 | Cortez |  |
3
ACT I.
SCENE I.
A sheltered Valley in Mexico. On one Side a Cottage.Enter Teutile.
TEUTILE.
Welcome once again, ye blest paternal bow'rs!
How gladly do I greet ye, when at eve,
My simple labours ended, I return
To share that bounty which benignant heav'n
Pours down on virtuous toil.—
(Shouts are heard.)
What sounds are those?
Again they rise—and now they seem approaching.
4
TACUBA.
This way their course they bent. Methought I saw them
Ent'ring the grove which skirts this narrow vale.
OTUMBA.
But there we lost them.—Father, hast thou seen
Two fugitives? Their mien and garb are strange,
Their heads adorn'd with shining casques, surmounted
With shaggy trophies, and their bodies arm'd
With strange metallic coats—
TEUTILE.
I saw them not;
Yet heard I shouts of war, that seem'd to shake
The neighb'ring hills and woods. What stirs ye thus?
TACUBA.
Hast thou not heard, how lately on our coasts,
Convey'd in huge machines with wings, to which
The mighty condor's shew but as a speck,
Arriv'd a pow'rful host of warlike strangers?
Who they may be, or whence they come, we know not,
But dreadful seem their faculties: some bear
The forms of men, yet not of men like us;
While others, monsters of an unknown kind,
With hoofs far-sounding scour across the plain,
And bear destruction whereso'er they turn.
5
Of fearful prodigies ye tell, and strange.
OTUMBA.
More fearful yet have they approv'd themselves.
For arms they bear long spears, whose ends surcharg'd
With some hard substance strike with fatal aim;
And tubes they have of yet more dire effect,
Whence issue flames and death.
TEUTILE.
And are their natures
As dreadful as their aspect?
TACUBA.
Sterner yet.
Ferocious are they as the forest tiger;
They seek for gold as if it were their food,
And quench their thirst with blood.
TEUTILE.
If such they be,
And so superior are their means of mischief,
How is't that thus, instead of flying from them,
So eagerly you follow up their course?
TACUBA.
As in array they march'd across our hills,
Some ten or twelve, attracted by our dwellings,
Remain'd behind their host. With fell intent
They rush'd upon us; to our straw-clad roofs
6
Nor age—not infancy itself they spar'd.
OTUMBA.
But on their heads their crimes we well aveng'd.
Awhile their mailed coats withstood our weapons;
But soon of those who had oppos'd our vengeance
All fell, save two, whom now we hope to find.
They cannot far be distant.—Fare thee well,
And pray for our success.—Now to o'ertake them!
[Exeunt Tacuba and Otumba.
TEUTILE.
Hide, hide thyself, oh sun! Let not thy beams
Witness such dread enormities.—Alas!
Too true an emblem art thou of our state:
Like thee, forth bursting from thine eastern bed,
We wake to life, and all surrounding nature
Seems deck'd with loveliness and coming joy;
Like thee ambitiously we make our progress,
Now splendid, now by passing clouds obscur'd,
Now our beams shorn by overwhelming tempests;
Like thee at length, our toilsome journey past,
We sink in darkness, and are seen no more.—
Defend me, gracious pow'rs! What forms are those
Hither advancing? Are they men or spirits?
Alas! too sure they are of human sort,
And mortal as myself. One of them's wounded—
7
Hither they come—I will retire and watch them.
[He goes aside.
Enter Gonsalvo and Alvarado.
GONSALVO.
So—gently—lean on me, my Alvarado.
ALVARADO.
Alas, Gonsalvo! from this gaping wound
Ebbs the last remnant of departing life.
I can no more—Is there no friendly turf,
On which I may repose my stiff'ning limbs?
GONSALVO.
Here—rest beneath this shade—I will watch o'er thee.
Where in this desert can I look for succour,
For some kind hand to mitigate thy sufferings?
ALVARADO.
Give me some water to assuage my thirst.
GONSALVO.
No stream flows here. Perhaps within yon grove,
Where fresher seems the herbage, I may find—
Hark! heard'st thou not a sound?—Some one approaches—
Is it some new assailant hot for vengeance?
Some Indian yet unsated with our blood?
TEUTILE
(advancing).
Stranger, whoe'er thou art—But wherefore thus
8
Can danger daunt thee, wretched as thou art?
GONSALVO.
Thou chid'st me fairly. For a wretch like me,
'Twere better to forego at once a life,
Which holds out nought but perspectives of woe.
I fear not for myself: the stroke which ends me
Cuts off at most some years of want and pain,
And should be welcom'd. But I have a friend,
Compar'd with whose distresses mine are small.
Good Indian! If thou'st ever felt compassion—
TEUTILE.
Art thou not one of those of whom I heard,
Who, unprovok'd, have landed on our coast,
And spread destruction 'mid our peaceful tribes?
GONSALVO.
I dare not palliate our offence: 'tis rank—
But let not now thy vengeance be extreme,
For mis'ry presses on us. When thou see'st
A poor defenceless fellow creature, cast
A suppliant on thy mercy, think oh! think
Of his distressful state, and pity him.
