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Scene the first |
A room in Casimir's palace.
Augusta alone. |
 Q 
Augusta
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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.)
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Scene the second |
Casimir enters. |
<- Casimir
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CASIMIR |
Why, with uplisted arms and pointed steel,
seek'st thou, Augusta, to destroy
a life that's not thy own?
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AUGUSTA |
Ye gods, it is my dear, my injured brother!
O Casimir, this is a dismal meeting!
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CASIMIR |
Is this my welcome?
What is the meaning of this odd reception?
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AUGUSTA |
Ask me not,
too soon, alas, you'll learn
the woeful reason.
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CASIMIR |
Distract me not, but tell me where's Amelia?
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AUGUSTA |
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CASIMIR |
Curs'd be the tongue, that utters such a thought;
is there the wretch can wish Amelia dead?
And art thou she?
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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 ->
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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 ->
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Scene the third |
A room in Osmyn's pavilion.
Rodulpho alone. |
Q
Rodulpho
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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.
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| Enter Amelia in a fright. | <- Amelia
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AMELIA |
Save me, Rodulpho!
Osmyn no longer will admit denial,
I must, or die, or yield to his embraces.
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RODULPHO |
Amuse him with pretences of compliance,
then when alone, unguarded and dissolved,
he's wholly in your power. This to his heart.
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| (Offers her a dagger.) | |
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AMELIA |
What would you have me murder him, Rodulpho?
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RODULPHO |
Call not that murder, princess, which is justice.
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AMELIA |
I will not purchase liberty so dear,
sooner I'll kill myself.
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RODULPHO |
I then suppose, you love this vile barbarian.
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AMELIA |
'Tis false, I hate him to the last degree,
but yet, I'll not imbrue my hands in blood,
and base assassination.
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RODULPHO |
If you're afraid to prosecute th'attempt,
I'll pierce him with the fatal instrument.
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AMELIA |
Rodulpho, be not rash in your proposals;
who knows, but some bless'd turn,
when least expected,
may profer liberty on easier terms?
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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.
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| (Exeunt.) | Rodulpho, Amelia ->
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Scene the fourth |
Casimir alone in an apartment. |
Q
Casimir
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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.)
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| Enter Augusta. | <- Augusta
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AUGUSTA |
Why, Casimir, with sacrilegious hands
dost thou attempt what late thou didst condemn?
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CASIMIR |
O my dear sister, sharer of my grief!
Can you forgive those passionate expressions,
which lately came from my unwary tongue?
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AUGUSTA |
It was the height of love for lost Amelia,
which caus'd the inconsiderate resentment.
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CASIMIR |
But now ~ I find your wish was just,
the causeless passion makes me more uneasy.
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AUGUSTA |
No more, my dearest brother!
But let us now revenge the gross offence.
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CASIMIR |
Augusta, your advice I shall accept,
and put it in immediate execution.
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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.
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| (Exeunt.) | Casimir, Augusta ->
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Scene the fifth |
Amelia and Rodulpho |
Q
Amelia, Rodulpho
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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.
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| (Martial musick at a distance.) | |
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RODULPHO |
Madam, we're past the extremity of danger;
behold a party of Hungarian horse
this way advancing.
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AMELIA |
Casimir's own troop conducted by himself,
support me heaven in this excess of joy!
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RODULPHO |
Now, now, Amelia, all our past afflictions
have here an ample recompense.
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Scene the sixth |
Enter Officer. |
<- Officer
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OFFICER |
I seize you prisoners to Prince Casimir.
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AMELIA |
Stand off, officious slave;
I am his wife.
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OFFICER |
We know it, madam, 'tis our lord's command,
to bring you both to close confinement.
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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.
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| Enter Casimir. | <- Casimir
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CASIMIR
(disguis'd) |
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RODULPHO |
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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.
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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.
|  (♦)
(♦)
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| (Exeunt.) | Rodulpho, Amelia, Casimir, Officer ->
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Scene the seventh |
An Apartment in Osmyn's pavilion.
Osmyn alone. |
Q
Osmyn
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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.
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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 ->
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Scene the eighth |
A prison.
Rodulpho alone. |
Q
Rodulpho
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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.
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Scene the ninth |
A great hall.
Amelia going to execution.
After a dead march, enter Augusta. |
Q
Amelia, Chorus
<- Augusta
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AUGUSTA |
Now traitress! take the just reward,
your heinous crimes demand;
nor shall Rodulpho longsurvive you.
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AMELIA |
O let me see my husband ere I die.
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AUGUSTA |
It is in vain to pray for mercy now.
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AMELIA |
What has my obstinacy brought upon me!
I have murdered both Rodulpho and myself,
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AUGUSTA |
Why is her death delay'd?
Dispatch her instantly.
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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.
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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.
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| Enter Casimir snatching the headman's sword. | <- Casimir, Rodulpho
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| Rodulpho follows. | |
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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?
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AMELIA |
Unkinder you, that could be so suspicious.
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CASIMIR |
No more reproaches,
but let one general rejoicing
run through our hearts on this occasion.
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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.
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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.
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CHORUS
When dangers innocence invade,
just heav'n vouchsafes a timely aid;
and makes with brighter lustre shine
virtues conceal'd in souls divine.
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| Finis. | |
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