University of Virginia Library

Scene 6.

—A Splendid Hall in Amurath's Palace, Throne, &c. Amurath, Achmet, Slaves, and Guards, enter to a Grand March.
Amurath.
Go tell the lady Kalasrade, Abdallah.
That we await her presence.
(Enter Azim, Kalasrade, and Zulema)
Lovely lady,
Welcome a thousand fold! Thy beauty lights
Our mountain fortress with a gladdening beam,
Even as that sun-like gem, the carbuncle,
Illumes its native mine. Wilt thou not speak
One word? only one word?

Kalasrade.
Alas I must.
I am a slave, a captive, I have lost
The power of silence.

Amurath.
Fairest, it is I
That am thy captive. Name but thy desire,
And it shall wait thy bidding.

Kalasrade.
Liberty!
The prisoner hath one only wish.

Amurath.
No! No!
I cannot part with thee! gold, jewels, cities,
Kingdoms, my very Empire, all are thine,
Except the boon that parts us.

Kalasrade.
Next to freedom
I'd crave forgetfulness. Didst ever hear
Of the Waters of Oblivion?

Amurath.
Many times— (noise without)

What noise is that? Bid them be still without;
This is no place for brawling centinel,
Or clashing sword.—Full often lovely lady,
Have I heard stories of brave men who sought
Those wondrous Waters. An old prophecy
Saith, that in happy hour for love and Persia,
Shall Persia's monarch quaff the untasted cup.

Kalasrade.
Such sire is my demand. Expect no favor
Of Kalasrade till thou procure that draught
Of mystic power.

Amurath.
Thy will shall be obeyed.
(noise again)
Again that noise? Sadak!

(Enter Sadak)
Achmet.
Disarm him!

Sadak.
Men
Take heed!

Achmet.
Disarm him slaves.

Sadak.
Slaves that ye be,
Take heed! I am a soldier; I have won
Alone through guarded gates, through crowded courts,
Leapt from the trembling drawbridge as it rose,
Just cleared the grim portcullis ere it fell,
Have dared a thousand deaths to rescue her,
My Kalasrade, my wife! and do ye think
With her dear self before me I shall yield,
To an army such as ye? My faithful bands
Are near at hand. Oh could I but have reined
My hot impatience to their pace, we had ta'en
Thy mountain fortress.

Amurath
—(To an Officer of the Guard)
Meet them in the pass,
They cannot fight ye there. Hold parley with them,
(Exit Officer.)
Audacious rebel, now for thee!

Sadak.
For thee,
Fell tyrant.

Kalasrade.
Sadak, calm thee! For my sake
Be calmer, mine own Sadak! reason with them,
Plead with them, Sadak! I am in their power.

Sadak.
Plead! and to him, the ingrate!

Kalasrade.
For my sake.

Sadak.
For thy dear sake—Well—Well!
My Kalasrade.
All thy life long thy lightest wish hath been
A law to me.
Song—Sadak.

Amurath.
What dalliance is here?

Sadak.
Caliph, I come
For justice. I thy subject and thy friend,
(Kings have not many friends) I come to thee
To do me a great justice. See I fling
My sword away. I come to thee a suppliant.
Being in the wars, thy wars, leading thy armies,
Quelling a strong rebellion, conquering
A bold and subtle traitor, thy fierce ruffians
Entered my quiet dwelling, fired my house,
(But that were nothing!) carried off my wife,
The fair, the dear, the faithful! Look on her!
See how she weeps! Restore her to me, Caliph,
Or she will die before thine eyes! Restore her,
And save two lives!

Kalasrade.
Oh listen, mighty Caliph!
Low at thy knees I bend; I kiss thy feet;
Restore me to my Sadak! My dear husband!
Mine own dear husband!

Amurath.
Kalasrade! I cannot
Endure to part from her!

Achmet.
What hinders, sire,
But we should slay the rebel?

Amurath.
No. Thou art here,
Captive unarmed, defenceless; but I fain
Would spare thee—yield thy wife.

Sadak.
Never!

Amurath.
Then seek,
The Waters of Oblivion—I would give thee
Another chance for life—and bring the cup
Untasted hither.

Sadak.
Wherefore?

Amurath.
Kalasrade
Demands them.

Sadak.
Kalasrade?

Kalasrade.
Alas! Alas!
A viewless voice that seemed of Heaven—Hark! Hark!
It comes again.

Chorus of Good Spirits.
On Sadak! on!
Seek thou the deep and limpid fountain
That wells underneath the burning mountain;
The fiery hill, in whose caverns low
The Waves of Oblivion tranquilly, flow;
If true and bold, and pure from sin,
Thou the charmed wave shalt win.
On, Sadak, on!

Amurath.
What jugglery is this?

Sadak.
I'll go! I'll go!
She shall be safe till my return, and pure?
Thy word for this, a monarch's word!

Amurath.
Aye, safe,
And pure. But thou must bring the waters back
Untasted, ere a month have past.

Sadak.
The time
Is short.

Amurath.
One month even from this hour.
(March without)
Thou hear'st
The watch is changing: Well thou know'st the clang
Of those wild instruments; punctual are they
Even as the sun. A moment hence thou'lt hear
The echoing stroke, that tells the household slaves
When evening passes into night. Return
Ere that hour strike.

Kalasrade.
Alas! Great Caliph spare
This desperate quest! or lengthen out the time!

(a Gong is struck)
Amurath.
Thou hear'st. Ee'r that hour strike.

Sadak.
I'll go! I'll go!
All hitherto have perished—But I'll go,
And I'll return.

Sestette.
Amurath, Sadak, Achmet, Azim, Kalasrade and Zulema
Sadak.
I'll go and I'll return, sweet wife!
Shed not a tear for me;
Fearless as to the battle strife
I go for love and thee.

Kalasrade, Zulema, and Azim.
Oh! Caliph hear thy suppliant's prayer,
We bend before thy power;
This agonizing trial spare!
Oh! spare this bitter hour!

Amurath and Achmet.
Look that thou keep thy time aright,
Or, let what will betide,
Thy Kalasrade in beauty bright
Shall be the Caliph's bride.

Kalasrade.
Sadak farewell! If go thou must,
Mine only love, farewell!

Sadak.
In those blest spirits put thy trust,
And in our holy cause and just;
Farewell, sweet wife, farewell!

Chorus.
Away, away, no more delay!
Look that thou keep the fated day!
When the Caliph sits in his regal hall,
And the watch is changed at the trumpet's call.
And the gong sends forth its thunder peal;
Then is the hour of woe or weal.