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Though you began this cloudy tale at midnight.
But I do listen-pray proceed, my lord.—

Ord. Where was I?

Isid. He of whom you tell the tale

Ord. Surveying all things with a quiet scorn,
Tamed himself down to living purposes,
The occupations and the semblances
Of ordinary men-and such he seemed!
But that same over-ready agent-he-
Isid. Ah! what of him, my lord?
Ord. He proved a traitor,

Betrayed the mystery to a brother traitor,
And they between them hatched a damned plot
To hunt him down to infamy and death.

What did the Valdes? I am proud of the name

Since he dared do it.— (Ordonio grasps his sword, and turns off from Isidore; then after a pause returns.) Our links burn dimly.

Isid. A dark tale darkly finished! nay, my lord, Tell what he did.

Ord. That which his wisdom promptedHe made the traitor meet him in this cavern And here he killed the traitor.

Isid. No! the fool!

He had not wit enough to be a traitor.
Poor thick-eyed beetle! not to have foreseen
That he who gulled thee with a whimpered lie
To murder his own brother, would not scruple
To murder thee, if e'er his guilt grew jealous;
And he could steal upon thee in the dark!

Ord. Thou wouldst not then have come, if—
Isid. Oh yes, my lord!

I would have met him armed, and scared the coward. (Isidore throws off his robe—shows himself armed, and draws his sword.) Ord. Now this is excellent and warms the blood!

My heart was drawing back; drawing me back
With weak and womanish scruples. Now my vengeance
Beckons me onwards with a warrior's mien

And claims that life my pity robbed her of.

Now will I kill thee, thankless slave, and count it
Among my comfortable thoughts hereafter.

Isid. And all my little ones fatherless?

Die thou first. (They fight; Ordonio disarms Isidore, and in disarming him throws his sword up that recess opposite to which they were standing. Isidore hurries into the recess

with his torch; Ordonio follows him; a loud cry of “traitor! monster!" is heard from the cavern, aud in a moment Ordonio returns alone.)

Ord. I have hurled him down the chasm! treason for treason. He dreamt of it! Henceforward let him sleep

A dreamless sleep, from which no wife can wake him.
His dream too, is made out.

SELECTION XXXI.

VIRGINIUS-DENTATUS-ICILIUS-APPIUS-TITUS-SERVIUS

LUCIUS CITIZENS.-Knowles.

Virginius. Good day, Icilius.

Icilius. Worthy Virginius! 'tis an evil day For Rome! Our new decemvirs

Are any thing but friends to justice and

Their country.

Vir. You, Icilius, had a hand

In their election.

You applied to me

To aid you with my vote, in the Comitia;
I told you then, and tell you now again,
I am not pleased when a patrician bends
His head to a plebeian's girdle! Mark me!
I'd rather he should stand aloof, and wear
His shoulder high-especially the nephew
Of Caius Claudius.

Icil. I would have pledged my life—

Vir. 'Twas a high gage, and men have staked it higher, On grounds as poor as yours-their honor, boy!

Icilius, I have heard it all-your plans

The understanding 'twixt the heads of the people→
Of whom, Icilius, you are reckoned one, and
Worthily--and Appius Claudius-all-

'Twas every jot disclosed to me.

Icil. By whom?

Vir. Siccius Dentatus.

Icil. He disclosed it to you?

Siccius Dentatus is a crabbed man!

Vir. Siccius Dentatus is an honest man!

There's not a worthier in Rome!

How now?

Has he deceived me? Do you call him liar?
My friend! my comrade! honest Siccius,
That has fought in six score battles?

Icil. Good Virginius,

Siccius Dentatus is my friend-the friend

Of every honest man in Rome—a brave man-
A most brave man. Except yourself, Virginius,
I do not know a man I prize above

Siccius Dentatus-yet he's a crabbed man.
Vir. Yes, yes; he is a crabbed man.

Icil. A man

Who loves too much to wear a jealous eye.

Vir. No, not a whit!-where there is double dealing. You are the best judge of your own concerns;

Yet, if it please you to communicate

With me upon this subject, come and see me.
I told you, boy, I favored not this stealing
And winding into place. What he deserves,
An honest man dares challenge 'gainst the world-
But come and see me.- -Appius Claudius chosen
Decemvir! (A shout.)

Icil. See, good Virginius, Appius comes!
The people still throng after him with shouts,
Unwilling to believe their Jupiter

Has marked them for his thunder. Will you stay,

And see the homage that they render him?

Vir. Not I! Stay you; and, as you made him, hail him; And shout, and wave your hand, and cry, long live

Our first and last decemvir, Appius Claudius!

For he is first and last, and every one!

Rome owes you much, Icilius-Fare you well

I shall be glad to see you at my

house.

(Exeunt.)

(Enter Appius, Dentatus, Lucius, Titus, Servius, Marcus, and

citizens shouting.)

