Enter NOURMAHAL, distracted, with ZAYDA.

Zay. She’s lost, she’s lost! but why do I complain,
For her, who generously did life disdain! 
Poisoned, she raves—­
The envenomed body does the soul attack;
The envenomed soul works its own poison back.

Nour. I burn, I more than burn; I am all fire. 
See how my mouth and nostrils flame expire! 
I’ll not come near myself—­
Now I’m a burning lake, it rolls and flows;
I’ll rush, and pour it all upon my foes. 
Pull, pull that reverend piece of timber near: 
Throw’t on—­’tis dry—­’twill burn—­
Ha, ha! how my old husband crackles there! 
Keep him down, keep him down; turn him about: 
I know him,—­he’ll but whiz, and strait go out. 
Fan me, you winds:  What, not one breath of air? 
I’ll burn them all, and yet have flames to spare. 
Quench me:  Pour on whole rivers.  ’Tis in vain: 
Morat stands there to drive them back again: 
With those huge billows in his hands, he blows
New fire into my head:  My brain-pan glows. 
See! see! there’s Aureng-Zebe too takes his part;
But he blows all his fire into my heart[4].

Aur. Alas, what fury’s this?

Nour. That’s he, that’s he!
                             [Staring upon him, and catching at him.
I know the dear man’s voice: 
And this my rival, this the cursed she. 
They kiss; into each other’s arms they run: 
Close, close, close! must I see, and must have none? 
Thou art not hers:  Give me that eager kiss. 
Ungrateful! have I lost Morat for this? 
Will you?—­before my face?—­poor helpless I
See all, and have my hell before I die! [Sinks down.

Emp. With thy last breath thou hast thy crimes confest: 
Farewell; and take, what thou ne’er gav’st me, rest. 
But you, my son, receive it better here: 
                                      [Giving him INDAMORA’S hand.
The just rewards of love and honour wear. 
Receive the mistress, you so long have served;
Receive the crown, your loyalty preserved. 
Take you the reins, while I from cares remove,
And sleep within the chariot which I drove. [Exeunt.

Footnotes: 
1. —­Magne regnator deum,
     Tam lentus audis scelera? tam lentus vides? 
     Ecquando saeva fulmen emittes manu,
     Si nunc serenum est? 
     —­Me velox cremet,
     Transactus ignis.  Sum nocens, merui mori,
     Placui novercae.—­Hippolitus apud Senecam.

   See Langbaine, on this play.

2.  In Dryden’s time it was believed, that some Indian tribes devoured
   the bodies of their parents; affirming, they could shew no greater
   mark of respect, than to incorporate their remains with their own
   substance.

3.  Langbaine traces this speech also to Seneca’s Hippolitus.