University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

The Turkish camp; the tent of Mahomet, who is discovered sitting alone in the eastern manner, with a great sheet of parchment spread out before him, which he is considering attentively.
Mah.
(after tracing some lines with a pen or pencil).
Ho, Osmir! art thou here? Enter Osmir.

Come hither, vizir; follow with thine eye
The various dispositions of this plan
Which for our grand attack I here have traced.
God and the Prophet being on our side,
That mingled broil of fierce and dreadful fight,
Which shall not cease till from the list of nations
This eastern empire, with its long told line
Of paltry Cæsars, be expunged and blank,
Shall not be long delay'd.

Osmir.
All things must yield unto the towering spirit
And comprehensive genius of your highness.
Permit your slave.
[Looking over the plan.
Conceived, indeed, with deep and wondrous skill!
But, mighty lord, if that a worm may speak,
Your van, methinks, is of a motley class,
The vile refuse and garbage of the camp;
Are Mussulmen led on in glory's path
By such as these?

Mah.
(smiling fiercely).
No; but brave Mussulmen o'er such as these
May step to glory's path. Garbage, I trust,
Is good enough for filling ditches up.
Some thousand carcases, living and dead,
Of those who first shall glut the en'my's rage,
Push'd in, pell-mell, by those who press behind,
Will rear for us a bridge to mount the breach
Where ablest engineers had work'd in vain.

Osmir.
This did escape my more contracted thoughts.
And here your highness stations Georgian troops:
Are they sure men in such important service?

Mah.
(smiling again).
Ay, sure as death; here is my surety for them.
Seest thou what warriors in the rear are placed,
With each a cord and hatchet in his hand?
Those grizly hangmen, in their canvas sleeves,
Fight for me better than an armed band
Of Christian knights full cap-à-pie. Look o'er it:
Something, perchance, may have escaped my thoughts.

Osmir
(after again examining it).
No; every thing is consummately plann'd.—
But, mighty sultan, this old officer,
Whom you have station'd here with your new troops,
Is not to be relied on.

Mah.
How so, Osmir?

Osmir.
It is suspected that he has received
The en'my's gold; one thing, at least, is certain,
He has had private meetings with the foe.

Mah.
What! art thou sure of this?—Send for him quickly.
The fool 'mid blocks and bowstrings has so long
His base head tott'ring worn, he thinks, no doubt,
It needs must be his own. Send for him quickly,
And see that which is needful done upon him.
[Drawing the pen sternly across the name on the plan.
There; from the world of living things I blot him;
Another takes his place. (Giving a paper to Osmir.)

These are the usual orders for the night;
Assemble thou the sev'ral officers,
And give to each his own particular charge.

Osmir.
Your slave obeys.

[Exit.
Mah.
(alone, after musing for a little while).
Have I done well to give this hoary vet'ran
Who has for thirty years fought in our wars,
To the death-cord unheard?
[Sternly, after pausing a short space.
I have done well.
In my disguised rounds, but two nights since,
List'ning at his tent-door, I heard him speak
Words that methought approach'd to slight esteem
Of my endowments and capacity.
Yes, he is guilty.
[After walking up and down several times he opens another scroll.
But I will fear no treason: here is that
On which I may rely. In mortal man
I have no trust; they are all hollow slaves,
Who tremble and detest, and would betray.
But on the fates, and the dark secret powers,
So say those sure unerring calculations
Of deep astrology, I may depend.
[Sitting down again, and considering the scroll.
Ay, it must needs be so: this constellation
In close conjunction with the warrior's star,
Traced back in magic numbers three times three,
And nine times nine, and added three again,
Unto the hour of my nativity,
Makes it infallible. Here have I mark'd it
With my own science, num'ral, learn'd, and sure.
Ha! ha! your foolish Christians now believe
Men's future fortunes are by wizards seen,
In airy forms pourtray'd, like mimic shows,
And trust thereto with fond simplicity.
[Othoric, who about the middle of this speech has made his appearance from behind the curtain of the tent, disguised like a Turk, but without a turban, now, stealing alose up to Maiiomet, lifts up his dagger to strike.
What do I hear?

Othoric.
It is thy fate, blind Turk, uncalculated.

[Striking.
Mah.
(parrying the blow with his sheathed scimitar, which he afterwands draws).
Ho! help without! treason and parricide!
Ho! guards without, I say!

