Qu. Not hear me speak!—Yes, and in Thunder too;
Since all my Passion, all my soft Intreaties
Can do no good upon thee,
I’ll see (since thou hast banish’d all thy Love,
That Love, to which I’ve sacrific’d my Honour)
If thou hast any Sense of Gratitude,
For all the mighty Graces I have done thee.
Abd. Do;—and in thy Story too, do not leave out
How dear those mighty Graces I have purchas’d;
My blooming Youth, my healthful vigorous Youth,
Which Nature gave me for more noble Actions
Than to lie fawning at a Woman’s Feet,
And pass my Hours in Idleness and Love—
If I cou’d blush, I shou’d thro all this Cloud
Send forth my Sense of Shame into my Cheeks.
Qu. Ingrate!
Have I for this abus’d the best of Men,
My noble Husband?
Depriving him of all the Joys of Love,
To bring them all intirely to thy Bed;
Neglected all my Vows, and sworn ‘em here a-new,
Here, on thy Lips—
Exhausted Treasures that wou’d purchase Crowns,
To buy thy Smiles—to buy a gentle Look;
And when thou didst repay me—blest the Giver?
Oh, Abdelazer, more than this I’ve done—
This very Hour, the last the King can live,
Urg’d by thy Witch-craft, I his Life betray’d;
And is it thus my Bounties are repaid?
Whate’er a Crime so great deserves from Heav’n,
By Abdelazer might have been forgiven: [Weeps.
But I will be reveng’d by penitence,
And e’er the King dies, own my black Offence—
And yet that’s not enough—Elvira— [Pauses.
Cry murder, murder, help, help.
[She and her Women cry aloud, he is surpriz’d, the Queen falls, he draws a Dagger at Elvira.
Elv. Help, murder, murder!—
Abd. Hell, what’s this?—peace, Baud—’sdeath,
They’ll raise the Court upon me, and then I’m lost—
My Queen—my Goddess—Oh raise your lovely Eyes,
I have dissembled Coldness all this while;
And that Deceit was but to try thy Faith.
[Takes her up, sets her in a Chair, then kneels.
Look up—by Heav’n,’.was Jealousy—
Pardon your Slave—pardon your poor Adorer.
Qu. Thou didst upbraid me with my shameful Passion.
Abd. I’ll tear my Tongue out for its Profanation.
Qu. And when I woo’d thee but to smile upon me, Thou cry’st—Away, I’m dull, unfit for Dalliance.
Abd. Call back the frighted Blood into thy Cheeks, And I’ll obey the Dictates of my Love, And smile, and kiss, and dwell for ever here— Enter Osmin hastily. How now—why star’st thou so?