hted soldiers scarce their ground maintain.

_Mor._ I thank their fury; we shall fight again:
They rouse my rage; I'm eager to subdue:
'Tis fatal to with-hold my eyes from you. [_Exit with the two Omrahs._

_Enter_ MELESINDA.

_Mel._ Can misery no place of safety know?
The noise pursues me wheresoe'er I go,
As fate sought only me, and, where I fled,
Aimed all its darts at my devoted head.
And let it; I am now past care of life;
The last of women; an abandoned wife.

_Ind._ Whether design or chance has brought you here,
I stand obliged to fortune, or to fear:
Weak women should, in danger, herd like deer.
But say, from whence this new combustion springs?
Are there yet more Morats? more fighting kings?

_Mel._ Him from his mother's love your eyes divide,
And now her arms the cruel strife decide.

_Ind._ What strange misfortunes my vext life attend!
Death will be kind, and all my sorrows end.
If Nourmahal prevail, I know my fate.

_Mel._ I pity, as my own, your hard estate:
But what can my weak charity afford?
I have no longer interest in my lord:
Nor in his mother, he: she owns her hate
Aloud, and would herself usurp the state.

_Ind._ I'm stupified with sorrow, past relief
Of tears; parched up, and withered with my grief.

_Mel._ Dry mourning will decays more deadly bring,
As a north wind burns a too forward spring.
Give sorrow vent, and let the sluices go.

_Ind._ My tears are all congealed, and will not flow.

_Mel._ Have comfort; yield not to the blows of fate.

_Ind._ Comfort, like cordials after death, comes late.
Name not so vain a word; my hopes are fled:
Think your Morat were kind, and think him dead.

_Mel._ I can no more--
Can no more arguments, for comfort, find:
Your boding words have quite o'erwhelmed my mind.
[_Clattering of weapons within._

_Ind._ The noise increases, as the billows roar,
When rolling from afar they threat the shore.
She comes; and feeble nature now, I find,
Shrinks back in danger, and forsakes my mind.
I wish to die, yet dare not death endure;
Detest the medicine, yet desire the cure.
I would have death; but mild, and at command:
I dare not trust him in another's hand.
In Nourmahal's, he would not mine appear;
But armed with terror, and disguised with fear.

_Mel._ Beyond this place you can have no retreat:
Stay here, and I the danger will repeat.
I fear not death, because my life I hate;
And envious death will shun th