Tecumseh: A Drama | Page 6

become
Strangely familiar through sheer circumstance,
Which
often breeds affection or disdain,
Yet lighting but the surface of the
man,
Shows not his heart. I know not what you think,
And care not
for your favour or your love,
Save as desert may crown me. Your
decree,
"Red shall not marry white," is arbitrary,
And off the base
of nature; for if they
Should marry not, then neither should they love.

Yet Iena loves me, and I love her.
Be merciful! I ask not Iena
To
leave her race; I rather would engage
These willing arms in her
defence and yours.
Heap obligation up, conditions stern--
But send
not your cold "Nay" athwart our lives.
IENA. Be merciful! Oh, uncle, pity us!

TECUMSEH. My pity, Iena, goes with reproach,
Blunting the edge
of anger; yet my will
Is fixed, and the command to be obeyed--

This stranger must depart--you to your lodge!
MAMATEE. Tecumseh, I am in the background here,
As ever I have
been in your affection.
For I have ne'er known what good women
prize--
Earth's greatest boon to them--a husband's love.
TECUMSEH. My nation has my love, in which you share,
With
special service rendered to yourself;
So that your cabin flows with
mouffles sweet,
And hips of wapiti and bedded robes.
Teach me my
duty further if you will!
My love is wide, and broods upon my race.
MAMATEE. The back is clad--the heart, alas! goes bare.
Oh, I would
rather shiver in the snow--
My heart downed softly with Tecumseh's
love--
Than sleep unprized in warmest couch of fur.
I know your
love is wide, and, for that I
Share but a millionth part of it, and feel

Its meagreness, I plead most eagerly
For this poor white, whose heart
is full of love,
And gives it all to her.
TECUMSEH. It cannot be!
You know not what you ask. 'Tis 'gainst
our law,
Which, breached, would let our untamed people through.
LEFROY. I care not for your cruel law! The heart
Has statutes of its
own which make for love.
TECUMSEH. You'd cross me too! This child's play of the
heart,

Which sterner duty has repressed in me,
Makes even captives bold.
(Aside.) I like his
courage!
MAMATEE. If duty makes Tecumseh's heart grow cold,
Then shame
on it! and greater shame on him
Who ever yet showed mercy to his
foes,
Yet, turning from his own, in pity's spite
Denies it to a girl.
See, here I kneel!

IENA. And I! O uncle, frown not on our love!
TECUMSEH. By the Great Spirit this is over much!
My heart is
made for pity, not for war,
Since women's tears unman me. Have
your will!
I shall respect your love, (To Lefroy.) your
safety too.
I
go at once to sound the Wyandots
Concerning some false treaties
with the whites.
The Prophet hates you, therefore come with me.
[The_ PROPHET rushes in with a band of
Braves._]
PROPHET. She's here! Take hold of her and bear her
off!
TECUMSEH. (Menacingly) Beware! Lay not a finger
on the girl!
[The Braves fall back.]
PROPHET. There is no law Tecumseh will not break,
When women
weep, and pale-face spies deceive.
MAMATEE. Ah, wretch! not all our people's groans could
wring
A
single tear from out your murderous eye.
PROPHET. This is my captive, and his life is mine!
[Seizing_ LEFROY, and lifting his
hatchet_.]
IENA. (Rushing to LEFROY) Save him! Save him!
TECUMSEH. Your life will go for his--
One blow and you are
doomed!
[TECUMSEH grasps the_ PROPHET'S uplifted
axe_.]
END OF FIRST ACT.
ACT II.

SCENE FIRST:--BEFORE THE PROPHET'S TOWN.
Enter_ TECUMSEH _and LEFROY.
TECUMSEH. No guard or outlook--here! This is most
strange.

Chance reigns where prudence sleeps!
Enter a BRAVE.
Here comes a brave
With frenzy in his face
Where is the Prophet?
BRAVE. He fasts alone within the medicine-lodge,
And talks to our
Great Spirit. All our braves,
Huddling in fear, stand motionless
without,
Thrilled by strange sounds, and voices not of earth.
TECUMSEH. How long has it been thus?
BRAVE. Four nights have passed
And none have seen his face; but
all have heard
His dreadful tongue, in incantations deep,
Fetch
horrors up--vile beings flashed from hell,
Who fought as devils fight,
until the lodge
Shook to its base with struggling, and the earth

Quaked as, with magic strength, he flung them down.
These strove
with him for mastery of our fate;
But, being foiled, Yohewa has
appeared,
And, in the darkness of our sacred lodge,
Communes
with him.
TECUMSEH. Our Spirit great and good!
He comes not here for
nought. What has he promised?
BRAVE. Much! for henceforth we are invulnerable.
The bullets of
the Long-Knives will rebound,
Like petty hailstones, from our naked
breasts;
And, in the misty morns of our attack,
Strange lights will
shine on them to guide our aim,
Whilst clouds of gloom will screen
us from their sight.
TECUMSEH. The Prophet is a wise interpreter,
And all his words, by

valour backed, will stand;
For valour is the weapon of the soul,

More dreaded by our vaunting enemies
Than the plumed arrow, or
the screaming ball.
What wizardry and witchcraft has he found

Conspiring 'gainst our people's good?
BRAVE. Why, none! Wizard and witch are weeded out, he
says;

Not one is left to do us hurt.
TECUMSEH. 'Tis well! My