Act 4 — [Scene I.][3378]

Mel. Save you! Evad. Save you, sweet brother. Mel. In my blunt eye, methinks, you look, Evadne— Evad. Come, you would make me blush. Mel. I would, Evadne; I shall displease my ends else. Evad. You shall, if you Commend me; I am bashful. Come, sir, how do5 I look? Mel. I would not have your women hear me Break into commendation of you; ’t is not Seemly. Evad. Go wait me in the gallery. Exeunt Ladies. Now speak. Mel. I ’ll lock the door first. Evad. Why? Mel. I will not have your gilded things, that dance10 In visitation with their Milan skins,[3379] Choke up my business. Evad. You are strangely dispos’d, sir. Mel. Good madam, not to make you merry. Evad. No; if you praise me, it will make me sad. Mel. Such a sad commendation I have for you. Evad. Brother,16 The court hath made you witty, and learn to riddle. Mel. I praise the court for ’t: has it learn’d you nothing? Evad. Me! Mel. Ay, Evadne; thou art young and handsome, A lady of a sweet complexion,20 And such a flowing carriage, that it cannot Choose but inflame a kingdom. Evad. Gentle brother! Mel. ’T is yet in thy repentance, foolish woman, To make me gentle. Evad. How is this? Mel. ’T is base;24 And I could blush, at these years, through all My honour’d scars, to come to such a parley. Evad. I understand you not. Mel. You dare not, fool! They that commit thy faults fly the remembrance. Evad. My faults, sir! I would have you know, I care not29 If they were written here, here in my forehead. Mel. Thy body is too little for the story; The lusts of which would fill another woman, Though[3380] she had twins within her. Evad. This is saucy: Look you intrude no more! There ’s your way. Mel. Thou art my way, and I will tread upon thee,35 Till I find truth out. Evad. What truth is that you look for? Mel. Thy long-lost honour. Would the gods had set me Rather to grapple with the plague, or stand One of their loudest bolts! Come, tell me quickly, Do it without enforcement, and take heed40 You swell me not above my temper. Evad. How, sir! Where got you this report? Mel. Where there was people, In every place. Evad. They and the seconds of it Are base people: believe them not, they lied.44 Mel. Do not play with mine anger; do not, wretch! [Seizes her.] I come to know that desperate fool that drew thee From thy fair life. Be wise, and lay him open. Evad. Unhand me, and learn manners! Such another Forgetfulness forfeits your life. Mel. Quench me this mighty humour, and then tell me50 Whose whore you are; for you are one, I know it. Let all mine honours perish but I’ll find him Though he lie lock’d up in thy blood! Be sudden; There is no facing it; and be not flattered. The burnt air, when the Dog[3381] reigns, is not fouler55 Than thy contagious name, till thy repentance (If the gods grant thee any) purge thy sickness. Evad. Begone! you are my brother; that’s your safety. Mel. I’ll be a wolf first. ’T is, to be thy brother, An infamy below the sin of coward.60 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 you65 I’ll ha’ you whipt! Get you to your command, And there preach to your sentinels, and tell them What a brave man you are: I shall laugh at you. Mel. You’re grown a glorious whore! Where be your fighters?69 What mortal fool durst raise thee to this daring, And I alive! By my just sword, he’d safer Bestrid a billow when the angry North Ploughs up the sea, or made Heaven’s fire his foe! Work me no higher. Will you discover yet? Evad. The fellow’s mad. Sleep, and speak sense.75 Mel. Force my swol’n heart no further; I would 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 ’em! Will you tell me?— Thou hast no hope to scape. He that dares most,80 And damns away his soul to do thee service, Will sooner snatch meat from a hungry lion Than come to rescue thee. Thou hast death about thee;— Has undone thine honour, poison’d thy virtue, And, of a lovely rose, left thee a canker.[3382]85 Evad. Let me consider. Mel. Do, whose child thou wert, Whose honour thou hast murdered, whose grave opened, And so pull’d on the gods that in their justice They must restore him flesh again and life,89 And raise his dry bones to revenge this scandal. Evad. The gods are not of my mind; they had better Let ’em 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, [Draws his sword.] That make men women! Speak, you whore, speak truth,95 Or, by the dear soul of thy sleeping father, This sword shall be thy lover! Tell, or I’ll kill thee; And, when thou hast told all, thou wilt deserve it. Evad. You will not murder me? Mel. No; ’t is a justice, and a noble one,100 To put the light out of such base offenders. Evad. Help! Mel. By thy foul self, no human help shall help thee, If thou criest! When I have kill’d thee, as I Have vow’d to do, if thou confess not, naked105 As thou hast left thine honour will I leave thee, That on thy branded flesh the world may read Thy black shame and my justice. Wilt thou bend yet? Evad. Yes. Mel. Up, and begin your story.110 Evad. Oh, I am miserable! Mel. ’T is true, thou art. Speak truth still. Evad. I have offended: noble sir, forgive me! Mel. With what secure slave? Evad. Do not ask me, sir; Mine own remembrance is a misery115 Too mighty for me. Mel. Do not fall back again; My sword’s unsheathed yet. Evad. What shall I do? Mel. Be true, and make your fault less. Evad. I dare not tell. Mel. Tell, or I’ll be this day a-killing thee. Evad. Will you forgive me, then?120 Mel. Stay; I must ask mine honour first. I have too much foolish nature in me: speak. Evad. Is there none else here? Mel. None but a fearful[3383] conscience; that’s too many. Who is ’t? Evad. Oh, hear me gently! It was the King. Mel. No more. My worthy father’s and my services126 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!— How long have you liv’d thus, Evadne? Evad. Too long.130 Mel. Too late you find it. Can you be sorry?