TEMPLAR.
You know that too?
NATHAN.
He had espoused a German,And followed for a time your mother thither.
TEMPLAR.
No more I beg of you—But Recha’s brother—
NATHAN.
Art thou
TEMPLAR.
I, I her brother—
RECHA.
He, my brother?
SITTAH.
So near akin—
RECHA(offers to clasp him).
My brother!
TEMPLAR(steps back).
Brother to her—
RECHA(turning to Nathan).
It cannot be, his heart knows nothing of it.We are deceivers, God.
SALADIN(to the templar).
Deceivers, yes;All is deceit in thee, face, voice, walk, gesture,Nothing belongs to thee. How, not acknowledgeA sister such as she? Go.
TEMPLAR(modestly approaching him).
Sultan, SultanO do not misinterpret my amazement—Thou never saw’st in such a moment, prince,Thy Assad’s heart—mistake not him and me.
[Hastening towards Nathan.
O Nathan, you have taken, you have given,Both with full hands indeed; and now—yes—yes,You give me more than you have taken from me,Yes, infinitely more—my sister—sister.
[Embraces Recha.
NATHAN.
Blanda of Filnek.
TEMPLAR.
Blanda, ha! not Recha,Your Recha now no longer—you resign her,Give her her Christian name again, and thenFor my sake turn her off. Why Nathan, Nathan,Why must she suffer for it? she for me?
NATHAN.
What mean you? O my children, both my children—For sure my daughter’s brother is my child,So soon as he but will it!
[While they embrace Nathan by turns,Saladin draws nigh to Sittah.
SALADIN.
What sayst thouSittah to this?
SITTAH.
I’m deeply moved.
SALADIN.
And IHalf tremble at the thought of the emotionStill greater, still to come. Nathan, a word
[While he converses with Nathan,Sittah goes to express her sympathy to the others.
With thee apart. Wast thou not saying alsoThat her own father was no German born?What was he then? Whence was he?
NATHAN.
He himselfNever intrusted me with that. From himI knew it not.
SALADIN.
You say he was no Frank?
NATHAN.
No, that he owned: he loved to talk the Persian.
SALADIN.
The Persian—need I more? ’Tis he—’twas he!
NATHAN.
Who?
SALADIN.
Assad certainly, my brother Assad.
NATHAN.
If thou thyself perceive it, be assured;Look in this book—
[Gives the breviary.
SALADIN(eagerly looking.)
O ’tis his hand, his hand,I recollect it well.
NATHAN.
They know it not;It rests with thee what they shall learn of this.
SALADIN(turning over the breviary.)
I not acknowledge my own brother’s children,Not own my nephew—not my children—ILeave them to thee? Yes, Sittah, it is they,
[Aloud.
They are my brother’s and thy brother’s children.
[Rushes to embrace them.
SITTAH.
What do I hear? Could it be otherwise?
[The like.
SALADIN(to the templar).
Now, proud boy, thou shalt love me, thou must love me,
[To Recha.
And I am, what I offered to become,With or without thy leave.
SITTAH.
I too—I too.
SALADIN(to the templar.)
My son—my Assad—my lost Assad’s son.
TEMPLAR.
I of thy blood—then those were more than dreamsWith which they used to lull my infancy—Much more.
[Falls at the Sultan’s feet.
SALADIN(raising him.)
Now mark his malice. Something of itHe knew, yet would have let me butcher him—Boy, boy!
[During the silent continuance of reciprocal embraces the curtain falls.