As this sad lady's was.. Do it by me; Mine arms thus, and mine hair blown with the wind, Wild as that desart; and let all about me Asp. I have done. Sit down; and let us Upon that point fix all our eyes; that point there. Make a dull silence, till you feel a sudden sadness Give us new souls. Enter CALIANAX. Cal. The king may do this, and he may not do it: My child is wronged, disgraced. Well, how now, huswives! Enter CLEON, STRATO, and DIPHILUS. Cle. Your sister is not up yet. Diph. Knock at the door. Stra. We shall interrupt them. Diph. No matter. Good morrow, sister! Enter AMINTOR. What, at your ease? Is this a time to sit still? Up, you young lazy rogues, up, or I'll swinge you! Olym. Nay, good my lord. Cal. You'll lie down shortly. Get you in, and work! What, are you grown so resty you want heats? We shall have some of the court-boys beat you shortly. Ant. My lord, we do no more than we are It is the lady's pleasure we be thus in grief: Cal. There's a rogue too; A young dissembling slave! Well, get you in! I'll maul that rascal; he has out-braved me twice; ACT III. Enter MELANTIUS. Mel. Good day, Amintor! for, to me, the name Amin. Dear Melantius! Mel. Why does thine eye desire so strict a view Diph. You look as you had lost your eyes to- Of that, it knows so well? There's nothing here, Or not be base, and false, and treacherous, Mel. Stay, stay, my friend; I fear this sound will not become our loves. Amin. Oh, mistake me not: I know thee to be fuli of all those deeds, [Aside. Mel. But why, my friend, should I be so by nature? Amin. I've wed thy sister, who hath virtuous Enough for one whole family; and it is strange, Mel. Believe me, this compliment's too cunning Diph. What should I be then, by the course of They having both robbed me of so much virtue? Evad. [within.] My lord! Your brothers do attend to wish you joy. Evad. They will mock me. Amin. Faith, thou shalt come in. Enter EVADNE. Mel. Good-morrow, sister! He that understands Whom you have wed, need not to wish you joy; You have enough. Take heed You be not proud.—Amintor! Amin. Ha! Mel. Thou art sad. Amin. Yes, sir. King. Tell me, then; you will trust me, Amin- To chuse a wife for you again? King. Why? like you this so ill? For this I bow my knee in thanks to you, King. I do not like this. All forbear the room, but you, Amintor, Amin. He will not tell me, that he lies with her? King. You will suffer me to talk With her, Amintor, and not have a jealous pang? Amin. Sir, I dare trust my wife with whom she dares Amin. Who, I? I thank you for that. Shall To talk, and not be jealous. Diphilus, thou, and I, sing a catch? Mel. How! Amin. Prithee, let us. Mel. Nay, that's too much the other way. Evad. I cannot love you, you tell tales of me. you King. How do like Evad. As I did, sir. King. How is that? Evad. As one that, to fulfil your will and plea- I have given leave to call me wife and love. With all the world, and so dost thou with me. King. This subtle woman's ignorance Amin. Well? how can I be other, when she Will not excuse you thou hast taken oaths, looks thus. Is there no music there? let's dance. Mel. Why, this is strange, Amintor! Yet I could wish my joy were less. [Aside. Enter KING and LYSIPPUS. Amin. Where? Stra. And his brother. King. Good morrow, all! Amintor, joy on joy fall thick upon thee! And, madam, you are altered since I saw you; Thou wert married? So great, methought, they did not well become Evad. I never did swear so; you do me wrong. Evad. I swore, indeed, that I would never love King. Why, thou dissemblest, and it is in me Evad. Why, it is in me, then, Not to love you, which will more afflict your body, King. But thou hast let Amintor lie with thee. Evad. I have not. King. Impudence! he says himself so. Evad. He lies. King. He does not. King. Draw not thy sword; thou know'st I cannot fear A subject's hand; but thou shalt feel the weight Of this, if thou dost rage. Amin. The weight of that! Evad. By this light he does, strangely and If you have any worth, for heaven's sake, think basely! And I'll prove it so. I did not shun him For a night; but told him, I would never close With him. King. Speak lower; 'tis false. Evad. I am no man To answer with a blow; or, if I were, You are the king! But urge me not; it is most true. Evad. It is dissembling. King. Take him! farewell! henceforth I am thy foe; And what disgraces I can blot thee, look for. Evad. Stay, sir!