Gipsies, The - 10
Aleko sleeps. But dreams confused
Disturb and haunt his troubled rest;
And with a startled cry he wakes,
And stretches forth his jealous hand,
Which falls on cold and vacant sheet;
No sleeping Zemphire lies by him
With boding heart he listens long,
But all is still; and, filled with dread,
A chilling fear runs through his veins,
As out he hurries from the tent.
Pale and trembling, far he wanders,
But all the field is wrapt in sleep
The moon is hid behind the clouds,
And twinkling light of stars is dim.
The faintest track of steps, the dews
Have nigh effaced, still show the way
That leads up to the burial mounds.
With eager pace he makes his way,
By demon urged along the path,
And stands before the long-ranged heaps,
That rear their pale and spectral tops.
And, filled with sense of coming ill,
Scarce his aching limbs can bear him:
With quivering lips and trembling knees
He pushes on… and does he dream?
He sees two shadows close to him,
And hears the murmured whisper near,
That floats above the lonely mounds.
FIRST VOICE .
'Tis time!
SECOND VOICE .
Why this haste?
FIRST VOICE .
I must away!
SECOND VOICE .
Nay, rather let us wait the day!
FIRST VOICE .
'Tis late!
SECOND VOICE .
How timid is thy love!
One minute!
FIRST VOICE .
Wilt thou be my death?
SECOND VOICE .
One minute more!
FIRST VOICE .
But if he wakes,
And finds me gone?
ALEKO
I have awaked!
Whither so fast? There is no haste!
'Tis well, we need not search for graves!
ZEMPHIRE .
Darling, run, escape!
ALEKO .
Stay, sir, stay!
Whither, fair gipsy, wilt thou run?
Die!
(He kills him with a dagger.)
ZEMPHIRE
What hast thou done?
YOUNG GIPSY .
I die! Farewell!
ZEMPHIRE
Aleko, thou hast slain my friend!
And, see, thou art all stained with blood!
Oh, what hast thou done?
ALEKO .
I? Nothing!
His love, once thy breath, breathe it now!
ZEMPHIRE .
Enough! I have no fear of thee!
Thine empty threats, I hold in scorn!
Thee and thy bloody crime, I curse!
ALEKO
Follow!
( He stabs Zemphire ).
ZEMPHIRE
And, loving, I will die!
Disturb and haunt his troubled rest;
And with a startled cry he wakes,
And stretches forth his jealous hand,
Which falls on cold and vacant sheet;
No sleeping Zemphire lies by him
With boding heart he listens long,
But all is still; and, filled with dread,
A chilling fear runs through his veins,
As out he hurries from the tent.
Pale and trembling, far he wanders,
But all the field is wrapt in sleep
The moon is hid behind the clouds,
And twinkling light of stars is dim.
The faintest track of steps, the dews
Have nigh effaced, still show the way
That leads up to the burial mounds.
With eager pace he makes his way,
By demon urged along the path,
And stands before the long-ranged heaps,
That rear their pale and spectral tops.
And, filled with sense of coming ill,
Scarce his aching limbs can bear him:
With quivering lips and trembling knees
He pushes on… and does he dream?
He sees two shadows close to him,
And hears the murmured whisper near,
That floats above the lonely mounds.
FIRST VOICE .
'Tis time!
SECOND VOICE .
Why this haste?
FIRST VOICE .
I must away!
SECOND VOICE .
Nay, rather let us wait the day!
FIRST VOICE .
'Tis late!
SECOND VOICE .
How timid is thy love!
One minute!
FIRST VOICE .
Wilt thou be my death?
SECOND VOICE .
One minute more!
FIRST VOICE .
But if he wakes,
And finds me gone?
ALEKO
I have awaked!
Whither so fast? There is no haste!
'Tis well, we need not search for graves!
ZEMPHIRE .
Darling, run, escape!
ALEKO .
Stay, sir, stay!
Whither, fair gipsy, wilt thou run?
Die!
(He kills him with a dagger.)
ZEMPHIRE
What hast thou done?
YOUNG GIPSY .
I die! Farewell!
ZEMPHIRE
Aleko, thou hast slain my friend!
And, see, thou art all stained with blood!
Oh, what hast thou done?
ALEKO .
I? Nothing!
His love, once thy breath, breathe it now!
ZEMPHIRE .
Enough! I have no fear of thee!
Thine empty threats, I hold in scorn!
Thee and thy bloody crime, I curse!
ALEKO
Follow!
( He stabs Zemphire ).
ZEMPHIRE
And, loving, I will die!
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