 | Montezuma |  |
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ACT V.
SCENE I.
The Dungeon of Mexico.Odmar enters.
Odm.
They, yet, are scarce retired to rest, and Alibech
May still be brought, a virgin, to the arms
Of late despairing Odmar.—Ha! what's this
That checks my faltering steps—and tells my soul,
It is not right to loose these dogs of war
Again to slaughter, ravishment, and burnings?—
Why—let my favour'd brother look to that,
The darling, the adopted of mankind
For every blessing!—What's the world to Odmar,
But a dark inauspicious foe, alike
Detesting and detested?—Hence, compunction!
I will repay the wrong.
[Knocks.
Keeper.
I ask not who you are—You get no entrance.
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'Tis I, 'tis Odmar—on a hasty errand,
Express from Montezuma.—Here's his signet.
Keep.
Where, my good lord?—
[Opens the door.
Odm.
There, slave—
[Stabs him.
Credentials for eternity!
SCENE II.
Opens and discovers the Spaniards chained to the Floor.Odm.
Ha, Spaniards, ye lie low indeed!
Vasq.
I think,
The imperial prince of Mexico?
Odm.
Yes, Vasquez—
I come, the messenger of instant fate,
For death or liberty!
Vasq.
Unfold your purpose.
Odm.
You are the foes of Mexico; but Mexico
Is not the friend of Odmar.
Vasq.
Can it be?
Odm.
Yes—my brother, the redoubted Guyomar,
The boy, whose nightly treason caught ye all,
As in one covey—he is, now, the sole
Renown'd of Mexico, the one ordain'd
To love and empire?—Odmar is an outcast!—
And, hark!—for you, the victims of his glory,
Even now the bloody priesthood whet their knives,
And deck their morning altars.
[The Spaniards break out in deep lamentations.
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For him, who should strike off your groveling chains,
Snatch ye from sudden death, and give ye up
To light and life, to worlds of endless gold,
And everlasting glory?
Vasq.
Speak, command—
We execute!—
Odm.
I claim no harsh conditions.
First, for the imperial crowns of Mexico
And of Traxalla, they are mine by right
Of heritage and conquest—these ye swear
To confirm to me.
All.
We swear.
Odm.
Lastly, to save my aged father's life,
And my young sister's honour.
All.
We swear!
Odm.
These terms, upon your parts observed, I gage
To freight, and fill your copious vessels up,
With Indian gold and pearl, and gems of price,
Till ye cry, Hold, they sink!
Vasq.
O, bounteous prince!—
All hail to royal Odmar, mighty emperor
Of the new world!
Span.
Mighty emperor of the new world,
All hail!
Odm.
Thanks, valiant friends!—I loose ye now,
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To the rich spoil of Mexico.—Away!
[As he unbinds some, they help to unbind the rest.
[Exeunt.
SCENE III.
A Chamber.Guyomar and Alibech.
Guy.
And art thou mine, at last—and mine, indeed?
Is the bliss real—does it mount to certainty?
I swear it is too much, this height of happiness—
Higher than hope has ever dared to soar!
But, whence, my love, this tremor of thy limbs?
And, from thy cheek, why shrinks the backward rose
Of summer's beauty?
Alib.
Ah, I know not, sweet!—
A secret dread of some reverse at hand—
A doubt that Alibech has not been born
To be so blest!—While thus I touch, and see,
And hold, and would believe thee all my own;
Methinks some sudden arm arrests thine image,
And leaves me desolate!
Guy.
Away, my angel,
With this cold diffidence—
[Knocking at the door.
Ha, profane wretch!—
Whoe'er thou art, that dares this rude intrusion,
Thy life is forfeit!—
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O, it matters not—
Open, my lord, quick—open!
[Guyomar opens the door.—Attendants enter.
Guy.
What's the bustle?
Serv.
O, my dear lord, the Spaniard's loose again—
Unshakled and halloo'd upon the world;
Even by that traitor to his house and country,
Unnatural Odmar!
Guy.
Hark—what distant shouts,
Mingled with horrid groanings!
Serv.
From this window
You may behold where Mexico in flames,
Prevents the coming day.—All is blood and uproar,
Rapine and ravishment!
Guy.
Haste, Azim, gather my few faithful followers—
Haste, my loved Azim!
[Exit Azim.
