Act 2 — SCENE II.
Reading edition
Another apartment in the castle.
Enter Diaphanta and Alsemero.
Dia. The place is my charge; you have kept your hour,
And the reward of a just meeting bless you!
I hear my lady coming: complete gentleman,
I dare not be too busy with my praises,
They’re dangerous things to deal with. [Exit.
Als. This goes well;
These women are the ladies' cabinets,
Things of most precious trust are lock’d into ’em.
Enter Beatrice.
Beat. I have within mine eye all my desires:
234Requests that holy prayers ascend heaven for,
And bring[427] ’em down to furnish our defects,
Come not more sweet to our necessities
Than thou unto my wishes.
Als. We’re so like
In our expressions, lady, that unless I borrow
The same words, I shall never find their equals.
Beat. How happy were this meeting, this embrace,
If it were free from envy! this poor kiss,
It has an enemy, a hateful one,
That wishes poison to’t: how well were I now,
If there were none such name known as Piracquo,
Nor no such tie as the command of parents!
I should be but too much bless’d.
Als. One good service
Would strike off both your fears, and I'll go near’t too,
Since you are so distress’d; remove the cause,
The command ceases; so there’s two fears blown out
With one and the same blast.
Beat. Pray, let me find you, sir:
What might that service be, so strangely happy?
Als. The honourablest piece about man, valour:
I'll send a challenge to Piracquo instantly.
Beat. How? call you that extinguishing of fear,
When ’tis the only way to keep it flaming?
Are not you ventur’d in the action,
That’s all my joys and comforts? pray, no more, sir:
Say you prevail’d, you’re danger’s and not mine then;
The law would claim you from me, or obscurity
235Be made the grave to bury you alive.
I'm glad these thoughts come forth; O, keep not one
Of this condition,[428] sir! here was a course
Found to bring sorrow on her way to death;
The tears would ne’er ha' dried, till dust had chok’d ’em.
Blood-guiltiness becomes a fouler visage;—
And now I think on one; I was to blame,
I ha' marr’d so good a market with my scorn;
'Thad been done questionless: the ugliest creature
Creation fram’d for some use; yet to see
I could not mark so much where it should be! [Aside.
Als. Lady——
Beat. Why, men of art make much of poison,
Keep one to expel another; where was my art? [Aside.
Als. Lady, you hear not me.
Beat. I do especially, sir;
The present times are not so sure of our side
As those hereafter may be; we must use ’em then
As thrifty folks their wealth, sparingly now,
Till the time opens.
Als. You teach wisdom, lady.
Beat. Within there! Diaphanta!
Re-enter Diaphanta.
Dia. Do you call, madam?
Beat. Perfect your service, and conduct this gentleman
The private way you brought him.
Dia. I shall, madam.
Als. My love’s as firm as love e’er built upon.
[Exit with Diaphanta.
236Enter De Flores.
De F. I've watch’d this meeting, and do wonder much
What shall become of t’other; I'm sure both
Cannot be serv’d unless she transgress; haply
Then I'll put in for one; for if a woman
Fly from one point, from him she makes a husband,
She spreads and mounts then like arithmetic;
One, ten, a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand,
Proves in time sutler to an army royal.
Now do I look to be most richly rail’d at,
Yet I must see her. [Aside.
Beat. Why, put case I loath’d him
As much as youth and beauty hates a sepulchre,
Must I needs shew it? cannot I keep that secret,
And serve my turn upon him? See, he’s here.— [Aside.
De Flores.
De F. Ha, I shall run mad with joy!
She call’d me fairly by my name De Flores,
And neither rogue nor rascal. [Aside.
Beat. What ha' you done
To your face a' late? you’ve met with some good physician;
You’ve prun’d yourself,[429] methinks: you were not wont
To look so amorously.[430]
De F. Not I;—
’Tis the same physnomy, to a hair and pimple,
Which she call’d scurvy scarce an hour ago:
How is this? [Aside.
237Beat. Come hither; nearer, man.
De F. I'm up to the chin in heaven! [Aside.
Beat. Turn, let me see;
Faugh, ’tis but the heat of the liver, I perceive’t;
I thought it had been worse.
De F. Her fingers touch’d me!
She smells all amber.[431] [Aside.
Beat. I'll make a water for you shall cleanse this
Within a fortnight.
De F. With your own hands, lady?
Beat. Yes, mine own [hands],[432] sir; in a work of cure
I'll trust no other.
