[She fixes her eye on the earth. Then drop in one after another, from different parts of the stage, a considerable number of Morescoes, all in Moorish garments and Moorish armour. They form a circle at a distance round Alhadra, and remain silent till Naomi enters.
Naomi. Woman! May Alla and the Prophet bless thee! [25]
We have obeyed thy call. Where is our chief?
And why didst thou enjoin these Moorish garments?
Alhadra (raising her eyes, and looking round on the circle). Warriors of Mahomet! faithful in the battle!
My countrymen! Come ye prepared to work
An honourable deed? And would ye work it 30
In the slave's garb? Curse on those Christian robes!
They are spell-blasted: and whoever wears them,
His arm shrinks wither'd, his heart melts away,
And his bones soften.
Naomi. Where is Isidore?
Alhadra. This night I went from forth my house, and left [35]
His children all asleep: and he was living!
And I return'd and found them still asleep,
But he had perished——
All Morescoes. Perished?
Alhadra. He had perished!
Sleep on, poor babes! not one of you doth know
That he is fatherless—a desolate orphan! 40
Why should we wake them? Can an infant's arm
Revenge his murder?
One Moresco (to another). Did she say his murder?
Naomi. Murder? Not murdered?