قراءة كتاب The Grecian Daughter
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اللغة: English
الصفحة رقم: 6
withdraw thee, princess; thy assistance
Evander wants not; it is fruitless all;
Thy tears, thy wild entreaties, are in vain.
Eup. Ha!—thou hast murder'd him; he is no more;
I understand thee;—butchers, you have shed
The precious drops of life.
I understand thee;—butchers, you have shed
The precious drops of life.
Phil. Alas! this frantic grief can nought avail.
Retire and seek the couch of balmy sleep,
In this dead hour, this season of repose.
Retire and seek the couch of balmy sleep,
In this dead hour, this season of repose.
Eup. And dost thou then, inhuman as thou art!
Advise a wretch like me to know repose?
This is my last abode:—these caves, these rocks,
Shall ring for ever with Euphrasia's wrongs.
Here will I dwell, and rave, and shriek, and give
These scatter'd locks to all the passing winds;
Call on Evander lost;—
And cruel gods, and cruel stars invoking,
Stand on the cliff in madness and despair.
Advise a wretch like me to know repose?
This is my last abode:—these caves, these rocks,
Shall ring for ever with Euphrasia's wrongs.
Here will I dwell, and rave, and shriek, and give
These scatter'd locks to all the passing winds;
Call on Evander lost;—
And cruel gods, and cruel stars invoking,
Stand on the cliff in madness and despair.
Phil. By Heav'n,
My heart in pity bleeds.
No other fear assails this warlike breast.
I pity your misfortunes; yes, by Heav'n,
My heart bleeds for you.—Gods! you've touch'd my soul!
The gen'rous impulse is not giv'n in vain.
I feel thee, Nature, and I dare obey.
Oh! thou hast conquer'd.—Go, Euphrasia, go,
Behold thy father.
My heart in pity bleeds.
No other fear assails this warlike breast.
I pity your misfortunes; yes, by Heav'n,
My heart bleeds for you.—Gods! you've touch'd my soul!
The gen'rous impulse is not giv'n in vain.
I feel thee, Nature, and I dare obey.
Oh! thou hast conquer'd.—Go, Euphrasia, go,
Behold thy father.
Eup. Raise me, raise me up;
I'll bathe thy hand with tears, thou gen'rous man!
I'll bathe thy hand with tears, thou gen'rous man!
Phil. Yet, mark my words; if aught of nourishment
Thou wouldst convey, my partners of the watch
Will ne'er consent.
Thou wouldst convey, my partners of the watch
Will ne'er consent.
Eup. I will observe your orders:
On any terms, oh! let me, let me see him.
On any terms, oh! let me, let me see him.
Phil. Yon lamp will guide thee thro' the cavern'd way.
Eup. My heart runs o'er in thanks; the pious act
Timoleon shall reward; the bounteous gods,
And thy own virtue shall reward the deed.
[Goes into the Cave.
Timoleon shall reward; the bounteous gods,
And thy own virtue shall reward the deed.
[Goes into the Cave.
Phil. Prevailing, powerful virtue!—Thou subdu'st
The stubborn heart, and mould'st it to thy purpose.
'Would I could save them!—But tho' not for me
The glorious pow'r to shelter innocence,
Yet for a moment to assuage its woes,
Is the best sympathy, the purest joy
Nature intended for the heart of man,
When thus she gave the social gen'rous tear.
[Exit.
The stubborn heart, and mould'st it to thy purpose.
'Would I could save them!—But tho' not for me
The glorious pow'r to shelter innocence,
Yet for a moment to assuage its woes,
Is the best sympathy, the purest joy
Nature intended for the heart of man,
When thus she gave the social gen'rous tear.
[Exit.
SCENE II.
The Inside of the Cavern.
Enter Arcas and Euphrasia.
Arcas. No; on my life, I dare not.
Eup. But a small,
A wretched pittance; one poor cordial drop
To renovate exhausted drooping age,
I ask no more.
A wretched pittance; one poor cordial drop
To renovate exhausted drooping age,
I ask no more.
Arcas. Not the smallest store
Of scanty nourishment must pass these walls.
Our lives were forfeit else: a moment's parley
Is all I grant; in yonder cave he lies.
Of scanty nourishment must pass these walls.
Our lives were forfeit else: a moment's parley
Is all I grant; in yonder cave he lies.
Eva. [Within the Cell.] Oh, struggling nature! let thy conflict end.
Oh! give me, give me rest.
Oh! give me, give me rest.
Eup. My father's voice!
It pierces here! it cleaves my very heart.
I shall expire, and never see him more.
It pierces here! it cleaves my very heart.
I shall expire, and never see him more.
Arcas. Repose thee, princess, here, [Draws a Couch] here rest thy limbs,
Till the returning blood shall lend thee firmness.
Till the returning blood shall lend thee firmness.
Eup. The caves, the rocks, re-echo to his groans!
And is there no relief?
And is there no relief?
Arcas. All I can grant,
You shall command. I will unbar the dungeon,
Unloose the chain that binds him to the rock,
And leave your interview without restraint.
[Opens a Cell in the back Scene.
You shall command. I will unbar the dungeon,
Unloose the chain that binds him to the rock,
And leave your interview without restraint.
[Opens a Cell in the back Scene.
Eup. Hold, hold my heart! Oh! how shall I sustain
The agonizing scene? [Rises.] I must behold him;
Nature, that drives me on, will lend me force.
Is that my father?
The agonizing scene? [Rises.] I must behold him;
Nature, that drives me on, will lend me force.
Is that my father?
Arcas. Take your last farewell.
His vigour seems not yet exhausted quite.
You must be brief, or ruin will ensue.
His vigour seems not yet exhausted quite.
You must be brief, or ruin will ensue.
[Exit.
Eva. [Raising himself.] Oh! when shall I get free?
—These ling'ring pangs—
—These ling'ring pangs—
Eup. Behold, ye pow'rs, that spectacle of woe!
Eva. Despatch me, pitying gods, and save my child!
I burn, I burn; alas! no place of rest:
[Rises and comes out.
I burn, I burn; alas! no place of rest:
[Rises and comes out.
A little air; once more a breath of air;
Alas! I faint; I die.
Alas! I faint; I die.
Eup. Heart-piercing sight!
Let me support you, sir.
Let me support you, sir.
Eva. Oh! lend your arm.
Whoe'er thou art, I thank thee: that kind breeze
Comes gently o'er my senses—lead me forward:
And is there left one charitable hand
To reach its succour to a wretch like me?
Whoe'er thou art, I thank thee: that kind breeze
Comes gently o'er my senses—lead me forward:
And is there left one charitable hand
To reach its succour to a wretch like me?
Eup. Well may'st thou ask it. O! my breaking heart!
The hand of death is on him.
The hand of death is on him.
Eva.