University of Virginia Library

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

Almeria and Melmar enter.
Alm.
Yes, Melmar, I detest them both alike,
Spaniards and Mexicans—I would to Heaven,
That neither side may sheath the ruthless sword;
That fire and famine may, with mutual death,
Consume them both, till Mexico and Spain
Lie in one grave together!

Melm.
There spoke the godlike and impetuous spirit
Of your great sire, Traxalla!—O, my mistress,
That were a golden day!—to see you throned
On the high seat of your imperial ancestors,
And the exulting remnant of your subjects
Bow'd down before you, pouring forth their thanks
To you and Heaven, for freedom!

Alm.
This same Cortez—
But that he has embrued his murderous hands
In my dear brother's blood—I would, in spight
To Montezuma, and his hated progeny,
Give their great foe enlargement.

Melm.
O, beware,
Beware of that, my princess!—Cortez is
Much more the friend of Montezuma's house,
Than of Traxalla's—He traduces us
As cowards, fugitives, traitors alike
To Spain and Mexico.

Alm.
A poniard thank him!
He lives not to behold another sun,
If wiles, or threats, or golden promises,
Can pass me through his guards!—Mean space, good Melmar,
Thou, and thy true Traxallans, at a distance,
Watch well the avenues leading from the tower,
Lest his young friend, industrious Guyomar,
Should compass his escape.

[Exeunt severally.

SCENE II.

A Prison.
Cortez in Chains. Guyomar enters with a sheathed sword in his hand.
Guard.
You pass not here, my lord.

Guy.
Give me way, friend;
Behold your emperor's signet!—Where's your prisoner?
My friend, my brother!—
[Runs and embraces Cortez.
These hand were made for scepters, not for bonds—
Quick, let me loose them!

Cort.
Stay thee, Guyomar!
Thou art a subject, and a son, young man;
Thou must not, in a fit of private friendship,
Cancel the duty of those dearer ties,
That ought to bind thee to thy king and country.
I prize not freedom at so high a cost,
As the dishonour of my friend!

Guy.
O great,
And glorious ever!—Yes, I know it, Cortez,
Well do I know, that, if the gods have doom'd
The final ruin of our ancient empire,
'Tis that right hand, alone, that has the power
To shake it from its base.—But, O, the empire,
Even of the world, were joyless, if obtain'd
By mean ingratitude—the chains of him,
Who granted life and freedom to his binders!

Cort.
No more—these manacles and I are friends,
Till we can part on terms not quite inglorious.

Guy.
Think not that I am come without commission:
I bear the royal mandate, even the seal
Of grateful Montezuma, who consents
To the enlargement of the only foe,
Whom he has cause to fear.

Cort.
Then, let him come,
And with his proper hand strike off my shackles.

Guy.
My brother, stand not, thus, upon punctilio.
Your precious life's in peril! You have slain
The last male hope of the imperial house
Of fallen Traxalla; and the fierce Almeria
Thirsts for your blood, as gaping fields for rain
In summer's fervour.—Haste—my fears and friendship
Concur to force you hence!—The night is dark,
And helps to skreen you from her darker purpose.

[Unbinds him.
Cort.
Beware!—Remember,
I gage for no conditions, while I stand
On hostile ground.

Guy.
Even as you lift, so be it!
If peace, when next we meet, I'll greet you thus—
[Embraces.
If war, I know where Cortez may be found—
Even in the front of battle I will face him,
And on his temper'd helmet prove the worth
Of this his late donation!

[Puts his hand on his sword.
Cort.
When you are fallen,
I think I shall not fear another bar,
In my high road to-conquest!

Guy.
Take your sword.
Would that I were a tutor, fit to teach
That right arm in its manage!—Hither, soldier!
Here is the signet of our emperor—
Conduct his friend, in secret, through the gate
That opens on the camp.—Be faithful, thou,
I shall not be forgetful!—

Cort.
Fare you well.

[Exit with the Soldier.
A Chief of Mexico enters disguised.
Mex.
Where is my prince, where's Guyomar?

Guy.
Who asks?—
What, Adramelech, shrouded in the cloud
Of a slave's habit?—

Mex.
Yes. This hook and cord
Help'd me to scale our wall, and let me down,
Where I surrender'd to the Spanish watch,
As a deserter. I was straight convey'd
To the proud tent, wherein their captains sate
In midnight council.—Time cuts off my tale.—
I gain'd their confidence—they rest assured
Of sudden conquest; and, in riot, spend
The short remainder of the night.—Be speedy!
If we succeed, and seize them at their banquet,
Yet, ere another hour shall pass, they enter
The northern gate in chains!—

Guy.
O, hero, patriot, Mexico's first boast!
[Embraces
I have, yet, a band of friends, who will not fail us.—
For glory let us haste—for country, kindred,
For liberty, for virtue!—

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The Streets of the City.
Almeria enters attended, on one side; and Melmar with his Traxallans on the other.
Alm.
He is not in the tower—Spread several ways!
He cannot yet be far—His guard inform'd me
He was this instant freed, by the command
Of Montezuma, our arch foe—Haste, friends!
We meet at the south angle.

