KING.

Nay, start not so-- I'll know your purposes, spite of thy art.

VARDANES.

O! ye great G.o.ds! and is it come to this?-- My Royal Father call your reason home, Drive these loud pa.s.sions hence, that thus deform you.

My Brother--Ah! what shall I say?--My Brother Sure loves you as he ought.

KING.

Ha! as he ought?-- h.e.l.l blister thy evasive tongue--I'll know it-- I will; I'll search thy breast, thus will I open A pa.s.sage to your secrets--yet resolv'd-- Yet steady in your horrid villany-- 'Tis fit that I from whom such monsters sprung No more should burthen earth--Ye Parricides!-- Here plant your daggers in this hated bosom-- Here rive my heart, and end at once my sorrows, I gave ye being, that's the mighty crime.

VARDANES.

I can no more--here let me bow in anguish-- Think not that I e'er join'd in his designs, Because I have conceal'd my knowledge of them: I meant, by pow'rful reason's friendly aid, To turn him from destruction's dreadful path, And bring him to a sense of what he ow'd To you as King and Father.

KING.

Say on--I'll hear.

VARDANES.

He views thy sacred life with envious hate, As 'tis a bar to his ambitious hopes.

On the bright throne of Empire his plum'd wishes Seat him, while on his proud aspiring brows He feels the pleasing weight of Royalty.

But when he wakes from these his airy dreams (Delusions form'd by the deceiver hope, To raise him to the glorious height of greatness), Then hurl him from proud Empire to subjection.

Wild wrath will quickly swell his haughty breast, Soon as he finds 'tis but a shadowy blessing.-- 'Twas fav'ring accident discover'd to me All that I know; this Evening as I stood Alone, retir'd, in the still gallery, That leads up to th' appartment of my Brother, T' indulge my melancholy thoughts,--

KING.

Proceed--

VARDANES.

A wretch approach'd with wary step, his eye Spoke half his tale, denoting villany.

In hollow murmurs thus he question'd me-- Was I the Prince?--I answer'd to content him-- Then in his hand he held this paper forth.

"Take this," says he, "this Bethas greets thee with, Keep but your word our plot will meet success."

I s.n.a.t.c.h'd it with more rashness than discretion, Which taught him his mistake. In haste he drew, And aim'd his dagger at my breast, but paid His life, a forfeit, for his bold presuming.

KING.

O Villain! Villain!

VARDANES.

Here, read this, my Lord-- I read it, and cold horror froze my blood.

And shook me like an ague.

KING.

Ha!--what's this?-- "Doubt not Arabia's aid, set me but free, I'll easy pa.s.s on the old cred'lous King, For fair Evanthe's Father."--Thus to atoms-- Oh! could I tear these cursed traitors thus.

[_Tears the paper into pieces._

VARDANES.

Curses avail you nothing, he has pow'r, And may abuse it to your prejudice.

KING.

I am resolv'd--

VARDANES.

Tho' Pris'ner in his camp, Yet, Bethas was attended like a Prince, As tho' he still commanded the Arabians.

'Tis true, when they approach'd the royal city, He threw him into chains to blind our eyes, A shallow artifice--

KING.

That is a Truth.

VARDANES.

And, yet, he is your Son.

KING.

Ah! that indeed--

VARDANES.

Why, that still heightens his impiety, To rush to empire thro' his Father's blood, And, in return of life, to give him death.

KING.

Oh! I am all on fire, yes I must tear These folds of venom from me.

VARDANES.

Sure 'twas Lysias That cross'd the pa.s.sage now.

KING.

'Tis to my wish.

I'll in, and give him orders to arrest My traitor Son and Bethas--Now Vardanes Indulge thy Father in this one request-- Seize, with some horse, Evanthe, and bear her To your command--Oh! I'll own my weakness-- I love with fondness mortal never knew-- Not Jove himself, when he forsook his heav'n, And in a brutal shape disgrac'd the G.o.d, E'er lov'd like me.

VARDANES.

I will obey you, Sir.