High Priestess Where, and when did you first see him? Cora. In the temple, at the king's right hand. High Priestess. And what miracle brought you together? Cora. The miracle of nature, by which the temple of the Sun was rent, and its walls shattered. High Priestess. Enough! I wish to know no more. Let what has passsed be buried in oblivion. You see that your dy`ng mother's last request is sacred to me. I will be silent, and by rigid penance the anger of the Gods may be averted. Erase his image from your heart-forget his glossy words→ avoid all thoughts of him, pray and work. Cora. Oh, surely you never loved. High Priestess. Thanks be to the Gods! Cora. Well, then let me tell you, that all, which you have now prescribed to me, is no longer in my power. Erase his image from my heart! Good mother, you have never loved. When I awake, he is my first thought-when I kneel in the temple, my prayers are interrupted by his name-when I gaze at the image of the Sun, I gaze at him-when I think of God, I think of him. High Priestess, Dreadful crimes, Cora! Pray! Fast! Repent! Cora. I can pray for nought but to possess him.-Oh what a sweet heartfelt sensation is love! Do you really think it culpable ? High Priestess. Culpable, daughter? Abominable. High Priestess. (With piety.) I have devoted myself altogether to the Gods. Cora., You deceive yourself, or me. Have I not often seen how tenderly you feed these birds? Have I not seen you first take one, then another, from its cage, hold it on your hand, stroke it, talk to it, kiss it? D High Priestess. Oh poor little animals! So innocent an inclination Cora. My affection too is innocent. High Priestess. Affection for a man! Cora. That is the same? The heart must feel affection. You are content with a dove. Is it my fault if I am not satisfied so easily? High Priestess. Do not deceive yourself, Cora. Is it alike, whether you employ the fire to offer sacrifice, or to consume the temple? Cora. I cannot comprehend your allusions.-My heart says, simply and plainly: "-You may love-love is acceptable to the Gods." And the consequences justify the maxim. When Cora does the service of the temple, is the sky ever cloudy, or does the Sun conceal himself? High Priestess. Because you shroud your sin in darkness, because the beams of our great God were never witnesses of your transgressions. Cora. They were! They were! This very morning, in presence of the Sun, I solemnly embraced Alonzo. High Priestess. (Thunderstruck.) Embraced him! High Priestess. Your lips! Cora. My bosom to his. High Priestess. Peace, wretch!-Go, hide yourself, ere I repent my promised secresy. It is no longer your honour to which I attend, but the honour of our order. Go, and be it hard or easy to forget him, you shall never see him more. Cora. (In a resolute tone.) I will no longer be a priestess of the Sun. High Priestess. You must. Death alone can free you from the service. Cora. But if I have done wrong, I am not a proper person to serve the Sun,-and if, in my place, I substitute a being pure and void of sin, will not this be acceptable to him, and absolve me from my oath? High Priestess. I do not understand you. Cora. I will devote to his service the innocent being, which I bear beneath my heart. (High Priestess startsattempts to speak, but is unable-trembles and supports herself against the wall.) What can be the matter? Do you understand me? I will devote to the service of our God the innocent being which I bear beneath my heart. High Priestess. (Runs from side to side distracted.) Idali! -Runa-Amazili !-Hither! Hither, ye daughters of the Sun!-Oh! I can no more!--I shall die! (Sinks upon a couch.) (Idali, Amazili, and other virgins of the Sun, rush into the apartment from all sides.) All. (In confusion.) What now? What has happened? -She is in a swoon.- -Cora, what is the matter? Cora. (As calm as before.) I don't know. High Priestess. (Recovering.) Haste, ye daughters of the Sun! Bar this abandoned being in the darkest dungeon, that her odious face may not profane the beams of our great God! Your lives, Runa and Odila, depend upon her safety till the moment of her trial. Let the rest with all their sisters clothe themselves in deepest mourning, and fol low me to the palace!The Sun is enraged! The Gods are roused to anger! Sin rests upon us, and a curse upon Peru! God's avenging arin will reach us! Haste! Extinguish every light throughout the temple, and tear every garland. This day shall be no festival-this is a day of lamentation! Away, to the steps of the throne! Vengeance, vengeance on this abomination! [Rushes out. All. What have you done Cora? Tell us! Tell us! Cora. I have done nothing wrong. [Exit. All (Confusedly following her.), Take care of her. Your lives depend on it. [Exeunt. SCENE, a saloon in the King's palace, with a state-guard. In a few moments the CHAMBERLAIN enters. Chamberlain. Open the gates. Let all approach, who come on this day's festival, to greet the son of the Sun, and attend him to the temple. Soon as the Ynca is arrayed, he will himself appear. (Gives a signal-the centinels open the gates.) Enter HIGH PRIEST, XAIRA, ALONZO, JUAN, several priests and courtiers. Compliments are exchanged. Some whisper to each other-some walk up and down. ral courtiers gather round the CHAMBERLAIN. Serve Xaira. (To the High Priest.) What do the foreigners want here? High Priest. Probably they mean to attend the Ynca, when he goes to sacrifice. Xaira. By my soul, I like not that foreigners should be spectators of our holy rites-perhaps for the purpose of mocking our religion. High Priest. Mocking! That were folly, and I never can suspect those brave young men of folly. Have you forgotten that to Don Alonzo we are indebted for our monarch's life-that he has made this nation a terror to its neighbours, by teaching us to fight in close-embodied phalanx-nay, more, that he has instructed us in many profitable arts and sciences. Xaira. Pshaw! He has increased our wants. We were happier without him. High Priest. Harsh man! Chamberlain. Hs no one any news for the king? First Courtier. None, except that old Telasko arrived last night from the country. Second Courtier. He has brought his son Zorai in order to present him to the Ynca. Chamberlain. How long may it be since the good old man was here before? First Courtier. It must be about two years-when he brought his daughter Cora to the house of stars. Alonzo. (Much alarmed.) Do you hear, Velasquez ? Cora's father is arrived. Juan. I heard it. Alonzo. And her brother too. Juan. I heard it. Alonzo. Oh horror! How will their most unmeaning looks torment my conscience! (Martial instruments are heard behind the scenes.) Courtiers. The king approaches. Enter ATALIBA, with his suite. All do homage to him. Ataliba. (First turning to the High Priest.) Good old man, I much rejoice to see your vigour thus despise the load of years. High Priest. Beneath such a monarch I grow young again. Ataliba. What I am, I am become through your inftructions; that I never shall forget. (Turning to Xaira.) Well Xaira, we have a glorious day. The Gods are gracious to us. Xaira. (Scrupulously.) Yet mournful omens have disturbed |