The burnt air, when the Dog reigns, is not fouler Than thy contagious name, 'till thy repentance (If the gods grant thee any) purge thy sickness. Evad. Be gone! You are my brother; that's your safety. Mel. I'll be a wolf first! 'Tis, to be thy brother, An infamy below the sin of coward. I am as far from being part of thee, As thou art from thy virtue: Seek a kindred 'Mongst sensual beasts, and make a goat thy brother; A goat is cooler. Will you tell me yet? Evad. If you stay here and rail thus, I shall tell you, I'll have you whipped! get you to your command, What mortal fool durst raise thee to this daring, Evad. The fellow's mad: Sleep, and speak sense. save thee. Your great maintainers are not here, they dare not : 'Would they were all, and armed! I would speak loud; Here's one should thunder to them! will you tell me? Thou hast no hope to escape: He, that dares most, Mel. Do, whose child thou wert, Whose honour thou hast murdered, whose grave opened, And so pulled on the gods, that in their justice Let them lie sweet still in the earth; they'll stink here. Mel. Do you raise mirth out of my easiness? Forsake me, then, all weaknesses of nature, That make men women! Speak, harlot, speak truth! Or, by the dear soul of thy sleeping father, Mel. Up, and begin your story. Evad. Oh, I am miserable! Mel. 'Tis true, thou art. Speak truth still. Noble sir, forgive me. Mel. With what secure slave? Mel. Do not fall back again. Evad. What shall I do? Mel. Be true, and make your fault less. Mel. Tell, or I'll be this day a-killing thee. Mel. Stay; I must ask Mine honour first.-I've too much foolish nature Are liberally rewarded. King, I thank thee! For all my dangers and my wounds, thou hast paid me In my own metal: These are soldiers' thanks! Mel. Too late you find it. Can you be sorry? Mel. 'Would gods thou hadst been so blest! Dost thou not hate this king now? prithee hate him. Couldst thou not curse him? I command thee, curse him. Curse, till the gods hear, and deliver him Evad. No; I feel Mel. An 'twere to kiss him dead, thou'dst Be wise, and kill him. Canst thou live, and know When I shall call thee to it; or, by all Holy in heaven and earth, thou shalt not live This lustful thief stole from thee, when I say it, Evad. Here I swear it; And, all you spirits of abused ladies, That slight contrition, that's no sacrifice Amin. Sure I dazzle: There cannot be a faith in that foul woman, Thou dost still worse, still number on thy faults, Evad. My lord, Give me your griefs: You are an innocent, A soul as white as heaven; let not my sins Perish your noble youth. I do not fall here To shadow, by dissembling with my tears, (As, all say, women can) or to make less, What my hot will hath done, which heaven and you Know to be tougher than the hand of time Can cut from inan's remembrance. No, I do not: Mel. Enough. This must be known to none I do appear the same, the same Evadne, But you and I, Evadne; not to your lord, Drest in the shames I lived in; the same monster! Though he be wise and noble, and a fellow But these are names of honour, to what I am : Dares step as far into a worthy action I do present myself the foulest creature, As the most daring; ay, as far as justice. Most pois'nous, dang'rous, and despised of men, Ask me not why. Farewell. [Exit Mel. Lerna e're bred, or Nilus! I am hell, Evad. 'Would I could say so to my black dis-Till you, my dear lord, shoot your light into me, grace! The beams of your forgiveness. I am soul-sick, And wither with the fear of one condemned, 'Till I have got your pardon. Oh, where have I been all this time? how 'friended, Amin. Stand up. This is a new way to beget more sorrow: Amin. Rise, Evadne. Those heavenly powers, that put this good into thee, Evad. I have done nothing good to win belief, Men pray against; and, when they die, like tales Or, like another Niobe, I'll weep 'Till I am water. Amin. I am now dissolved: My frozen soul melts. May each sin thou hast, Find a new mercy! Rise; I am at peace. Hadst thou been thus, thus excellently good, Before that devil king tempted thy frailty, Sure thou hadst made a star! Give me thy hand. From this time I will know thee; and, as far As honour gives me leave, be thy Amintor. When we meet next, I will salute thee fairly, And pray the gods to give thee happy days. My charity shall go along with thee, Though my embraces must be far from thee. I should have killed thee, but this sweet repent Cal. Yes, myself. I mean, there were that heard it. Would you have more? why, am not I enough King. But, so, you may Hang honest men too, if you please. 