Irene [_rising_]. Listen, Constantine, and I will tell thee all. I am Irene. In my distant home I learned thou didst not love me, and I vowed to win thy heart before I claimed it. Thus, unknown, the proud princess served thee as a slave, and learned to love thee with a woman's fondest faith. I watched above thee that no harm should fall; I cheered and gladdened life for thee, and won the heart I longed for. I knew the sorrow thou wouldst feel, but tried thy faith by asking thee to sacrifice thy love and keep thine honor stainless. Here let me offer up a woman's fondest trust and most undying love. Wilt thou believe, and pardon mine offence? [_Kneels again before him._] Con. Not at my feet, Irene!--'tis I who should bend low before thee, asking thy forgiveness. For all thou hast dared for me; for every fearless deed; for every loving thought, all I can lay before thee is a fond and faithful heart, whose reverence and love can never die, but through the pilgrimage of life shall be as true and tender as when I gave it to the slave Ione [_embraces_ Irene]. [_Tableau._ CURTAIN. ION. NOTE TO ION. This play was found too uninteresting for presentation, and was left unfinished, but is here given as a specimen of what the young authors considered _very fine_ writing. The drama was, of course, to end well. Cleon, being free, at once assembles a noble army, returns to conquer Mohammed and release Ion, who weds the lovely Zuleika, becomes king, and "lives happily forever after." CHARACTERS. Mohammed . . . . . . _The Turk._ Cleon . . . . . . . _Prince of Greece._ Ion . . . . . . . _Son of Cleon._ Adrastus . . . . . . _A Priest._ Hafiz . . . . . . . _Turkish Envoy._ Hassan . . . . . . . _A Slave._ Murad . . . . . . . _A Slave._ Abdallah . . . . . . _A Slave._ Iantha . . . . . . . _Wife of Cleon._ Zuleika . . . . . . _Daughter of Mohammed._ Medon . . . . . . . _A Slave._ Selim . . . . . . . _A Slave._ ION. SCENE FIRST. [_Room in the palace of_ Cleon. Iantha _and_ Adrastus.]