Cal. Is this the famous friend of Altamont, Bloody revenge on his defenceless wife, Hor. Alas, this rage is vain; for if your fame Cal. Dishonour blast thee, base, unmannered slave! That dar'st forget my birth, and sacred sex, Breathe out a solemn vow, never to see, This guilty paper shall divulge your shame. contrivance Hast thou been forging to deceive my father; Hor. Behold! Can this be forged? [Showing the Letter near. Cal. To atoms thus, [Tearing it. Thus let me tear the vile detested falsehood, The wicked, lying evidence of shame. Hor. Confusion! Cal. Henceforth, thou officious fool, Meddle no more, nor dare, even on thy life, To breathe an accent that may touch my virtue. I am myself the guardian of my honour, And will not bear so insolent a monitor. Enter ALTAMONT. Alt. Where is my life, my love, my charming bride, Joy of my heart and pleasure of my eyes, That my swift sword may find out the offender, And do thee ample justice. Cal. Turn to him. Alt. Horatio! Cal. To that insolent. Alt. My friend! Could he do this? He, who was half myself? One faith has ever bound us, and one reason Guided our wills. Have I not found him just, Honest as truth itself? And could he break The sanctity of friendship? Could he wound The heart of Altamont in his Calista? Cal. I thought what justice I should find from thee! Go fawn upon him, listen to his tale, Applaud his malice, that would blast my fame, And treat me like a common prostitute. Thou art perhaps confederate in his mischief, And wilt believe the legend, if he tells it. Ait. Oh, impious! what presumptuous wretch To offer at an injury like that? tio; Thy darling friend; 'Twas Altamont's Horatio. To fast and freeze at midnight hours of prayer; rant man. Alt. She's gone; and, as she went, ten thou sand fires Shot from her angry eyes, as if she meant Too well to keep the cruel vow she made. Now, as thou art a man, Horatio, tell me, What means this wild confusion in thy looks, As if thou wert at variance with thyself, Madness and reason combating within thee, And thou wert doubtful which should get the better? Hor. I would be dumb for ever; but thy fate Has otherwise decreed it. Thou hast seen That idol of thy soul, that fair Calista; Thou hast beheld her tears. Alt. I've seen her weep; I've seen that lovely one, that dear Calista, Hor. That I have wronged her! had her eyes been fed From that rich stream which warms her heart, .and numbered For every falling tear a drop of blood, It had not been too much; for she has ruined thee, beggar, And fed on scraps at great men's surly doors, Than to have matched with one so false, so fatal. Alt. It is too much for friendship to allow Because I tamely bore the wrong thou didst her, Hor. I see she has got possession of thy heart; She has charmed thee, like a syren, to her bed, With looks of love, and with enchanting sounds: Too late the rocks and quicksands will appear, When thou art wrecked upon the faithless shore, Then vainly wish thou hadst not left thy friend, To follow her delusion. Alt. If thy friendship Do churlishly deny my love a room, Hor. Canst thou so soon forget what I've been I shared the task of nature with thy father, And formed with care thy inexperienced youth To virtue and to arms. Thy noble father, oh, thou light young man! Would he have used me thus? One fortune fed us; For his was ever mine, mine his, and both Thus for a woman, and a vile one, too? Alt. Thou canst not, dar'st not mean it! Speak again! Say, who is vile; but dare not name Calista. Hor. I had not spoke at first, unless compelled, And forced to clear myself; but since thus urged, I must avow, I do not know a viler. Alt. Thou wert my father's friend; he loved A kind of venerable mark of him vengeance. I cannot, dare not, lift my sword against thee; But henceforth never let me see thee more. [Going out. Hor. I love thee still, ungrateful as thou art, And must and will preserve thee from dishonour, Even in despite of thee. [Holds him. Alt. Let go my arm ! Hor. If honour be thy care, if thou would'st live Without the name of