Изображения страниц
PDF
EPUB

That can distinguish me from the vile earth,
To which I'm going: a poor abject worm,
That crawled awhile upon the bustling world,
And now am trampled to my dust again.
Oro. I see thee gashed and mangled!
Aboan. Spare my shame,

To tell how they have used me; but believe,
The hangman's hand would have been merciful.
Do not you scorn me, Sir, to think I can
Intend to live under this infamy?

I do not come for pity, to complain.
I've spent an honourable life with you;
The earliest servant of your rising fame,
And would attend it with my latest care:
My life was yours, and so shall be my death.
You must not live; .

Bending and sinking, I have dragged my steps
Thus far, to tell you that you cannot live:
To warn you of those ignominious wrongs,
Whips, rods, and all the instruments of death,
Which I have felt, and are prepared for you.
This was the duty that I had to pay.
'Tis done, and now I beg to be discharged.
Oro. What shall I do for thee?

Aboan. My body tires,

And wo'not bear me off to liberty:

I shall again be taken, made a slave.

A sword, a dagger, yet would rescue me.

I have not strength to go and find out death,
You must direct him to me.

Oro. Here he is,

[Gives him a dagger.

The only present I can make thee now;

And, next the honourable means of life,

I would bestow the honest means of death.

Aboan. I cannot stay to thank you.

A being after this, I shall be yours

If there is

In the next world, your faithful slave again.

This is to try. [Stabs himself.] I had a living sense

Of all your royal favours, but this last

Strikes through my heart.
For you must follow me.

I wo'not say farewell,

Oro. In life and death,
The guardian of my honour!
I should have gone before thee:
Thy fate had been prevented.

Follow thee?

then perhaps All his care

Was to preserve me from the barbarous rage
That worried him, only for being mine.
Why, why, ye gods! why am I so accursed,
That it must be a reason of your wrath,
A guilt, a crime sufficient to the fate
Of any one, but to belong to me?

My friend has found it out, and my wife will soon:
My wife! the very fear's too much for life.

I can't support it. Where's Imoinda ? Oh ?

[Dies.

[Going out, he meets IMOINDA, who runs into his arms. Down of all my cares!

Thou bosom softness!

I could recline my thoughts upon this breast

To a forgetfulness of all my griefs,
And yet

be happy but it wo'not be.

Thou art disordered, pale, and out of breath!
If fate pursue thee, find a shelter here.
What is it thou wouldst tell me?

Imo. 'Tis in vain to call him villain.
Oro. Call him governor is it not so?

Imo. There's not another, sure.

Oro. Villain's the common name of mankind here,

But his most properly.

What! what of him?

I fear to be resolved, and must inquire.

He had thee in his power.

Imo. I blush to think it.

Oro. Blush! to think what?
Imo. That I was in his power.
Oro. He could not use it?
Imo. What can't such men do?
Oro. What did he? durst he?

Imo. What he could he dared.

Oro. His own gods damn him then! For ours have none, No punishment for such unheard-of crime.

Imo. This monster, cunning in his flatteries,

When he had wearied all his useless arts,

Leaped out, fierce as a beast of prey, to seize me.
I trembled, feared.

Oro. I fear and tremble now.

What could preserve thee? What deliver thee?

Imo. That worthy man you used to call

Oro. Blandford?

your

Imo. Came in, and saved me from his rage.

Oro. He was a friend indeed to rescue thee!

And, for his sake, I'll think it possible

A Christian may be yet an honest man.

friend

Imo. O did you know what I have struggled through, To save me yours, sure you would promise me

Never to see me forced from you again.

Oro. To promise thee! O! do I need to promise?

But there is now no further use of words,

Death is security for all our fears.

[Shows ABOAN's body on the floor.

And yet I cannot trust him.

Imo. Aboan!

Oro. Mangled and torn, resolved to give me time

To fit myself for what I must expect,

Groaned out a warning to me, and expired.

Imo. For what you must expect?

Oro. Would that were all.

Imo. What, to be butchered thus

Oro. Just as thou seest.

Imo. By barb'rous hands to fall at last their prey?
Oro. I have run the race with honour, shall I now

Lag, and be overtaken at the goal?

Imo. No.

Oro. I must look back to thee.

Imo. You sha'not need.

I am always present to your purpose; say,

Which way would you dispose me?

This dagger will instruct you.

Oro. Ha! this dagger!

Like fate, it points me to the horrid deed.

[Tenderly.

[Gives it to him.

Imo. Strike, strike it home, and bravely save us both.

There is no other safety.

Oro. It must be

But first a dying kiss

This last embrace

And now

Imo. I'm ready.

Oro. O, where shall I strike?

[Kisses her. [Embraces her.

Is there the smallest grain of that loved body
That is not dearer to me than my eyes,

My bosomed heart, and all the life-blood there?

Bid me cut off these limbs, hew off these hands, Dig out these eyes, though I would keep them last thee: but to murder thee!

To gaze upon

every

The joy and charm of ravished sense,
My wife! forbid it, nature.

Imo. "Tis your wife,

Who on her knees conjures you. O! in time,
Prevent those mischiefs that are falling on us.
You may be hurried to a shameful death,
And I too dragged to the vile governor ;
Then I may cry aloud. When you are gone,
Where shall I find a friend again to save me?
Oro. It will be so. Thou unexampled virtue!
Thy resolution has recovered mine :

And now prepare thee.

Imo. Thus, with open arms,

I welcome you and death.

[He drops the dagger as he looks on her, and throws himself on the ground.

Oro. I cannot bear it.

O let me dash against the rock of fate,
Dig up this earth, and tear her bowels out,
To make a grave, deep as the centre down,
To swallow wide and bury us together!
It wo'not be. O! then some pitying god
(If there be one a friend to innocence)
Find yet a way to lay her beauties down
Gently in death, and save me from her blood.

Imo. O rise, 'tis more than death to see you thus.

I'll ease your love, and do the deed myself—

[She takes up the dagger; he rises in haste to take it from her.

« ПредыдущаяПродолжить »