Bring me my arms!—
[Attendants bring Helmet, Corselet, &c. and lay his Sword down while he arms himself.
This Odmar—give me, but to meet him, gods!
And from his treacherous heart I'll wring that blood
Which has undone his race!—
Alib.
Ah, Guyomar,
This is a fearful bridal!
Guy.
Chear thee, my love!
All, yet, may be recover'd.
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SCENE IV.
As Guyomar is just armed, Odmar and Spanish Soldiers rush in suddenly, seize, and bind him.Odm.
He's caught, in happy season—Bind him sure,
And sear no other arm!—'Tis well, my friends—
Withdraw a while, and share the general plunder;
I have a business to transact in private.
[Exit Spaniards.
Guy.
Accursed Odmar!—O, infernal firebrand,
Made to consume thy country!—thou fell dragon,
Born to devour the inauspicious entrails,
That brought thee to the world!
Odm.
Thou prating boy!
I spare no breath to thy despised reproaches—
Come, Alibech, thy private chamber, love—
[Pulling her away.
Alib.
Help, help, Heaven!—
Ah, Odmar, would'st thou violate the wife
Of thine own brother?
Guy.
Stay, fiend, and meet my vengeance!—Wouldst thou live,
Dispatch me, first, from horrors worse than hell!
For, after such a deed of deep damnation,
One world can never hold us!
Odm.
With my first leisure,
I'll rid thee of thy pains—Come, come along!
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SCENE V.
Vasquez enters.Vasq.
Hold, Odmar—Gracious Heaven, 'tis she, herself,
The goddess of my vows!—Ruffian, forbear!
Odm.
How, Spaniard!—is thy tongue apostate, then,
To its late language, that, with bended knee,
All hail'd me India's monarch?—Is not this
The single prize, for which I barter'd to thee
King, country, kindred?
Vasq.
O, she is the prize,
Which singly, in my mind, I held excepted
From all the wealth of thy rich world.
Odm.
Avaunt!—
And dread the swift-wing'd judgments that descend
On perjury and treason!
Vasq.
Ha! on treason?
Thou traitor manifold!—to father, friends,
King, country, false—to every sense, that puts
Its seal on human nature!—and dost thou,
Dost thou appeal to Heaven?
Odm.
If not to Heaven,
I call up hell to vindicate!—No more.
'Tis thus a monarch should chastise rebellion.
Vasq.
Thou hast thy merits!
[They fight; and while they engage Alibech unbinds Guyomar.—Odmar falls.
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Perfidious Spain!—Blood thristing dogs of hell!—
Open, thou gulph, and rid the world, at once,
Of them and me—down—down—for ever—Oh!—
[Dies.
Vasq.
Now, daughter of the Sun, but brighter far,
Than thy all chearing sire!—thou art my purchase.
Guy.
Stay, Vasquez!—thou hast yet a mightier arm,
To mate with—and yet, mightier than that arm,
A cause—I am her husband.
Vasq.
I dissolve
The union.—This is thy divorce!—
[Advancing.
Guy.
Breathe, Spaniard—
I would not take thee at advantage.
Vasq.
Now,
I do begin to fear—for thou art honourable!
In any other cause, I should prefer
Thy friendship to thy sword!—Come on!
Guy.
If thou art less than thy great leader—this,
Alone, may serve to fell thee
[Vasquez falls.
Vasq.
O—thy hand!—
If, as I deem, 'tis that of Guyomar,
I fall with honour!—art thou?
Guy.
Yes.—
Vasq.
Thy pardon!
Guy.
I would to Heaven I could, with equal willingness,
Give life, and length of days!
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O, no, no, no!
That dream is over—of immense desires,
That swallow earth and main—of minim man,
Who trusts, within his grasp, to hold a world,
And finds it, nothing—O, farewell!—
[Dies.
Guy.
Farewell, brave Spaniard!—Take their bodies hence.
[Servants carry out the bodies.
My faithful Mexicans approach—Come, love,
[Azim and Mexicans appear.
Let me bestow thee in some place of safety—
Then fly, to shield my father's reverend head;
To save the living, or to join the dead!—
[Exeunt.
SCENE VI.
The Inside of the Palace.A Throne far back. Two Chairs of State brought forward.
