University of Virginia Library

SCENE XII.

Lycidas, enter to him Argene.
Lyc.
[to himself]
And am I this barbarian, this perfidious!
Ye powers!—I'll follow her, and know the cause
Of this mysterious chiding.

Arg.
Traitor, stay!

Lyc.
Ha! do I dream or wake!

[sees Argene.
Arg.
Thou dost not dream;
O no! thou seest forsaken Argene;
Ungrateful man! behold these features, once
Thy sole delight, if midst my past misfortunes
A trace remains of what they once have been.

Lyc.
Whence could she come? In what a luckless hour
Am I surpris'd? If still I loiter here
I lose my Aristea. [aside.]
— [to her.]
Beauteous maid!
I understand not what thy words import;
Some other time thou may'st at better leisure
Explain thy meaning.

[going.
Arg.
Hear me, cruel man!

[holding him.
Lyc.
Unhappy me!

[aside.
Arg.
Dost thou not understand me?
But well I understand thy perfidy,
Thy new affection! All thy frauds I know;
And Clisthenes from me shall know them all,
To thy confusion.

[going.
Lyc.
O forbear! Yet hear me;
[holding her.
Be not offended, Argene: forgive
This seeming coldness: I remember now
My former love, and if thou wilt conceal me,
Perhaps—who knows th' event?

Arg.
And can I suffer
A baser insult? Say'st thou then, perhaps—
Who knows th' event? Yes, yes, 'tis I am guilty:
The motives thou hast urg'd to plead thy pardon,
Are doubtless mighty proofs of thy affection.

Lyc.
Yet hear what I would say.

[offers to take her hand.
Arg.
Leave me, ingrate!
I'll hear no more!

Lyc.
O! Gods! I'm all distraction!

Arg.

[Exit.