[3384] Evad. Would I were half as blameless! Mel. Evadne, thou wilt to thy trade again. Evad. First to my grave. Mel. Would gods thou hadst been so blest! Dost thou not hate this King now? Prithee, hate him:135 Couldst thou not curse him? I command thee, curse him; Curse till the gods hear, and deliver him To thy just wishes. Yet I fear, Evadne, You had rather play your game out. Evad. No, I feel Too many sad confusions here, to let in140 Any loose flame hereafter. Mel. Dost thou not feel, ’mongst all those, one brave anger, That breaks out nobly, and directs thine arm To kill this base King? Evad. All the gods forbid it! Mel. No, all the gods require it;145 They are dishonoured in him. Evad. ’Tis too fearful. Mel. You’re valiant in his bed, and bold enough To be a stale whore, and have your madam’s name Discourse for grooms and pages: and hereafter, When his cool majesty hath laid you by,150 To be at pension with some needy sir For meat and coarser clothes; thus far you know No fear. Come, you shall kill him. Evad. Good sir! Mel. An ’t were to kiss him dead, thou ’dst smother him: Be wise, and kill him. Canst thou live, and know155 What noble minds shall make thee, see thyself Found out with every finger, made the shame Of all successions, and in this great ruin Thy brother and thy noble husband broken? Thou shalt not live thus. Kneel, and swear to help me,160 When I shall call thee to it; or, by all Holy in Heaven and earth, thou shalt not live To breathe a full hour longer; not a thought! Come ’t is a righteous oath. Give me thy hands, And, both to Heaven held up, swear, by that wealth165 This lustful thief stole from thee, when I say it, To let his foul soul out. Evad. Here I swear it; [Kneels.] And, all you spirits of abused ladies, Help me in this performance! Mel. [raising her.] Enough. This must be known to none170 But you and I, Evadne; not to your lord, Though he be wise and noble, and a fellow Dares step as far into a worthy action As the most daring, ay, as far as justice. Ask me not why. Farewell.175 Exit. Evad. Would I could say so to my black disgrace! Oh, where have I been all this time? How friended, That I should lose myself thus desperately. And none for pity show me how I wand’red? There is not in the compass of the light180 A more unhappy creature: sure, I am monstrous; For I have done those follies, those mad mischiefs, Would dare[3385] a woman. Oh, my loaden soul, Be not so cruel to me; choke not up The way to my repentance! Enter Amintor. Oh, my lord!185 Amin. How now? Evad. My much abused lord! [Kneels.] Amin. This cannot be! Evad. I do not kneel to live; I dare not hope it; The wrongs I did are greater. Look upon me, Though I appear with all my faults. Amin. Stand up. This is a new way to beget more sorrow;190 Heaven knows I have too many. Do not mock me: Though I am tame, and bred up with my wrongs, Which are my foster-brothers, I may leap, Like a hand-wolf,[3386] into my natural-wildness,194 And do an outrage. Prithee, do not mock me. Evad. My whole life is so leprous, it infects All my repentance. I would buy your pardon, Though at the highest set,[3387] even with my life: That slight contrition, that’s no sacrifice199 For what I have committed. Amin. Sure, I dazzle; There cannot be a faith in that foul woman, That knows no god more mighty than her mischiefs. Thou dost still worse, still number on thy faults, To press my poor heart thus. Can I believe There ’s any seed of virtue in that woman205 Left to shoot up, that dares go on in sin Known, and so known as thine is? Oh, Evadne! Would there were any safety in thy sex, That I might put a thousand sorrows off, And credit thy repentance! but I must not.210 Thou hast brought me to that dull calamity, To that strange misbelief of all the world And all things that are in it, that I fear I shall fall like a tree, and find my grave, Only rememb’ring that I grieve. Evad. My lord,215 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 less220 What my hot will hath done, which Heaven and you Know to be tougher than the hand of time Can cut from man’s remembrance; no, I do not; I do appear the same, the same Evadne, Drest in the shames I liv’d in, the same monster.225 But these are names of honour to what I am; I do present myself the foulest creature, Most poisonous, dangerous, and despis’d of men, Lerna[3388] e’er bred or Nilus. I am hell,229 Till you, my dear lord, shoot your light into me, The beams of your forgiveness; I am soul-sick, And wither with the fear of one condemn’d, Till I have got your pardon. Amin. Rise, Evadne. Those heavenly powers that put this good into thee Grant a continuance of it! I forgive thee:235 Make thyself worthy of it; and take heed, Take heed, Evadne, this be serious. Mock not the powers above, that can and dare Give thee a great example of their justice To all ensuing ages,[3389] if thou play’st240 With thy repentance, the best sacrifice. Evad. I have done nothing good to win belief, My life hath been so faithless. All the creatures, Made for Heaven’s honours, have their ends, and good ones All but the cozening crocodiles, false women. They reign here like those plagues, those killing sores,246 Men pray against; and when they die, like tales Ill told and unbeliev’d, they pass away, And go to dust forgotten. But, my lord, Those short days I shall number to my rest250 (As many must not see me) shall, though too late, Though in my evening, yet perceive a will, Since I can do no good, because a woman, Reach constantly at something that is near it: I will redeem one minute of my age,255 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,260 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,265 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 ha’ kill’d thee, but this sweet repentance Locks up my vengeance: for which thus I kiss thee—270 The last kiss we must take: and would to Heaven The holy priest that gave our hands together Had given us equal virtues! Go, Evadne; The gods thus part our bodies. Have a care My honour falls no farther: I am well, then. Evad. All the dear joys here, and above hereafter,276 Crown thy fair soul! Thus I take leave, my lord; And never shall you see the foul Evadne, Till she have tried all honoured means, that may Set her in rest and wash her stains away.280 Exeunt [severally].