Titus. Long live our first decemvir!

Long live Appius Claudius!

Most noble Appius! Appius and the decemvirate for ever!

(Citizens shout.)

Appius. My countrymen, and fellow-citizens,

We will deserve your favor.

Tit. You have deserved it,

And will deserve it.

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Tit. You could not have named a better man.
Dentatus. For his own purpose. (Aside.)
App. Be assured, we hold

Our power but for your good. Your gift it was,

And gifts make surest debtors. Fare you well-
And for your salutations, pardon me

If I repay you only with an echo

Long live the worthy citizens of Rome!

(Exit Appius, and Marcus.

I never

The people shout.) Den. That was a pretty echo! a most soft echo! thought your voices were half so sweet! a most melodious echo! I'd have you ever after make your music before the patricians' palaces; they give most exquisite responses ;-especially that of Appius Claudius! a most delicate echo!

Tit. What means Dentatus?

Servius. He's ever carping-nothing pleases him.

Den. Oh! yes-you please me-please me mightily,—I assure you. You are noble legislators; take most especial care of your own interests; bestow your votes most wisely too-on him who has the wit to get you into the humor; and withal, have most musical voices-most musical-if one may judge by their echo.

Tit. Why, what quarrel have you with our choice? Could we have chosen better?-I say there are ten honest decemvirs we have chosen.

Den. I pray you name them me.

Tit. There's Appius Claudius, first decemvir.

Den. Ay, call him the head; you are right. Appius Claudius, the head. Go on.

Tit. And Quintus Fabius Vibulanus.

Den. The body, that eats and drinks while the head thinks. Call him Appius's stomach. Fill him, and keep him from cold and indigestion, and he'll never give Appius the headache! Well! -There's excellent comfort in having a good stomach !—Well? Tit. There's Cornelius, Marcus Servilius, Minucius, and Titus Antonius.

Den. Arms, legs, and thighs!

Tit. And Marcus Rabuleius.

Den. He'll do for a hand, and, as he's a senator, we'll call him the right hand. We could'nt do less, you know, for a senator!-Well?

Lucius. At least, you'll say we did well in electing Quintus Petilius, Caius Duellius, and Spurius Oppius, men of our order! sound men! "known sticklers for the people"-at least, you'll say we did well in that!

Den. And who dares say otherwise? "Well?" one might as well say "ill" as "well." "Well" is the very skirt of commendation; next neighbor to that mire and gutter, "ill." " indeed! you acted like yourselves; Nay, even yourselves could

Well,"

not nave acted better! Why, had you not elected them, Appius would have gone without his left hand, and each of his two feet. Ser. Out! you are dishonest!

Den. Ha!

Ser. What would content you!

Den. A post in a hot battle! Out, you cur! Do you talk to me? Citizen. (From behind.) Down with him! he does nothing but insuit the people. (The people approach Dentatus threateningly.) (Enter Icilius suddenly.)

Icil. Stand back! Who is it that says, down with Siccius Dentatus? Down with him! 'Tis what the enemy could never do; and shall we do it for them? Who uttered that dishonest word? Who uttered it, I say? Let him answer a fitter, though less worthy mate, Lucius Icilius!

Citizens. Stand back, and hear Icilius!

Icil. What! hav'nt I voted for the decemvirs, and do I snarl at his jests? Has he not a right to jest? the good, honest Siccius Dentatus, that, alone, at the head of the veterans, vanquished the Equi for you. Has he not a right to jest? For shame! get to your houses! The worthy Dentatus! Cheer for him, if you are Romans! Cheer for him before you go! Cheer for him, I say. (Exeunt citizens, shouting.) Den. And now, what thanks do you expect from me, Icilius? Icil. None.

Den. By Jupiter, young man, had you thus stepped before me in the heat of battle, I would have cloven you down-but I'm obliged to you, Icilius—and hark you! There's a piece of furniture in the house of a friend of mine, that's called Virginius, I think you've set your heart upon-dainty enough—yet not amiss for a young man to covet. Ne'er lose your hopes! He may be brought into the mind to part with it. As to these curs, I question which I value more, their fawnings or their snarlings. But I thank you, boy-Thanks, Icilius.

Icil. Thanks-to me? No, Dentatus-Icilius is the debtor. So, a fair good-morrow, noble Roman.

Den. Good-morrow, boy. (Exit Icilius.) Don't lose your hopes. (Enter Virginius.) Noble Virginius, I am glad to see you! This meeting's to my wish. I have news for you-brave news. Vir. Well, your news, Dentatus-is it of Rome?

Den. More violence and wrong from these new masters of ours, our noble decemvirs-these demi-gods of the good people of Rome! No man's property is safe from them. The senators themselves, scared at their audacious rule, withdraw themselves to their villas, and leave us to our fate.

Vir. Rome never saw such days!

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