[Guards rush in, and Othoric is seized, after defending himself desperately.
Mah.
(to Othoric).
Who art thou? What dark tyrant set thee on
To do this murderous and horrid deed?

Othoric.
And thinkst thou such deeds horrid?—But I came
To act and not to speak.

Mah.
Say rather, villain, to be acted on.
Do racks and burning iron please thee well
That thou shouldst earn them with such desperate pains.
(To the Guards.)
Stretch out his arms, and let me look on them.
[Looking at his arms, and surveying him all over, he shrinks back as from a danger escaped, and then smiles grimly.
There will be tough work on those sinewy limbs
When they are dealt with. Lead the traitor off.
I will give orders for his fate ere long.
[To Othoric, who is about to speak.
Thou shalt not speak: I hate thy horrible face.
Lead him away!

[Exeunt Othoric and Guards, met by Petronius and Marthon, who enter as they are going out.
Pet.
What prisoner is this they lead along?

Mah.
A dark assassin in my tent conceal'd,
Whose daring hand e'en now aim'd at my life.

Pet.
(casting up his eyes to heaven).
The life of great and godlike Mahomet!
It makes my blood turn cold.

Mar.
I too am stunn'd, and tremble at the thought.

Mah.
Yes, all may tremble who in the dark purpose
Have part or knowledge had.

Pet. and Mar.
(both alarmed).
What means my lord?

[Mahomet walks several times across the stage with angry strides, whilst they look fearfully upon one another, and then going sternly up to them.
Mah.
I know the base transactions of last night:
Ye stuff'd my gold into the dirty palms
Of those who shook their torches in the air,
And cried long live brave Paleologus.
I know it all: think ye with upcast looks,
And mumm'ry such as this, to blind mine eyes?

Pet.
(falling on his knees).
As there's a God in heav'n, to you, great Sultan!
We have been true!

[Marthon kneels also.
Mah.
Up, crouching slaves! when men, so bred as you are,
Thus lowly kneel, my very soul abhors them.

Pet.
Your death, great monarch, were to Paleologus
Triumph and safety, but to us swift ruin.

Mar.
And shall suspicions so improbable
Fall upon us, who in your secret service
Have dangers braved, and from your hands alone
Look for the recompense?

Pet.
If we last night have fail'd—

Mah.
(stamping with his foot).
I will not hear you! Enter Osmir.

Osmir, knowst thou this horrible attempt?

Osmir.
I do, great prince, and bless the prophet's arm
That has preserved you. What base enemy
Has arm'd the desp'rate villain?

Mah.
Petronius here and his smooth Grecian friend
Throw accusation on the emperor.

Osmir.
This moment in your camp there is arrived
An embassage of his most honour'd friends,
Sent by the emperor to treat of peace.

Mah.
At this unlikely hour?

Osmir.
Yes, time now presses, and, as I should guess,
The hopes of succour from those friendly vessels
That vainly have attempted through your fleets
To force a passage, raising short-lived joy
Full soon extinguish'd, has to this late hour
Delay'd their coming.
Hope gone, they now are humbled suitors. Here,
Within your power, you have the chiefest men
Of the brave friends on whom he most depends;
This does not look like preconcerted plots
Of secret murder, at this very hour
To be attempted

Mah.
No, Osmir, there is reason in thy words.

Osmir.
But if your highness thinks it is expedient,
I will straightway arrest them.

Mah.
(after hesitating).
No; they are valiant men, and do as such
Claim honour from a valiant foe. Go say,
That by the morning's dawn they shall have audience;
The open camp, with wide-mouth'd cannon cloth'd,
And all my lofty garniture of war,
Shall be my hall of state. Secure those men
Until my farther orders!

[Pointing to Petronius and Marthon, and exit, followed by Osmir. Remain Petronius and Marthon guarded.
1st guard.
Come on, my masters, we'll conduct you safely.

Mar.
(to Petronius).
Is it to plunge me in this dreadful gulf
That your cursed lessons have seduced my youth?

Pet.
Upbraid me not. I have not for myself
A better fate reserved. But we are noble,
And of high lineage; fear not, for the Sultan
Will still respect us.

2d guard.
Ay, so belike he will; your noble heads
May with the royal scimitar be sever'd,
If he is much inclined to honour you.
Some men ere now, in other Sultans' days,
Have been so honour'd.

[Exeunt.