University of Virginia Library

SCENE V.

Kiosem's Apartments.
Kiosem and Phesalie.
KIOSEM.
Lost and undone! This sudden Resolution
Distracts my Brain; Ideas rise so fast,
They jostle out each other from my Mind;
E're I conclude on which to fix my Hopes,
My wonted Spirits revert upon my Sense,
And dam it up—I've no Expedient left
T'extricate myself, or save my Amurath.

PHESALIE.
Madam, this ill-tim'd Passion stifles Thought,
Nor leaves a Scope for calm Deliberation:
Why should you judge your Children less secure,
Among some Thousand Forces to attend them,
Than now confined under the Aghasi?
One Person's Will may sooner be corrupted,
At least commanded, than a Multitude's.

KIOSEM.
O! no; their Uncle Mustapha, and they,
Are led to Slaughter in the dreary Desart;
Where one by one, neglected, they'll be lost,
And all at last seem but the Work of Nature:
Osman's Immensity of Craft confounds me,
Checks my Pursuits, and frustrates all my Measures:
But Med'cine is extracted from the Asp—
This Over-reach shall farther my Designs.
[Enter two of Kiosem's Eunuchs.
O! happy Men—so opportunely sent,
To serve your Mistress in Extremity.
Be instant at the Janizaries' Chamber;
Tell 'em, his Highness purposes for Mecca;
That they are to conduct him thro' the Desarts,
Where h'as appointed Troops of Arabians,
From Ambuscade, t'attack 'em unprepar'd;
Dispatch 'em, and succeed to their Employ:
Bid 'em advance to stop the Sultan's Journey,
By ev'ry Means, or they come too late—
Tell 'em, three Suns appearing at Midday,
Prognosticate great Changes in the State,
For them reserv'd; that Prodigies from Heaven
Ought not to be neglected; but that they,
Whose Pow'r extends to the deposing Sov'reigns,
Should act conformable to Heav'n's Decrees.
[Exeunt Eunuchs.
—'Tis well, my Mind grows calmer; I'll to Court,
And strive to gain farther Intelligence.

[Exit.