lisois.
Of whom
Speakest thou, my lord? a brother?
duke.
No: a traitor,
My worst of foes, a rival who abhors me;
One who has robbed me of my dearest treasure:
The Moor demands his head, and I have promised
To give it him.
lisois.
Ha! promised to shake off
The bonds of nature and humanity!
duke.
Long since they had proscribed him.
lisois.
And to them,
Thou yieldest his life?
duke.
Not to their vengeance only,
But to my own, which shall be satisfied.
What is the Moor to me, or what my country?
lisois.
To love then you would make the sacrifice,
And I must be the executioner.
duke.
No: I expect not so much justice from thee;
I am a wretch, abandoned and forlorn,
Betrayed by love, deserted by my friend;
But there are those who yet will keep their promise;
Others, perhaps, may serve me, nor allege
Such poor excuses for ingratitude.
lisois.
[After a long silence.
I am resolved; and be it guilt or justice,
Ne’er shalt thou say that Lisois hath betrayed thee:
Thou art unhappy: Vamir is a traitor.
It is enough; I love thee, and consent:
There is a time for desperate extremes,
When duties the most sacred must give way
To hard necessity: at such an hour
I cannot suffer thee to try the faith
Of any heart but mine: success alone
Must prove my friendship: soon shalt thou determine
Whether thy Lisois loved thee, and was faithful.
duke.
Once more in sorrow I behold a friend;
Deserted by the world, in thee I find
My only refuge: thou wilt not permit
A haughty rival to insult my rage,
To trample on my ashes, and enjoy
My kingdom in the arms of my Amelia.
lisois.
I will not; but in recompense for this,
I must demand another sacrifice.
duke.
What is it? speak.
lisois.
I cannot bear the Moor,
Our insolent protector; cannot bear
To see him lord it o’er thy noble subjects.
I would not serve a tyrant, nor submit
To shameful slavery for a poor support
We do not want; ’tis in our power at least
To die without him: leave to me, my lord,
The conduct of this day, perhaps my service
May claim it of thee: Lisois and the Moor
Would ne’er agree: I must command alone,
To the last hour.
duke.
Thou shalt: I’ll give thee all
Thou canst desire, let but Amelia feel
Despair like mine, and weep in tears of blood
Her treacherous lover: let me hear her groans
In my last moments to delight my soul;
And for the rest, ’tis equal all: to thee
I trust my glory; go, dispose, command,
Prepare thee for the field. I hope not now
For victory, nor for honorable death;
For what is honor to a heart like mine,
Sunk in despair! O be the sad remembrance
Of a false mistress, and a cruel rival,
Buried with me in everlasting silence!
lisois.
Eternal night, if possible, should hide
Such dreadful deeds: would death had closed our eyes
Before this day of horrors; but I go
To keep my word, and save my friend. Farewell.
End of the Fourth Act.
ACT V.
SCENE I.
duke of foix, an officer.
duke.
Perpetual misery! am I doomed to see
Nothing but faction, treason, and revolt?
Where are the rebels, do they mutiny?
officer.
At sight of you, my lord, the crowd dispersed.
duke.
On every side I am oppressed by Vamir;
All hearts are his; my miseries are complete;
But what hath Lisois done?
officer.
His watchful courage
Defends our ramparts ’gainst the foe.
duke.
That soldier
You brought to me in secret, has he done
What I commanded?
officer.
Yes, my lord: ere now
He’s at the tower.
duke.
’Tis well: a common arm
Will do it best, and execute my vengeance
Without remorse: Lisois’ uncertain heart
Was not to be depended on; methought
He looked with too much coolness on my rage;
We seldom try to mitigate a grief,
Which we contemn: to other hands I’ll trust
My great revenge.—Go thou, and fetch my standard,
Let it be brought upon the ramparts to me:
New dangers press, and for the field again
We must prepare: let the same zeal inspire thee,
And the same courage, imitate thy master,
And learn of him—to die,
[Exit Officer.
Ere this ’tis done.
A base, ungrateful woman dips my hands