Semiramis and Other Plays | Page 5

son.
Khos. Menones? Governor of Nineveh?
Who fled my sword, fear-cold, and pale with terror? Insult not Husak
with so poor a suit!
That coward's race--
Sem. Am I a coward, sir?
Khos. (In sudden dejection)
These fettered arms make answer, princess.
Sem. Nay,
I am Menones' daughter,--Artavan
My brother!
Khos. Not the Assyrian princess? O,
Forgive me, lady! I am proud to be
Thy brother's price!
Sem. What surety have I
That Artavan still lives?
Khos. My word.
Officer. His word!

O, noble madam, it is known to all
That Husak takes no prisoners of
war.
They die before his tent.
Khos. Such is the custom--
Sem. O me, my brother!
Khos. But I can avouch
That Artavan still lives.
Off. Trust not the word
Of captive foes, my lady. By what means
Can he know this?
Sem. Speak, sir.
Khos. To you alone
I'll speak.
Sem. Nay--before all!
Khos. Unto no ear
But thine.
Sem. Wouldst save thy life?
Khos. Perhaps. Wouldst save
Thy brother?
Sem. Sumbat, wilt advise me?
Sum. Trust him,
And hear what he would say.

Sem. Out then, my friends,
I pray you.
(All go out but Semiramis and Khosrove.)
Now!
Khos. My father swore to me
Before I led his troops 'gainst Nineveh,
All captives should be held at
my disposal
And bloody custom waived. I would not speak
'Fore all,
lest I should rob fierce Husak's name
Of terror which is half his
sword.
Sem. But now
He thinks you dead.
Khos. Not so. I've sent him word
By a sure mouth that I'm unhurt and held
A prisoner.
Sem. O then my brother's safe!
How gracious art thou, Heaven!
(Steps towards entrance) Sumbat!
Khos. (Stepping before her) Wait!
Sem. What more?
Khos. All--everything--there's nothing said!
Ninus will spare me not! 'Tis thou must save me!
Sem. I! No! The king!

Khos. Not he! Is Artavan
Grown dearer than his hate to Husak? Nay--
Sem. Sir, fear not Ninus. He will grant my suit.
Khos. He will? You--you--
Sem. I've saved his army!
Khos. (Relieved) Ah!
No more than that?
Sem. Enough!
Khos. No! 'T will not wipe
Revenge from out his heart,--and you have saved
But that your father
threw away.
Sem. Peace, sir!
Khos. There's but one way for me--escape!
Sem. No more!
Nay--not another word!
Khos. I must escape--
Sem. Not one!
Khos. That word unsaid slays Artavan,
Spoken it saves him! Once in Ninus' power
I have no hope of life,
and with me dies
Your brother.
Sem. (Scornfully) Do not fear!

Khos. I fear? By Heaven!
Think you this heart is not a soldier's own
Because 'tis captive to a
woman's sword?
A woman's sword! O little had thy sword
To do
with my defeat! Unarmed thou wouldst
Have taken me--for 'twas thy
beauty struck
My weapon to my side! (rapidly and passionately)
When I bore down
Upon your chariot, I could have swept you
With
one arm from the world! But suddenly
A missile struck your helmet
and dislodged
The glory of your face before my eyes,
Your hair ran
gold, the shining East looked black Behind the star you made upon its
breast!
I knew thee for a goddess, and stood still
Meek captive to
thy wish! O blest am I
To learn thou art not greater than myself,

But so much less that I may lift thee up!
Fly with me--be my queen--
(Semiramis tries to speak)
Go, call them in!
I'll shout above their heads to reach thine ears! O,
trust to me! In me thy brother lives!
Come, and thy fallen father shall
be brave
Beneath Armenia's smile! Here thou mayst save
His life,
but ne'er again will he know honor!
Help me to fly and save three
lives in one!
Give me to Ninus--give me up to death,
And with a
father and a brother lost,
Though thou wert worshipped 'mong thy
country's gods Still thou couldst not be happy!
Sem. Sir--
Khos. But come,
And they are safe!
Sem. (Bewildered) What do I hear?
Khos. O, come!
Dost know what love is, daughter of Menones?
It is the fire that dead

puts out the light
On every hearth, living makes all the world
One
altar feeding incense unto Heaven!
It gives the soul to life, breath to
the soul,
Pulse to ambition, strength to warrior arms,--
(Struggling with his fetters)
Such strength that they may break all captive bonds To clasp their own!
(Breaks his fetters and attempts to embrace her as she retreats gazing at
him as if fascinated. She escapes him, and throws off her bewilderment.
He drops to his knees holding out his arms to her)
And love I offer thee!
Sem. Sir, I forgive thee, for thou knowest not
To whom you speak!
Khos. Know not!
Sem. I who am now
Menones' daughter, ere the night shall be
The bride of Ninus, king of
all Assyria!
(Khosrove rises, bows before her, and stands with silent dignity)
Sem. You--you--were saying--
Khos. Nothing, royal madam.
Have you not friends without?
(Semiramis hesitates, goes to door and