University of Virginia Library

SCENE I.

The Scene opens, Felicia, alone, Gramont enters to her.
Gram.
I waited long, my Love, to find you free,
And had almost despair'd of seeing you.

Fel.
A Sight you cou'd have been most willingly
Dispenc'd from.

Gram.
Why dost thou say so? 'Tis unkind; thou know'st
I ever thought the Hours I pass'd with thee,
The happiest of my Life!

Fel.
Perhaps you did,
Perhaps you lov'd me once.

Gram.
And do not still!

Fel.
O Gramont, wou'd you had never said you lov'd,
Or I had ne'er believ'd you.

Gram.
Not Love! If I have any good in me,
'Tis the sincere Affection which I bear thee:
What means my Dear?

Fel.
Have I not been a fond, a faithful Wife?

Gram.
Not Malice can deny it.

Fel.
Why am I then forsaken for another?

Gram.
Forsaken!

Fel.
You who a thousand times
Have sworn, our Marriage was the weakest Bond
That held you to me: You to break 'em all.

Gram.
Ha!

Fel.
Or tho' you had not lov'd me, cou'd you do
So base a thing?

Gram.
O don't upbraid me; that thou know'st my Shame,
Is Punishment enough.

Fel.
Cou'd you be false to me that doted on you?
Ungrateful Man! How can I live without him!

Gram.
Thou break'st my Heart.

Fel.
You have broke my Heart, and may I not complain?
Unkind Gramont!

Gram.
O turn thy Eyes away,
For their Reproaches sting me to the quick.

Fel.
Nay, then I'll fix 'em till your Heart relent
With Pity, for the Miseries you've caus'd:
Look on me, look upon your wretched Wife!

Gram.
A Wretch like me shou'd be excluded ever
From the blest Vision! I dare not look on thee.

Fel.
Then tell me, if I e'er deserv'd your Love,
What have I done to lose it?

Gram.
Lose it! If I had not lov'd thee tenderly,
I had not been a Villain.

Fel.
For love of me?

Gram.
For thee? t'avert the Miseries
Which threatned thee, and our unhappy Infant,
I sacrific'd my Honour.

Fel.
What Miseries wou'd not I share with you,
Rather than share your self with any other!
I wou'd have starv'd first, or have beg'd you Food,
T'ave kept you mine: But now you are Lamira's.

Gram.
I am unworthy to be thine, Felicia:
All I can ask thee now, is to forgive me.

Fel.
Alas, what's my Forgiveness! My Brother and Lamira
Will pursue you: She does not love like me.

Fel.
No matter; their Resentment I can bear,
But not Felicia's. See, thy wretched Husband
Kneels at thy Feet, to beg Compassion of thee;
Intreats thee, when he falls beneath his Griefs,
Or by thy Brother's Vengeance, to bestow
Some Pity on him; think, remember still
'Twas love of thee made him unworthy of thee—
But if she can forgive, she must be good;
And then must hate me too, despise, contemn me. O Curse!
Let me grow here, become one Piece with Earth,
Lost to my self, all Eyes, and all Remembrance.

Fel.
O I can't bear to see you thus; O rise!
What wou'd you have me to do for you?

Gram.
For me! Use me like what I am, a Dog,
Fit to be spurn'd, kick'd from you like a Curr.

Fel.
Don't distract your self.

Gram.
What, outlive my Honesty, and not be mad!
Lose thy Esteem, lose my Felicia's Heart,
Deserve to lose 'em too, and not be mad!

Fel.
O Gramont!
If you had lov'd but half so faithfully
As your Felicia does, she had not lost you.

Gram.
Thou did'st; but now you cannot, must not love me.

Fel.
O I never knew till now how much I love you!
Be what you will, or use me how you will,
You've fix'd your self so firmly to my Heart,
I can't divide it from you:
'Tis full; 'tis breaking now with Fears for you.

Gram.
Thou dear Example of Fidelity,
[Rising.
What dost thou fear? Come to my Arms, and tell me.

Fel.
O sly to mine, and then I can fear nothing;
Ill hold thee here, and Fate shall never reach thee.

Gram.
Not if thou lov'st me. O I see thou do'st;
And circled thus, I'm happy once again.

Fel.
How have you swore no other e'er shou'd thus embrace you!

Gram.
I swear again, none ever did, or shall.

Fel.
Tell me not that. Last Night—think on last Night.

Gram.
Base as I was last Night, I cou'd not break that Vow.

Fel.
O Gramont! do not deceive me more;
Lamira boasts the wondrous Love you shew'd.

Gram.
To her? If it were Love not once to touch her,
Or ev'n approach her Bed:—By Heav'n I did it not.

Fel.
I will believe you.

Gram.
Thou may'st, my Love. I think thou do'st forgive me too.
O let me keep thee then for ever thus!
For whilst I am possest of so much Goodness,
I shall believe I'm honest. Am I not, Felicia?
No, thou know'st I am not:
Why dost thou touch me then? Fly, fly away,
Or thou art lost; not Innocence can save thee.

Fel.
Alas, what mean you?

Gram.
'Tis dangerous to be near me:
If Fate shou'd now be hurling Vengeance on me,
Might it not strike thee too?

Fel.
Heav'n avert it ever: I would fain
Hope all may yet be well.

Gram.
Well! Canst thou redeem my Honour, clear my Fame?
I shall be pointed at; a noted Villain,
Where can I fly from the reproaching Sight
Of all that once esteem'd me? Or how endure it,
When the very Thought strikes such Confusion?
Better I might have born the worst of Miseries
That threatned me; which not the meanest Wretch
That begs, or toils for Bread, but can support,
And does not truck his Honesty for Fortune:
Thou, Coward, durst not. Now how wil'st thou bear
The Infamy thy Baseness loads thee with?

Fel.
Alas, 'tis I have caus'd your Infamy;
My inconsiderate Passion has expos'd you.
What Madness mov'd me to reveal the fatal Secret!
Was that a Remedy! what could I intend,
What Consequence expect, but your Destruction!
O I can ne'er enough revenge it on my self,
Nor you enough reproach me!

Gram.
Thou'rt not to blame.

Fel.
Indeed I am; it was my Duty as your Wife,
Whate'er I suffer'd not to have accus'd you:
And as I lov'd, I shou'd have had no thought
Of my own Misery, whilst you were happy.

Gram.
How can'st thou speak so kindly to a Man
That has undone thee! Thou do'st not sure look forward
On thy Ruine, or thou cou'dst ne'er forgive me:
Nay, by Heav'ns, it stains thy Virtue as I am now,
To use me with such Tenderness.

Fel.
Wou'd you not have me love you?

Gram.
It is not for thy Honour to shew Affection
For one thou must despise: I will not let thee
Wrong thy self so much, but leave thee to reflect;
And thou wilt meet me next, as I deserve,
With Coldness, Anger, and Disdain.

Fel.
Impossible—You are not going thus!

Gram.
I shou'd, and thou shou'dst not retain me.

Fel.
I wou'd retain thee ever.

Gram.
O Felicia!—
Yet I will go—Look not so killing soft;
Think on thy Honour; think I am a Villain;
Learn to despise me; struggle with thy Heart;
Strive thy ill-plac'd Affection to remove,
As I now tear my self from all I love.
[Ex. Gram.

Fel.
Is it a Fault to love him? If it be,
In punishing impute his Crime to me;
I'll pay for both a double Penalty,
However cruel Heaven intends his Share,
Beyond what Life, all, all that Love can bear.
[Ex. Fel.