'Tis like I will do so: There are a hundred If my word cannot hang a boisterous knave. Stra. Sir! Enter STRATO. King. Why, where is all the company? Call Amintor in; Evadne. Where's my brother, and Melantius? That are without there.-If he should desire Cal. Why, if you do think King. Come, sirs! Amintor, thou art yet a bridegroom, And I will use thee so: Thou shalt sit down. Thou wilt chop out with them unseasonably, Stra. 'Tis my ill luck, sir, so to spend them then. King, Reach me a bowl of wine. Melantius, thou Art sad. Mel. I should be, sir, the merriest here, King. Give me the wine. Mel. I think it were not hard, sir, for a knave. King. I'faith, 'twere easy: It becomes us well. To get plain-dealing men about ourselves; Mel. And what's your resolution? Cal. Why, this is very fine. Mel. I cannot tell What 'tis you mean; but I am apt enough Cal. You shall have it, soundly, I warrant you. But let me know it: Happily, 'tis nought King. Reach to Amintor, Strato. Amin. Here, my love, This wine will do thee wrong, for it will set A fault, 'twere pity. King. Yet, I wonder much At the strange desperation of these men, That dare attempt such acts here in our state: Mel. Were he known, Impossible. King. It would be known, Melantius. Mel. It ought to be: If he got then away, King. No; I should think no man King. I do not think thou would'st; but yet For thou hast in thy hands the means to escape, Mel. From cobwebs, sir, 'Tis clean swept: I can find no other art Cal. I shall be sure Of your good word: But I have kept it safe Mel. Keep your ill temper in: I speak no malice. Had my brother kept it, King. You are not merry. Brother, drink wine. Sit you all still!-Calianax, Of guilty men, and he is never moved: Cal. Impudence may 'scape, When feeble virtue is accused. King. He must, If he were guilty, feel an alteration [Apart. At this our whisper, whilst we point at him: Cal. Let him hang himself: What care I what he does? This he did say. King. Melantius, you can easily conceive But misconstruction; and, where I am clear, King. Nay, if you stand so stiff, I shall call back my mercy. Mel. I want smoothness To thank a man for pardoning of a crime, King. Not to instruct your knowledge, but to My ears are every where, you meant to kill me, Mel. Pardon me, sir; My bluntness will be pardoned: You preserve Had perished without food, be it who it will, Cal. Ay, that will be The end of all: Then I am fairly paid Mel. That old man, Who calls me enemy, and of whom I Frantic with age and sorrow, make a breach My arm. This sword of mine hath plowed the ground, And reaped the fruit in peace; And you yourself have lived at home in ease. My name hath fetched you conquest: And my heart masque, Diagoras knows, he raged, and railed at me, Cal. I'll not speak for thee, For all thy cunning. If you will be safe, King. Some, that love him, Get him to bed. Why, pity should not let Mel. Calianax, The king believes you; come, you shall go home, And rest; you have done well.-You'll give it up, When I have used you thus a month, I hope. [Apart. Cal. Now, now, 'tis plain, sir; he does move me still. He says, he knows I'll give him up the fort, When he has used me thus a month. I am mad, Am I not, still ? Omnes. Ha, ha, ha! Cal. I shall be mad indeed, if you do thus! Why should you trust a sturdy fellow there (That has no virtue in him; all's in his sword) Before me? Do but take his weapons from him, And he's an ass; and I'm a very fool, Both with him, and without him, as you use me. Omnes. Ha, ha, ha! King. 'Tis well, Calianax. But if you use This once again, I shall entreat some other To see your offices be well discharged. Be merry, gentlemen; it grows somewhat late. Amintor, thou wouldst be a-bed again, Amin. Yes, sir. King. And you, Evadne. Let me take Thee in my arms, Melantius, and believe Thou art, as thou deservest to be, my friend Still, and for ever. Good Calianax, Sleep soundly; it will bring thee to thyself. [Exeunt. Manent MELANTIUS and CALIANAX. Cal. Sleep soundly! I sleep soundly now, I hope; I could not be thus else. How dar'st thou stay Alone with me, knowing how thou hast used me? Mel. You cannot blast me with your tongue, and that's The strongest part you have about you. Cal. Ay, Do look for some great punishment for this: Cal. Thou'lt anger me again. Thou wretched rogue, Meant me no hurt! Disgrace me with the king; Mel. To poison men, because they love me not; Cal. All this thou think'st, is sport; For mine is worse: But use thy will with me; For, betwixt grief and anger, I could cry. Mel. Be wise then, and be safe; thou may'st 1 |