wake my love.

PRINCESS. To bliss thou'lt wake me, for I sleep till then
Only with sorrow's poppy on my lids.

_Music. Embrace; and exit ROLFE, followed by ROBIN; PRINCESS looks
around despondingly._

But now, how gay and beauteous was this grove!
Sure ev'ning's shadows have enshrouded it,
And 'tis the screaming bird of night I hear,
Not the melodious mock-bird. Ah! fond girl!
'Tis o'er thy soul the gloomy curtain hangs;
'Tis in thy heart the rough-toned raven sings.
O lover! haste to my benighted breast;
Come like the glorious sun, and bring me day!

_Song._

When the midnight of absence the day-scene pervading
Distils its chill dew o'er the bosom of love,
Oh, how fast then the gay tints of nature are fading!
How harsh seems the music of joy in the grove!
While the tender flow'r droops till return of the light,
Steep'd in tear drops that fall from the eye of the night.

But Oh! when the lov'd-one appears,
Like the sun a bright day to impart,
To kiss off those envious tears,
To give a new warmth to the heart;
Soon the flow'ret seeming dead
Raises up its blushing head,
Glows again the breast of love,
Laughs again the joyful grove;
While once more the mock-bird's throat
Trolls the sweetly various note.
But ah! when dark absence the day-scene pervading
Distils its chill dew o'er the bosom of love,
Oh! fast then the gay tints of nature are fading!
Oh! harsh seems the music of joy in the grove!
And the tender flow'r droops till return of the light,
Steep'd in tear drops that fall from the eye of the night.

PRINCESS. Look, Nima, surely I behold our captive,
The prince Miami, and our cruel priest.

NIMA. Lady, 'tis they; and now they move this way.

PRINCESS. How earnest are their gestures; ah! my Nima,
When souls like theirs mingle in secret council,
Stern murder's voice alone is listen'd to.
Miami too at large--O trembling heart,
Most sad are thy forebodings; they are here--
Haste, Nima; let us veil us from their view.

[_They retire._

_Enter MIAMI and GRIMOSCO._

GRIMOSCO. Be satisfied; I cannot fail--hither the king will soon come.
This deep shade have I chosen for our place of meeting. Hush! he comes.
Retire, and judge if Grimosco have vainly boasted--away!