[Exeunt severally.

SCENE IV.

Cortez and his Guide enter.
Cort.
Why dost thou sculk, like some o'er-conscious felon,
And shift me, meanly thus, from street to street?—
Forward—where thou wer't order'd!

Guide.
O, my lord,
I doubt we are beset!—at every turn,
I meet the faces of Traxallans; else,
This signet had assured your safety.

Cort.
On!—
Thou bear'st the seal of Mexico—I bear
A signal to Traxallans.

[Draws.
Melmar and Traxallans enter.
Melm.
He is here.
Surround and make him sure!

Cort.
Melmar, again?
A single stroke may punish double treason!

[Kills him.
Melm.
Curs'd Cortez!—Quick perdition swallow thee,
With the two tyrant worlds, of ruthless Spain
And Mexico!—

[Dies.
As Cortez kills Melmar, Almeria enters with Traxallans, who surround and seize Cortez.
Alm.
Secure him—there!—Take up your slaughter'd chief—
Shift for yourselves; and leave him to my vengeance!
[Exeunt Traxallans with Melmar.
With what audacious dignity he looks,
What steady confidence!—but I shall shake him.
[Aside.
Thou must die, Spaniard!

Cort.
I have heard no less—
They tell me I am mortal.

Alm.
Ay, but Now—
At this tremendous Now!—a sudden death,
Unlook'd for, fearful!—Think, existence lost
For ever!—Haply, worse—to plunge, at once,
Amid strange beings, down unbottom'd steeps,
Or gulph'd by smould'ring fires!

Cort.
I take my venture.

Alm.
This in an instant, then, decides thy doom
For all futurity!

[Offers to stab him.
Cort.
Strike!—

Alm.
Dost thou know,
Wherefore I kill thee?

Cort.
Yes. I slew thy brother.

Alm.
Ah cruel!—Why has Heaven, to that hard heart,
Granted an aspect not inhuman?—Tell me,
What had my poor Traxallans done, to bring
The wrath of Cortez on them? Were they not
Thine allies? thy first friends? a hapless people,
Who claim'd thy promised rescue from the yoke
Of fell oppression?

Cort.
Therefore I commenced
My war on Montezuma.

Alm.
Therefore, traitor!
Why, then, assist to bring these evils on us?—
Wast thou not told, how that inhuman tyrant
Laid waste my country; caus'd my royal parents
With their own hands, to free themselves from bonds,
Ill-suited to their birth; in cold blood slew
Traxalla's eldest hope, my valiant brother;
And held three helpless orphans, the remains
Of our lost house, as butchers cherish lambs
Ordain'd to slaughter?—And does Cortez, too,
Does their protector come, to crush the fallen,
Who cried to him for succour?—O, 'twas cruel!—
It was not soldierly—it was not like
The hero, or the man.—Alas, my brother,
How art thou quench'd, sole light of lost Traxallans,
Even by the ruthless hand that should have nourish'd
And kept thy flame alive!

Cort.
Your dagger, haste—
It cannot prove so keen as your reproaches!
I swear I knew him not—he came upon me,
Like an assassin, in the night.—But this
Atones not my offence, or your affliction.
Unhappy, injured fair one! by the worth,
That weds a soldier's daring to humanity,
My heart weeps blood in your behalf!

Alm.
I see it—
That starting tear has cancell'd half our quarrel!
Say, what remains?

Cort.
To expiate the rest
By my warm blood—or by such deeds of duty,
As call a soldier forth into the world,
To succour innocence, to right the wrong'd,
To be the champion of offended beauty,
And war upon oppression!

Alm.
Wilt thou, Cortez?

Cort.
By the true honour of a christian soldier,
If Heaven succeed my purpose, I will place
The wrong'd Almeria on the golden throne
Of her great ancestors.

Alm.
But wilt thou, Cortez,
Instruct her how to govern?

Cort.
To my power,
She shall command.

Alm.
A throne's a lonely seat—
And asks an abler hand than mine, to guide
The restive reins of empire.

Cort.
Doubly blest,
Beyond what empire can bestow, is he,
Whom the first princess of the world shall stile
The prince of her affections!

Alm.
Tell me, Spaniard—
Wouldst thou, indeed, believe him blest?

Cort.
Most happy,
Above the lot of man!

Alm.
Suppose his name
Were Cortez?

Cort.
O, you mock your servant, sure—
He, whom Almeria honours with her hand,
Should have a heart to give!

Alm.
Ha, Spaniard!—Sayst thou?—
Where is that maid, whose more than mortal charms
Have triumph'd o'er Almeria?

Cort.
First, and fairest!
If love, and truth, and fealty, were, alone,
To wait on the pre-eminence of beauty,
All hearts were, then, Almeria's.

