 | Oroonoko |  |
ACT III.
SCENE I.
Enter Aboan with several Slaves and Hotman.Hot.
What! to be Slaves to Cowards! Slaves to
Rogues! who can't defend themselves!
Abo.
Who is this Man? he talks as if he were acquainted
with our Design: Is he one of us?
[Aside to his own Gang.
Slav.
Not yet: But he will be glad to make one, I
believe.
Abo.
I think so too, and may be worth the having.
Hot.
Go, sneak in Corners; whisper out your Griefs,
For fear your Masters hear you: Cringe and crouch
Under the bloody Whip, like beaten Curs,
That lick their Wounds, and know no other Cure.
All, Wretches all! you feel their Cruelty,
As much as I can feel, but dare not groan.
For my Part, while I have a Life and Tongue,
I'll curse the Authors of my Slavery.
Abo.
Have you been long a Slave?
Hot.
Yes, many Years.
Abo.
And do you only curse?
Hot.
Curse! only curse! I cannot conjure,
To raise the Spirits up of other Men:
I am but one. O! for a Soul of Fire,
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And make a Body of us, then I would
Do something more than curse.
Abo.
That Body set on Foot, would you be one,
A Limb, to lend it Motion.
Hot.
I would be
The Heart of it; the Head, the Hand, and Heart:
Would I could see the Day!
Abo.
You will do all yourself.
Hot.
I would do more
Than I shall speak, but I may find a Time—
Abo.
This Spirit pleases me, and I will trust him.—
[Aside.
The Time may come to you; be ready for it.—
Enter Blandford.
We're interrupted now—we'll meet anon.
Blan.
If there be any one among you here
That did belong to Oroonoko, speak,
I come to him,
Abo.
I did belong to him. Aboan my Name.
Blan.
You are the Man I want; pray come with me.
[Exit all but Hotman.
Hotman
alone.
Yes, 'tis as I suspected—this Aboan
Has form'd some secret Project to revolt;
My well-feign'd zeal has snar'd him, and he'll trust me:
Then welcome Liberty!—not that I mean
To trust his Cunning, or the Chance of Arms;
I have a nearer, safer Way to Freedom:
I'll learn the Plot, and watch it Step by Step,
'Till on the Verge of Execution—then,
Just then, betray it; 'twill enhance the Merit,
And make Reward more ample and more sure.
[Exit.
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SCENE II.
Enter Oroonoko and Imoinda.Oro.
I do not blame my Father for his Love:
'Twas Nature's Fault that made you like the Sun,
The reasonable Worship of Mankind:
He could not help his Adoration.
But when I think on his Barbarity,
That could expose you to so many Wrongs;
Driving you out to wretched Slavery,
Only for being mine; then I confess
I wish I could forget the Name of Son,
That I might curse the Tyrant.
Imo.
I will bless him,
For I have found you here: Heav'n only knows
What is reserv'd for us: But, if we guess
The future by the past, our Fortune must
Be wonderful, above the common Size
Of Good or Ill; it must be in Extremes:
Extremely happy, or extremely wretched.
Oro.
'Tis in our Pow'r to make it happy now.
Imo.
But not to keep it so.
Enter Blandford and Aboan.
Blan.
My Royal Lord!
I have a Present for you.
Oro.
Aboan!
Abo.
Your lowest Slave.
Oro.
My try'd and valu'd Friend.
This worthy Man always prevents my Wants:
I only wish'd, and he has brought thee to me.
Thou art surpriz'd: Carry thy Duty there;
[Aboan goes to Imoinda, and falls at her Feet.
While I acknowledge mine, how shall I thank you?
Blan.
Believe me honest to your Interest,
And I am more than paid. I have secur'd
That all your Followers shall be gently us'd.
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Shall wait upon your Person; while you stay
Among us.
Oro.
I owe every thing to you.
Blan.
You must not think you are in Slavery.
Oro.
I do not find I am.
Blan.
Kind Heav'n has miraculously sent
Those Comforts, that may teach you to expect
Its farther Care, in your Deliverance.
