University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

Royal Apartments in the Alhambra.
The King with Galefo, and proper attendants.
KING
(thoughtful and disturbed).
Fool that I was to grant her suit! and yet
'Twere shame to knighthood and to public faith
Should he detain the maid. The haughty Juan
Was ever noble.
(To an attendant).
Hast thou o'erlook'd the plain?
Saw'st thou the youth and lovely maid returning?
Leads she her rescued father?

ATTENDANT.
No, my liege,
I nothing saw when last—

KING.
Peace, fool!—Galefo,
Haste to the eastern turret. Yon dull clod
Nor sees nor hears aright. Thy eye is keen,
Glance o'er the plain;—return with lightning's speed.
[Galefo goes. The King is again thoughtful.
'Twere idle to suppose the Spanish chief
Would such a prize release.—No—no! and he,
Moraizel, may assert a father's right.
Yet a fond father would not doom his child
To sad captivity. She will return—
I yet shall see her.
Galefo enters.
Ha! thou smil'st, Galefo!

GALEFO.
They come, my liege, they come! within the walls,
E'en now, the joyous troop approach th'Alhambra:
They lead Moraizel.

KING.
Thanks, Galefo, thanks.
Thou see'st my joy to greet the rescued chief.
(Aside).
She comes! victorious fair! My spirits all
Rush with tumultuous throbbings to my breast,
That scarce I can find utterance.—'Tis she!

Enter Moraizel, Xarifa, Moorish damsels, &c. in a festive and triumphant train. Moraizel kneels to the King.
MORAIZEL.
Lo! at your feet, my sov'reign lord, behold
Your faithful subject! from the Spaniard's bonds
By filial tenderness redeem'd.

KING.
Most welcome!
Rise, valiant chief! thy monarch holds thee dear
For thy own worth, and for thy peerless daughter's.
(Turning to Xarifa).
Say, how may we, fair excellence, repay
Our own particular debt, to hold again
The honour'd veteran we lamented lost?

XARIFA.
I am too well repaid, my gracious liege;
No thanks are mine—'twas Hamad's prayer prevail'd.

MORAIZEL.
'Tis thine, my child, by duteous tenderness,
Still to repay tenfold the generous deed.
Long promised to the noble youth, my liege,
I had appointed to bestow, to-morrow,
My daughter on his faith.

KING
(much agitated).
Bestow thy daughter?
Said'st thou long promised? She—the fair Xarifa?
I knew not this.—Moraizel, thou art secret!

MORAIZEL.
The humble fate of old Moraizel's child,
Methinks, were not of moment to arrest
The royal thought.

KING.
The fate of one so fair,
And of a race so noble, well might claim
A monarch's watchful care—nor can we sanction
That thou unworthily should'st match the maid.

MORAIZEL
(with respectful firmness).
My word is given. Hamad well deserves her.

KING.
Hamad deserve her?—Ha! what mighty deed
Has yet graced Hamad's arms? A thousand swords
Of proof, by Hamad's single valour wrested
From thousand Spaniards' grasp, would warrant ill
So high an aim!

MORAIZEL
(more firmly).
My liege, she is my daughter.

KING.
She is my subject! and thou shalt not doom
To low obscurity, to household cares,
A maid whose charms might fire a monarch's breast.

MORAIZEL.
Ha! “shall not!” Heard I well?

KING.
Dost thou reply?
Let Hamad first by deeds of arms deserve
Abdallah's favour, and Xarifa's hand!
Meantime this jewel of Granada's crown
Within the Alhambra palace shall be lodged.
Start not, old man. Thy daughter shall be honour'd,
Thou hast my royal word.

MORAIZEL
(bows with suppressed indignation, and then aside with agitation).
He durst not—no—
I will be calm.—
[Xarifa presses close to him.
My child!

XARIFA
(with inquiring looks).
Speak—speak, my father!

MORAIZEL.
Xarifa! Oh! I cannot speak my thoughts!

XARIFA.
I read them all in this parental tear.
This trembling grasp that holds me to thy bosom,
Each speaks a several blessing!