credulous, wittol husband, Hor. Yet hold-By Heaven, his father's in his face! Spite of my wrongs, my heart runs o'er with tenderness, And I could rather die myself than hurt him. Alt. Defend thyself; for, by my much wrong. ed love, I swear, the poor evasion shall not save thee. Hor. Yet hold-thou know'st I dare-think how we've lived [They fight: ALTAMONT presses on HoRATIO, who retires. Nay then, 'tis brutal violence; and thus, Thus nature bids me guard the life she gave. [They fight. LAVINIA enters, and runs between their swords. Lan. My brother, my Horatio! Is it possible! If you must quench your impious rage in blood, Oh, turn your cruel swords upon Lavinia! Behold, my heart shall give you all her store, To save those dearer streams that flow from yours. Alt. 'Tis well thou hast found a safe-guard; none but this, No power on earth could save thee from my fury. Away, vain boy! Hast thou forgot the reve rence Due to my arm, thy first, thy great example, Lav. What busy, meddling fiend, what foe to Could kindle such a discord! Oh, lay by Hor. Ask'st thou what made us foes? 'Twas 'Twas such a sin to friendship, as Heaven's mercy, That strives with man's untoward, monstrous wickedness, Unwearied with forgiving, scarce could pardon. He, who was all to me, child, brother, friend, [She catches up LOTHARIO's sword, Alt. What means thy frantic rage? Alt. Oh! thou hast more than murdered me; yet still, Still art thou here! and my soul starts with hor ror, At thought of any danger that may reach thee. Cal. Think'st thou I mean to live to be forgiven ? Oh, thou hast known but little of Calista! Sci. [within.] What, ho! my son! Alt. It is Sciolto calls; come near and find me, The wretchedest thing of all my kind on earth. Cal. Is it the voice of thunder, or my father! Madness! Confusion! let the storm come on, Let the tumultuous roar drive all upon me; Dash my devoted bark, ye surges, break it! 'Tis for my ruin that the tempest rises. When I am lost, sunk to the bottom low, Peace shall return, and all be calm again. Enter SCIOLTO. Sci. Even now Rossano leaped the garden wall Ha! Death has been among you-Oh, my fears! Last night thou had'st a difference with thy friend; The cause thou gav'st me was a damned one. Didst thou not wrong the man who told thee truth? Answer me quick— Alt. Oh! press me not to speak; Even now my heart is breaking, and the mention Will lay me dead before thee. See that body, And guess my shame, my ruin! Ob, Calista! Sci. It is enough! but I am slow to execute, And justice lingers in my lazy hand; Thus let me wipe dishonour from my name, And cut thee from the earth, thou stain to goodness! [Offers to kill Calista, AltamONT holds him. Alt. Stay thee, Sciolto! thou rash father, stay! Or turn the point on me, and through my breast Cut out the bloody passage to Calista! So shall my love be perfect, while for her I die, for whom alone I wished to live. And yet behold him pleading for my life! Sci. Thy pious care has given me time to think, Cal. Then am I doomed to live, and bear your triumph? To groan beneath your scorn and fierce upbraiding, Daily to be reproached, and have my misery Sci, Hence, from my sight! thy father cannot Fly with thy infamy to some dark cell, Cal. Yes, I will fly to some such dismal place, Cal. No, Altamont; my heart, that scorned thy At length her tears have washed her stains away; love, Shall never be indebted to thy pity. At length 'tis time her punishment should cease; Die, thou poor suffering wretch, and be at peace. [Exit CALISTA. Sci. Who of my servants wait there? Enter two or three Servants. Raise that body, and bear it in. On your lives Take care my doors be guarded well, that none Pass out, or enter, but by my appointment. [Exeunt Servants, with LOTHARIO's body. Alt. There is a fatal fury in your visage; With his own hand he slew his only daughter, But thou hast tied my hand. I will not kill her; Alt. You mean that she shall die then? For all within is anarchy and uproar ! Serv. Arm yourself, my lord: Rossano, who but now escaped the garden, Has gathered