To serve your glory, and revenge their own: Has still kept waking, and it shall have ease; Pier. How lovelily the Adriatic whore, Dressed in her flames, will shine! Devouring flames! Such as shall burn her to the watery bottom, Bed. Now, if any Has lodged this secret in his faithful breast, Enter JAFFIER, with a Dagger. Bed. His presence bears the shew of manly virtue. Jaf. I know you'll wonder all, that thus, uncalled, I dare approach this place of fatal councils; To restore justice and dethrone oppression. To the arsenal, and set its gates on fire. Jaf. Nay-by Heaven, I'll do this. I hate this senate, am a foe to Venice; Jaf. Indeed 'tis late. Bel. Oh! I have slept and dreamt, And dreamt again. Where hast thou been, thou loiterer? Though my eyes closed, my arms have still been opened, Stretched every way betwixt my broken slumbers, To search, if thou wert come to crown my rest: There's no repose without thee: Oh! the day Too soon will break, and wake us to our sorrow, Come, come to bed, and bid thy cares good-night. Jaf. Oh, Belvidera! we must change the scene, In which the past delights of life were tasted: The poor sleep little; we must learn to watch Our labours late, and early every morning, Midst winter frosts, thin clad, and fed with spar Bel. Alas! where am I! whither is it you lead | Should reach his guilty ears, and shake his peace. me? Methinks I read distraction in your face, Something less gentle than the fate you tell me. You shake and tremble too! your blood runs . cold! Heavens guard my love, and bless his heart with patience! Jaf. That I have patience, let our fate bear witness, Who has ordained it so, that thou and I, saken ? Will my love cast me off? Have my misfortunes Offended him so highly, that he'll leave me! Why drag you from me? Whither are you going, My dear! my life! my love! Jaf. Oh, friends! Bel. Speak to me. Jaf. Take her from my heart, She'll gain such hold else, I shall ne'er get loose. I charge thee, take her, but with tenderest care Relieve her troubles, and assuage her sorrows. Ren. Rise, madam, and command amongst your servants. Jaf. To you, sirs, and your honours, I bequeath her, And with her this; when I prove unworthy [Gives a dagger. You know the rest-Then, strike it to her heart! And tell her, he, who three whole happy years Lay in her arms, and cach kind night repeated The passionate vows of still increasing love, Sent that reward for all her truth and sufferings. Bel. Nay, take my life, since he has sold it cheaply! Or send me to some distant clime, your slave; But let it be far off, lest my complainings Jaf. No, Belvidera, I have contrived thy honour. Trust to my faith, and be but fortune kind To me, as I'll preserve that faith unbroken: When next we meet, I'll lift thee to a height Shall gather all the gazing world about thee, To wonder what strange virtue placed thee there. But, if we ne'er meet more Bel. O! thou unkind one! Ne'er meet more! have I deserved this from you? If I am false, accuse me, but if true, [Exeunt Ren. Bed. and Bel. Jaf. Oh! my eyes, Look not that way, but turn yourselves a while Pier. Here, my honour's brother. Pier. Renault has led her Back to her own apartment; but, by Heaven, Thou must not see her more, till our work's over. Jaf. No! Pier. Not for your life. Jaf. Oh, Pierre, wert thou but she, Till all my sinews, with its fire extended, SCENE I-A Chamber, Enter BELVIDERA. ACT III. Bel. I'm sacrificed! I'm sold! betrayed to shame! Inevitable ruin has enclosed me! Thou could'st find friends, to vindicate thy wrong! Where shall I go? Oh! whither, whither, wander? Enter JAFFIER. Jaf. Can Belvidera want a resting-place, When these poor arms are ready to receive her? Oh! 'tis in vain to struggle with desires! Strong is my love to thee; for, every moment I'm from thy sight, the heart within my bosom Mourns, like a tender infant in its cradle, Whose nurse had left it. Come, and with the songs Of gentle love, persuade it to its peace. Bel. I fear the stubborn wanderer will not own me; 'Tis grown a rebel, to be ruled no longer; Scorns the indulgent bosom, that first lulled it, And, like a disobedient child, disdains The soft authority of Belvidera. Juf. There was a time Bel. Yes, yes, there was a time, Cry, till she rend the earth; sigh, till she burst Against whose root, tears beat, and sighs are sent, Dark, and alone, no pillow to my head, Talk to me thus; but, like a pitying angel, Bel. Why then, poor mourner, in what baleful corner Hast thou been talking, with that witch, the night? On what cold stone hast thou been