Scene IV
(Selma is discovered bound fast to a post—
Ostenee asleep on the ground by the fire).
Selma
I do not heed these savage fools! one hand
Alone shall guide me through this gloom—'tis God's!
For though they drain the life blood from my heart,
They cannot kill my soul—it is immortal!
Nor will I swerve my conscious innocence
For that poor, paltry recompence, called life.
And though my spirit's efforts fail me here
As some dear friend that would, but cannot, save—
I still will put my trust in God above!
(After a pause)
How mournful are these beatings of my heart—
Tolling the requiem of my coming death,
When all shall be together hushed in one
Eternal silence, deeper than the grave!
(Enter Naymoyah cautiously).
Naymoyah
Oh! thou great Spirit of the Land of Souls!
My soul first offered up itself to Thee,
As spotless as Thine own in pious prayer!
As thou wert then, most merciful to me,
Hear now, the soft petitions of thy child,
Who, by thine unseen hand, has thus been led
To be the Saviour of my Selma's life!
Bright Daughter of the everlasting Sun!
Look down upon me in this trying hour,
And give me courage in this faint resolve,
To execute the sentence of his death!
Let not the White-Man, that is in my soul,
But make the Indian strike the fatal blow—
Making the darker do the darker deed!
(She takes out her dagger and walks cautiously
up towards Ostenee).
Selma
Oh! God! Naymoyah!
Naymoyah
Selma thou shalt live!
Selma
Be still! Why did you come?
Naymoyah
To save thy life!
How could Naymoyah see her Selma die?
Selma
Oh! God! were Ostenee to wake, we both
Would die!
Naymoyah
But he shall never wake!
Selma
Be still!
Naymoyah
I knew the peril of this perilous hour;
But, love being stronger than my fear of death,
I come to rescue thee, or die!
Selma
Oh! God!
Naymoyah
Now then, this blow—deep as my love for thee—
Selma
Hold! hold thy hand! he sleeps!
Naymoyah
He does! he sleeps!
Then let him sleep! I will unbind thy hands!
(She unbinds his hands)
Now Selma knows Naymoyah's soul is white.
Selma
I do! (Embraces her).
Naymoyah
Rejoice! for thou art free again!
Selma
I do—I do—made happy by thy love!
(Ostenee wakes, springs on his feet and, thinking
her an evil spirit, exclaims,)
Matchi Manitou! help, Areskou! help!
Naymoyah
(raising her dagger)
Areskou! God of Battle! he is here!
He comes to take thy life! (To Selma)
Away!
they come! (Exeunt)
(Enter Warriours, who exclaim, with astonishment,
on seeing Ostenee petrified, as it were,
with fear,)
What! has Manitou laid his spirit low?
(The Curtain falls)
