-I was too rash;
I have felt jealousy, and spoke it to her;
I have distrusted her-and still she loves:
Generous atonement that! and 'tis my duty
To expiate, by a length of soft indulgence,
The transports of a rage, which still was love.
Henceforth, I never will suspect her false;
Nature's plain power of charming dwells about
her,

And innocence gives force to every word.
I owe full confidence to all she looks,
For in her eye shines truth, and every beam
Shoots confirmation round her. I remark❜d,
Even while she wept, her soul a thousand

times

Sprung to her lips, and long'd to leap to mine,
With honest, ardent utterance of her love.-
Who can possess a heart so low, so base,
To look such tenderness, and yet have none?

Enter MELIDOR with ORASMIN.

Mel. This letter, great disposer of the world! Address'd to Zara, and in private brought, Your faithful guards this moment intercepted, And humbly offer to your sovereign eye.

Osm. Come nearer, give it me.-To Zara! Rise.

Bring it with speed- -Shame on your flattering distance

[Advancing, and snatching the letter. Be honest-and approach me like a subject Who serves the prince, yet not forgets the

fatal

Were meant me from this letter-should I read it?

Oras. Who knows but it contains some happy truth

That may remove all doubts, and calm your heart?

Osm. Be it as 'twill-it shall be read-my hands

Have apprehension that out-reaches mine! Why should they tremble thus ?-'tis done and now, [Opens the letter. Fate, be thy call obey'd-Orasmin, markThere is a secret passage toward the mosque; That way you might escape; and, unperceiv'd

Fly your observers, and fulfil our hope; Despise the danger, and depend on me, Who wait you, but to die if you deceive. Hell! tortures! death! and woman!-What, Orasmin! [Zara?

Are we awake? Heardst thou? Can this be
Oras. Would I had lost all sense-for what
I heard

Has cover'd my afflicted heart with horror.
Osm. Thou seest how I am treated!
Oras. Monstrous treason!

To an affront like this you cannot-must not
Remain insensible- You, who but now,
From the most slight suspicion, felt such pain,
Must in the horror of so black a guilt,
Find an effectual cure, and banish love.

Osm. Seek her this instant-go, Orasmin, fly

Show her this letter-bid her read and tremble:
Then in the rising horrors of her guilt,
Stab her unfaithful breast, and let her die.
Say, while thou strik'st-Stay, stay, return
and pity me;

I will think first a moment-Let that Christian
Be straight confronted with her-Stay-I will,
I will-I know not what!--Would I were
dead!

Would I had died, unconscious of this shame! Oras. Never did prince receive so bold a

I wonder'd at myself; and felt disdain
To be but equal to a Christian's greatness!
And does he thank me thus; base infidel!
Honest, pretending, pious, praying villain?
Yet Zara is a thousand times more base,

More hypocrite, than he! A slave! a wretch !
So low, so lost, that even the vilest labours,
In which he lay condemn'd, could never sink
[know

him

Beneath his native infamy-Did she not
What I have done, what suffer'd for her sake?
Oras. Could you, my gracious lord! forgive
my zeal,
You would-