TEUTILE.
He listen'd not to pity.
GONSALVO.
Did high heav'n
9
Who should find favour?—As thou art a man,
As thou hast eyes to see, and heart to feel,
Aid me to bear him to some safe retreat.
TEUTILE.
Thou mov'st me strangely—But it may not be.
Thou hast confess'd thyself my country's foe:
He too, who justly suffers for his crimes—
GONSALVO.
We cannot harm thee now; and, if we could,
Thy kindness would disarm us.—Look on him—
He's no one's enemy now—The hand of death
Presses hard on him. I will kneel to thee—
TEUTILE.
Arise, poor youth! Thy pleading half unmans me.
I have a cot, where I could shelter thee—
GONSALVO.
Oh let it shield us from impending danger!
The works of charity are ne'er forgotten,
But, when thou most may want them, will avail thee.
TEUTILE.
My judgment checks me, but my heart prevails.
Thou shalt not perish. I will succour thee.
Assist to bear thy comrade to my cot.
How wan and pale he looks! He gazes on us,
And tries to speak, but cannot.
10
Gently move him.
TEUTILE.
Now on—This way, my son—So—bear him in.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II.
A wild mountainous Country.Enter Cortez, Velasquez and Soldiers.
CORTEZ.
Thus far, in spite of all surrounding perils,
Our daring enterprize hath well advanc'd.
To-morrow's sun shall lead us on to conquest:
Proud Mexico, which o'er her subject lake
In tow'ring majesty exalts her head,
Shall vail her glories and confess our sway.
What say'st thou now, Velasquez? Dost thou now
Regret the navy, which on yonder shore
With minds determin'd we consign'd to flames?
VELASQUEZ.
Cortez! when first thou spok'st of thy resolve
To bar all transit from this western world,
I scann'd alone the risk which might attend
A plan so bold and daring; now I feel
Thy better wisdom, and pursue thy fortunes.
11
Doubt not their issue. Hath not Zempoalla,
With all her tribes, our victor standards join'd?
Some fav'ring spirit seems to guide our march,
And point the way to empire, wealth and fame.
Enter Salceda.
Salceda! welcome. Say, from Tlascala
What tidings bear'st thou? Do her chiefs refuse
Our proffer'd friendship, or, impress'd with awe,
Submit they like the rest, and grace our triumph?
SALCEDA.
I know not which, but shortly thou wilt learn.
To meet thee here, Telasco, their cacique,
Advances with his host.
CORTEZ.
Soft ye awhile—
Was it not he, of whom in Zempoalla
Of late we heard?
SALCEDA.
The same.
CORTEZ.
Who sought the hand
Of Montezuma's sister, and who since,
His suit rejected by her haughty brother,
Th' imperial court had sullenly relinquish'd?
12
So said our new allies.
CORTEZ.
Comes he to meet us?
Let him—'tis well—if in his soul still lodge
The ranc'rous feelings which he lately nourish'd,
They haply may be turn'd to our advantage.
'Tis worth experiment.—Marches he quickly?
SALCEDA.
He bad me hasten hither, to announce
His speedy coming.
CORTEZ.
Here then we'll await him.
These civil broils promote our great design.
Is this Telasco like those other chieftains,
On whose unpractis'd minds we have prevail'd?
SALCEDA.
Expect not so to find him. He appears
Cast in a rougher mould. A bolder savage,
Or one on whom the hand of nature stamps
A character more firm, I have not seen.
CORTEZ.
'Tis well—but hark! O'er yonder rugged hills
Already bursts his uncouth minstrelsy—
And see, descending from their beetling summits,
In rude array his forces bend their march.
13
To hold themselves prepar'd.—That must be he—
He bears indeed a brave and gallant aspect—
Enter Telasco and Soldiers.
TELASCO.
Arrest your march!—Are these the wond'rous strangers,
Who, borne on flying castles o'er the main,
And arm'd with thunder, are arriv'd among us?
Where is the daring leader of your host?
CORTEZ.
Renown'd cacique! I hail thy welcome presence.
Behold in me the messenger of good,
Who 'cross the foaming waves have held my course,
To plant amid your tribes our holy faith,
And spread among you Europe's arts and knowledge.
TELASCO.
Thy faith we heed not, and thy arts we scorn.
What can'st thou teach us?—Can'st thou make us stronger?
Can'st thou instruct us how to face the tiger,
To twang the bow—to hurl the spear—to dare
Our foes, or bravely vindicate our rights?
These are our arts, and these we know already.
CORTEZ.
As yet we're strangers to thee. More acquaintance
14
Ere thou depart'st, the wonders of our pow'r,
How at our will around us light'nings fly,
How we can rouse the thunder's pealing voice,
And with death-dealing energy o'erthrow
Whole legions of our foes array'd in arms.
TELASCO.
Art thou a god, and these thy ministers?
