University of Virginia Library

SCENE V.

Apartment in the Palace.
Mirza and Kiosem, meeting.
KIOSEM.
I joy to see your Highness—more to see
Your Looks are alter'd, since our former Meeting;
Those Charms preserv'd, may cause a Doubt in Osman,
And bring him back repentant to your Arms.

MIRZA.
My Beauty, Madam, was it tenfold more,
Could have no Force without an Eye to view it.

KIOSEM.
The Sultan has been with you since we met.

MIRZA.
Not once so much as thought of me, I fear.

KIOSEM.
Ungrateful, barb'rous Prince! to use you thus;
Surely these Men think Women have no Passions,
Or can subdue them with a Nod of theirs:
My good Lord Achmet, the young Osman's Father,
Tho' he lov'd roving, never shook me off,
But trusted me with all his new Amours;
And in Return, I favour'd his Designs,
Always contributed to his Delights;
However, with this Caution, still to keep
Myself the sov'reign Partner of his Bed:
Thus, while he reign'd, I held the Royal Sway;
But had his Majesty abandon'd me,
His Crown had sat precarious on his Head.

MIRZA.
By Mahomet! thou'st rous'd my tardy Soul;
The ebbing Tide of lull'd Ambition,
Flows thro' each Vein, and swells me into Action.

KIOSEM.
Was I Sultana Queen, I'd scorn to stoop;
Disdain t'accept the Refuse of his Love—
I have not seen this new engaging Creature;
This Aphendina—but—

MIRZA.
O! name her not,
Unless thou mean'st to agitate my Fears,
With wild Variety of distracting Fancies.

KIOSEM.
'Tis said, a pompous Embassy attended,
To introduce her to her Father's Tent;
Where she and Osman spent whole Hours together.

MIRZA.
Furies and Hell! why would'st thou rack me thus?

KIOSEM.
Nay, sent her home guarded with equal Splendor.
Th'imperious Thing! I'm told, in wanton Merriment,
Droll'd on the Prince's Death, and vaunting boasted
Osman her own—Regardless too of Mirza,
He join'd the Laugh, and with a fleering Smile
Approv'd her Raillery.

MIRZA.
Ten thousand Curses!
Am I then fall'n thus low, to be their Mirth?
By all my Injuries, I swear Revenge:
Hence to the Winds each tender Sympathy;
O! for the savage Fierceness of the Lynx,
That I might hurl my Vengeance on their Heads,
Sport with their Anguish, and enjoy their Ruin.

KIOSEM.
Mirza is now herself, again the Queen;
This glorious Spirit may surmount your Wrongs,
And foil your Enemies—May Heaven direct you.
[Exit Kiosem.

MIRZA
sola.
Curse on my Fate—Was e'er such Wretchedness!
Sequester'd from a Throne, from Osman's Love;
O! that I had never reach'd the Height of Majesty!
Never been blest within my Osman's Arms—
What! be the Jest of that insulting Minx—
Hold! hold my Brain! there's Frenzy in the Thought!
Distraction aid me!—O! that I could not think—
Perdition seize the Globe and Aphendina—
Chaos and endless Night resume your Reign!
Envellope all! I'm weary of the Light—
[Enter Aphendina. Mirza starts.
What Fiend has sent her to oppose my Way?
Madam, your Arts prevail; nay, smile, exult
And triumph i'th'inglorious Spoil you've made.

APHENDINA.
Heav'n only knows—

MIRZA.
Dar'st thou to talk of Heaven!
Thy sully'd Soul bears no Affinity
To its pure native white; thou'rt black as Hell;
Thou kill'st my Sight, art more distasteful to it
Than the dun Toad bloated with Pride, as thou art.
Curse on thy Artifice—dissembling Wretch!

APHENDINA.
Madam, compose—

MIRZA.
Bid the loud Tempest cease
When the fierce North is rous'd! Think'st thou to calm
My Passion's Hurricane, by pedant Preachments
Of Composure!—in vain, proud Minx! in vain;
Hast thou not robb'd me of my Osman's Love?
What do'st thou meanly think my Spirit's form'd
Of that coarse Refuse, sordid as thine own?
That I've so little of the Woman in me,
As to sit loose to all the Pomp of Life;
To part with Sov'reignty without a Struggle,
And tamely wear your lavish Insolence?
No, by our Prophet! my Revenge shall crush you.
[Aphendina weeps.
Weep, till your Heart-strings crack; it joys me much
T'indulge me o'er thy Tears—Away to Osman,
He'll listen to thy Whine; at ev'ry Pause
Will sigh, I love—Believe the Hypocrite,
And be as curst as the forsaken Mirza.

APHENDINA.
Think not these Tears self-interested flow;
They owe their Current to a nobler Source,
Pure as my Heart.

MIRZA.
Thy Heart! 'tis scribbl'd o'er;
The Character of Truth is no where legible,
One Mass of foul Dishonour! 'way Dissembler.