-Amintor!—You shall hear.— Amintor! Amin. What, my love? Evad. Amintor, thou hast an ingenuous look, And should'st be virtuous: It amazeth me, That thou canst make such base malicious lies! Amin. What, my dear wife? Evad. Dear wife! I do despise thee. Amin. Lovers! who? Evad. Who should live long, and love without Were it not for such pickthanks as thyself! Amin. The faithless sin I made And not so much to wrong an honest man thus, Evad. Now, sir, see how loud this fellow lied. Amin. You, that can know to wrong, should know how men Must right themselves: What punishment is due I fear not swords; for as you are mere man, you, I dare as easily kill you for this deed, Easy to work on, and of state enough, Evad. I would not have a fool; It were no credit for me. Amin. Worse and worse! Thou, that darest talk unto thy husband thus, King. No; for I believed thee honest, Amin. All the happiness Bestowed upon me, turns into disgrace. King. Thou may'st live, Amintor, ter curse Seize me, if I forget not all respects, King. Well, I am resolute you lie not with her; Amin. Prithee, vex me not! Evad. I am gone; I love my life well. [Exit Eadne. And lose thine offices. Cal. I am valiant grown, and I At all these years, and thou art but a slave! Mel. Leave! Some company will come, respect Thy years, not thee, so much, that I could wish To laugh at thee alone. Cal. I'll spoil your mirth! I mean to fight with thee. There lie, my cloak! This was my father's sword, Cal. You have a name in war, safe where you stand Amongst a multitude; but I will try Mel. I will not draw, unless thou pull'st thy death Upon thee with a stroke. There's no one blow, That thou canst give, hath strength enough to kill me. Tempt me not so far then: The power of earth Shall not redeem thee. Cal. I must let him alone; He's stout and able; and, to say the truth, Mel. I will not promise to preserve your life, If you do stay. Cal. I would give half my land, That I durst fight with that proud man a little. If I had men to hold him, I would beat him, Till he asked me mercy. Mel. Sir, will you be gone? Cal. I dare not stay; but I'll go home and beat My servants all over for this. [Exit Calianax. Mel. This old fellow haunts me! But the distracted carriage of my Amintor Takes deeply on me! I will find the cause. I fear his conscience cries, he wronged Aspatia. Amin. What is that, my friend? Mel. I have observed your words Fall from your tongue wildly; and all your carriage Like one, that strove to shew his merry mood, When he were ill disposed; You were not wont To put such scorn into your speech, or wear Upon your face ridiculous jollity. Some sadness sits here, which your cunning would Cover o'er with smiles, and 'twill not be. What is it? Amin. A sadness here! what cause A prison for all virtue? Are not you, mirth; Mel. You may shape, Amintor, Causes to cozen the whole world withal, And yourself too; but 'tis not like a friend, To hide your soul from me. 'Tis not your nature To be thus idle: I have seen you stand, As you were blasted, 'midst of all your Call thrice aloud, and then start, feigning joy So coldly!-World, what do I here? a friend Is nothing! Heaven, I would have told that man My secret sins! I'll search an unknown land, And there plant friendship; all is withered here, Come with a compliment! I would have fought, Or told my friend 'he lied,' ere soothed him so. Out of my bosom ! Amin. But there is nothing Mel. Worse and worse! farewell! From this time have acquaintance, but no friend. Thou art run mad with injury, indeed; Amin. She's wanton: I am loth to say, a whore, Though it be true. Mel. Speak yet again, before mine anger grow After mine actions, shall the name of friend Mel. This is base And fearful. They, that use to utter lies, The name of friend is more than family, A leprous one! Put up thy sword, young man. Amin. How should I bear it then, she being so? I fear, my friend, that you will lose me shortly; And I shall do a foul act on myself, Through these disgraces. Mel. Better half the land Were buried quick together. No, Amintor; Amin. What is it then to me, If it be wrong to you? Mel. Why, not so much: The credit of our house is thrown away. Amin. I have quite undone my fame. |