 | Love's Dominion |  |
SCENE V.
Euphanes, Philander, Polydor, severally.Phila.
Bellinda false! O ye Gods where then
Are Faith and Vowes and Oaths; nay where are you
Your selves; for I shall doubt whe'r Love
Have any Divinity now at all, and think
All's but Idolatry, and women that y'ar Angels
Till we make you Devils by our adoring ye.
42
There's no joy like your unexpected one
't comes so striking—not falling upon
The expectation first, that deads and dulls
The blow. This intermixing difficulty
With Love, and leading you unto the very brink
Of despair, and then hoysting you up again,
There is the Art on't, and that she
Grand Artifex of it as she is
Full well did understand.
Philan.
The more I think on't, the more
It puzzles my belief and imagination, I will
Suspend my faith and patience then until
Her farther Declaration may confirm me,
And give my passions their full carier.
Eup.
Heavens I am so over-joy'd,
So ravished with't, and in so high transport,
Me thinks like Metors I even walk in Air,
And have nought of Earth about me, nor other fear
But only presently to expire and die
In Bellinda's sweet embraces.
Phila.
Nay then
Were my patience bound in Adamantine chains
I'd break 'um all—know Sir you have
Another Victory to obtain before
You triumph thus—and perhaps too the Fates
Have provided you another death to die
Than what you fear so much.
Eup.
[Enter Polydor]
What's that I pray?
43
Why, to die by Philanders hand, for know Sir Bellinda
's my espous'd.
Eup.
Yours?
Phila.
Yes mine, for all your scorn Sir,
And be assur'd, long as I live, that man
Is not alive shall injoy her besides my self.
Pol.
How's this? but this
Must be prevented
[Exit hastily
Phil.
Wherefore or quit and relinquish your claim of her,
Or follow me strait to the shore, where she first
Set foot a land, that so that ground she then did tread
May receive one of us dead,
Who cann't be enjoy'd by both of us alive.
Eup.
Although bold stranger I might well decline
Thy challenge, not knowing whe'r thy quality
Be equal unto mine, and assured
Our conditions are not (by thine own confession)
I being as happy in Bellinda's love
As thou unhappy, which makes thee desperate of
Thy life perhaps: yet know I'll be so noble
For Bellinda's sake to kill thee this once my self,
Who else might leave
Thee to a hundred more ignoble deaths:
Nor is this Arrogance in me, but Confidence
That those who have honour of Bellinda's love
Cann't but come off victorious in fight.
44
Elated by good Fortune, you talk high Sir,
Pray Heaven you do so,—but Love
Shall straight determine who has the better cause,
Th'injust possessor of Bellinda, or
Th'injuriously depriv'd of her, If thou dar'st but fight
In so unjust a Quarrel.
Eup.
Ha, ha, ha, if I dare? for that never fear,
I'll but instantly arm my self, and meet thee there.
| Love's Dominion | |