Act the third

 

Scene the first

A room in Casimir's palace.
Augusta alone.

 Q 

Augusta

 

 

A brother injured lost!  

A sister false!

A traitor doubly so to heaven and me!

Why do I yet survive?

Welcome resolution!

Guide thou with friendly force

my trembling hand,

and with this poignard

fathom all my woes.

(Offers to kill herself.)

 

Scene the second

Casimir enters.

<- Casimir

 

CASIMIR

Why, with uplisted arms and pointed steel,  

seek'st thou, Augusta, to destroy

a life that's not thy own?

AUGUSTA

Ye gods, it is my dear, my injured brother!

O Casimir, this is a dismal meeting!

CASIMIR

Is this my welcome?

What is the meaning of this odd reception?

AUGUSTA

Ask me not,

too soon, alas, you'll learn

the woeful reason.

CASIMIR

Distract me not, but tell me where's Amelia?

AUGUSTA

Would she were dead.

CASIMIR

Curs'd be the tongue, that utters such a thought;

is there the wretch can wish Amelia dead?

And art thou she?

AUGUSTA

Leave this unnatural sister, Casimir,

and seek thy love, thy dear Amelia.

(aside)

Unhappy man! I cannot undeceive him,

lest that upon so shocking a relation,

some direful resolution should ensue.

(Exit.)

Augusta ->

 

CASIMIR

My charmer's very name  

does all my soul inflame,

and fills my heart with joy:

may both our troubles cease,

and everlasting peace

our future time employ.

(Exit.)

Casimir ->

 
 

Scene the third

A room in Osmyn's pavilion.
Rodulpho alone.

 Q 

Rodulpho

 

 

The happy time will soon approach,  

in which Augusta's jealousy shall have

a most agreeable determination;

for when she knows, that this our quiet departure

was to effect dear Casimir's redemption,

her love, now smother'd by unjust suspicions,

will reassume a greater blaze.

 
Enter Amelia in a fright.

<- Amelia

 

AMELIA

Save me, Rodulpho!  

Osmyn no longer will admit denial,

I must, or die, or yield to his embraces.

RODULPHO

Amuse him with pretences of compliance,

then when alone, unguarded and dissolved,

he's wholly in your power. This to his heart.

 
(Offers her a dagger.)
 

AMELIA

What would you have me murder him, Rodulpho?

RODULPHO

Call not that murder, princess, which is justice.

AMELIA

I will not purchase liberty so dear,

sooner I'll kill myself.

RODULPHO

I then suppose, you love this vile barbarian.

AMELIA

'Tis false, I hate him to the last degree,

but yet, I'll not imbrue my hands in blood,

and base assassination.

RODULPHO

If you're afraid to prosecute th'attempt,

I'll pierce him with the fatal instrument.

AMELIA

Rodulpho, be not rash in your proposals;

who knows, but some bless'd turn,

when least expected,

may profer liberty on easier terms?

 

Let not mortals tempt their fate,  

but for heaven's decision wait,

and by resignation show

what to providence they owe.

That just power, which weighs the crime,

points the punishment and time,

sure, tho' late will interpose,

and save the injur'd from their foes.

 
(Exeunt.)

Rodulpho, Amelia ->

 
 

Scene the fourth

Casimir alone in an apartment.

 Q 

Casimir

 

 

She's false, insufferably false!  

Then farewel truth and virtue;

Osmyn, restore me to my chains again;

for my Amelia's usage far exceeds

all the barbarity you could invent.

(Goes to kill himself.)

 
Enter Augusta.

<- Augusta

 

AUGUSTA

Why, Casimir, with sacrilegious hands  

dost thou attempt what late thou didst condemn?

CASIMIR

O my dear sister, sharer of my grief!

Can you forgive those passionate expressions,

which lately came from my unwary tongue?

AUGUSTA

It was the height of love for lost Amelia,

which caus'd the inconsiderate resentment.

