To tell me, Polydore, and tell me truly, Pol. Within thy arms I triumphed! rest had been my foe. [She faints. Let mischiefs multiply! Let every hour And grow a curser of the works of nature! Mon. Oh, Polydore, if all The friendship e'er you vowed to good Castalio As I am, in possession of thy sweetness? Mon. Oh! I'm his wife. Pol. What says Monimia! ha! Speak that again. Mon. I am Castalio's wife. Pol. His married, wedded wife? Saw it performed. Pol. And then, have I enjoyed My brother's wife? Mon. As surely as we both Must taste of misery, that guilt is thine. Pol. Oh! thou mayst yet be happy. Happy, with such a weight upon thy soul? I'll find some place, where adders nest in winter, ACT V. SCENE I-A Garden. CASTALIO lying on the ground.-Soft music. SONG. Come, all ye youths, whose hearts e'er bled Let none his sorrows hide: And see, when your complaints ye join, The happiest mortal once was I; 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, [Exeunt. Though bright as heaven, whose stamp she bears, See, where the deer trot after one another, So wretched but to name Castalio? Acast. I hope my message may succeed! 'Tis joy to see you, though where sorrow's nourished. Acast. I'm come in beauty's cause; you'll guess the rest. Cast. A woman! If you love my peace of Name not a woman to me; but to think I would forget, and blot from my remembrance. Cast. She, to chuse: Monimia! The very sound's ungrateful to my sense. Acast. This might seem strange, but you, I've found, will hide Your heart from me; you dare not trust your father. Cast. No more Monimia. Cast. So much the worse; who loves to hear When you would give all worldly plagues a name, Acast. Castalio, you must go along with me, Cast. Sure my lord but mocks me. Go see Monimia! Pray, my lord, excuse me, Acast. I say, no more dispute. Complaints are made to me, that you have wronged her. Cast. Who has complained? Cast. Speak, what said he? Acast. That thou wert a villain; Methinks I would not have thee thought a villain. Cast. Shame on the ill-mannered brute! Your age secured him; he durst not else have said so. Acast. By my sword, I would not see wronged, and bear it vílely : Though I have passed my word she shall have justice. Cast. Justice! to give her justice would undo her. Think you this solitude I now have chosen, Left joys, just opening to my sense, sought here A place to curse my fate in, measured out My grave at length, wished to have grown one piece With this cold clay, and all without a cause? Enter CHAMONT. Cha. Where is the hero, famous and renowned Acast. I guess, Chamont, you come to seek Cha. I come to seek the husband of Monimia. Cha. I thought ere now to have found you Cast. Then you are Chamont? Cast. I have heard of such a man, Cha. Thus I'll thank you. [Draws. Acast. By this good sword, who first presumes to violence, Makes me his foe [Draws and interposes. Young man, it once was thought [To Cast. I was fit guardian of my house's honour; you, -For [To Cha. Young soldier, I must tell you, you have wronged me. Acast. Her brother, to my face, proclaimed her | I promised you to do Monimia right, wronged, And in such terms they have warmed me. Cast. What terms? Her brother! Heaven! Where learned she that? What! does she send her hero with defiance? He durst not sure affront you! And thought my word a pledge, I would not forfeit : But you, I find, would fright us to performance. Cast. Sir, in my younger years, with care you taught me, That brave revenge was due to injured honour; Oppose not then the justice of my sword, Because thou knowest that place is sanctified Thy father's honour's not above Monimia's; Acast. Boy, don't disturb the ashes of the dead With thy capricious follies. The remembrance Of the loved creature, that once filled these Sheath up thy angry sword, and don't affright me. Cast. Sir, if you'd have me think you did not take This opportunity to shew your vanity, Farewell: I wish much happiness attend you. Cast. Sir, 'twas my last request, You would, though I find you will not be satisfi ed; So, in a word, Monimia is my scorn; Flor. Oh, shew me quickly, where's Castalio! Acast. What's the matter? Flor. Hurried by despair, She flies with fury over all the house, Cast. Ha! will she? Does she name Castalio? And with such tenderness? Conduct me quickly To the poor lovely mourner. Oh, my father! Acast. Then wilt thou go? Blessings attend thy purpose. ! Cust. I cannot hear Monimia's soul's in sadness, And be a man; my heart will not forgot her; But do not tell the world you saw this of me. A Chamber. Enter MONIMIA. CASTALIO within. Cast. Who talks of dying with a voice so sweet, Mon. Hark! 