Part 2 / Act 3 — SCENE II.

An apartment in the house of the Duchess.

Enter Duchess and Celia.

Duch. Thou tell’st me happy things, if they be certain,

To bring my wishes about wondrous strangely;

Lactantio, nephew to the cardinal,

The general’s secret enemy?

Celia. Most true, madam;

I had it from a gentleman, my kinsman,

That knows the best part of Lactantio’s bosom.

Duch. It happens passing fortunately to save

Employment in another; he will 'come now

A necessary property; he may thank

The need and use we have of him for his welcome.

[Knocking within.

Now, who’s that knocks?

Celia [after going out and re-entering.] Madam, ’tis he, with speed:

I thought he had brought his horse to th’ chamber-door,

He made such haste and noise.

Duch. Admit him, prithee,

And have a care your heart be true and secret.

Celia. Take life away from’t when it fails you, madam.

Duch. Enough; I know thee wise.— [Exit Celia.

He comes with haste indeed.

Enter Lactantio.

Are you come now, sir?

You should have stay’d yet longer, and have found me

Dead, to requite your haste.

Lac. Love bless you better, madam!

599Duch. Must I bid welcome to the man undoes me,

The cause of my vow’s breach, my honour’s enemy;

One that does all the mischief to my fame,

And mocks my seven years’ conquest with his name?

This is a force of love was never felt;

But I’ll not grudge at fortune, I will take

Captivity cheerfully: here, seize upon me,

And if thy heart can be so pitiless

To chain me up for ever in those arms,

I’ll take it mildly, ay, and thank my stars,

For we’re all subject to the chance of wars.

Lac. We are so; yet take comfort, vanquish’d duchess,

I’ll use you like an honourable prisoner,

You shall be [well] entreated; day shall be

Free for all sports to you, the night for me;

That’s all I challenge, all the rest is thine;

And for your fare 't shall be no worse than mine.

Duch. Nay, then, I’m heartily pleasant, and as merry

As one that owes no malice, and that’s well, sir:

You cannot say so much for your part, can you?

Lac. Faith, all that I owe is to one man, madam,

And so can few men say: marry, that malice

Wears no dead flesh about it, ’tis a stinger.

Duch. What is he that shall dare to be your enemy,

Having our friendship, if he be a servant

And subject to our law?

Lac. Yes, trust me, madam,

Of a vild^[919] fellow I hold him a true subject;

There’s many arrant knaves that are good subjects,

600Some for their living’s sakes, some for their lives,

That will unseen eat men, and drink their wives.

Duch. They are as much in fault that know such people,

And yet conceal 'em from the whips of justice.

For love’s sake give me in your foe betimes,

Before he vex you further; I will order him

To your heart’s wishes, load him with disgraces,

That your revenge shall rather pity him

Than wish more weight upon him.

Lac. Say you so, madam?—

Here’s a bless’d hour, that feeds both love and hate;

Then take thy time, brave malice. [Aside.]—Virtuous princess,

The only enemy that my vengeance points to

Lives in Andrugio.

Duch. What, the general?

Lac. That’s the man, madam.

Duch. Are you serious, sir?

Lac. As at my prayers.

Duch. We meet happily then

In both our wishes; he’s the only man

My will has had a longing to disgrace,

For divers capital contempts; my memory

Shall call 'em all together now; nay, sir,

I’ll bring his faith in war now into question,

And his late conference with the enemy.

Lac. Byrlady^[920] a shrewd business and a dangerous!

Signor, your neck’s a-cracking.

Duch. Stay, stay, sir;

Take pen and ink.

Lac. Here’s both, and paper, madam.

Duch. I’ll take him in a fine trap.

601Lac. That were excellent.

Duch. A letter so writ would abuse him strangely.

Lac. Good madam, let me understand your mind,

And then take you no care for his abusing;

I serve for nothing else. I can write fast and fair,

Most true orthography, and observe my stops.

Duch. Stay, stay awhile;

You do not know his hand.

Lac. A bastard Roman,

Much like mine own; I could go near it, madam.

Duch. Marry, and shall.

Lac. We were once great together,

And writ Spanish epistles one to another,

To exercise the language.

Duch. Did you so?

It shall be a bold letter of temptation,

With his name to’t, as writ and sent to me.

Lac. Can be no better, lady; stick there, madam,

And ne’er seek further.

Duch. Begin thus: Fair duchess, say;

We must use flattery if we imitate man,

'Twill ne’er be thought his pen else.

Lac. Most fair duchess. [Writing.

Duch. What need you have put in most? yet since ’tis in,

Let 't even go on; few women would find fault with’t;

We all love to be best, but seldom mend:

Go on, sir.

Lac. Most fair duchess! here’s an admiration-point. [Writing.

Duch. The report of your vow shall not fear me——

Lac. Fear me; two stops at fear me. [Writing.

Duch. I know you’re but a woman——

Lac. But a woman; a comma at woman. [Writing.

602Duch. And what a woman is, a wise man knows.

Lac. Wise man knows; a full prick there.

[Writing.

Duch. Perhaps my condition^[921], may seem blunt to you——

Lac. Blunt to you; a comma here again. [Writing.

Duch. But no man’s love can be more sharp set——

Lac. Sharp set; there a colon, for colon^[922] is sharp set oftentimes. Writing.

Duch. And I know desires in both sexes have skill at that weapon.

Lac. Skill at that weapon; a full prick here at weapon. [Writing.

Duch. So, that will be enough; subscribe it thus now,

One that vows service to your affections; signor such a one.

Lac. Signor Andrugio, G.; that stands for general.

[Writing.

Duch. And you shall stand for goose-cap. [Aside.]—Give me that: [Taking letter.

Betake you to your business speedily, sir;

We give you full authority from our person,

In right of reputation, truth, and honour,

To take a strong guard, and attach his body;

That done, to bring him presently before us;

Then we know what to do.

Lac. My hate finds wings;

Man’s spirit flies swift to all revengeful things.

[Aside, and exit.

Duch. Why, here’s the happiness of my desires;

The means safe, unsuspected, far from thought;

603His state is like the world’s condition right,

Greedy of gain, either by fraud or stealth;

And whilst one toils, another gets the wealth. [Exit.