The Czar | ||
43
SCENE II.
The Palace.Artamon and Desna.
ARTAMON.
All now succeeds, e'en to my utmost wish;
Alexis seiz'd in the broad act of treason,
The father hesitates no more on death;
This clears us too of Ottokesa's vengeance,
And fixes Catharine on the Russian throne.
DESNA.
The Czar, enamour'd of his blooming bride,
Thinks not of Ottokesa;—in her dark cell
She wails her woes to the relentless walls,
And beats in vain the air.
ARTAMON.
Her date is short;
The doom her son shall meet with soon will fix
The period of her griefs.
DESNA.
Alas! poor Queen!
Methinks I mourn her fate.
ARTAMON.
Dost thou relent?
We've plung'd too far in guilt, and should thy tongue
44
Her fate shall soon be thine.
DESNA.
I shrink not now,
But on the wings of speed will force my way
To execute your orders.
ARTAMON.
This moment, then;
For see the Czar is hast'ning to the trial;—
Catharine's meek nature must not guess our process;—
In the short compass of this busy night
Our all is at a stake;—straight to the prison;
There use your utmost arts,—create delays
To stop the Queen's arrival;—should she appear,
Before her son receives his final doom,
I know the Czar would waver;—fly, begone;
Serve me but now, and fortune pants to yield
Her every bright reward.
[Exeunt.
The Czar | ||