PROPHET. She shall be yours!

(To the braves)

Go bring her here at once - But, look! Fulfilment of my
promise comes
In her own person.

Enter IENA and MAMATEE.

Welcome, my sweet niece! You have forestalled my
message by these braves,
And come unbidden to your wedding place.

IENA. Uncle! you know my heart is far away -

PROPHET. But still your hand is here! this little hand!
(Pulling her forward)

IENA. Dare you enforce a weak and helpless girl,
Who thought to move you by her misery?
Stand back! I have a message for you too.
What means the war-like song, the dance of braves,
And bustle in our town?

PROPHET. It means that we
Attack the foe to-night.

IENA. And risk our all?
O that Tecumseh knew! his soul would rush
In arms to intercept you. What! break faith,
And on the hazard of a doubtful strife,
Stake his great enterprise and all our lives!
The dying curses of a ruined race
Will wither up your wicked heart for this!

PROPHET. False girl! your heart is with our foes;
Your hand I mean to turn to better use.

IENA. Oh, could it turn you from your mad intent
How freely would I give it! Drop this scheme,
Dismiss your frenzied warriors to their beds;
And, if contented with my hand, Tarhay
Can have it here.

TARHAY. I love you, Iena!

IENA. Then must you love what I do! Love our race!
'Tis this love nerves Tecumseh to unite
Its scattered tribes - his fruit of noble toil,
Which you would snatch unripened from his hand,
And feed to sour ambition. Touch it not -
Oh, touch it not Tarhay! and though my heart
Breaks for it, I am yours.

PROPHET. His anyway,
Or I am not the Prophet!

TARHAY. For my part I have no leaning to this rash
attempt,
Since Iena consents to be my wife.

PROPHET. Shall I be thwarted by a yearning fool!

(Aside.)

This soft, sleek girl, to outward seeming good,
I know to be a very fiend beneath -
Whose sly affections centre on herself,
And feed the gliding snake within her heart.

TARHAY. I cannot think her so -

MAMATEE. She is not so!
There is the snake that creeps among our race;
Whose venomed fangs would bite into our lives,
And poison all our hopes.

PROPHET. She is the head -
The very neck of danger to me here,
Which I must break at once! (aside)
Tarhay - attend! I can see dreadful visions in the air;
I can dream awful dreams of life and fate;
I can bring darkness on the heavy earth;
I can fetch shadows from our fathers' graves,
And spectres from the sepulchres of hell
Who dares dispute with me, disputes with death! Dost
hear, Tarhay?

[TARHAY and braves cower before the PROPHET.]

TARHAY. I hear, and will obey. Spare me! Spare me!

PROPHET. As for this foolish girl,
The hand she offers you on one condition,
I give to you upon a better one;