University of Virginia Library

Scene IV.

—Fazio's House.
Bianca.
Aye, what a fierce and frantic coil is here,
Because the sun must shine on one man less!
I'm sick and weary—my feet drag along.
Why must I trail, like a scotch'd serpent, hither?
Here, to this house, where all things breathe of Fazio?
The air tastes of him—the walls whisper of him.—
Oh, I'll to bed! to bed!—What find I there?
Fazio, my fond, my gentle, fervent Fazio?—
No!—Cold stones are his couch, harsh iron bars
Curtain his slumbers.—Oh, no, no—I have it—
He is in Aldabella's arms.—Out on't!
Fie, fie!—that's rank, that's noisome!—I remember—
Our children—aye, my children—Fazio's children.
'Twas my thoughts' burthen as I came along,
Were it not wise to bear them off with us
Away from this cold world?—Why should we breed up
More sinners for the Devil to prey upon?
There's one a boy—some strumpet will enlace him,
And make him wear her loathsome livery.
The other a girl: if she be ill, she'll sink
Spotted to death—she'll be an Aldabella:
If she be chaste, she'll be a wretch like me,
A jealous wretch, a frantic guilty wretch.—
No, no: they must not live, they must not live!
[Exit into a chamber.
After a pause she returns.
It will not be, it will not be—they woke
As though e'en in their sleep they felt my presence;
And then they smiled upon me fondly, playfully,
And stretch'd their rosy fingers to sport with me:
The boy did arch his eyebrows so like Fazio,
Though my soul wish'd that God would take them to him,
That they were scaped this miserable world,
I could but kiss them; and, when I had kiss'd them,
I could as soon have leap'd up to the moon
As speck'd or soil'd their alabaster skins.—
Wild that I am!—Take them t' another world!—
As though I, I my husband's murderess,
In the dread separation of the dead,
Should meet again those spotless innocents!—
Oh, happy they!—they will but know to-morrow
By the renewal of the soft warm daylight.

[Exit.