Oro.
I sometimes think myself, Heav'n is concern'd
For my Deliverance.
Blan.
It will be soon;
You may expect it. Pray, in the mean time,
Appear as chearful as you can among us.
You have some Enemies, that represent
You dangerous, and would be glad to find
A Reason, in your Discontent, to fear:
They watch your Looks. But there are honest Men,
Who are your Friends: You are secur'd in them.
Oro.
I thank you for your Caution.
Blan.
I will leave you:
And be assur'd, I wish your Liberty.
[Exit Bland.
Abo.
He speaks you very fair.
Oro.
He means me fair.
Abo.
If he should not, my Lord?
Oro.
If he should not?
I'll not suspect his Truth: But if I did,
What shall I get by doubting?
Abo.
You secure
Yourself from Disappointment: But besides,
There's this Advantage in suspecting him:
When you put off the Hopes of other Men,
You will rely upon your God-like Self:
And then you may be sure of Liberty.
Oro.
Be sure of Liberty! what dost thou mean;
Advising to rely upon myself?
I think I may be sure on't: We must wait:
'Tis worth a little Patience.
[Turning to Imoinda.
Abo.
O my Lord!
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What dost thou drive at?
Abo.
Sir, another Time
You would have found it sooner: But I see
Love has your Heart, and takes up all your Thoughts.
Oro.
And can'st thou blame me?
Abo.
Sir, I must not blame you.
But, as our Fortune stands, there is a Passion
(Your Pardon, Royal Mistress, I must speak)
That would become you better than your Love:
A brave Resentment; which inspir'd by you,
Might kindle and diffuse a gen'rous Rage
Among the Slaves, to rouze and shake our Chains,
And struggle to be free.
Oro.
How can we help ourselves?
Abo.
I knew you when you wou'd have found a Way.
How, help ourselves! the very Indians teach us:
We need but to attempt our Liberty,
And we carry it. We have Hands sufficient,
Double the Number of our Master's Force,
Ready to be employ'd. What hinders us
To set 'em then at Work? We want but you,
To head our Enterprize, and bid us strike.
Oro.
What would you do?
Abo.
Cut our Oppressors Throats.
Oro.
And you would have me join in your Design
Of Murther?
Abo.
It deserves a better Name:
But be it what it will, 'tis justify'd
By Self-defence, and natural Liberty.
Oro.
I'll hear no more on't.
Abo.
I am sorry for't.
Oro.
Nor shall you think of it!
Abo.
Not think of it!
Oro.
No, I command you not.
Abo.
Remember, Sir,
You are a Slave yourself, and to command
Is now another's Right. Not think of it!
Since the first Moment they put on my Chains,
I've thought of nothing but the Weight of 'em,
30
Oro.
I have a Sense of my Condition,
As painful, and as quick, as yours can be.
I feel for my Imoinda and myself;
Imoinda, much the tenderest Part of me.
But, tho' I languish for my Liberty,
I would not buy it at the Christian Price
Of black Ingratitude: They shall not say,
That we deserv'd our Fortune by our Crimes.
Murder the Innocent!
Abo.
The Innocent!
Oro.
These Men are so, whom you would rise against,
If we are Slaves, they did not make us Slaves;
But bought us in the common Way of Trade:
As we have done before 'em, bought and sold
Many a Wretch, and never thought it wrong.
They paid our Price for us, and we are now
Their Property, a Part of their Estate,
To manage as they please. Mistake me not,
I do not tamely say, that we should bear
All they could lay upon us: But we find
The Load so light, so little to be felt,
(Considering they have us in their Pow'r,
And may inflict what Grievances they please)
We ought not to complain.
Abo.
My Royal Lord!
You do not know the heavy Grievances,
The Toils, the Labours, weary Drudgeries,
Which they impose; Burdens more fit for Beasts,
For senseless Beasts to bear, than thinking Men.