in the street a band of rioters, Who threaten you, and all your friends, with ruin, Unless Lothario be returned in safety. [Exit. Sci. By Heaven, their fury rises to my wish, As any in the state; all shall be summoned ; [Exit SCIOLTO. | And longs to mingle with its kindred earth. A tumultuous noise, with clashing of swords, as at a little distance. Enter LAVINIA, with two Servants, their swords drawn. Lav. Fly, swiftly fly, to my Horatio's aid, Nor lose your vain officious cares on me! Bring me my lord, my husband, to my arms! He is Lavinia's life! bring him me safe, And I shall be at ease, be well, and happy. [Exeunt Servants. Alt. Art thou Lavinia? Oh! what barbarous hand Could wrong thy poor defenceless innocence, Perhaps even now my dear Horatio bleeds!— Lav. Ha! by my joys, 'tis he! [Looking out. He lives, he comes to bless me! he is safe!Enter HORATIO, with two or three Servants, their swords drawn. 1st Ser. 'Twere at the utmost hazard of your To venture forth again, till we are stronger: Hor. No matter; let it: Death is not half so shocking as that traitor. And knows me for its counterpart no more! Hor. Thou know'st thy rule, thy empire in Horatio ; Nor canst thou ask in vain, command in vain, Lav. Where didst thou get this sullen gloomy hate? It was not in thy nature to be thus ; Secure against ill fortune, and the world. Hor. I am not apt to take a light offence, But patient of the failings of my friends, And willing to forgive; but when an injury Stabs to the heart, and rouses my resentment, (Perhaps it is the fault of my rude nature) I own I cannot easily forgive it. Alt. Thou hast forgot me! Hor. No. Alt. Why are thy eyes Impatient of me then, scornful, and fierce? Because they're honest, and disdain a villain! When I forget it, may I be a wretch, Alt. I've wronged thee much, and Heaven has well avenged it. I have not, since we parted, been at peace, Nor known one joy sincere; our broken friendship Pursued me to the last retreat of love, But, Oh! had I been wronged by thee, Horatio, There is a yielding softness in my heart Could ne'er have stood it out; but I had ran, With streaming eyes, and open arms, upon thee, | And pressed thee close, close! Hor. I must hear no more; Lav. Where wouldst thou go? Wouldst thou part thus? you shall not, 'tis im possible; For I will bar thy passage, kneeling thus: Alt. Urge not in vain thy pious suit, Lavinia, (Falls [LAVINIA runs to him, and endeavours to rais him. Lav. Speak to me, Altamont!He faints! He dies! Now, turn and see thy tri umph! My brother! But our cares shall end together; Here will I lay me down by thy dear side, Bemoan thy too hard fate, then share it with thee, And never see my cruel lord again. Hor. It is too much to bear! Look up, my My stubborn, unrelenting heart has killed him. [He recites. Do thou and my Lavinia both forgive me; Stood glaring like a ghost, and made me cold with A flood of tenderness comes o'er my soul; horror. Misfortunes on misfortunes press upon me, Swell o'er my head like waves, and dash me down; Sorrow, remorse, and shame, have torn my soul; They hang, like winter, on my youthful hopes, And blast the spring and promise of my year. Lav. So flowers are gathered to adorn a grave, To lose their freshness amongst bones and rottenness, And have their odours stifled in the dust. His poor heart broken, death in his pale visage, Alt. I will not ask thee I cannot speak-I love, forgive, and pity thee— Alt. I thought that nothing could have stayed my soul; That long ere this her flight had reached the¦ stars; But thy known voice has lured her back again. Methinks, I fain would set all right with thee, Make up this most unlucky breach, and then, With thine and Heaven's forgiveness on my soul, Shrink to my grave, and be at ease for ever. Hor. By Heaven, my heart bleeds for thee; I feel thy pangs of disappointed love. Lav. Oh, my brother, Think not but we will share in all thy woes; We'll sit all day, and tell sad tales of love: And when we light upon some faithless womary Some beauty, like Calista, false and fair, |