APHENDINA.
I cannot leave you thus distrest—My Queen!
Permit me share your Grief; I cannot bear
To see such Excellence so greatly mov'd.
Thus let me bend to beg your patient Ear;
[Going to kneel.
—If e'er Ambition swell'd my humble Breast,
If e'er Desire revell'd in my Mind
Incontinent—let Mirza then despise me.
—But Osman—If thou'st felt what 'tis to love,
And be belov'd by Osman, thou'lt forgive me.

MIRZA.
O Aphendina! well I know his Power.
[Pausing.
Yes—he would charm a Syren with his Tongue—
Whene'er he speaks, the Accents softer flow,
Than the Lute's gentlest Trill; but when he'd wooe,
The Turtle's plaintive Notes are harsh to his.
O! were he but as true—Such Dignity,
Such Grace 'waits each Act—I must forgive thee,
If thou lov'st my Osman.

[Enter Osman hastily, running to embrace Aphendina; Mirza unperceiv'd.
OSMAN.
My Life! my All!
Thus let me clasp thee to my glowing Breast,
And gaze for ever on thy rising Beauties.
Sure Nature triumph'd when she form'd Perfection,
And nam'd the lovely Model Aphendina:
The smiling Love's i'th'Dimples of thy Cheek,
Hold here their Fairy Court; unbounded Joy,
[Looking on her.
In mystic Dance, revels within these Eyes.

MIRZA.
O! that deluding Tongue.

OSMAN.
Ha! Mirza here!

[Turning.
MIRZA.
Yes, Osman, Mirza's here; your once lov'd Mirza.
Such was the Language won my foolish Heart;
Then you would kneel, implore, nay, sigh and swear,
That Mirza's Beauty triumph'd o'er the Sex:
But thou art false.

OSMAN.
Thou wrong'st me, I am just;
'Twas my Opinion then.

MIRZA.
Think'st thou by Casuistry,
And Subterfuges mean, t'elude me still?
Perfidious Man!—Has my Affection fail'd?

OSMAN.
Madam, Obedience to our Will best speaks
Affection to our Person—Retire—no more.

MIRZA.
So lordly! Yes, Imperious! I will be gone;
My tow'ring Soul shall ne'er descend so low,
To crave thy Love, to beg it as a Favour:
Hence with the slavish Coz'nage—Thank thee, Osman!
Thou'st freed me of my Chains; a nobler Passion
Reanimates my Breast, more worthy Mirza;
Revenge, Revenge shall right her Injuries.
[Ex. Mirza.

OSMAN.
Mirza so warm! by Mahomet! I am mov'd—
[Pauses.
But when I gaze on thee, illustrious Maid!
My ruffled Bosom's hush'd, the Storm's no more:
But say! my Aphendina! why this Change?
Why are the glowing Beauties of thy Face,
(The Seat of endless Joy) thus clouded o'er?
Whilst thy fond Osman's Heart beats high with Rapture,
O'erflows with Transport, and is lost in Ecstasy.

APHENDINA.
Forgive me, Osman, that I thus offend;
Ne'er till this Instant did my constant Heart
Know what it was, not to be wholly your's:
Now, as two meeting Streams by Force repellent,
Stagnate each other in their wonted Course;
So Love and Pity in my Breast at Variance,
Sway my divided Soul, dispute the Passage,
Nor leave a Current for each other's Flow.
O! Osman—I cannot—but feel for Mirza.

OSMAN.
By Heav'n! this Softness gains upon my Soul,
Beyond the boist'rous Air, the big-swoln Pride
Of haughty Beauty on its Charms presuming:
There was no Need of this, my Aphendina,
T'insure a Conquest over Osman's Heart.
I pity her, but Virtue has its Bounds;
Excess is faulty, we must sometimes wave
Too rigid Right—Osman, when blest with thee,
His utmost Wish replete, shall then expatiate,
Look round the various Globe, pursue each Plan
Where Glory points the Way, and bless Mankind.

APHENDINA.
Osman! thy Words steal gently on my Senses,
And bear me smoothly down th'inchanting Stream
Of soft Persuasion—We're prepar'd to admit
Whate'er our Wishes prompt us to believe.

OSMAN.
Clear up my Fair! and give a Loose to Joy;
Rival the Glories of the Delian God,
When in his Chariot flaming thro' the East,
He dissipates the Gloom, and brightens Day:
Let then that Radiance beaming thro' those Eyes,
Shed kinder Influence, dispel each Cloud.
Let not my Empress' Bosom chill with Fear,
But glow with Prospect of our future Joys:
Anxiety and Care shall stand aloof,
In Wonder wrapt pay Homage to these Charms,
Nor dare t'intrude, where Love, and Peace, and Joy,
Triumph enthron'd on Aphendina's Breast.

[Exeunt.