Then if you saw the bloody Cruelties
They execute on every slight Offence;
Nay, sometimes in their proud, insulting Sport,
How worse than Dogs they lash their Fellow Creatures;
Your Heart would bleed for 'em. Oh! could you know
How many Wretches lift their Hands and Eyes
To you for their Relief!
Oro.
I pity 'em,
And wish I could with Honesty do more.
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You must do more, and may, with Honesty,
O Royal Sir, remember who you are,
A Prince, born for the Good of other Men:
Whose God-like Office is to draw the Sword
Against Oppression, and set free Mankind:
And this I'm sure you think Oppression now.
What tho' you have not felt these Miseries,
Never believe you are oblig'd to them:
They have their selfish Reasons, may be, now,
For using you so well: But there will come
A Time, when you must have your Share of 'em.
Oro.
You see how little Cause I have to think so:
Favour'd in my own Person, in my Friends;
Indulg'd in all that can concern my Care,
In my Imoinda's soft Society.
[Embracing her.
Abo.
And therefore would you lie contented down
In the Forgetfulness, and Arms of Love,
To get young Princes for 'em?
Oro.
Sayst thou! ha!
Abo.
Princes, the Heirs of Empire, and the last
Of your illustrious Lineage, to be born
To pamper up their Pride, and be their Slaves?
Oro.
Imonida! save me, save me from that Thought.
Imo.
There is no Safety from it: I have long
Suffer'd it with a Mother's labouring Pains;
And can no longer. Kill me, kill me now,
While I am blest, and happy in your Love;
Rather than let me live to see you hate me:
As you must hate me: me, the only Cause,
The Fountain of these flowing Miseries.
Oro.
Shall the dear Babe, the eldest of my Hopes,
Whom I begot a Prince, be born a Slave?
The Treasure of this Temple was design'd
T'enrich a Kingdom's Fortune: Shall it here
Be seiz'd upon by vile unhallow'd Hands,
To be employ'd in Uses most profane?
Abo.
In most unworthy Uses; think of that;
And while you may, prevent it. O my Lord,
Rely on nothing that they say to you.
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But think what 'tis to wait on Promises,
And Promises of Men who know no Tie
Upon their Words, against their Interest:
And where's their Interest in freeing you?
Imo.
O! where indeed, to lose so many Slaves?
Abo.
Nay, grant this Man, you think so much your Friend,
Be honest, and intends all that he says;
He is but one; and in a Government,
Where, he confesses, you have Enemies,
That watch your Looks. What Looks can you put on,
To please these Men, who are before resolv'd
To read 'em their own way? Alas! my Lord,
If they incline to think you dangerous,
They have their knavish Arts to make you so:
And then who knows how far their Cruelty
May carry their Revenge?
Imo.
To every thing
That does belong to you, your Friends, and me;
I shall be torn from you, forced away,
Helpless and miserable: Shall I live
To see that Day again?
Oro.
That Day shall never come.
Abo.
I know you are persuaded to believe
The Governor's Arrival will prevent
These Mischiefs, and bestow your Liberty:
But who is sure of that? I rather fear
More Mischiefs from his coming. He is young,
Luxurious, Passionate, and amorous:
Such a Complexion, and made bold by Power,
To countenance all he is prone to do,
Will know no Bounds, no Law against his Lusts.
If, in a Fit of his Intemperance,
With a strong Hand he shall resolve to seize,
And force my Royal Mistress from your Arms,
How can you help yourself?
Oro.
Ha! thou hast rouz'd
The Lion in his Den, he stalks abroad,
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I find the Danger now: My Spirits start
At the Alarm, and from all Quarters come
To man my Heart, the Citadel of Love.
Is there a Power on Earth to force you from me?
And shall I not resist it?
Now I am fashion'd to thy Purpose: Speak,
What Combination, what Conspiracy,
Would'st thou engage me in? I'll undertake
All thou would'st have me now for Liberty,
For the great Cause of Love and Liberty.
Abo.
Now, my great Master, you appear yourself.