Alm.
Yes, I see it—
'Tis as I have heard—the tyrant's daughter, traitor!
'Tis with the hostile house of Montezuma,
That thou dost seek alliance—therefore fell
My royal brother, to make copious way
For his new rival in Cyderia's love!
But mark me, Cortez—there, thy hopes, ere morning,
Shall be for ever blasted.—By the powers
That India worships, never shall the eyes
Of that young sorceress open to behold
Another sun!—

Cort.
If that thou dost but raze
The whiteness of her skin—I, also, swear,
Should fortune ever cast these shackles from me,
To make a general tomb of thy dominions,
And in it bury all thy father's house,
And even the name and memory of Traxallans!—

Alm.
Go, mighty leader, execute thy threats,
Upon the remnant of my wretched people!—
Almeria breaks thy present bonds in sunder;
[Unbinds him.
And dares thee to the further breach of those
Whereby thine honour binds thee!

Cort.
O, Almeria!
Bright, royal, generous maid, excuse the warmth
Of sudden passion—Fairest of all creatures,
Love is not in our will—but gratitude,
Friendship inviolate, and firm attachment,
Are ever thine!—Upon my knee, I bend,
To deprecate thy wrath!—O, spare her, spare
That innocent!
[Takes her hand.
Should'st thou, and for my sake—I swear, Almeria,
I'll not survive her!

Alm.
That were somewhat worse,
Than the entombing of my father's house,
With the whole name and memory of Traxallans!
Well, I will think upon it.—Tell me, then—
Wilt thou make trial, wilt thou do thy best,
And love me—if thou canst?

Cort.
Yes, fair Almeria—
Dear to my heart, and next to my Cyderia,
I plight my duty here!

[Kisses her hand]

SCENE V.

Cyderia enters.
Cyder.
Cortez!—and at the feet of proud Almeria!—
Traitor, false Spaniard!

Cort.
Fly, thou lovely maid!
Haste from this hostile ground—thy life's in danger,
Thy precious life!—back to thy father's arms,
From death, and from Almeria!—

Cyder.
Yes, I see,
My coming was not in the season, Cortez.
Faithless and base—apostate, as thou art,
To love and honour!—did I not behold thee,
Breathing thy vows upon the plighted hand
Of my triumphant rival?

Cort.
O, I am true—
Trust me Cyderia, I do love thee more
Than cowards love their life.—Away, thou dear one!
So thou art safe, suspicion matters not—
Time will unfold my truth.

Alm.
Can I bear this?

Cyder.
Yes, Spaniard, I will leave thee to the ties
Of thy new trothment—vowing, from this moment,
Never to hear thee, but with ears of hatred;
Never to see thee, but with eyes of horror!
Falsest and most perfidious of mankind,
Adieu for ever!

[Going.
Cort.
O, my distracted heart!—Yet stay, Cyderia!—
Cruel Almeria, thou couldst witness for me,
My truth, my faith inviolate!

Alm.
Yes, princess!—
When thou didst see thy Cortez at my feet,
He was a suppliant for Cyderia's life.—
Vain was his suit—as vain as mine for love!
And thus I answer to his scorn—

[Draws the dagger suddenly, and rushes on Cyderia, Cortez catches her hand and disarms her.
Cyder.
Ah, she will kill me!

Cort.
Hold thee—tyger-hearted,
Bloody Almeria!—Fly this fury, love,
Haste to the shelter of thy father's arms!
He comes—I can no more—Adieu!—

[Exit Cortez.
Alm.
Princess, another day must end our strife—
Decisive of no less than love and life!

[Exit.

SCENE VI.

To Cyderia enter Montezuma, Odmar, and Alibech, attended by Mexican Nobles and Guards.
Mont.
He comes, the glory of our Indian world!—
My son, my Guyomar, my hero comes,
The champion, the deliverer of his country!

Shouts, and sound of numerous instruments. Guyomar enters in triumph, followed by Mexican Officers. To them succeed the Spanish Officers and Soldiers in chains. The Mexicans range themselves on each side, while the Spaniards are led off. Then enter the Chief Priest, followed by a train of Priests and Priestesses.
Guy.
My King, my father!

[Bends his knee.
Mont.
O, my honour'd child!—
The weight of Heaven, in blessings, fall upon thee;
For thou art worthy of its glory!—Alibech!
Here, take thy soldier, recent from his toils—
Beauty, like thine, can best reward them!—

H. Priest.
Begin your song of triumph and thanksgiving!

SONG,
By Priests and Priestesses.
CHORUS.
CHORUS.
CHORUS.

[Priests and Priestesses go off in order, followed by a procession of Mexicans, laden with the spoils of the Spaniards and Traxallans. As they go off Montezuma speaks.
Mont.
Now to the temple lead our grand procession,
Where to the gods, and Guyomar, be paid
Our vows for safety!—then, in lasting bands
Of happy rites, and nuptial sanctitude,
Be Valour join'd to Beauty—Nor thou, Odmar,
Grudge, to the worth of thy triumphant brother,
This small, tho' lovely portion of the world,
Which he hath saved for thee, my eldest born,
Now thy sure heirship!—Sound your instruments—
Let festal clarions rouze the slumbering night,
And the long triumph hail the coming light!

[Exeunt.