 | The Viceroy |  |
SCENE I.
—THE WESTERN TOWER.VELORA, PANEEA.
VELORA.
Faithful Paneea! thy afflictive tidings
Have pierced my heart: alas! unhappy father.
Robbed of thy child, whose fondness should have watched
Thy parting spirit in its latest struggle,
And closed those eyes, that never, never cast
A look upon me, but of tenderest love!
PANEEA.
My gentle mistress, yield not to thy grief.
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To lay the burden of its misery down;
VELORA.
Yet have I reason for severest sorrow:
The wretched daughter, bound by dearest duty
To smooth the bed of death, there planted thorns
To pierce her dying father—'twas my zeal
To save Sylveyra's life; it was thy child,
Thou injured parent, whose misguided aim
So blindly sharpened thy expiring pangs.
O! were they not most terrible to look on?
PANEEA.
Let not such visionary fears alarm
Your troubled heart! in a short agony
Your injured father begged of Heaven to blast
The Viceroy's base designs: opprest he fainted;
But soon recovering, with more tranquil thought
Commended to his God your innocence;
Then death, as if in pity of his woes,
Approaching in the form of softest slumber
Released his spirit from this tainted sphere,
To gain the happier heights of purer being.
VELORA.
My good Paneea, thou dost vainly try
To soothe my anguish; e'en the happier child,
Who, blest with peace, yields, in her native land
An aged parent to the hand of Heaven,
By nature's dictates sheds the frequent tear
Of unrestrained affliction: what must I,
A captive orphan, robbed of that fond father,
Whose love, whose virtues were my kind support?
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May lenient time relieve thy wounded bosom!
VELORA.
Long will my filial heart lament his loss,
And conscious of its treasure torn away,
Ache at this cruel void.—But go, I pray thee,
Prepare the hallowed bale-tree to receive
His dear remains, and let thy faithful hand
Pour richest incense on the blazing pile,
Since bondage keeps me from that sacred duty!
PANEEA.
I will obey thee, dear, and gentle mistress,
Farewell! and all pure spirits be thy guard.
(Exit.
| The Viceroy | |