Classic Poem

Scene II

An Apartment in the Castle

Adelaide alone (weeping)

Oh! cruel, cruel fortune

enter Mortimer Mort:
My Life, My Adelaide, what mean these tears:
Oh! Tell me quickly nor refuse your Mortimer
The privilege of love — to share thy sorrows Adel:

Who would not weep?
Oh! Mortimer the cloud which long has hung
Suspended o'er our love
At length has burst
And the dark storm of woe
Falls thick on every side. Mort:

Alas! what means my Love? Adel:
Fain would my tongue deny its office,
And refuse to wound thy gentle breast;
But sorrow, bursting from my painful heart;
Compels my voice to give it utterance —
Yes, Mortimer,
Stern duty bids us part,
And Adelaide must obey. Mort:

Just Heavens! My fears then were not groundless
I long have marked the partial eye
With which your father views your youthful stranger,
And he has destined him (distraction's in the thought)
For Adelaide's Husband;
Is it not so? Adel:

It is but too true — Mort:

This is a blow indeed:
Support me Heaven or I sink beneath it — Adel

— Mortimer hear me —
Ever since my Sainted mother's death,
My father's comfort has been placed in me,
And shall I now with disobedience,
Reward his tender cares, his anxious love,
And blast at once his fondest hopes;
Oh! no! it must not be:
Yet if you look so very very wretched,
Affection, duty, every thing will yield
To love and Mortimer — Mort.

No Adelaide I shall try to hide my misery;
This sacrifice ic due to gratitude;
DeCourcy shall receive the life which his humanity preserved
For think not I can ever live, to see thee made an other's,
At present virtue bids me fly —
My Adelaide farewell for ever — Adel:

Oh will you leave me when I most need a friend? Mort:

Does Adelaide bid me stay? Adel:

Indeed you must not go;
For my poor heart is almost burst already,
And that would break it quite;
Duty doth but feebly resist
Such powerful love as mine — Mort.

Away then sorrow, and each gloomy care,
Since Adelaide loves me still, I've nought to fear. Adel

— Duty calls me one way, love another,
Between the two my peace is lost for ever —
Away — My father comes;
He must not see you here Mort.

My dearest love, my Adelaide adieu;
But tho' I go my heart is still with you — Exit Adel:
What shall I say! I cannot bear his anger —

Enter De Courcy De C.

Still, Still in tears, and why?
Because I wish to make you happy —
Once Adelaide I thought I had a child
Who would not thus have vexed her parents' heart
But now I find how great was the mistake. Adel.

Oh! My father, look not on me thus:
That frown will kill me — De C.

Adelaide, I beg, entreat you,
If you ever loved me,
If you regard your future happiness,
Now by your conduct show it;
But if you still refuse my only prayer
For once I must command;
If Adelaide forgets she is my child,
I shall forget it too —
And act a tyrant's part — Adel.

Had you commanded me aught else on earth,
Were it to die I'd willingly obey:
To this, and this alone, I never can consent;
Horatio's misfortunes, virtues, and his youth,
Have gained him my esteem;
But more I cannot give —
Then my loved father on my bended knees, (Kneeling[)]
Let me entreat you,
Not to make your child for ever wretched — De C.

I'll hear no more; your prayers all are in vain;
My word is past; nor shall a woman's tears
Make me recall it —
Mark well my words,
Or you'll repent this obstinacy,
And violence shall obtain what duty ought to give
Exit — Adel.

Open thou earth and hide me from his anger —
Oh! Mortimer when my poor father found thee
Deserted and forlorn upon the shore
A helpless Babe,
He little thought that thou shouldst be the cause
Of so much misery to my poor heart —
I'll seek Horatio,
And throw myself upon his goodness,
(My last remaining hope). Exit —

Scene III An apartment in Horatio's House Enter Horatio & Oreztan —

Horatio —
Oreztan I do fear me much,
Your health agrees not with the English clime
And now indeed I do repent me,
That I e'er yielded to your rash request,
To bring me with you from your native land — Orez:

The Sorrows of a Heart with woe o'erpowered
And not the clime, affect my health Horatio
And Oh! where can I hope that They will cease?
If not in England — Hor:

Your words are still mysterious,
Nor do I seek to know their meaning,
For oft with pain I have observed,
When I e'er touched upon your life o'erpast —
The very thought seemed to harrass your Soul;
But you have left your Country, all, for me;
Sure then each care that friendship can bestow,
Must need be yours — Orez:

By Our Prophet I do know thee well,
And know the generous nature
Of thy manly breast;
But my griefs are not like to those of other men
And therefore undisclosed they must remain,
Until the time that fate reveal them —
But let me beg
That thou wilt say no more upon this subject;
How stand your hopes with Adelaide? Hor:

Would I could say well!
But tho her father doth assist my suit,
She herself is still, as ever, cold;
But yet I hope and trust she may relent —
Now to the Castle let us bend our way,
I fear to see her, yet I dare not stay.
Exeunt —