University of Virginia Library

SCENE VII.

The Highway. Enter Daidra attended by Lavercam. Loud alarms without.
DAIDRA.
Oh! God! thou art a ministering Angel sure!
What noise was that?

LAVERCAM.
The noise of men of war.
Come—let us on; the Sons of Usna wait,
With most impatient fear, for our return.

DAIDRA.
Oh! God! then take me straight to them.

LAVERCAM.
This way.

DAIDRA.
Oh! what a simple thing I was to leave
Their Tent of Blessedness for this great woe!

LAVERCAM.
That you never should have done.

DAIDRA.
I know—
I know I never should; but then I did;
How sorry now! But will Naisa see
That I am sorry as I am—therefore,
Forgive me for the sin? this is my grief—
My greatest grief, for fear that he will not!

LAVERCAM.
Then fear no more—thy sins are all forgiven.

DAIDRA.
Then let us haste to him! for I do long
To pour my soul out at his feet in tears
Of penitential sorrow! Come—away!
Enter Eogan Mor attended by Darthula.
Oh! God! who do I see? Eogan Mor?
Darthula! is this you?

DARTHULA.
My dearest friend!
Whom have you here?

DAIDRA.
My dearest friend—as thine.
Whence are you bound?

DARTHULA.
To go with thee.

DAIDRA.
Then come.

EOGAN MOR.
No, she shall not—but go with me—you too—
Whence we are bound—to Erin's Isle. So, come.

DAIDRA.
No, never will we go with thee. How came
You with this man? He is our deadliest foe—
As well as Usna's Sons.

DARTHULA.
I know that well—
Nor would have come with him, had he not sworn
To take me straight to them.

EOGAN MOR.
By Hell! will you
Betray your traitorship to me! Then die!

[Attempts to stab her, but Lavercam wards off the blow.
DAIDRA.
Vile monster! we are proof against thy steel!

Alarums without. Enter Ardan in haste.
ARDAN.
Oh, God! Daidra! My Darthula here?
Thank Heaven! for this has been a blessed day!

[Embraces her.
EOGAN MOR.
But thou hast only looked upon the Morn!
The Evening has just risen upon high noon!
Look up above thy soul into my face,
And read thy night! Eogan Mor is here!

ARDAN.
Eogan Mor! I look upon thy Æthiop face,
And read the Mystic Characters of Death
And Hell.

EOGAN MOR.
That is the Scripture of thy doom!

ARDAN.
Thou art an Incarnation of black Hell!

EOGAN MOR.
That is the thunderous judgment of thy doom—
Welling down out of Heaven on thy damned soul!
Knowest thou who killed my father—brothers too?
For that black deed, the Sons of Usna all shall die!

ARDAN.
But on the ebon wall of thine own house,
I see engraven thine own fierce doom of death!

EOGAN MOR.
Thou dost behold awry thine own! Come on!

ARDAN.
No Son of Usna yet was ever born
To die by thee! We wear the Angels' robes.

EOGAN MOR.
Woven of sackcloth of the damned in Hell!

ARDAN.
Of golden tissue in the loom of Heaven.

EOGAN MOR.
Then I will tear the lamb's wool from thy back,
And show thy wolfish back to all Hell's dogs!

ARDAN.
The sight of naked Truth would strike thee blind!
As well attempt to look the noonday sun
Full in the face, as naked Truth.

EOGAN MOR.
Come on!
No more of parley now! Thy sun has risen
For the last time on earth—to set in blood!

ARDAN.
The Sun doth only rise, but never sets;
So man when seeming dead, but only lives—
There being no death unto the virtuous soul—
But one eternal Morn that knows no night.

EOGAN MOR.
Thy logic cannot save thee from thy doom!
The hour that I have prayed for now is come!
This hour thou hast to die! So, now, come on!

ARDAN.
I come—to crown thee with an iron crown,
And, after, set thee on thy throne in Hell!

[They fight desperately. Eogan Mor falls.
Exeunt Lavercam and Daidra.
EOGAN MOR.
Oh! God! oh! Hell! where are thy fiends? rise! rise!
And pour thy fiery thunders through my soul,
That I may blast this murderer from the earth!

[Striking in every direction at Ardan.
ARDAN.
Eogan Mor! I would not have thee die
With hatred in thy soul! I hate thee not—
Though thou wert sent by Conor for our lives!
Thou wilt not tarry long in Hell, before
Thy King will follow after thee. If thou
Wilt be as faithful there as here, he will,
No doubt, reward thee well—better than he
Could do on earth—for he will have more power—
Surrounded by so many faithful friends.

EOGAN MOR.
Oh! damnéd Fiend! thy steel was cold as ice!
But it has let Hell-fire in through the wound,
That scorches all my inward soul of life!
I go before! but thou shalt follow soon!
Oh, Conor! take revenge upon them all!
Remember thy last promise made to me!
I die—cursing them as I die—damned Fiends!

[Dies. Alarums without.
ARDAN.
Now will I on! Come, my Darthula! come!

[Exit.