Whilst afar off the vessel sails away, Where all the treasure of my soul's embark'd, Wilt thou not turn ?-Oh! could those eyes but speak, And please myself withal, whilst my heart's breaking. Mon. Ah, poor Castalio! Cast." Pity, by the gods, [Exit Monimia. "She pities me! then thou wilt go eternally." With me? Think me but dead, and lay me so. 360 Enter POLYDORE. Pol. To live, and live a torment to myself, What dog would bear't, that knew but his condition ? We've little knowledge, and that makes us cowards, Because it cannot tell us what's to come. Cast. Who's there? Pol. Why, what art thou ? Cast. Of my Monimia ? Cast. In haste. Methinks my Polydore appears in sadness. Cast. Do I? Pol. Thou dost. Cast. Alas, I've wond'rous reason! Castalio. I'm strangely alter'd, brother, since I saw thee. 380 Friends may be false. Is there no friendship false? Pol. I fear, Castalio, I have none to give thee. Pol. Oh, more than life: I never had a thought of my Castalio, Might wrong the friendship we had vow'd together. Hast thou dealt so by me? Cast. I hope I have. Pol. Then tell me why this mourning, this disorder? Cast. Oh, Polydore, I know not how to tell thee; Shame rises in my face, and interrupts The 400 Pol. I grieve, my friend Knows any thing which he's asham'd to tell me ; Cast. Oh, much too oft! But let me here conjure thee, By all the kind affection of a brother, (For I'm asham'd to call myself thy friend) Forgive me Pol. Well, go on. Cast. Our destiny contriv'd To plague us both with one unhappy love. Thou, like a friend, a constant, gen'rous friend, thee, And made a contract I ne'er meant to keep. Pol. How! Cast. Still new ways I study'd to abuse thee, 420 Cast. No; to conceal't from thee was much a fault. Pol. A fault! when thou hast heard The tale I tell, what wilt thou call it then? Cast. How my heart throbs! Pol. First, for thy friendship, traitor, I cancel't thus; after this day, I'll ne'er Cast. What will my fate do with me? I've lost all happiness, and know not why. Pol. Perjur'd, treach'rous wretch, Farewel. Cast. I'll be thy slave, and thou shalt use me Just as thou wilt, do but forgive me. Pol. Never. 440 Cast. Oh! think a little what thy heart is doing: Ev'n in the womb w'embrac'd, and wilt thou now, Plung'd in the gulf of grief, and none to help me? Cast. What arts? Pol. Blind wretch! thou husband! there's a question! "Go to her fulsome bed, and wallow there : "'Till some hot ruffian, full of lust and wine, "Come storm thee out, and shew thee what's thy bargain. "Cast. Hold there, I charge thee." Pol. Is she not a Cast. Whore? Pol. Ay, whore; I think that word needs no ex plaining. Cast. Alas! I can forgive ev'n this, to thee! But let me tell thee, Polydore, I'm griev'd To find thee guilty of such low revenge, To wrong that virtue which thou couldst not ruin. Cast. Should the bravest man 460 That e'er wore conquering sword, but dare to whisper What thou proclaim'st, he were the worst of liars: My friend may be mistaken. Pol. Damn th' evasion; Thou mean'st the worst; and he's a base-born villain That said I lied. Cast. Do, draw thy sword, and thrust it through my heart; There is no joy in life, if thou art lost. A base-born villain! Pol. Yes; thou never cam'st From old Acasto's loins; the midwife put A cheat upon my mother, and instead Of a true brother, in the cradle by me, Plac'd some coarse peasant's cub, and thou art he. Cast. Thou art my brother still. Pol. Thou liest. Cast. Nay then Yet I am calm. 481 [He draws. Pol. A coward's always so. Cast. Ah!-ah-that stings home Pol. Ay, base-born coward! villain! -Coward! |