University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

Almansor, Zaida, Medina.
ZAIDA.
He dares not to advance, his crime intimidates him.
We will passe by the traitor, without speaking
A word.

ALMANSOR.
Deare object of all my affections,
Charme of my Spirits!

ZAIDA.
Surely, you are mistaken.
You would speak to some other.

ALMANSOR.
Suffer me
T'expresse my passion unto your faire eyes,
Love,—

ZAIDA.
You take me without doubt for Fatima.

ALMANSOR.
How for Fatima; this word doth acquaint me
Confusedly with the unjust suspition
From whence this chang springs: possibly you have
Believed that I seck to please her, seeing
The league that it between me, and her Father;
But Heaven, and Love my conquerour, be witnes,
That your fair Image wholy doth possesse
My heart, that to remove you thence, Fatima
Is altogether incapable, that I look on
Al that is lovely in her without love
And that as sensible only of the darts
Of your rare beauties, I confine my thoughts
And actions to civilities for her.

ZAIDA.
How do you look upon Fatima then
With an indifference?—Let me see how far
His impudence will go.—

aside.
ALMANSOR.
Can you doubt of it? you that have tied all
My senses with such sweet and pressing bonds?
Can you suspect with any justice, Madam
My heart of treachery, my oaths of falshood,
And believe that my soul hath so much blacknes,
As to betray my Mistresse, my friend,
And my Deliverer? could you imagine,
Without being deceiv'd, that having once
Beheld you, one could love elsewhere? oh no:
For me to be inflam'd with a new fire
You are too charming, and I'm too much charm'd.

ZAIDA,
Too much charm'd, monster of perfidiousnes?
Wilt thou abuse me then after thou hast
Betray'd me, and with an unworthy love
Carried away, wilt thou join impudence
To infidelity?

ALMANSOR.
To infidelity,
What say you, Zaida? this discourse confounds me.

ZAIDA.
I see it plainly, wretch; wer't thou lesse wicked,
Thou would'st be lesse confounded; an ingratefull
Still blusheth at reproaches.

ALMANSOR.
An ingratefull?

ZAIDA.
Doth that word trouble thee? and fearest thou
The name of an ingratefull person more
Then foul ingratitude it self?

ALMANSOR.
I know not
The eause of this your anger, should I never
So much examine me, I still should find
My conscience innocent.

ZAIDA.
In thy accompt then
Tis nothing to deceive a maid, to wrong
Thy friend, to fail thy faith, to love Fatima,
Lastly

Almansor,
I, say you?

ZAIDA,
Yes, thee.

ALMANSOR.
Oh! believe me,
I love her not.

ZAIDA.
Dar'st thou to say it yet?
Dost thou not love her when thou dost adore her?
Thy false equivocations cannot heer
Abuse me, I know that thou art to morrow
To marry her.

AlmansoR.
To matry her! o Heaven, believe it not,
I swear.

Zaida,
No, no, forbeare, I believe not
The oaths of one that's perjur'd, every one,
Knows of this mariage,

ALMANSOR.
Who told it you?

ZAIDA.
A certaine person.

ALMANSOR.
Whosoe'r it be,
That certain person ly'd. Tell me his name,
And my just anger presently shall carry him
The reward of his false intelligence.

ZAIDA.
Goe punish then Fatima, it was she
Her self that told it me.

ALMANSOR.
Oh give lesse credit,
Adorable Wonder, to such false discourses.

ZAIDA.
Good God! who ever saw such impudence?

ALMANSOR.
The mariage which she hath forged, is
A falsity; bear witnesse thou dread Master
Of Heaven that this I speak is truth; but if
I lie, let thy hand with a thunderbolt
Strike me unto the center of the earth:
Let my name be foreuer odious,
If the fire which I feel proceedeth not
Wholy from your fair eyes, and if my heart
Ever conceived for Fatima any thing
Beyond a weak esteem.

Zaida.
I must sift yet
This brazen face more throughly.—
aside.
How wilt thou prove
The truth of thy assertion?

Almansor,
I can produce.
A hundred proofs to disabuse you presently.

ZAIDA.
I'l have but one, and that too very easie;
To put an end to the suspitions,
Which I've cōceiv'd of thee, give me forthwith
Both thy hand and thy faith.

ALMANSOR.
I give it you
With an excesse of yoy.—but what would I,
Give her a hand that must destroy her brother,
And plung it self in his most noble blood?—

aside
ZAIDA.
What dost thou answer me so ill for such
Rare bounties? dost thou murmur to thy selfe,
Grow pale and study, as if thou resent'st ill
What I propose.

ALMANSOR.
Madam, clean contrary
I was rap'd with th'unexpected honour,
And happines wherewith I saw me filled,
And th'excesse of my joy transported me:
I feare through my obedience to betray you,
To make detraction to speak against you,
And to treat Zegry too unciviliy
In giving without his consent my hand
And faith; but this weak fear yeilds to my flame
Duty prevails not now upon my soul,
And cannot take from me the glorious purpose
Of giving you my heart and hand together.

ZAIDA.
Thou thinkest on't too late, my mind is chang'd,
And n'er shall chāge again, know that I feign'd,
Only to try thee, that excesse of goodnes,
And thy fires for Fatima presently
Burst forth.

ALMANSOR.
Oh! I had never any for her!

ZAIDA.
Thy deceit's plain enough, I'm very well
Assured of this fatall mariage:
When I press'd thee to passe thy faith unto me,
I faw that thy remorses for Fatima
Accused thee, and thy confusion
Confirmed me in my belieft that she
Receiv'd the faith which I demanded of thee.

ALMANSOR.
I offer it unto you.

ZAIDA.
No thou caust not
Dispose of it. Thou hast already given it,
And wilt abuse me.

ALMANSOR.
You abuse your self
Wiih too much warines.

ZAIDA.
Hast thou the boldnes
To reply yet? Go, go to thy Fatima,
To morrow is your mariage day, I know it.
She hath affections for thee, since thou hast
Refused me.

ALMANSOR.
Hear me, I do beseech you.

ZAIDA,
No, no? that were too great a weaknes in me:
Know that I leave thee, n'er too see thee more.
A secret poison's hid in the discourse
Of an Ingratefull person, and each word
A traitor speaks, destroys worse then the sword.
Exit Zaida.