 | The Shipwreck |  |
SCENE IV.
Enter DÆMONES, dragging LABRAX.Come forth, thou worst of sacrilegious villains.
(To the women)
You, seat you by the altar there.—Where are they?
Where are my slaves?
Trach.
Look, here they are.
Dæm.
That's well.
322
We'd fain be at him: bid him but come near.
Dæm.
(To Labrax, who is going towards the Altar.)
How, rascal! wou'd you sacrifice with us?
(To the Servants)
Lay your fists on him. (They beat him.)
Lab.
I must bear your wrongs,
But you shall pay for't.
Dæm.
Does he dare to threaten?
Lab.
You rob me of my right; you take away
My girls in spite of me.
Trach.
Make your appeal
To any of the great ones of the senate;
And let him try the cause, whether they're your's,
Or else born free; and whether too your knaveship
Should not be clapt in prison, there to lye
Till you have worn it out.
Lab.
I have no business
To talk with this hang-gallows slave.—
(speaking to Dæmones.)
'Tis you,
That I must try the cause with.
Dæm.
First of all
Try it with him, who is no stranger to you.
Lab.
My suit's with you.
Trach.
Your suit must be with me.
Are these your property?
323
They are.
Trach.
Come on then,
Do but touch either with your little finger.
Lab.
What if I do?
Trach.
I'll make a foot-ball of you,
Swing you about in air, and with my fists
Bandy you to and fro, you perjur'd villain!
Lab.
May I not take my own girls from the altar?
Dæm.
You may not; that's our law.
Lab.
I've no concern,
Nothing to do, no business with your laws:
I'll take them both away.—Lookye, old gentleman,
If you've a liking to them, you must down
With the hard money.
Dæm.
Venus does approve them.
324
And she may have them, if she'll pay the money.
Dæm.
I'll pay the money! Now then know my mind:
If you dare offer them the smallest violence,
Though but in jest, I'll give you such a dressing,
You will not know yourself.—
(To his Servants)
And you, ye rascals,
If, when I give the signal, you don't tear
His eyes out of his head, I'll have you bound
With rods lash'd round you; like those sprigs of myrtle.
Lab.
Nay, this is violence.
325
You burning shame!
What, do you talk of violence?
Lab.
You knave,
You gallows rogue, how dare you to abuse me?
Trach.
Well, let me be a rogue, and you forsooth
A man of strictest honesty,—these girls,
Are they a whit less free?
Lab.
Free, say you?
Trach.
Yes,
And are your mistresses; both born in Greece;
One an Athenian, sprung from gentle parents.
Dæm.
What do I hear you say?
326
That she is free;
Was born at Athens.
Dæm.
How! my countrywoman?
Trach.
What! are not you, Sir, a Cyrenian?
Dæm.
No:
In Greece, at Athens, I was born and bred.
Trach.
I pray you then, defend your countrywomen.
Dæm.
(Aside)
O my dear daughter!—when I look on Her,
The want of you reminds me of my troubles.—
I lost her when but three years old, and now,
If she yet live, her size must be the same.
Labr.
I bought them both, paid down the money for them
To him, that own'd them.—What is it to me,
If they were born at Athens or at Thebes,
So they are properly my slaves?
Trach.
Thou impudence,
Thou cat o'mountain, thou vile girl-catcher,
Would'st kidnap free-born children from their parents,
And then employ them in thy filthy trade?—
This other here, what country she is of
I know not, but I know she's worthier
Than you, you filthy knave!
Labr.
Do you say true?
327
Nay, let our backs be vouchers for our truth,
And if you have not offerings on your back
More than a first-rate ship has nails, I'm then
The veriest lyar upon earth. When your's
I have inspected, look at mine; you'll find it
Tight and without a crack in't, that there's never
A leathern-bottle-maker but will say,
My hide is whole, and fitting for his purpose.
Why don't I give the rogue his belly-full
Of stripes?—Why stare so at them?—If you touch them,
I'll tear your eyes out.
Labr.
Now, because you'd hinder me,
I'll take them both away.
Dæm.
What will you do?
Labr.
Fetch Vulcan; he's an enemy to Venus.
(Goes towards Dæmones's door.)
Dæm.
Where is he going?
Labr.
(Calling at Dæmones's door)
Hola! who's within here?
328
If you but touch the threshold of that door,
A plenteous crop of blows shall be your portion.
A Servant.
We have no fire; we live upon dried figs.
Dæm.
I'll give you fire, provided I may kindle it
Upon your head.
Labr.
Faith, I'll procure it somewhere.
Dæm.
What will you do then?
Labr.
Kindle a large fire.
Dæm.
To burn yourself.
Labr.
To burn them both alive
Here at the altar.
Dæm.
I would fain see that.—
By heav'ns I'll catch you by the beard, and throw you
Into the fire, then hang you up half-roasted
For birds to peck at.— (Aside)
Now I think on't, this
Must be the ape I dreamt of, who would needs
Have taken these young swallows from their nests
Spite of my teeth.
Trach.
I do beseech you, Sir,
329
Dæm.
Go then.
Trach.
And let him not—
Dæm.
'Tis at his peril,
If he dare touch them once, or e'en attempt it.
Trach.
You will take care.
Dæm.
I will take care.—Be gone.
Trach.
And guard Him too; see that he don't get off:
For we have promis'd to deliver him
Up to the hangman's hands, or pay a talent.
[Exit Trachalio.
| The Shipwreck | |