The Complete Works of Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Illustrated Edition). Samuel Taylor Coleridge
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Osorio (fiercely recollecting himself). Let the eternal Justice
Prepare my punishment in the obscure world.
I will not bear to live — to live! O agony! 265
And be myself alone, my own sore torment!
[The doors of the dungeon are burst open with a crash.
ALHADRA, MAURICE, and the band of Morescoes
enter.
Alhadra (pointing at Osorio). Seize first that man!
[The Moors press round.
Albert (rushing in among them). Draw thy sword, Maurice, and
defend my brother.
[A scuffle, during which they disarm MAURICE.
Osorio. Off, ruffians! I have flung away my sword.
Woman, my life is thine! to thee I give it. 270
Off! he that touches me with his hand of flesh,
I’ll rend his limbs asunder! I have strength
With this bare arm to scatter you like ashes!
Alhadra. My husband ——
Osorio. Yes! I murder’d him most foully.
Albert (throws himself on the earth). O horrible!
Alhadra. Why didst thou
leave his children? 275
Demon! thou shouldst have sent thy dogs of hell
To lap their blood. Then, then, I might have harden’d
My soul in misery, and have had comfort.
I would have stood far off, quiet tho’ dark,
And bade the race of men raise up a mourning 280
For the deep horror of a desolation
Too great to be one soul’s particular lot!
Brother of Zagri! let me lean upon thee.
[Struggling to suppress her anguish.
The time is not yet come for woman’s anguish —
I have not seen his blood. Within an hour 285
Those little ones will crowd around and ask me,
Where is our father? [Looks at OSORIO.
I shall curse thee then!
Wert thou in heaven, my curse would pluck thee thence!
Maria. See — see! he doth repent. I kneel to thee.
Be merciful!
[MARIA kneels to her. ALHADRA regards her face wistfully.
Alhadra. Thou art young and innocent; 290
‘Twere merciful to kill thee! Yet I will not.
And for thy sake none of this house shall perish,
Save only he.
Maria. That aged man, his father!
Alhadra (sternly). Why had he such a son?
[The Moors press on.
Maria (still kneeling, and wild with affright). Yet spare his
life!
They must not murder him!
Alhadra. And is it then 295
An enviable lot to waste away
With inward wounds, and like the spirit of chaos
To wander on disquietly thro’ the earth,
Cursing all lovely things? to let him live —
It were a deep revenge!
All the band cry out — No mercy! no mercy! 300
[NAOMI advances with the sword towards OSORIO.
Alhadra. Nay, bear him forth! Why should this innocent maid
Behold the ugliness of death?
Osorio (with great majesty). O woman!
I have stood silent like a slave before thee,
That I might taste the wormwood and the gall,
And satiate this self-accusing spirit 305
With bitterer agonies than death can give.
[The Moors gather round him in a crowd, and pass off
the stage.
Alhadra. I thank thee, Heaven! thou hast ordain’d it wisely,
That still extremes bring their own cure. That point
In misery which makes the oppressed man
Regardless of his own life, makes him too 310
Lord of the oppressor’s! Knew I an hundred men
Despairing, but not palsied by despair,
This arm should shake the kingdoms of this world;
The deep foundations of iniquity
Should sink away, earth groaning from beneath them; 315
The strong holds of the cruel men should fall,
Their temples and their mountainous towers should fall;
Till desolation seem’d a beautiful thing,
And all that were and had the spirit of life
Sang a new song to him who had gone forth 320
Conquering and still to conquer!
THE END
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