'tis he that answers. Cast. [Entering.] Here, my love. Mon. Could'st thou but forgive me- Mon. For my fault last night: alas, thou can'st Cast. I can, and do. Mon. Thus crawling on the earth, Cast. So, in the fields, prey, When the destroyer has been out for Murmuring love, and joy their fears are over. Lest, in pursuance of the goodly quarry, What danger threatens me, and where it lies: Cast. Have I been in a dream, then, all this As might have moved the hardest heart; why while? And art thou but the shadow of Monimia? Why dost thou fly me thus? wert thou Deaf to my criefs, and senseless of my pains? Mon. Oh, were it possible, that we could drown Readst thou not something in my face, that In dark oblivion but a few past hours, We might be happy. Cast. Is it then so hard, Monimia, to forgive A fault, where humble love, like mine, implores thee? prove my ruin. For I must love thee, though it Mon. If I am dumb, Castalio, and want words Just as thy poor heart thinks! Have not I wronged Cast. No. Mon. Still thou wander'st in the dark, Castalio; But wilt, ere long, stumble on horrid danger. Cast. What means my love? What dost thou mean by horror and forbearance Cast. If, labouring in the pangs of death, Mon. My heart won't let me speak it; but Monimia, poor Monimia, tells you this, Cast. What means my destiny? For all my good or evil fate dwells in thee! Mon. No, never. Cast. Where's the power On earth, that dare not look like thee, and Thou art my heart's inheritance; I served And who shall rob me of the dear bought blessing? Mon. Time will clear all; but now, let this content you. Heaven has decreed, and therefore I'm resolved In some far distant country waste my life, And never more shall find the way to rest; Why turnest thou from me? I am alone already; I should know all, for love is pregnant in them; Mon. Ah, poor Castalio! [Exit Monimia. She pities me! then thou wilt go eternally, Enter POLYDOre. Pol. To live, and live a torment to myself, What dog would bear it, that knew but his condition? We have little knowledge, and that makes us cowards, Because it cannot tell us what's to come. Cust. Who's there?— Pol. Why, what art thou? Cast. My brother Polydore? Pol. My name is Polydore. Cast. Canst thou inform me Pol. Of what! Cast. Of my Monimia! Pol. No. Good-day. Cast. In haste! Methinks my Polydore appears in sadness. Pol. Indeed, and so to me does my Castalio. Cast. Do I? Pol. Thou dost. Cast. Alas, I have wond'rous reason! I am strangely altered, brother, since I saw thec. Pol. Why! Cast. Oh! to tell thee, would but put thy To pain. Let me embrace thee but a little, Within thy friendly bosom all my follies; Cast. Why dost thou ask me that? Does this appear Like a false friendship, when, with open arms, Pol. I fear, Castalio, I have none to give thec. I never had a thought of my Castalio, Hast thou dealt so by me? Pol. Then tell me why this mourning, this disorder? Cast. Oh, Polydore, I know not how to tell thee; Shame rises in my face, and interrupts Pol. I grieve, my friend Knows any thing, which he is ashamed to tell me ; Or didst thou e'er conceal thy thoughts from Polydore? Cast. Oh, much too oft! | By all the kind affection of a brother, Pol. Well, go on. Cast. Our destiny contrived To plague us both with one unhappy love. fore thee, And made a contract I ne'er meant to keep, Pol. How! Cast. Still new ways I studied to abuse thee, And kept thee as a stranger to my passion, 'Till yesterday I wedded with Monimia. Pol. Ah, Castalio, was that well done! Cast. No; to conceal it from thee was much a fault. Pol. A fault! when thou hast heard The tale I tell, what wilt thou call it then? Pol. First for thy friendship, traitor, I cancel it thus; after this day, I'll ne'er Cast. What will my fate do with me? Pol. Perjured, treacherous wretch, Farewell! Cast. I'll be thy slave, and thou shalt use me Just as thou wilt, do but forgive me. Bb |