 | Irene |  |
SCENE IX.
Irene, Hasan, Caraza, Abdalla.Abdalla
Aside.
All is not lost, Abdalla, see the Queen,
See the last Witness of thy Guilt and Fear
Enrob'd in Death—Dispatch her and be great.
Caraza.
Unhappy Fair! Compassion calls upon me
To check this Torrent of imperious Rage,
While unavailing Anger crouds thy Tongue
With idle Threats and fruitless Exclamation,
The fraudful Moments ply their silent Wings,
And steal thy Life away. Death's horrid Angel
Already shakes his bloody Sabre o'er thee.
The raging Sultan burns till our Return,
Curses the dull Delays of ling'ring Mercy,
And thinks his fatal Mandates ill obey'd.
Abdalla.
Is then your Sov'reign's Life so cheaply rated,
That thus you parly with detected Treason?
Should she prevail to gain the Sultan's Presence,
Soon might her Tears engage a Lover's Credit;
Perhaps her Malice might transfer the Charge,
Perhaps her pois'nous Tongue might blast Abdalla.
79
O let me but be heard, nor fear from me
Or Flights of Pow'r, or Projects of Ambition.
My Hopes, my Wishes, terminate in Life,
A little Life for Grief, and for Repentance.
Abdalla.
I mark'd her wily Messenger afar,
And saw him skulking in the closest Walks:
I guess'd her dark Designs, and warn'd the Sultan,
And bring her former Sentence new confirm'd.
Hasan.
Then call it not our Cruelty, nor Crime,
Deem us not deaf to Woe, nor blind to Beauty,
That thus constrain'd we speed the Stroke of Death.
[Beckons the Mutes.
Irene.
O name not Death! Distraction and Amazement,
Horror and Agony are in that Sound!
Let me but live, heap Woes on Woes upon me,
Hide me with Murd'rers in the Dungeon's Gloom,
Send me to wander on some pathless Shore,
Let Shame and hooting Infamy pursue me,
Let Slav'ry harrass, and let Hunger gripe.
Caraza.
Could we reverse the Sentence of the Sultan,
Our bleeding Bosoms plead Irene's Cause.
But Cries and Tears are vain, prepare with Patience
To meet that Fate we can delay no longer.
[The Mutes at the Sign lay hold of her.
Abdalla.
Dispatch, ye ling'ring Slaves, or nimbler Hands
Quick at my Call shall execute your Charge;
80
Irene.
Grant me one Hour, O grant me but a Moment,
And bounteous Heaven repay the mighty Mercy
With peaceful Death, and Happiness eternal.
Caraza.
The Prayer I cannot grant—I dare not hear.
Short be thy Pains.
[Signs again to the Mutes.
Irene.
Unutterable Anguish!
Guilt and Despair! pale Spectres, grin around me,
And stun me with the Yellings of Damnation!
O, hear my Pray'rs! accept, all-pitying Heaven,
These Tears, these Pangs, these last Remains of Life,
Nor let the Crimes of this detested Day
Be charg'd upon my Soul. O, Mercy! Mercy!
[Mutes force her out.
| Irene | |