 | The Shipwreck |  |
SCENE IV.
Enter AMPELISCA from the Temple.(To the Priestess within.)
I understand:
Your orders are, to knock here at this house
Next to the temple, and to ask for water.
Trach.
Whose voice is that?
Amp.
Bless me! who's that, that speaks there?
Whom do I see?
Trach.
Is not that Ampelisca
Comes from the temple?
Amp.
Is not that Trachalio
I see there, Pleusidippus' rogue?
Trach.
'Tis she.
Amp.
'Tis he.—Trachalio! save you.
Trach.
Ampelisca!
Save you.—How fares it?
293
Very ill.
Trach.
Don't say so.
Amp.
'Tis right to speak the truth.—But prithee now
Where is your master Pleusidippus?
Trach.
Pshaw!
As though he weren't within there.
Amp.
He is not,
Nor any other man.
Trach.
He is not come!
Amp.
You say the truth.
Trach.
That's not my custom. But
How near is dinner ready?
Amp.
Pray, what dinner?
Trach.
You're sacrificing here.
Amp.
What are you dreaming?
Trach.
Why sure your master Labrax did invite
My master Pleusidippus here to dinner.
Amp.
No wonder what you say.—If he deceives
Both Gods and men, he acts but like a pimp.
Trach.
Are you not sacrificing? nor my master?
Amp.
You've guess'd it.
Trach.
Prithee then what do you here?
Amp.
From dire afflictions, from severest frights,
From hazard of our lives, in want of succour,
The Priestess took us in, me and Palæstra.
Trach.
Ha! is Palæstra here, my master's love?
Amp.
Yes verily.
Trach.
There's pleasure in your news,
My Ampelisca.—But I long to know
The perils you were in.
Amp.
Our ship, Trachalio,
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Trach.
Ship? cast away?
What story's this?
Amp.
Have you not heard forsooth,
How that our master privately design'd
To carry us away to Sicily,
And put on ship-board all that he was worth?
Now all is lost.
Trach.
Thanks, gentle Neptune: verily
Thou art a cunning gamester; thou hast giv'n him
A pleasant cast i'faith: the rogue is done for.—
But where's the villain now?
Amp.
Dead drunk, I fancy;
For Neptune had invited him last night
To deep potations, and, as I suppose,
Gave him a finishing cup.
295
O how I love thee,
My Ampelisca! What a dear sweet creature!
There's honey in thy words too!—But inform me,
How scap'd you and Palæstra?
Amp.
You shall hear.
Seeing the ship borne full upon a rock,
We, sore affrighted, leapt into the boat:
I hasten'd to untie the rope that held her;
And while the rest were wrapt in wild dismay,
Our boat was sever'd from them by the storm,
Which drove us to the right; and in this wise,
Poor helpless souls, tost by the winds and waves,
We pass'd the live-long night, till on the morn
The wind scarce bore us to the shore quite spent.—
Trach.
I understand;—'tis ever Neptune's way:—
He's a most dainty Ædile, and whenever
He finds commodities stark naught, the word
At once is “over with them.”
Amp.
A plague on you!
296
On you, my Ampelisca.—But I knew
The scurvy pimp would do what he has done;—
And I have often said it:—I had best
Let my hair grow, and set up for a conjurer.
Amp.
A pretty care you took, with all your foresight,
You and your master, to prevent his going!
Trach.
What could he do?
Amp.
A lover he, and ask you,
What could he do? Day, night he should have kept
A constant watch, been always upon guard.
Yes truly,—'tis so like them,—his concern
And care about her tallied with his love.
Trach.
Do you not know, when a man goes to bathe,
Let him be e'er so mindful of his cloaths,
They yet are stolen: for he can't devise
Whom he should have an eye to; but the thief
Holds easily his mark of observation
Point blank before him: all the while our spark
Kens not the lurking knave.—But bring me to her.
297
Amp.
Go straight into the temple:
You'll find her sitting there, all drown'd in tears.
Trach.
I'm sorry for't!—but wherefore doth she weep?
Amp.
I'll tell you. She is vexed to the soul,
That the procurer should have ta'en her casket,
Where she had lodg'd some trinkets, which she hop'd
Might lead to a discovery of her parents;
And now she fears 'tis lost.
Trach.
Where was the casket?
Amp.
He lock'd it in his wallet, to prevent
Discovery of her parents.
Trach.
What a shame
To make a slave of one that should be free!
Amp.
She thinks it with the ship gone to the bottom.
All the old fellow's treasure too was with it:
Some one, I hope, has div'd, and brought it up:
She is sore grieved for the loss of it.
Trach.
'Tis fit that I should go and comfort her.
But let her not despond; for true it is,
Good oft befalls us, when we least expect it.
Amp.
And true it is, that when we trust in hope,
We're often disappointed.
Trach.
Patience then
298
I'll in, except you want me further.
Amp.
Go.
[Exit Trachalio.
| The Shipwreck | |