Chapter 12

_An alarm within; then Soldiers running over the stage. Enter_ ABDELMELECH, _victorious, with Soldiers._

_Abdelm._ 'Tis won, 'tis won! and Lyndaraxa, now, Who scorned to treat, shall to a conquest bow. To every sword I free commission give; Fall on, my friends, and let no rebel live. Spare only Lyndaraxa; let her be In triumph led, to grace my victory. Since by her falsehood she betrayed my love, Great as that falsehood my revenge shall prove.--

_Enter_ LYNDARAXA, _as frightened, attended by women._

Go, take the enchantress, bring her to me bound!

_Lyndar._ Force needs not, where resistance is not found: I come, myself, to offer you my hands; And, of my own accord, invite your bands. I wished to be my Abdelmelech's slave; I did but wish,--and easy fortune gave.

_Abdelm._ O, more than woman false!--but 'tis in vain.-- Can you ere hope to be believed again? I'll sooner trust the hyæna, than your smile; Or, than your tears, the weeping crocodile. In war and love none should be twice deceived; The fault is mine if you are now believed.

_Lyndar._ Be overwise, then, and too late repent; Your crime will carry its own punishment. I am well pleased not to be justified; I owe no satisfaction to your pride. It will be more advantage to my fame, To have it said, I never owned a flame.

_Abdelm._ 'Tis true, my pride has satisfied itself: I have at length escaped the deadly shelf. The excuses you prepare will be in vain, Till I am fool enough to love again.

_Lyndar._ Am I not loved?

_Abdelm._ I must with shame avow, I loved you once;--but do not love you now.

_Lyndar._ Have I for this betrayed Abdalla's trust? You are to me, as I to him, unjust. [_Angrily._

_Abdelm._ 'Tis like you have done much for love of me, Who kept the fortress of my enemy.

_Lyndar._ 'Tis true, I took the fortress from his hand; But, since, have kept it in my own command.

_Abdelm._ That act your foul ingratitude did show.

_Lyndar._ You are the ungrateful, since 'twas kept for you.

_Abdelm._ 'Twas kept indeed; but not by your intent: For all your kindness I may thank the event. Blush, Lyndaraxa, for so gross a cheat: 'Twas kept for me,--when you refused to treat! [_Ironically._

_Lyndar._ Blind man! I knew the weakness of the place: It was my plot to do your arms this grace. Had not my care of your renown been great, I loved enough to offer you to treat. She, who is loved, must little lets create; But you bold lovers are to force your fate. This force, you used, my maiden blush will save; You seemed to take, what secretly I gave. I knew we must be conquered; but I knew What confidence I might repose in you. I knew, you were too grateful to expose My friends, and soldiers, to be used like foes.

_Abdelm._ Well, though I love you not, their lives shall be Spared out of pity and humanity.-- Alferez, [_To a Soldier._] go, and let the slaughter cease. [_Exit the Alferez._

_Lyndar._ Then must I to your pity owe my peace? Is that the tenderest term you can afford? Time was, you would have used another word.

_Abdelm._ Then, for your beauty I your soldiers spare: For, though I do not love you, you are fair.

_Lyndar._ That little beauty why did heaven impart, To please your eyes, but not to move your heart! I'll shroud this gorgon from all human view, And own no beauty, since it charms not you! Reverse your orders, and your sentence give; My soldiers shall not from my beauty live.

_Abdelm._ Then, from your friendship they their lives shall gain; Tho' love be dead, yet friendship does remain.

_Lyndar._ That friendship, which from withered love does shoot, Like the faint herbage on a rock, wants root. Love is a tender amity, refined: Grafted on friendship it exalts the kind. But when the graff no longer does remain, The dull stock lives, but never bears again.

_Abdelm._ Then, that my friendship may not doubtful prove,-- Fool that I am to tell you so!--I love. You would extort this knowledge from my breast, And tortured me so long that I confest. Now I expect to suffer for my sin; My monarchy must end, and yours begin.