MORAIZEL.
That my blessings
Might as a guardian host—

KING
(interrupting them).
Sweet excellence!
Retire, I pray, where these thy slaves will tend thee.
Let every knee bend to the fair Xarifa.
Read in her eyes her will, and all obey!

XARIFA
(terrified, and clinging to her father).
Oh! leave me not, my father!

KING.
Stay, Moraizel!
(To Xarifa).
Fear nothing thou.—
(To Moraizel).
Nay, I command thee stay.
[Xarifa is led out.
Why dost thou frown, and mark with grudging eye
The honours on thy daughter's worth conferr'd?

MORAIZEL.
My liege, I have been silent, for I fear'd
To wake in her pure thought the least suspicion
Of what her father dreads.

KING
(with levity).
And dost thou dread
A king should think her fair?

MORAIZEL.
I do, my liege.

KING.
Know then we love her! that we have resolved
To snatch her from the fate, the abject fate,
To which her father dooms her matchless charms.
Nay, smooth thy brow—she must, she shall be mine.
Why thus disturb'd, Moraizel? Moorish maids
Account it fame to win a monarch's love!
What should'st thou fear?

MORAIZEL.
True, what should I fear?
Thou canst but ease me of my weight of years.
Behold this faithful bosom! here strike home!
For till thy hand has still'd life's last pulsation,
Thou shalt not, king, dishonour old Moraizel!
And have I shed for thee in glory's field
More blood than frolics in thy wanton veins,
To be rewarded thus?

KING.
Old man, take heed.
As yet thy daughter's graces stand between
Thee and Abdallah's wrath!

MORAIZEL
(clasping his hands with passionate tenderness).
My bosom's pride!
My virtuous child! Rear'd in such innocence
That she pass'd on, nor read the fell intent
Thy eye's wild flash proclaim'd!

KING.
Peace, dotard, peace!

MORAIZEL.
Hast thou forgot the race of which she springs?
The Aben-Zurrahs will avenge her wrongs.

KING
(starts, and appears disturbed).
The Aben-Zurrahs! Ha! too oft they have shook
Granada's throne; and now, its best support!—
At such a time as this!—It must not be.
Where was my better judgment? This sweet frenzy
Possess'd my soul with such resistless sway,
I lost all thought but to obtain the maid.
[After a pause of thought, while Moraizel appears wrapt in grief.
My queen! my wife!—Yes, she would grace a throne.
(To Moraizel).
I will forget thy warmth. Thou didst mistake
Our purpose, good Moraizel. Is a diadem
So poor a gift?

MORAIZEL.
I understand you not.

KING.
The lovely maid shall be Abdallah's queen.

MORAIZEL.
May I believe your words, my gracious liege?
Have I so much misjudged my sov'reign's thought?

KING.
Anger will hoodwink judgment! Yes, my friend,
Xarifa's noble birth, and spotless fame,
As to thyself are to Abdallah sacred.

MORAIZEL.
Yet still, my liege, I crave a patient hearing.
Young Hamad has my word. By my consent,
Their interchange of vows, and mutual faith.

KING.
I will deal nobly with him. Summon him.
[Exit Moraizel.
The youth is of high mettle. I will touch him
That he shall sue for danger as a boon.
Nor shall he vainly sue! I will confer it
As most especial favour.
Re-enter Moraizel with Hamad.
Gallant Hamad!
Brave youth, approach! Think not I doubt thy worth,
Yet are Xarifa's charms of higher price
Than good Moraizel deems. It were not well
That she, so excellent, so fair, so virtuous,
Were thine, ere thou hast proved in fight that valour
We all believe thou own'st. It were not well
That slander on Moraizel's choice should glance,
And say his age misplaced the precious gem
Would grace a monarch's crown.

HAMAD.
My gracious liege!
Your words are just! Oh put me to the proof!
Yet let me sue—by love's impatience sue—
That I, not later than to-morrow, vindicate
My valour on the foe. In this dear cause,
All tasks were light save such as ask delay.

