SCENE XII

Hasan, Caraza, Mahomet, Mustapha, Murza,

ABDALLA

MURZA

Forgive, great sultan, that, by fate prevented,

I bring a tardy message from Irene.

MAHOMET

Some artful wile of counterfeited love!
Some soft decoy to lure me to destruction!
And thou, the curs'd accomplice of her treason,
Declare thy message, and expect thy doom.

MURZA

The queen requested, that a chosen troop
Might intercept the traitor Greek, Demetrius,
Then ling'ring with his captive mistress here.

MUSTAPHA

The Greek, Demetrius! whom th' expiring bassa Declar'd the chief associate of his guilt!

MAHOMET

A chosen troop-to intercept-Demetrius

The queen requested-Wretch, repeat the mes

sage;

And, if one varied accent prove thy falsehood,

Or but one moment's pause betray confusion, Those trembling limbs-Speak out, thou shiv'ring traitor.

The queen requested

MURZA

MAHOMET

Who? the dead Irene ?

Was she then guiltless! Has my thoughtless rage Destroy'd the fairest workmanship of heav'n! Doom'd her to death, unpity'd and unheard, Amidst her kind solicitudes for me!

Ye slaves of cruelty, ye tools of rage,

[To Hasan and Caraza.

Ye blind, officious ministers of folly,

Could not her charms repress your zeal for murder?
Could not her pray'rs, her innocence, her tears,
Suspend the dreadful sentence for an hour?
One hour had freed me from the fatal errour!
One hour had sav'd me from despair and madness.

CARAZA

Your fierce impatience forc'd us from your presence,
Urg'd us to speed, and bade us banish pity,
Nor trust our passions with her fatal charms.

MAHOMET

What hadst thou lost, by slighting those commands?
Thy life, perhaps-Were but Irene spar'd,
Well, if a thousand lives like thine had perish'd;
Such beauty, sweetness, love, were cheaply bought
With half the grov'ling slaves that load the globe.

MUSTAPHA

Great is thy woe! But think, illustrious sultan,
Such ills are sent for souls, like thine, to conquer.
Shake off this weight of unavailing grief,
Rush to the war, display thy dreadful banners,
And lead thy troops, victorious, round the world.

MAHOMET

Robb'd of the maid, with whom I wish'd to triumph,
No more I burn for fame, or for dominion;

Success and conquest now are empty sounds,
Remorse and anguish seize on all my breast;

Those groves, whose shades embower'd the dear

Irene,

Heard her last cries, and fann'd her dying beauties, Shall hide me from the tasteless world for ever. [Mahomet goes back, and returns.

Yet, ere I quit the sceptre of dominion,

Let one just act conclude the hateful dayHew down, ye guards, those vassals of destruction, [Pointing to Hasan and Caraza.

Those hounds of blood, that catch the hint to kill, Bear off, with eager haste, th' unfinished sentence, And speed the stroke, lest mercy should o'ertake them.

CARAZA

Then hear, great Mahomet, the voice of truth.

MAHOMET

Hear! shall I hear thee! didst thou hear Irene ?

Hear but a moment.

CARAZA

MAHOMET

Hadst thou heard a moment,

Thou might'st have liv'd, for thou hadst spar'd

Irene.

CARAZA

I heard her, pitied her, and wish'd to save her.

MAHOMET

And wish'd-be still thy fate to wish in vain.

CARAZA

I heard, and soften'd, till Abdalla brought
Her final doom, and hurried her destruction.

MAHOMET

Abdalla brought her doom! Abdalla brought it! The wretch, whose guilt, declar'd by tortur'd Cali, My rage and grief had hid from my remembrance: Abdalla brought her doom!

HASAN

Abdalla brought it,

While yet she begg'd to plead her cause before thee.

MAHOMET

O, seize me, madness-Did she call on me!

I feel, I see the ruffian's barb'rous rage.

He seiz'd her melting in the fond appeal,

And stopp'd the heav'nly voice that call'd on me.
My spirits fail; awhile support me, vengeance—
Be just, ye slaves; and, to be just, be cruel;
Contrive new racks, imbitter ev'ry pang,
Inflict whatever treason can deserve,

Which murder'd innocence that call'd on me.
[Exit Mahomet; Abdalla is dragged off.

SCENE XIII

HASAN, CARAZA, Mustapha, Murza

MUSTAPHA to MURZA

What plagues, what tortures, are in store for thee, Thou sluggish idler, dilatory slave!

Behold the model of consummate beauty,
Torn from the mourning earth by thy neglect.

MURZA

Such was the will of heav'n-A band of Greeks, That mark'd my course, suspicious of my purpose, Rush'd out and seiz'd me, thoughtless and unarm'd, Breathless, amaz'd, and on the guarded beach Detain'd me, till Demetrius set me free.

MUSTAPHA

So sure the fall of greatness, rais'd on crimes!
So fix'd the justice of all conscious heav'n!
When haughty guilt exults with impious joy,
Mistake shall blast, or accident destroy;

Weak man, with erring rage, may throw the dart,
But heav'n shall guide it to the guilty heart.