The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Illustrated Edition). Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Чтение книги онлайн.

Читать онлайн книгу The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Illustrated Edition) - Samuel Taylor Coleridge страница 319

The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Illustrated Edition) - Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Скачать книгу

mountains by moonlight. ALHADRA alone in a Moorish dress.

      Alhadra. Yon hanging woods, that touch’d by autumn seem

       As they were blossoming hues of fire and gold

       The flower-like woods, most lovely in decay,

       The many clouds, the sea, the rock, the sands.

       Lie in the silent moonshine: and the owl, 5

       (Strange! very strange!) the screech-owl only wakes!

       Sole voice, sole eye of all this world of beauty!

       Unless, perhaps, she sing her screeching song

       To a herd of wolves, that skulk athirst for blood.

       Why such a thing am I? — Where are these men? 10

       I need the sympathy of human faces,

       To beat away this deep contempt for all things,

       Which quenches my revenge. O! would to Alla,

       The raven, or the sea-mew, were appointed

       To bring me food! or rather that my soul 15

       Could drink in life from the universal air!

       It were a lot divine in some small skiff

       Along some Ocean’s boundless solitude,

       To float for ever with a careless course.

       And think myself the only being alive! 20

      My children! — Isidore’s children! — Son of Valdez,

       This hath new strung mine arm. Thou coward tyrant!

       To stupify a woman’s heart with anguish

       Till she forgot — even that she was a mother!

      [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?

      Alhadra. Murdered by a Christian!

      [They all at once draw their sabres.

      Alhadra (to Naomi, who advances from the circle). Brother of

       Zagri! fling away thy sword;

       This is thy chieftain’s! [He steps forward to take it.

       Dost thou dare receive it? 45

       For I have sworn by Alla and the Prophet,

       No tear shall dim these eyes, this woman’s heart

       Shall heave no groan, till I have seen that sword

       Wet with the lifeblood of the son of Valdez! [A pause.

       Ordonio was your chieftain’s murderer! 50

      Naomi. He dies, by Alla!

      All (kneeling). By Alla!

      Alhadra. This night your chieftain armed himself,

       And hurried from me. But I followed him

       At distance, till I saw him enter — there!

      Naomi. The cavern?

      Alhadra. Yes, the mouth of yonder cavern 55

       After a while I saw the son of Valdez

       Rush by with flaring torch; he likewise entered.

       There was another and a longer pause;

       And once, methought I heard the clash of swords!

       And soon the son of Valdez reappeared: 60

       He flung his torch towards the moon in sport,

       And seemed as he were mirthful! I stood listening,

       Impatient for the footsteps of my husband!

      Naomi. Thou called’st him?

      Alhadra. I crept into the cavern —

       ‘Twas dark and very silent.

       What said’st thou? 65

       No! no! I did not dare call, Isidore,

       Lest I should hear no answer! A brief while,

       Belike, I lost all thought and memory

       Of that for which I came! After that pause,

       O Heaven! I heard a groan,

Скачать книгу