stretched along, Gathering the grumbling winds about thy head, In his concernments-My weak female virtue Bel. That Portia was a woman; and when Brutus, Big with the fate of Rome, (Heaven guard thy safety!) Concealed from her the labours of his mind, strike it Here to my heart; and, as the blood flows from it, Unworthy so much virtue. Teach me how Bel. Do not despise me: that's the all, I ask. Jaf. Despise thee! Hear me Bel. Oh thy charming tongue Is but too well acquainted with my weakness;, Bel. Tell me; be just, and tell me, Why starts he now; and looks, as if he wished His fate were finished? Tell me, ease my fear; Lest, when we next time meet, I want the power To search into the sickness of thy mind, Bel. Why was I last night delivered to a villain? Jaf. Ha! a villain? Bel. Yes, to a villain! Why at such an hour Meets that assembly, all made up of wretches, That look as hell had drawn them into league? Why, I in this hand, and in that a dagger, Was I delivered with such dreadful ceremonies? 'To you, sirs, and to your honours I bequeath her, And with her this: Whene'er I prove unworthy- Be made the hostage of a hellish trust! Jaf. Is this the Roman virtue? this the blood For Brutus trusted her. Wert thou so kind, Jaf. I shall undo myself, and tell thee all. Jaf. Oh, you divinest powers, look down and hear geance sure! Bel. He drew the hideous dagger forth, thou gavest him, And with upbraiding smiles, he said, 'Behold it! But with my cries, I scared his coward heart, Thy love, all staked, and all will go to ruin. Jaf. No more: I charge thee keep this secret close. Clear up thy sorrows; look as if thy wrongs Were all forgot, and treat him like a friend, Jaf. Have a care, and shrink not even in As no complaint were made. No more; retire, thought! For if thou dost Bel. I know it; thou wilt kill me. : Do, strike thy sword into this bosom lay me And can'st thou shed the blood, that gave me being? Nay, be a traitor too, and sell thy country? bers, Nose-slitters, alley-lurking villains! join With men of souls, fit to reform the ills Of all mankind: there's not a heart amongst them Bel. What's he, to whose curst hands last night thou gavest me? Was that well done? Oh! I could tell a story, Bel. O my love! if e'er Retire, my life, and doubt not of my honour; Bel. Oh! Should I part with thee, I fear thou wilt In anger leave me, and return no more. Juf. Return no more! I would not live without thee Another night, to purchase the creation. I'll steal myself to thy expecting arms: Jaf. By all our loves. Bel. Tis hard to part: But sure no falsehood ever looked so fairly. Farewell! remember twelve. Jaf. Let heaven forget me, [Exit. When I remember not thy truth, thy love! Never be weaned from caudles and confections? Jaf. May not a man then trifle out ar hour Jaf. Then, friend, our cause Is in a damned condition: for I'll tell thee, 'Tis tainted vilely. Would'st thou think it? Re nault (That mortified old withered winter rogue) I found him out for watering at my wife; Pier. He durst not wrong his trust? To take the freedom of a lady's chamber. Juf. Yes, faith, in virgin sheets, White as her bosom, Pierre, dished neatly up, Pier. Patience guide me! He used no violence? Jaf. No; no; out on it, violence! Played with her neck; brushed her with his grey beard: Jaf. A man. Ren. My friend, my near ally, The hostage of your faith, my beauteous charge, is very well. Jaf. Sir, are you sure of that? Stands she in perfect health? beats her pulse even? Neither too hot nor cold? Ren. What means that question? Jaf. Oh, women have fantastic constitutions, Thy virtue! I have tried it, and declare, Juf. Ay, know thee. There's no falsehood in Struggled and touzed; tickled her, till she squeak-Now, May be, or so-but not a jot of violence- Jaf. Ay, so say I: but hush, no more of it. Myself no monster yet: though no man knows Pier. No, he has sent commission to that To give the executing charge: Jaf. Fear not, I am as cool as patience. Pier. He's yonder, coming this way through His thoughts seem full. Jaf. Prithee retire, and leave me Thou look'st just as thou art. Let us embrace! Ren. How! 'Tis a base world, and must reform, that's all. Enter SPINOSA, THEODORE, ELIOT, REVILLIDO, Ren. Spinosa, Theodore! Ren. You are welcome. Spin. You are trembling, sir. Ren. 'Tis a cold night, indeed, and I am aged; Full of decay and natural infirmities: [Pier. re-enters. We shall be warm, my friends, I hope to-mor row. Pier. Twas not well done; thou should'st have stroaked him, And not have galled him. Jaf. Damn him, let him chew on it. |