Again! by heaven, I do conjure thee, speak! What art thou, spirit? and what dost thou seek? [The Ghost comes on softly after the conjura tion; and ALMANZOR retires to the middle of the stage. Ghost, I am the ghost of her who gave thee birth; The airy shadow of her mouldering earth. Love of thy father me through seas did guide; On seas I bore thee, and on seas I died. I died; and for my winding sheet a wave I had, and all the ocean for my grave. But, when my soul to bliss did upward move, I wandered round the crystal walls above; But found the eternal fence so steeply high, That, when I mounted to the middle sky, I flagged, and fluttered down, and could not fly. Then, from the battlements of the heavenly tower, A watchman angel bid me wait this hour; And told me, I had yet a task assigned, To warn that little pledge I left behind; And to divert him, ere it were too late, From crimes unknown, and errors of his fate. Almanz. Speak, holy shade; thou parent-form, speak on! Instruct thy mortal-elemented son; [Bowing. For here I wander, to myself unknown. If I have yet a father, let me know To whose old age my humble youth must bow, Or adoration, if a mind, like thee. Ghost. Then, what I may, I'll tell. From ancient blood thy father's lineage springs, A Christian born, and born again that day, Almans. By reason, man a godhead may discern, But how he should be worshipped cannot learn. Ghost. Heaven does not now thy ignorance reprove, But warns thee from known crimes of lawless love. That crime thou knowest, and, knowing, dost not shun, Shall an unknown and greater crime pull on: Almanz. O heaven, how dark a riddle's thy decree, Which bounds our wills, yet seems to leave them free! Since thy fore-knowledge cannot be in vain, Our choice must be what thou didst first ordain. Man walks at large, a prisoner of the mind: Wills all his crimes, while heaven the indictment draws, And, pleading guilty, justifies the laws. Let fate be fate; the lover and the brave Enter ALMAHIDE with a taper. Almah. My light will sure discover those who talk. Who dares to interrupt my private walk? Almanz. He, who dares love, and for that love must die, And, knowing this, dares yet love on, am I. Almah. That love which you can hope, and I can pay, May be received and given in open day: The forfeit of that bond, which force did make? Almah. You know you are from recompence debarred; But purest love can live without reward. Almanz. Pure love had need be to itself a feast; For, like pure elements, 'twill nourish least. Almah. It therefore yields the only pure content; For it, like angels, needs no nourishment. To eat and drink can no perfection be; All appetite implies necessity. Almanz. Twere well, if I could like a spirit live; But, do not angels food to mortals give? What if some demon should my death foreshow, Almah. In such a case your change must be al lowed : I would myself dispense with what you vowed. Almanz. Were I to die that hour when I possess, This minute shall begin my happiness. Almah. The thoughts of death your passion would remove; Death is a cold encouragement to love. Almanz. No; from my joys I to my death would run, And think the business of my life well done: Almah. You love me not, Almanzor; if you did, You would not ask what honour must forbid. Almanz. And what is honour, but a love well hid? Almah. Yes, 'tis the conscience of an act well done, Which gives us power our own desires to shun; The strong and secret curb of headlong will; The self-reward of good, and shame of ill. Almanz. These, madam, are the maxims of the day, When honour's present, and when love's away. The duty of poor honour were too hard, In arms all day, at night to mount the guard. Let him, in pity, now to rest retire ; Let these soft hours be watched by warm desire. Almah. Guards, who all day on painful duty keep, In dangers are not privileged to sleep. Almanz. And with what dangers are you threatened here? Am I, alas! a foe for you to fear? See, madam, at your feet this enemy; [Kneels. Almah. Rise, rise, and do not empty hopes pursue; Yet think that I deny myself, not you. Almanz. A happiness so high I cannot bear : Love eagerly; let us be gods to-night; And, yet, am most unhappy to deny! Almanz. I will not move me from this place: Almah. If I could yield,—but think not that I will, You and myself I in revenge should kill; Almanz. Live but to-night, and trust to-morrow's mind: Ere that can come, there's a whole life behind. Will he, who does all great, all noble seem, Almanz. Are, then, my services no higher prized? And can I fall so low, to be despised? Almah. Yes; for whatever may be bought, is low; And you yourself, who sell yourself, are so. |