CASIMIR

But now ~ I find your wish was just,

the causeless passion makes me more uneasy.

AUGUSTA

No more, my dearest brother!

But let us now revenge the gross offence.

CASIMIR

Augusta, your advice I shall accept,

and put it in immediate execution.

 

Just heav'ns in my resentments join,  

the cause is yours as well as mine;

and vengeance, doubtless, is our due:

o let me, while I thus complain,

see both the adulterers once again,

to vindicate myself and you.

 
(Exeunt.)

Casimir, Augusta ->

 
 

Scene the fifth

Amelia and Rodulpho

 Q 

Amelia, Rodulpho

 

AMELIA

Rodulpho, you have shewn a friendship,  

which will admit of no comparison.

O bless'd, tho' mean disguise! in which array'd

we have escap'd without discovery.

 
(Martial musick at a distance.)
 

RODULPHO

Madam, we're past the extremity of danger;

behold a party of Hungarian horse

this way advancing.

AMELIA

Casimir's own troop conducted by himself,

support me heaven in this excess of joy!

RODULPHO

Now, now, Amelia, all our past afflictions

have here an ample recompense.

 

Scene the sixth

Enter Officer.

<- Officer

 

OFFICER

I seize you prisoners to Prince Casimir.  

AMELIA

Stand off, officious slave;

I am his wife.

OFFICER

We know it, madam, 'tis our lord's command,

to bring you both to close confinement.

AMELIA
(to Rodulpho aside)

Since he is so rash,

let us resolve him nothing;

but still let this unjust suspicion plague him,

till a fit time to prove our innocence.

 
Enter Casimir.

<- Casimir

 

CASIMIR
(disguis'd)

O vile lascivious pair!  

RODULPHO

O Casimir!

CASIMIR

You have framed, no doubt,

some well concerted story;

but i'm deaf to every thing but vengeance,

take from my presence such detested objects.

 

Ah traitress, wicked and impure!  

How can I possibly endure

to see that odious face?

Oh that my heart had not been set

on one who could her truth forget,

to suffer such disgrace.

Sfondo schermo () ()

 
(Exeunt.)

Rodulpho, Amelia, Casimir, Officer ->

 
 

Scene the seventh

An Apartment in Osmyn's pavilion.
Osmyn alone.

 Q 

Osmyn

 

 

It's certain she is fled, but who could think,  

that in such beautiful perfection,

ingratitude could be conceal'd;

'twas for her sake I condescended

to grant the christian life and liberty:

so much her charms have ravish'd all my soul,

that with the fair delusive creature

are all my hopes of comfort fled:

now all my conquests are insipid,

the world and all its rich possessions

cannot redress the anguish I conceive,

by this one woman's imposition.

 

All my glories I resign,  

for a life that's divine;

in a lonely desert cell,

I'll in sweet retirement dwell;

unmolested I intend

all my future years to spend:

now adieu ye worldly joys,

short-lived splendor, courts and noise;

there I only hope to find

solitude, and peace of mind.

(Exit.)

Osmyn ->

 
 

Scene the eighth

A prison.
Rodulpho alone.

 Q 

Rodulpho

 

 

To what a hazardous presumption,  

Amelia carries her resentment:

but there's no reason I should venture life

upon the caprice of a woman.

This letter shall to Casimir unfold

the whole of our proceeding.

 
 

Scene the ninth

A great hall.
Amelia going to execution.
After a dead march, enter Augusta.

 Q 

Amelia, Chorus

<- Augusta

 

AUGUSTA

Now traitress! take the just reward,  

your heinous crimes demand;

nor shall Rodulpho longsurvive you.

AMELIA

O let me see my husband ere I die.

AUGUSTA

It is in vain to pray for mercy now.

AMELIA

What has my obstinacy brought upon me!

I have murdered both Rodulpho and myself,

AUGUSTA

Why is her death delay'd?

Dispatch her instantly.

