Ind. Think you, base interest souls like mine can sway? 
Or that, for greatness, I can love betray? 
No, Aureng-Zebe, you merit all my heart,
And I’m too noble but to give a part. 
Your father, and an empire!  Am I known
No more?  Or have so weak a judgment shown,
In chusing you, to change you for a throne?

Aur. How, with a truth, you would a falsehood blind!  ’Tis not my father’s love you have designed; Your choice is fix’d where youth and power are join’d.

Ind. Where youth and power are joined!—­has he a name?

Aur. You would be told; you glory in your shame: 
There’s music in the sound; and, to provoke
Your pleasure more, by me it must be spoke. 
Then, then it ravishes, when your pleased ear
The sound does from a wretched rival hear. 
Morat’s the name your heart leaps up to meet,
While Aureng-Zebe lies dying at your feet.

Ind. Who told you this?

Aur. Are you so lost to shame? 
Morat, Morat, Morat!  You love the name
So well, your every question ends in that;
You force me still to answer you, Morat. 
Morat, who best could tell what you revealed;
Morat, too proud to keep his joy concealed.

Ind. Howe’er unjust your jealousy appear,
It shows the loss of what you love, you fear;
And does my pity, not my anger move: 
I’ll fond it, as the forward child of love. 
To show the truth of my unaltered breast,
Know, that your life was given at my request,
At least reprieved.  When heaven denied you aid,
She brought it, she, whose falsehood you upbraid.

Aur. And ’tis by that you would your falsehood hide? 
Had you not asked, how happy had I died! 
Accurst reprieve! not to prolong my breath;
It brought a lingering, and more painful death,
I have not lived since first I heard the news;
The gift the guilty giver does accuse. 
You knew the price, and the request did move,
That you might pay the ransom with your love.

Ind. Your accusation must, I see, take place;—­ And am I guilty, infamous, and base?

Aur. If you are false, those epithets are small;
You’re then the things, the abstract of them all. 
And you are false:  You promised him your love,—­
No other price a heart so hard could move. 
Do not I know him?  Could his brutal mind
Be wrought upon?  Could he be just, or kind? 
Insultingly, he made your love his boast;
Gave me my life, and told me what it cost. 
Speak; answer.  I would fain yet think you true: 
Lie; and I’ll not believe myself, but you. 
Tell me you love; I’ll pardon the deceit,
And, to be fooled, myself assist the cheat.

Ind. No; ’tis too late; I have no more to say:  If you’ll believe I have been false, you may.

Aur. I would not; but your crimes too plain appear:  Nay, even that I should think you true, you fear.  Did I not tell you, I would be deceived?