And since we have you join'd in our Design,
It cannot fail us. I have muster'd up
The choicest Slaves, Men who are sensible
Of their Condition, and seem most resolv'd:
They have their several Parties.
Oro.
Summon 'em,
Assemble 'em: I will come forth and shew
Myself among 'em: if they are resolv'd,
I'll lead their foremost Resolutions.
Abo.
I have provided those will follow you.
Oro.
With this Reserve in our Proceedings still,
The Means that lead us to our Liberty
Must not be bloody—no—must not be bloody—
Whate'er the Rage of Passion may suggest.
'Tis wrong, 'tis base to break the Ties of Honour,
Merely through Fear that others first shou'd break them.
Abo.
In Self-Defence, my Lord—
Oro.
I know, I feel,
All thou can'st say, and more—is there no way?
[Pauses
Ye Gods! 'tis Inspiration! what a Thought!
The very Ship that brought, that made us Slaves,
Swims in the River still—we'll seize on that,
And not a Life shall fall—
Abo.
And shall we then
Desert our honest, brave, unhappy Friends—!
Blast all their Hopes—
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O! no, we'll go together;
Not one Associate shall be left behind.
Abo.
Why farewel then Revenge—it shall be so.—
We shall expect you, Sir—
Oro.
You shall not long.
[Exeunt Oroonoko and Imoinda at one Door, Aboan at another.
SCENE III.
Enter several Slaves, Conspirators.1st Slav.
'Tis about the Time now, he'll be here soon.
2d Slav.
Well, but what are we to do?
1st Slav.
To do! why we are to be free;
2d Slav.
Aye! 'twas lucky this Aboan came among
us; when I look at him, and hear him talk, I think
I'm free already.
3d Slav.
Why aye, to be sure; such Men as he may
do much.
2d Slav.
Why we were all such Men, 'till Slav'ry broke us.
But what is the Project?
3d Slav.
Why we shall hear, we shall hear.
1st Slav.
Aye, let Aboan alone; I'll warrant he'll
put us in a Way.
2d Slav.
There's Hotman too; did you hear how he
fir'd, when our Tyrants ran away and left us to the
Indians.
1st Slav.
Did I? aye—Hotman, in my Opinion, has
as much Spirit as Aboan—here they are, coming together;
let us draw back a little: See how earnestly
they talk; don't let us interrupt them.
[They retire to the Back of the Stage.
Enter Hotman and Aboan.
Abo.
This is his Scheme; I left him but this Moment.
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I like it not; a glorious Feat indeed,
For Souls of Fire, provok'd by burning Wrongs,
To seize a Ship by Night and steal away,
Our useless Weapons slumb'ring in the Sheath.
Confusion! and our Suff'rings unreveng'd.
Abo.
Indeed I thought of more; but is not Freedom,
Without the Chance of Contest, worth Acceptance?
Hot.
I know not—to those frigid Clods, perhaps;
To our pale Lords, who only dare to strike
Whom others bind, it might—but not to me—
By all my Wrongs, I thirst for more than Freedom.
Abo.
Thy noble Ardour might e'en warm the Dead?
We'll try once more it's Pow'r on Oroonoko—
But soft, here are our Friends, and as I think
At Distance comes the Prince—it must be he—
Turning to the Slaves.]
Welcome, my Friends, the Prince is of your Party,
And has engaged to make your Cause his own—
See where he comes—
Enter Oroonoko.
Here are our Friends, my Lord,
Who ask but your Concurrence to be free.
Oro.
If to all these I am the Means of Freedom,
'Tis well I was a Slave—'tis well that here
I've learnt the Wrongs you suffer.
Hot.
'Tis better not to be, than thus to suffer.
Abo.
To die at once, than leave our wretched Offspring
Heirs of the Chains and Scourges that—
Oro.
No more—
My Friend here tells me, you have well resolv'd,
[To the Slaves.
To make one glorious Effort to be free:
To risk your Lives, and all the threefold Woes
That would attend our unsuccessful Contest.
[The Slaves look on each other, and answer nothing.