AMELIA

Since I must die, I must submit.

But let Rodulpho's life be spar'd,

and tell my Casimir we are the persons,

who sav'd him from the barb'rous cruelty,

which the grand visier threaten'd on him:

tell him, I die his chaste and loving wife,

and that Rodulpho is his faithful friend,

more he will know, perhaps, when it's too late.

 

Amelia wishes when she dies  

her dearest lord may close her eyes,

and heaven may open his:

then will he wish, but all in vain,

to have her render'd back again,

from realms of endless bliss.

 
Enter Casimir snatching the headman's sword.

<- Casimir, Rodulpho

Rodulpho follows.
 

CASIMIR

O live Amelia! live, thou best of wives!  

Rodulpho! live, thou most sincere of friends!

Embrace him, sister!

Who, with my dear Amelia,

effected my deliverance from death.

Bless'd be the day that I was taken captive,

for otherwise I should have never known,

that I had such a wife and such a friend:

unkind Amelia, not to undeceive me!

How could you persevere to such extremity?

AMELIA

Unkinder you, that could be so suspicious.

CASIMIR

No more reproaches,

but let one general rejoicing

run through our hearts on this occasion.

 

CASIMIR, AMELIA

Let me press thee, o my charmer,  

to a heart that's only thine;

never passion sure was warmer,

never more did souls combine.

CASIMIR
(to Rodulpho and Amelia)

A double nuptial shall resplend the day,

for to reward the friendship of Rodulpho,

I give Augusta to his longing arms.

And as we've all been equally concerned

in a variety of great misfortunes,

so let us now unanimously share

this unexpected interval of mirth.

O my Amelia, pattern to thy sex!

This act of thine convey'd to latest ages,

with honour and applause

shall spread thy fame,

and thousands, yet unborn, revere thy name.

CHORUS

When dangers innocence invade,  

just heav'n vouchsafes a timely aid;

and makes with brighter lustre shine

virtues conceal'd in souls divine.

 
Finis.
 

The end (Act the third)

Act the first Act the second Act the third

A room in Casimir's palace.

Augusta
 

A brother injured lost!

Augusta
<- Casimir

Why, with uplisted arms and pointed steel

Casimir
Augusta ->
Casimir ->

A room in Osmyn's pavilion.

Rodulpho
 

The happy time will soon approach

Rodulpho
<- Amelia

Save me, Rodulpho!

Rodulpho, Amelia ->

An apartment in the palace.

Casimir
 

She's false, insufferably false!

Casimir
<- Augusta

Why, Casimir, with sacrilegious hands

Casimir, Augusta ->

A spacious plain.

Amelia, Rodulpho
 

Rodulpho, you have shewn a friendship

(Martial musick at a distance.)

Amelia, Rodulpho
<- Officer

I seize you prisoners to Prince Casimir

Amelia, Rodulpho, Officer
<- Casimir

O vile lascivious pair!

Rodulpho, Amelia, Casimir, Officer ->

An Apartment in Osmyn's pavilion.

Osmyn
 

It's certain she is fled, but who could think

Osmyn ->

A prison.

Rodulpho
 

To what a hazardous presumption

A great hall.

Amelia, Chorus
 

(Dead march.)

Amelia, Chorus
<- Augusta

Now traitress! take the just reward

Amelia, Chorus, Augusta
<- Casimir, Rodulpho

O live Amelia! live, thou best of wives!

 
Scene the first Scene the second Scene the third Scene the fourth Scene the fifth Scene the sixth Scene the seventh Scene the eighth Scene the ninth
A spacious country. A court before Casimir's palace. A prospect of the Turkish camp. A pavillion. A room. Osmyn's pavilion A gallery. Osmyn's pavilion. A room in Casimir's palace. A room in Osmyn's pavilion. An apartment in the palace. A spacious plain. An Apartment in Osmyn's pavilion. A prison. A great hall.
Act the first Act the second

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