_Lyndar._ Confess not love, but spare yourself that shame, And call your passion by some other name. Call this assault, your malice, or your hate; Love owns no acts so disproportionate. Love never taught this insolence you shew, To treat your mistress like a conquered foe. Is this the obedience which my heart should move! This usage looks more like a rape than love.

_Abdelm._ What proof of duty would you I should give?

_Lyndar._ 'Tis grace enough to let my subjects live! Let your rude soldiers keep possession still; Spoil, rifle, pillage,--any thing but kill. In short, sir, use your fortune as you please; Secure my castle, and my person seize; Let your true men my rebels hence remove; I shall dream on, and think 'tis all your love!

_Abdelm._ You know too well my weakness and your power: Why did heaven make a fool a conqueror! She was my slave, 'till she by me was shewn How weak my force was, and how strong her own. Now she has beat my power from every part, Made her way open to my naked heart: [_To a Soldier._ Go, strictly charge my soldiers to retreat: Those countermand who are not entered yet. On peril of your lives leave all things free. [_Exit Soldier._ Now, madam, love Abdalla more than me. I only ask, in duty you would bring The keys of our Albayzyn to the king: I'll make your terms as gentle as you please. [_Trumpets sound a charge within, and soldiers shout._ What shouts, and what new sounds of war are these?

_Lyndar._ Fortune, I hope, has favoured my intent, [_Aside._ Of gaining time, and welcome succours sent.

_Enter the Alferez._

_Alferez._ All's lost, and you are fatally deceived: The foe is entered, and the place relieved. Scarce from the walls had I drawn off my men, When, from their camp, the enemy rushed in, And prince Abdalla entered first the gate.

_Abdelm._ I am betrayed, and find it now too late. When your proud soul to flatteries did descend, [_To her._ I might have known it did some ill portend. The weary seaman stormy weather fears, When winds shift often, and no cause appears. You by my bounty live-- Your brothers, too, were pardoned for my sake, And this return your gratitude does make.

_Lyndar._ My brothers best their own obligement know; Without your charging me with what they owe. But, since you think the obligement is so great, I'll bring a friend to satisfy my debt. [_Looking behind._

_Abdelm._ Thou shalt not triumph in thy base design; Though not thy fort, thy person shall be mine. [_He goes to take her: She runs and cries out help._

_Enter_ ABDALLA, _Duke of_ ARCOS, _and Spaniards._ ABDELMELECH _retreats fighting, and is pursued by the adverse party off the stage. The alarm within._

_Enter again_ ABDALLA _and the Duke of_ ARCOS, _with_ LYNDARAXA.

_D. Arcos._ Bold Abdelmelech twice our Spaniards faced, Though much out-numbered; and retreated last.

_Abdal._ Your beauty, as it moves no common fire, [_To_ LYNDARAXA. So it no common courage can inspire. As he fought well, so had he prospered too, If, madam, he, like me, had fought for you.

_Lyndar._ Fortune, at last, has chosen with my eyes; And, where I would have given it, placed the prize. You see, sir, with what hardship I have kept This precious gage, which in my hands you left. But 'twas the love of you which made me fight, And gave me courage to maintain your right. Now, by experience, you my faith may find, And are to thank me that I seemed unkind. When your malicious fortune doomed your fall, My care restrained you then from losing all; Against your destiny I shut the gate, And gathered up the shipwrecks of your fate; I, like a friend, did even yourself withstand, From throwing all upon a losing hand.

_Abdal._ My love makes all your acts unquestioned go, And sets a sovereign stamp on all you do. Your love I will believe with hood-winked eyes;-- In faith, much merit in much blindness lies. But now, to make you great as you are fair, The Spaniards an imperial crown prepare.

_Lyndar._ That gift's more welcome, which with you I share. Let us no time in fruitless courtship lose, But sally out upon our frighted foes. No ornaments of power so please my eyes, As purple, which the blood of princes dies. [_Exeunt._