Scene IV
(Lamorah's Cottage. Lamorah and Canondah are
discovered on the outside as in conversation.
Enter Ostenee in haste.)
Ostenee
Father! they have escaped!
Lamorah
Escaped? What now?
Ostenee
Your son Yanassa, from the Land of Souls,
Has taken Celuta—Endea—all with him!
Why did my brother take my love away?
Celuta said, before he came, she was
To be his bride! But why take Endea too?
She was my Playmate—jewel of my heart—
The first that I did ever love in life!
Celuta was my last—more beautiful—
More rosy-white than Endea, whose divine
Complexion was pure olive, clear as Heaven!
One was the Evening—one, the Morning Star!
Dear Endea! She was timid as the Dove—
Wild as the Partridge that was never tamed—
So timid that she trembled at herself,
And feared the shadow of her own pure form.
I loved her though she would not love me back,
And, would have given the Stars for her—all worlds
For fair Celuta!—now they both are gone!—
By yonder Big-Light in the sky! if they
Are on this Isle, I yet will find them out,
And take revenge upon Yanassa's soul,
For this great thing that he has done to me!
(Starting away)
Lamorah
Where go you now?
Ostenee
I go to seek my soul,
And yours, Yanassa from the Land of Souls.
Lamorah
Lend me your dagger then; I want to kill
A Roe-buck ere you come again.
Ostenee
(handing him the dagger)
Farewell!
I go again to find them—or to die!
(Exit Ostenee)
Lamorah
(to Canondah)
While wandering through the woods, the other day,
I saw two persons near the Lake of Swans,
Walking together towards the Bower of Bliss—
Celuta with Yanassa, arm in arm.
I watched them till they both went in the Bower;
Then, sitting down beneath an aged Oak,
I heard such blissful music from the Bower
Rolling in rivers of Celestial Song—
That all the Isle seemed overflowed with joy!
Such deep Seraphic rapture tranced my soul,
That I seemed led away in golden chains
Into the Fields of Immortality,
Where came the Good Departed of the world,
With open arms to welcome me to bliss—
Bidding me join them in the happy Chase!
So, that, I lost all memory of all things,
Except my father's love which then came back
To me with all its pristine purity,
Till all that once was pleasant to my soul—
The pleasures of the Chase—the sound of streams,
The smell of woods—the Banqueting of Souls—
And all the bright things of the living world—
Came floating down the river of that song,
As floats some mighty Ship upon the sea,
When all the ocean boils like liquid fire
This was the song that young Yanassa sung
When he was in the Land of Souls, beside
The throne of Ataensic, where now sing,
The Great Departed of the world in bliss!
Such song was never sung on earth before!
He never used to sing before his death—
Nor was his song melodious to my ear.
Canondah
Cause, in the Land of Souls, they know all things.
Lamorah
In what he learnt by going up to God—
More than the greatest Man could ever know
Were he to live on earth ten thousand years!
I thank the White-Man that he killed my son
They thought that they had broke my heart
By driving his pure soul above the stars—
(Damning their own foul souls to injure mine!—)
But they were wrong, as they have ever been!
Although I fell to pieces for awhile,
Yet, it was all made whole again by that
Sweet Song! I think that I shall never more,
On earth, this side of Bright Manitoline, hear such
Another song, so sweet to me as that!
So now, you go into the Bower of Bliss,
And see Yanassa—tell him to beware,
Or he will die again—if die he can—
Who has been once, twice, in the Land of Souls—
For Ostenee, his brother, seeks his life.
Then back return to me again with both
My daughters, when I will unfold to him
How he may best escape his brother's wrath.
If he will not return, bring Endea home
With you. She shall obey if he will not.
(Exit Canondah as Lamorah enters the cottage)