KING.
One sun for thee shall, in its circling course,
Include a life of glory. The proud task
Not without danger, that shall stamp thy fame;
But glory, well thou know'st, on danger waits.
The blood that mantles in thy cheek assents,
While on thy brow sits crested honour throned!
Yes, thou wilt justify Moraizel's choice!

HAMAD.
Or leave my life upon the bloody plain!

KING.
Know, with ourself in equal poize we hold thee,
In Fortune's adverse scales. We are thy rival!
We love Xarifa! on Granada's throne,
Would place her matchless virtues.

HAMAD
(aside, thunderstruck).
Help me, Heaven!

KING.
Our will were absolute! yet as man to man,
Thy king says—“Win her, Hamad, she is thine.”
So wilt thou doubtless. Yet we rule not, youth,
The shifting fates, and if thou win her not,
As frankly yield her thou!

HAMAD.
What say'st thou? Yield her?
Yield my Xarifa?—Never but with life!
Abdallah, no! Thou bad'st me win the maid.
Methinks a thousand scorpions nestle here
Till I go forth. See there be danger, king,
To shame proud knighthood's blazon'd feats till now,
Or the light task might but disgrace the prize.

KING.
Thy speech is big: no doubt thy deeds will match it.
Thy kinsman band of valiant Aben-Zurrahs
Beneath the sacred standard thou shalt lead.
Thou know'st the law! Beneath that holy ensign,
To turn aside before the world in arms,
Incurs dishonour! and to lose it—death!

HAMAD.
Thanks, thanks, my gracious liege! A band of knights,
Though unmatch'd, few, against the Spanish host
Flush'd by late victory! the enterprise
Is worthy of the blood we boast. To-morrow
Victorious Hamad claims Xarifa's hand!

KING.
Go, noble youth! summon th'intrepid band—
Go forth ere dawn—the word be “Love and Glory.”—
So the young eagle springs into the sky
To meet the eye of day, with lusty wing
Winnowing the chequer'd clouds, then, poised a space
Firm in mid air, stoops on the careless quarry
Ere from his plumes he shake the dews of night.
[Moraizel and Hamad speak apart. Moraizel appearing to encourage, and dismiss him kindly.
How easy 'tis to urge fond, headlong, youth
To self destruction! As a noxious reptile,
That chanced to cross my path, I might have crush'd him,
Or whisper'd some dark Zegri in the ear,
“Hamad obstructs my way!” But were it wise
To buy Xarifa's hate? or live to feel
Th'accomplice Zegri tyrant of his lord?
More skilful—nay, more honest, sure, to say,
“Thou art my bane—kind youth, remove thyself.”
[Having dismissed Hamad, Moraizel rejoins the King.
Moraizel, art thou satisfied?

MORAIZEL.
My liege,
The task, methinks, o'ermatches Hamad's youth.

KING.
Brave Hamad thinks not so.—Art thou content,
If Hamad win her not, thy peerless daughter
Grace King Abdallah's throne?

MORAIZEL.
To glory dead,
Of abject soul, I were, if such high honours
I could unmoved contemplate. Yet, my liege,
The youth has claims upon my love:—to-day
He would have worn my bonds.

KING
(impatient).
No more! no more!—
The Prophet will decide our claims, old man.
Go thou and calm thy daughter's fears. Ere long,
Abdallah at her feet will tell his love.

[Exit.
MORAIZEL
(alone).
My daughter on Granada's throne! The Zegris,
Their proud crests fall'n! 'Twere glorious!—But her tears!
The gallant Hamad's worth! My honour pledged!—
Though pure, and gentle, is she not a woman?
Splendour, and power, and greatness in the queen
Will dry the maiden's tears, as mid-day suns
Disperse the dews of morning.—“Hamad's worth!”
Xarifa shall reward it from the throne.—
“My honour pledged!” I nought infringe my word:
'Tis the king rules, not I.—I needs must yield.
Abdallah nobly said, “Let Hamad win her!”
And wisely, “The Prophet will decide our claims.”
Shall I pluck from my daughter's brow the diadem,
If Mahomet decree to place it there?

[Exit.