 | Huniades ; or the Seige of Belgrade |  |
114
SCENE THIRD.
THE PRINCESS, MUSTAPHA, GUARDS.(A loud shout heard.—A discharge of cannon. After which, the door of the inner tent opens.—The Princess enters with precipitation, as breaking from those within. The Guards retire from sight, when the Princess comes into the outer tent.
PRINCESS
(to Mustapha).
Where, Messenger of woe! where is thy Sultan?
MUSTAPHA.
Gone forth to lead the Faithful on to battle.
PRINCESS,
Heaven!—let thy signal vengeance strike this monster;
Harrow his soul at once with all his crimes;
Let every woe his savage heart inflicts,
In all its bitterest agony, recoil upon
His head, till in despair he curse himself.—
Harrow his soul at once with all his crimes;
Let every woe his savage heart inflicts,
In all its bitterest agony, recoil upon
His head, till in despair he curse himself.—
—In vain I'm sacrific'd—this tyrant's Wife;
And not the saviour of my wretched Country.
Has Hell a torment that can equal this?
Had I but sav'd the People from destruction,
Though plung'd in woe, my fate would have been bliss
To what I feel. Offended Heaven rejects me.
Justly the fate I broke my oath to shun,
O'erwhelms me now—
And not the saviour of my wretched Country.
Has Hell a torment that can equal this?
Had I but sav'd the People from destruction,
Though plung'd in woe, my fate would have been bliss
To what I feel. Offended Heaven rejects me.
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O'erwhelms me now—
MUSTAPHA.
Restrain this tide of grief!
PRINCESS
(to Heaven).
Punish my guilt upon myself alone!—
(Cannon heard.)
—O infants! virgins! matrons! of Belgrade!
'Tis my transgression draws this ruin on you!
Then, curse the hand which to the spoiler gives you!
Perjur'd and lost Agmunda! Thou hast orphann'd
Thy country's helpless babes, widow'd her wives,
Hast forc'd her heroes on to certain death,
And made thy native Land, a land of slaves.
MUSTAPHA.
Your love may win the Sultan's heart to spare.
PRINCESS.
Spare!!—When his sword reeks in my Country's blood?
Corvinus lost, torn from my arms in wrath,
Why should I live, given to the fiend, I loathe?
His Wife! Distraction! Curs'd, curs'd, Mahomet's Wife!
Me Heaven itself forsakes;—
(pauses from grief.)
—a wretch, an outcast—
(With resolution bordering upon phrenzy.)
I'll face the injur'd heroes of my Land,
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(Going from the tent by the side on which she entered, when brought in by Abdalla.)
MUSTAPHA,
(Going between the Princess and the side scene).
(Cannon heard.)
You must not pass.
This way lies danger; here the battle rages.
PRINCESS,
With feigned composure, yet breathless from agitation.)
I heed not danger; let me view the fight.
MUSTAPHA.
Bright Sultaness! I cannot grant your prayer;
Beyond this Tent I dare not let you pass.
(She forces past him, he takes her in his arms, and brings her back.)
PRINCESS
(as Mustapha strives to prevent her going).
Detain me not!—
(When forced back.)
Inhuman Slave! unhand me!
(Cannon heard.)
O wretched Country! O Friends! Brother! Husband!
But I will join you.—
(She again attempts to go; Mustapha prevents her; and signs to the Guards, who advance & stop the passage.)
—Slave! swift palsy blast
Thy ruffian arm; unheard-of plagues torment thee.
Oh! may'st thou share the maddening pangs I feel,
And be so curs'd, thou canst not even die!
117
MUSTAPHA
(apart).
Why came he not himself?
(He whispers to a Slave, who retires; then signs to the Guards, who advance on both sides; their hands on their sabres.)
(Kneeling to the Princess.)
O peerless Woman!
Hard is my fate, to be again the messenger
Of woe, to seal thy Doom. The will of Heaven,
(The Slave appears with the cup of Poison; the Guards draw their sabres, and advance nearer to the Princess.)
And of my Master, must be done. Resistance
Would be in vain.
(Shows the Sultan's Ring.)
Your instant death he orders.
Mustapha rises, and takes the Cup of Poison from the Slave.
PRINCESS
(with rapture).
Bless'd sound!
MUSTAPHA.
This draught—
PRINCESS
(taking the Poison with great eagerness).
Is the Viaticum,
Which Heaven has sent. My deep contrition has
118
Tyrant! thy crime is mercy to thy Victim.
Corvinus! husband of my heart! I join thee.
(She drinks the Poison; the Guards sheath their sabres, and retire.)
(Kneeling.)
All gracious Power! complete this bless'd deliverance.
Redeem my Country! and protect my Brother!
Forgive the frailties of my erring mind,
And let thy Peace, in this dread hour, support me!
(To Mustapha, rising.)
How long must I still live?
MUSTAPHA.
A little span;
This lowering dawn is thy whle sum of life;
The Sun will never rise for thee again.
PRINCESS.
Thou hast thyself to tread through Death's dark vale.
Anticipate that hour, when nature trembling,
E'en though resign'd, wants some sustaining friend.
Then think how bitterly that hour would linger,
To have about thy bed of death none other,
Than objects of thy hate, to see thee die,
To view thy last, sad pang, and close thy eyes.
Reflect on this, and pity Me. O, lead me!
Where, in vile chains, the good Campestran groans.
Though deep my anguish, and though fix'd my woes,
His prayers will calm my soul, and I shall die
Resign'd.
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I grieve I cannot grant your wish.
PRINCESS
(with agitation).
Such cruelty excites—
(Stops short, repressing her anger.)
(Recovering her solemn composure.)
But what have I
To do with human passions now? The sorrows
Of my torn heart are just absolv'd. My soul,
Be firm; the peaceful sleep of friendly death
Medicines thy load of woes! Would I had where
To lay my weary head, till that sleep comes!
(The Princess retires into the inner Tent.)
(A discharge of Cannon, a confused noise, & shrieks heard.)
| Huniades ; or the Seige of Belgrade | |