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(clamourously)
All, all we risk for Freedom—and Revenge!
[Oroonoko turns quick, and looks earnestly at Hotman.
Oro.
(after a Pause)
'Tis well, 'tis great!— (turning to the rest)
but I have found the Means
To gain our Purpose by a safer way—
Hot.
(interrupting)
A safer!—let him talk of safer ways
Who holds his Life more dear than great Revenge.
[Oroonoko turns hastily again, and looks at Hotman; fixing his Eyes sometime upon him, without speaking; Hotman at length shews some Signs of Confusion; Oroonoko then turns and speaks to Aboan.
Oro.
Is this the Man whose Zeal you prais'd so much?
Abo.
It is—
Hot.
(more confus'd)
They whisper; yes, I am suspected;
I must talk louder still—
[Aside.
Oro.
(still eyeing Hotman)
And is he trusted with the whole Design?
Abo.
He is, my Lord.
Oro.
The Marks of Guilt are on him.
Abo.
Not so, my Lord—
Oro.
Whence his Confusion, then, to meet my Eye?
Abo.
Whence his Confusion now, suppose him false?
Oro.
Whence! from the Consciousness of Falshood here,
That which makes Villains start at their own Shadow,
That made him fear my Eye, though it could reach
No farther than the Covering of his Heart—
Ev'n now he trembles, and a sickly Hue
Steals on his Cheeks—
Abo.
It does—yet try him farther.
Oro.
To try him now he's trusted, boots us nothing.
Abo.
Do it, if only to restore our Hope,
Or end the Torments of Suspence—
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I will—
Your Zeal, my Friend, I honour; but you know—
[To Hotman.
Hot.
That nobler Hopes have set my Soul on Fire,
Than just to steal a Ship, and run away—
If I consent to this, ye Gods!—
[He affects to speak this loud, but his Voice faulters through his Fear.
Oro.
If you do not consent, you will not sure—
Hot.
I will not what?—Who is there that suspects me?
[In a great Confusion.
[Oroonoko looks at Aboan, then turns again to Hotman.
Oro.
Suspects, my Friend. Of what should we suspect you?
Abo.
(hastily)
By Heav'ns, if I suspected any present
Of a perfidious View to blast our Hopes,
This Dagger here at once should make him faithful.
[Hotman, staring, attempts to speak; but is overcome by his Confusion and Terror.
Oro.
(to Aboan)
What think you now?
Abo.
By all my Fears, a Coward and a Traytor.
Oro.
He'll certainly betray us.
Abo.
That he shall not;
For what I swore, I'll do—
Oro.
What wilt thou do?
Abo.
I'll stop his Mouth before you; stab him here,
And then let him inform.
[Going to stab Hotman, Oroonoko holds him; Hotman, who keeps his Eye upon them, perceives it with extreme Confusion, and after some irresolute Gestures steals off unperceiv'd.
Oro.
Thou art not mad—
Abo.
I wou'd secure ourselves.
Oro.
It shall not be this way, it cannot be;
To murder him, is to alarm the rest.
[Turns about and misses Hotman
What, is he gone!—
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(to the Slaves)
Is Hotman gone?—
Slav.
Hotman, my Lord, is gone; but doubt him not.
The stern enquiring Look of Majesty,
We feel its Pow'r, will strike the Mind with Awe:
He dar'd to differ, Sir: but when oppos'd,
[To Oroonoko.
He felt, confus'd, the Diff'rence of his State—
Oro.
Why be it so—
My Fellow-sufferers, and worthy Friends;
To-morrow, early as the breaking Day,
We rendezvouz behind the Citron Grove:
'Till then, farewel—
[Exeunt Slaves, and Aboan is following them.
Oro.
Aboan!
Abo.
My Lord.
Oro.
'Twas better not to trust them with our Fears,
Yet let them meet at a more early Time;
Within this Hour—and then, tho' Hotman's false,
We may succeed before we are betray'd—
Abo.
We may—I'll after them, and do it.
[Ex. severally.
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