Almeria enters with a dart in her breast, and a dagger in her hand, supported by her women. Cyderia follows, weeping, brought in by two Traxallans.
Wom.
Send for physicians.
Alm.
No, 'tis past the power
Of mortal medicine—the envenom'd shaft
Has reach'd my vitals; and my last of life
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Set me down gently—So—
Wom.
Alas, my mistress!
What bloody hand has done this deed?
Alm.
I know not whence it came, from friend or foe—
For, as I fled across the palace court,
This random arrow struck me.—Where's my victim?
Here—bring her forward—nearer!—
Cyder.
O, Almeria!
[Kneels.
Bright, royal, generous maid, have pity on me—
Pity my youth, my innocence, and weakness!
Pity is native to our gentler sex;
And gentleness, with every soft perfection,
Shew loveliest in Almeria!
Alm.
Peace, thou sorceress!—
Yet closer—bring her.—
Cyder.
Ah, if all my blood
Could stop the flow of thine—trust me, Almeria,
I should the readier yield it—What's my trespass?
Alm.
Not one—but two, and both unpardonable—
Thy beauty, and thy blood!—Thou art of the race
That robb'd me of my kingdom—thou, thyself,
Hast robb'd me of my love!—And shall the house
Of Montezuma triumph, and grow strong
Upon the ruins of Traxalla's?—No.
Die, thou—and let the living of thy race,
Learn, in their turn, to weep!—
[Lifts the dagger.
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Stay, yet, a moment!—
I have wept for them, Heaven doth know I have;
Night after night, with tears, have mourn'd the fate
Of your unhappy royal house!
Alm.
But, then,
To live and revel in Almeria's spoils,
While I am lost, alike, to love and empire—
It must not be!
Now, while I yet have strength to strike!—Nay, shrink not—
Wherever dark futurity ordains,
We go together!
Cyder.
O, the gods, he comes!—
He's here—and shall I perish in his sight?
Sink in the harbour—and without a struggle
For life—for love?
[As Almeria attempts to strike, Cyderia rises, catches at her arm, and, in the struggle, wrests the dagger from her, and throws it away.
Alm.
Alas—I am too faint!
SCENE VI.
Cortez enters attended.The two Traxallans turn and fly.
Cort.
My angel, my Cyderia!—
[Runs and embraces.
Cyder.
Hold me, fast!
Say—do I live, do I yet breathe?
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Yes, dearest!
I have thee, once again; nor shall the world
E'er part us more—Ha! what is here?—Almeria,
All pale and bleeding!
Alm.
Yes, triumphant Spaniard!
Thou hast thy wish—and, thus, I pour my blood,
[Draws the arrow.
The last of an unhappy life,
To fate and Cortez!—
Cort.
Ah, support—She's going!—
I wish thy death, Almeria?—Heaven is witness,
To save thy life, how gladly, grateful Cortez
Would risque his own!
Alm.
Thine arm!—Cyderia's too!—
Fear not, I am past the power to hurt—Sweet maid,
Thou art safe—thank Heaven!—thy pity, and thy pardon!
I ask it with my dying breath!—Ah, Cortez,
Thou art with death familiar—dost thou know,
What 'tis to draw the blood—to drain the breath—
To shut out light, and dwell in chapless vaults,
Sister'd with night and everlasting silence?—
O fearful—not to be!—More fearful, yet—
To live to wretchedness—perhaps, for ever!—
I go—to try—if we may meet—again—
I shall be fraught with tidings—strange to—Oh—
[Dies.
Cort.
She is at peace—Turn thee from death, Cyderia!
[Beckons to the Attendants who carry out Almeria.
Where is the King, my love, where is thy father?
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Alas, I know not.
Cort.
Alvarez haste—thou hast a human heart!
Restrain the fury of our savage countrymen,
Who range, like tygers, loosed from bonds; unsparing
Of sex, or infancy, or helpless age—
Haste, good Alvarez!
[Exit Alvarez.
Retire, Cyderia!—Ah, here comes a sight,
To make thee think, that blindness were a blessing!
SCENE VII.
Enter Montezuma supported behind by two Mexicans, and by Guyomar and Alibech on either hand.Mont.
O, my kind children!—'tis too much—this goodness—
I shall oppress you with my weight—Alas!—
My limbs—all rent from their enfeebled burden—
Refuse to bear its bulk—There—seat me down—
Never to rise!—How blest the dead—if death—
Is free from pangs, like these!—
Cyder.
