Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB

Mon. Yesterday's sun

Saw it perform'd.

Pol. And then, have I enjoy'd

My brother's wife?

Mon. As surely as we both

Must taste of misery, that guilt is thine.
"Pol. Must we be miserable then?
"Mon. Oh !"

Pol. Oh! thou mayst yet be happy.
Mon. Couldst thou be

Happy, with such a weight upon thy soul?
Pol. It may be yet a secret; I'll go try
To reconcile and bring Castalio to thee;
Whilst from the world I take myself away,
And waste my life in penance for my sin.

500

Mon. Then thou wouldst more undo me; heap a

load

Of added sins upon my wretched head.

Wouldst thou again have me betray thy brother,

And bring pollution to his arms? Curst thought!
Oh, when shall I be mad indeed!

"Pol. Nay, then

"Let us embrace, and from this

[Ex. Mon.

very moment

"Vow an eternal misery together.

"Mon. And wilt thou be a very faithful wretch? "Never grow fond of cheerful peace again? "Wilt thou with me study to be unhappy, "And find out ways how to increase affliction? "Pol. We'll institute new arts unknown before, "To vary plagues, and make 'em look like new ones.

[ocr errors]

"First, if the fruit of our detested joy

"A child be born, it shall be murder'd

"Mon. No;

"Sure that may live.

"Pol. Why?

"Mon. To become a thing

520

"More wretched than its parents, to be branded

"With all our infamy, and curse its birth."

Pol. "That's well contriv'd."

Then thus I'll go,

Full of my guilt, distracted where to roam, "Like the first wretched pair expell'd their Paradise," I'll find some place where adders nest in winter, Loathsome and venomous: where poisons hang Like gums against the walls: where witches meet by night, and feed upon some pamper'd imp, Fat with the blood of babes: There I'll inhabit, And live up to the height of desperation ; Desire shall languish like a withering flow'r, "And no distinction of the sex be thought of." Horrors shall freight me from those pleasing harms, And I'll no more be caught with beauty's charms, "But when I'm dying take me in thy arms." [Exeunt.

ACT V. SCENE I.

A Garden. CASTALIO lying on the Ground. Soft Music.

[ocr errors]

"SONG.

COME, all ye youths, whose hearts eʼer bled
"By cruel beauty's pride;

"Bring each a garland on his head,

"Let none his sorrows hide: "But hand in hand around me move, Singing the saddest tales of love ; "And see, when your complaints ye join, "If all your wrongs can equal mine.

"The happiest mortal once was 1;
"My heart no sorrows knew,
"Pity the pain with which I die;
"But ask not whence it grew.
"Yet if a tempting fair you find,
"That's very lovely, very kind,

"Though bright as heav'n, whose stamp she bears,
"Think of my fate, and shun her snares.'

[ocr errors]

See where the deer trot after one another,
Male, female, father, daughter, mother, son,
Brother and sister, mingled all together.

20

No discontent they know; but in delightful
Wildness and freedom, pleasant springs, fresh her-

bage,

[ocr errors]

Calm arbours, lusty health and innocence,
Enjoy their portion; if they see a man,
How will they turn together all, and gaze
Upon the monster-

Once in a season too they taste of love:
Only the beast of reason is its slave :

And in that folly drudges all the year.

Enter ACASTO.

Acast. Castalio! Castalio!

Cast. Who's there

So wretched but to name Castalio?

Acast. I hope my message may succeed!

Cast. My father!

'Tis joy to see you, though where sorrow's nourish'd. "Acast. I'm come in beauty's cause; you'll guess

"the rest.

"Cast. A woman! If you love my peace of mind, "Name not a woman to me; but to think

"Of woman, were enough to taint my brains

"'Till they ferment to madness. Oh, my father! "Acast. What ails my boy?

"Cast. A woman is the thing

"I would forget, and blot from my remembrance. "Acast. Forget Monimia !

"Cast. She, to choose: Monimia!

"The very sound's ungrateful to my sense.

40

"Acast. This might seem strange, but you, I've found, will hide

"Your heart from me; you dare not trust your fa

"ther.

"Cast. No more Monimia.

"Acast. Is she not your wife?

"Cast. So much the worse; who loves to hear of "wife?

"When you would give all worldly plagues a name, "Worse than they have already, call 'em wife : "But a new-marry'd wife's a teeming mischief, "Full of herself! Why, what a deal of horror "Has that poor wretch to come, that wedded yester"day !"

Acast. Castalio, you must go along with me, And see Monimia.

Cast. Sure my lord but mocks me.

Go see Monimia! "Pray, my lord, excuse me, "And leave the conduct of this part of life

"To my own choice."

Acast. I say, no more dispute.

60

Complaints are made to me, that you have wrong'd her. Cast. Who has complain'd?

Acast. Her brother, to my face, proclaim'd her wrong'd,

And in such terms they've warm'd me.

Cast. What terms? Her brother! Heav'n!

Where learn'd she that?

What does she send her hero with defiance ?

He durst not sure affront you!

Acast. No, not much.

But

« ZurückWeiter »