De F. ’Tis half an act of pleasure
To hear her talk thus to me. [Aside.
Beat. When we’re us’d
To a hard face, it is not so unpleasing;
It mends still in opinion, hourly mends;
I see it by experience.
De F. I was bless’d
To light upon this minute; I'll make use on’t. [Aside.
Beat. Hardness becomes the visage of a man well;
It argues service, resolution, manhood,
If cause were of employment.
De F. ’Twould be soon seen,
If e’er your ladyship had cause to use it;
I would but wish the honour of a service
So happy as that mounts to.
Beat. We shall try you:[433]
O my De Flores!
238De F. How’s that? she calls me hers;
Already, my De Flores! [Aside.]—You were about
To sigh out somewhat, madam?
Beat. No, was I?
I forgot,—O!—
De F. There ’tis again, the very fellow on’t.
Beat. You are too quick, sir.
De F. There’s no excuse[434] for’t now, I heard it twice, madam;
That sigh would fain have utterance; take pity on’t,
And lend it a free word; ’las, how it labours
For liberty! I hear the murmur yet
Beat at your bosom.
Beat. Would creation——
De F. Ay, well said, that is it.
Beat. Had form’d me man!
De F. Nay, that’s not it.
Beat. O, ’tis the soul of freedom!
I should not then be forc’d to marry one
I hate beyond all depths; I should have power
Then to oppose my loathings, nay, remove ’em
For ever from my sight.
239De F. O bless’d occasion! [Aside.
Without change to your sex you have your wishes;
Claim so much man in me.
Beat. In thee, De Flores?
There is small cause for that.
De F. Put it not from me,
It is a service that I kneel for to you. [Kneels.
Beat. You are too violent to mean faithfully:
There’s horror in my service, blood, and danger;
Can those be things to sue for?
De F. If you knew
How sweet it were to me to be employ’d
In any act of yours, you would say then
I fail’d, and us’d not reverence enough
When I receiv'[d] the charge on’t.
Beat. This is much, methinks;
Belike his wants are greedy; and to such
Gold tastes like angel’s food. [Aside.]—[De Flores,][435] rise.
De F. I'll have the work first.
Beat. Possible his need
Is strong upon him. [Aside.]—There’s to encourage thee; [Gives money.
As thou art forward, and thy service dangerous,
Thy reward shall be precious.
De F. That I've thought on;
I have assur’d myself of that beforehand,
And know it will be precious; the thought ravishes!
Beat. Then take him to thy fury!
De F. I thirst for him.
Beat. Alonzo de Piracquo.
De F. [rising] His end’s upon him;
He shall be seen no more.
Beat. How lovely now
240Dost thou appear to me! never was man
Dearlier rewarded.
De F. I do think of that.
Beat. Be wondrous careful in the execution.
De F. Why, are not both our lives upon the cast?
Beat. Then I throw all my fears upon thy service.
De F. They ne’er shall rise to hurt you.
Beat. When the deed’s done,
I'll furnish thee with all things for thy flight;
Thou may’st live bravely in another country.
De F. Ay, ay; we’ll talk of that hereafter.
Beat. I shall rid myself
Of two inveterate loathings at one time,
Piracquo, and his dog-face. [Aside, and exit.
De F. O my blood!
Methinks I feel her in mine arms already;
Her wanton fingers combing out this beard,
And, being pleasèd, praising this bad face.
Hunger and pleasure, they’ll commend sometimes
Slovenly dishes, and feed heartily on ’em,
Nay, which is stranger, refuse daintier for ’em.
Some women are odd feeders,—I'm too loud.
Here comes the man goes supperless to bed,
Yet shall not rise to-morrow to his dinner.
Enter Alonzo.
Alon. De Flores.
De F. My kind, honourable lord?
Alon. I'm glad I ha' met with thee.
De F. Sir?
Alon. Thou canst shew me
The full strength of the castle?
De F. That I can, sir.
Alon. I much desire it.
De F. And if the ways and straits
241Of some of the passages be not too tedious for you,
I'll assure you, worth your time and sight, my lord.
Alon. Pooh, that shall be no hindrance.
De F. I'm your servant then:
’Tis now near dinner-time; ’gainst your lordship’s rising
I'll have the keys about me.
Alon. Thanks, kind De Flores.
De F. He’s safely thrust upon me beyond hopes.
[Aside.
[Exeunt severally.