Alas, my father!
Cort.
Doubly accursed be the hands that did
This horrid deed!
[Cyderia and Cortez kneel to Montezuma.
Mont.
Away—nor blast my sight
With the detested aspect of a Spaniard!
[Cortez rises.
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O, Cortez, blame him not—there's cause, there's cause,
For hatred, never to be reconciled,
'Twixt Spain and Mexico!—I found him hemm'd,
Bound, and insulted, by a band of ruffians;
His aged limbs, all strain'd upon the rack
Until they crack'd the cordage!
Cort.
By the power
Whom the world ought to worship, they survive
No longer, than my vengeful arm shall reach
To hurl them to the fiends!—
Guy.
Their doom is seal'd.
Pizzarro, as I think, they call'd their chief—
With the one stroke of this thine honest sword,
I gave his head to leap, three javelins length,
From off his shoulders!
Mont.
Do me justice, boy!—
Say, did I, meanly, sue to them for mercy?
Did I degrade the majesty of kings—
Or bend, in vile compliance, to the terms
They wanted to extort?
Guy.
O, no, my father!—
You bore yourself above mortality;
And your fell torturers raged to find themselves
Defeated of your groans!
Mont.
O, my dear children!
Nature felt inward, still—and is the same,
When circled by a crown, as in the cottage.—
O—they return—my pains—sure harbingers
Of final dissolution!—Now, again—
Now they extend me on the rack!—they stretch
The leaping arteries, and the quivering members!—
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Support him—help!—his pangs are strong upon him.
[Cortez and Guyomar support him, while Cyderia and Alibech kneel weeping on either hand,
Cyder.
O, my lost father!
Guy.
O, the falling pillar,
Of our now desolated world!
Mont.
My children—
Bear with me!—O—fain, fain would I support—
As a king ought—these throes—this horrid cracking
Of the heart's cordage!—Nature sinks beneath
The ruins of her pile.—O, for a soul
Of independence on this rending frame
Of mortal structure!—'Twill not be—existence—
Cannot bear up against the tumbling crash—
Of its own being!—Oh—I am easier now—
What a sweet Heaven this relaxation brings
From tortures inexpressible!—'Tis past—
The storm of nature's laid—and all—to come—
Is calm—is quiet.—
[Dies.
Alib.
O, he is dead!
Cyder.
He's gone—he's gone—for ever!
And I, most wretched, left to wear the night
With endless tears, and rise, each cheerless morn,
A desolated orphan!—
Guy.
Down with thy towers, thou once exalted Mexico!
Crumble thy spires and palaces to dust!
Never be music, or the voice of joy,
Heard in thee!—Through the waste of thine high ways
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The seal of wretchedness; and every ear
Hear sounds of sorrow, and the clank of bondage!
Fly, ye surviving innocents! to climes
Far distant from invasion—leave your mansions,
Your once endearing homes, to the possession
Of bats and birds of night, of Spanish vultures,
And beasts of depredation!
Cort.
Thy wrongs are great, my friend, thy sorrows just—
I feel and share them all! Yet, cruelty
Is not the growth of Spain alone—Mexico,
Even thy own Mexico, produces Odmars.
Chear you, my Guyomar!—chear, my Cyderia!—
Youth must succeed to age, and life to death;
'Tis nature's process—Come, ascend the throne
Of your great ancestors, and rule a people
Blest by your worth, and guarded by your valour!
Guy.
No, Cortez, generous chief, thou sole exception
To an inhuman race of men!—do thou
And thy Cyderia grace the throne—I list not
To rule o'er wretchedness; nor to be versed
In sciences that teach us to destroy,
And arts that serve to vitiate and corrupt
The honesty of nature.—Far from hence
I, with my willing exiles, will retire;
While my loved Alibech shall light our way,
And bless our steps with beauty—there, nor gems,
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Of fell invasion; nor insatiate Spain
E'er come, in search of poverty!—Know, Cortez,
Where wants are few, a little will suffice
To furnish nature; and a light content
Shall make it luxury!—The fearless sports
Of social Innocence shall chear our heaths—
Beauty and Love shall crown each peaceful night,
And morning wake to Liberty and Light!
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