Lo! if thou art, and if propitious be
Thy purposes, I'll bring thee store of gold,
Perfumes and gems. If thou be mortal man,
I'll lay before thee fruits to nourish thee,
Garments to screen thee from the sun's fierce ray,
And plumage to adorn thee.
CORTEZ.
No, cacique!
We boast not godlike pow'r, but by heav'n's favour
We have those rights, and that pre-eminence,
Which thou wilt shortly learn to recognize.
We have no hostile purposes; our wish
Is to establish lasting friendship with you.
TELASCO.
If then ye're men, and mercy be your nature,
What leads you thus 'gainst Mexico to march?
CORTEZ.
We come, by Europe's pow'rful monarch charg'd,
15
Should he receive us courteously, we mean
As friends with equal courtesy to greet him:
Should he oppose us, then our king's command
With our good arms we doubt not to inforce.
TELASCO.
What—with a force like thine, a handful merely,
T'encounter with his myriads?—Look to it well—
Think'st thou that he, before whose rule e'en I,
Aye I, Telasco, bend, will crouch to thee?
Away, away!—Like the thin rack that flits
O'er heav'n's expanse, and vanishes to nothing,
When from his chamber in the glowing east
The sun in radiant majesty bursts forth,
Thy puny armament will melt before him—
CORTEZ.
I value not his myriads. Let him draw them
From ev'ry quarter of his wide domain,
Unaw'd would I encounter him. I've pow'rs,
Which yet he knows not of, but soon will learn,
That render me invincible. Yet wish I
In milder guise my mission to perform,
'Bove all with thee. I ask thy friendship, chief.
I am no common man, nor is my proffer
Of slight avail. I can redress the wrongs
Which thou from Montezuma hast sustain'd—
16
Where heard'st thou of my wrongs?
CORTEZ.
Thou'rt yet to learn
Our wond'rous faculties. Let those, who dar'd
Provoke our vengeance, tell thee of our prowess.
They witness'd and have felt it. Yet 'tis nothing
To the surpassing energies wherewith
We are by nature blest. The past, the future,
Alike are present to us; earth and sea
Confess our lordly sway; the elements
Of air and fire are to our voice obedient.
Far as the region, where with vivid ray
From the vast deep the sun his orb displays,
Our dwelling lies; yet not from us conceal'd
Thy wrongs remain'd.
TELASCO.
Such pow'r is more than human!—
And wilt thou then employ such gifts for me?
CORTEZ.
I will, and shortly too. Let the proud tyrant,
Who scorn'd thy claims, exultingly display
His boasted forces, let him circle round
His splendid throne with millions of his vassals,
I'll lead thee, gallant friend, to fame and vengeance.
17
Vengeance! The very sound of it transports me.
Let me but fairly meet him face to face,
And fate may do its worst.—But tell me truly—
I would be sure—for deeply rankles here
Remembrance of the wrongs which I sustain'd
From that injurious despot—My Zelama,
Array'd in all her native loveliness,
By day, by night, still haunts my lab'ring fancy—
I see her as she was, when first her heart
Own'd me its lord—I hear her breathe fond vows
Of everlasting tenderness and love—
I see the pangs which rack'd her feeling bosom
When her proud brother tore her from my arms—
There's madness in the thought!—Canst thou feel for me?
Wil'st aid my just revenge?
CORTEZ.
Thou need'st not doubt me.
I am a Spaniard. 'Tis my nation's boast,
Honour and plighted faith to keep unstain'd.
TELASCO.
I would confide in thee.—There's that about thee
Which bears a shew of honesty—I know not—
CORTEZ.
Dost doubt me then? 'Tis sign thou know'st me not.
He, who suspects my honour, is unworthy
18
I thought more nobly of thee.
TELASCO.
Nay, thou wrong'st me.
CORTEZ.
'Tis thou wrong'st me. I doubted not thy faith,
But with a soldier's frankness proffer'd thee
My pow'rful aid to vindicate thy cause—
TELASCO.
No more, no more! I will no longer doubt thee.
Swear that thou wilt maintain my injur'd rights,
That thou wilt never meet on peaceful terms
Our common foe, 'till all Telasco's wrongs
Shall be redress'd—swear this, and with my hand
Accept my friendship and the aid I bring thee.
CORTEZ.
Hear, oh ye heav'nly pow'rs! Record my vow,
While thus to Tlascala's brave prince I swear
Eternal friendship; hear, while I proclaim
Myself th' assertor of his love and glory!
TELASCO.
Now, Montezuma! shalt thou own thy wrongs,
Now shall Telasco, like an angry spirit,
Appal thy soul, and force thee to be just!
Let us not lose a moment—Vengeance, love,
Call for immediate action. Lead thine host
19
On yonder spreading heights they stand. Our clime
Boasts not of hearts more valiant or resolv'd.
Come—to our guardian gods we'll altars raise,
And in their presence ratify our vows.
[Exeunt.
END OF ACT I.
| Cortez | |