Fly far from me, Even as the daylight flies, And leave me in the darkness of my pain! Some earlier love will come to thee again, And sweet new moons will rise, And smile on it and thee. Fly far from me, Even whilst the daylight wastes-- Ere thy lips burn me in a last caress; Ere fancy quickens, and my longings press, And my weak spirit hastes For shelter unto thee! Fly far from me, Even whilst the daylight pales-- So shall we never, never meet again! Fly! for my senses swim--Oh, Love! Oh, Pain!-- Help! for my spirit fails-- I cannot fly from thee! [IENA _sinks into_ LEFROY'S _arms_.] LEFROY. No Iena! You cannot fly from me-- My heart is in your breast, and yours in mine; Therefore our love-- _Enter_ TECUMSEH, _followed by_ MAMATEE. TECUMSEH. False girl! Is this your promise? Would that I had a pale-face for a niece-- Not one so faithless to her pledge! You owe All duty and affection to your race, Whose interest--the sum of our desires-- Traversed by alien love, drops to the ground. IENA. Tecumseh ne'er was cruel until now. Call not love alien which includes our race-- Love for our people, pity for their wrongs! He loves our race because his heart is here-- And mine is in his breast. Oh, ask him there, And he will tell you-- LEFROY. Iena, let me speak! Tecumseh, we as strangers have become Strangely familiar through sheer circumstance, Which often breeds affection or disdain, Yet lighting but the surface of the man, Shows not his heart. I know not what you think, And care not for your favour or your love, Save as desert may crown me. Your decree, "Red shall not marry white," is arbitrary, And off the base of nature; for if they Should marry not, then neither should they love. Yet Iena loves me, and I love her. Be merciful! I ask not Iena To leave her race; I rather would engage These willing arms in her defence and yours. Heap obligation up, conditions stern-- But send not your cold "Nay" athwart our lives. IENA. Be merciful! Oh, uncle, pity us! TECUMSEH. My pity, Iena, goes with reproach, Blunting the edge of anger; yet my will Is fixed, and the command to be obeyed-- This stranger must depart--you to your lodge! MAMATEE. Tecumseh, I am in the background here, As ever I have been in your affection. For I have ne'er known what good women prize-- Earth's greatest boon to them--a husband's love. TECUMSEH. My nation has my love, in which you share, With special service rendered to yourself; So that your cabin flows with mouffles sweet, And hips of wapiti and bedded robes. Teach me my duty further if you will! My love is wide, and broods upon my race.