PERSONS.

The Grand-Master's Prefect.

The Patriarch's Nuncio.

The Republic's Admiral.

LOYS DE DREUX, Knight-Novice.

Initiated Druses-DJABAL, Khalil, Anael, MAANI, KARSHOOK, RAGHIB, AYOOB and others.

Uninitiated Druses.

Prefect's Guard, Nuncio's Attendants, Admiral's Force.

TIME, 14

PLACE, An Islet of the Southern Sporades, colonised by Druses of Lebanon, and garrisoned by the Knights-Hospitallers of Rhodes.

SCENE, A Hall in the Prefect's Palace.

THE

RETURN OF THE

DRUSES.

ACT I.

Enter stealthily KARSHOOK, RAGHIB, AYOOB and other initiated Druses, each as he enters casting off a robe that conceals his distinctive black vest and white turban; then, as giving a loose to exultation,

Kar. The moon is carried off in purple fire:
Day breaks at last! Break glory, with the day,
On Djabal's dread incarnate mystery
Now ready to resume its pristine shape
Of Hakeem, as the Khalif vanished erst
In what seemed death to uninstructed eyes,
On red Mokattam's verge—our Founder's flesh,
As he resumes our Founder's function!

Ragh.

-Death

Sweep to the Christian Prefect that enslaved

So long us sad Druse exiles o'er the sea!

Ay. Most joy be thine, O Mother-mount! Thy brood

Returns to thee, no outcasts as we left,

But thus-but thus! Behind, our Prefect's corse;

Before, a presence like the morning—thine,

Absolute Djabal late,-God Hakeem now

That day breaks!

Kar.

Off then, with disguise at last!
As from our forms this hateful garb we strip,
Lose every tongue its glozing accent too,
Discard each limb the ignoble gesture! Cry,
"T is the Druse Nation, warders on our mount
Of the world's secret, since the birth of time,
-No kindred slips, no offsets from thy stock,
No spawn of Christians are we, Prefect, we
Who rise . .

Ay.

Ragh.

Who shout...

Who seize, a first-fruits, ha—

Spoil of the spoiler ! Brave!

[They begin to tear down, and to dispute for, the decorations of the hall.

Take anything beside! Lo, spire on spire,
Curl serpentwise wreathed columns to the top
O' the roof, and hide themselves mysteriously
Among the twinkling lights and darks that haunt
Yon cornice! Where the huge veil, they suspend
Before the Prefect's chamber of delight,

Floats wide, then falls again as if its slave,
The scented air, took heart now, and anon

Lost heart to buoy its breadths of gorgeousness

Above the gloom they droop in-all the porch
Is jewelled o'er with frostwork charactery;

And see yon eight-point cross of white flame, winking
Hoar-silvery like some fresh-broke marble stone :

Raze out the Rhodian cross there, so thou leav'st me
This single fringe !

Ay.

Ha, wouldst thou, dog-fox? Help! -Three hand-breadths of gold fringe, my son was set To twist, the night he died!

Kar.

Nay, hear the knave!

And I could witness my one daughter borne,

A week since, to the Prefect's couch, yet fold
These arms, be mute, lest word of mine should mar
Our Master's work, delay the Prefect here

A day, prevent his sailing hence for Rhodes-
How know I else?-Hear me denied my right
By such a knave!

Ragh. [interposing.] Each ravage for himself!
Booty enough! On, Druses! Be there found
Blood and a heap behind us; with us, Djabal
Turned Hakeem; and before us, Lebanon!
Yields the porch? Spare not! There his minions dragged
Thy daughter, Karshook, to the Prefect's couch!
Ayoob! Thy son, to soothe the Prefect's pride,
Bent o'er that task, the death-sweat on his brow,
Carving the spice-tree's heart in scroll-work there!
Onward in Djabal's name!

As the tumult is at height, enter KHALIL. A pause and silence.
Kha.
Was it for this,

Djabal hath summoned you?

Deserve you thus
A portion in to-day's event? What, here-
When most behoves your feet fall soft, your eyes
Sink low, your tongues lie still,-at Djabal's side,
Close in his very hearing, who, perchance,

Assumes e'en now God Hakeem's dreaded shape,—
Dispute you for these gauds?

Ay.

How say'st thou, Khalil? Doubtless our Master prompts thee! Take the fringe, Old Karshook! I supposed it was a day

Kha. For pillage?

Kar.

Hearken, Khalil! Never spoke

A boy so like a song-bird; we avouch thee
Prettiest of all our Master's instruments

Except thy bright twin-sister; thou and Anael
Challenge his prime regard: but we may crave
(Such nothings as we be) a portion too

Of Djabal's favour; in him we believed,

His bound ourselves, him moon by moon obeyed,
Kept silence till this daybreak-so, may claim
Reward who grudges me my claim?

Must I, the delegate of Djabal, draw

His wrath on you, the day of our Return?

Other Druses. Wrench from their grasp the fringe!

Hound must the earth