University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

Enter ACANTHIO hastily.
Acan.
Do your utmost,
Try all your force, use all your skill, to save
Your poor young master! Stir yourself, Acanthio;
Away with weariness; beware of sloth;—
Plague on this panting! I can scarce fetch breath.—
Drive all you meet before you; push them down,
And roll them in the kennel!—Plague upon't;
Tho' the folks see one breathless and in haste,
None have the manners truly to give place.
And so one's forc'd to do three things at once;
To run, and fight, and quarrel all the way.

Cha.
(behind)
What can it be that asks such wondrous haste?
I long to know what news he brings.

Acan.
I trifle.
The more I stop, the more we are in danger.

Cha.
He speaks of some misfortune.

Acan.
My knees fail me.
Oh, how my heart keeps thumping in my bosom!
My breath's gone! I should make a woful piper!

Cha.
(behind)
Plague! take your mantle, and wipe off the sweat.

Acan.
Not all the baths on earth can take away
This lassitude.—But where's Charinus now?
Is he abroad? or to be found at home?

Cha.
Oh, how I doubt what this affair can be!
I'll know immediately, to ease my pain.

Acan.
Why do I stand thus? why do I not beat
Our door to shatters?—Open somebody!
Ho! is Charinus, my young master, here?
Or is he gone abroad?—What! nobody
To answer to the door?

Cha.
Ho! here am I,
You're looking for, Acanthio!

Acan.
(not seeing him)
Such a school
For servants, as our house!

Cha.
What mischief now? (Going up.)


Acan.
Much mischief to yourself and me, Charinus.

Cha.
What is the matter?

Acan.
We're undone, Charinus.

Cha.
Be that the fortune of our enemies!

Acan.
But 'tis your fortune.

Cha.
Well, whate'er it be,
Tell me this instant.

Acan.
Softly! I want breath.
I've burst a vein already for your sake,—
And now I spit blood.

Cha.
Take Ægyptian rosin
Mix'd with a little honey: that will cure you.

Acan.
Plague! drink hot pitch, and that will ease your pain.

Cha.
I never saw so passionate a fellow.

Acan.
Nor I one so provoking.

Cha.
But why so?
Because that I advise you for your health?

Acan.
Plague take the health that's bought with so much pain!

Cha.
Was ever good without some little ill?
And would you lose the first to miss the last?

Acan.
I don't know that: I'm no philosopher:
And don't desire the good that's mix'd with evil.

Cha.
Give me your hand, Acanthio.

Acan.
Here then, take it.

Cha.
Will you obey me? ay, or no, Acanthio?

Acan.
Judge by experience; when I've burst myself
In running up and down to seek you out,
That you might know the news more speedily.

Cha.
Within these few months I will make you free.

Acan.
Ah, how you stroak me!

Cha.
Do you think 'tis false?
Before I speak, you know if I would lie.

Acan.
Ah! your words weary me still more: you kill me.

Cha.
Is't thus that you obey me?

Acan.
What's your pleasure?

Cha.
Do as I'd have you.

Acan.
Well, what would you have?

Cha.
I'll tell you.

Acan.
Tell me.

Cha.
Softly, in your ear.

Acan.
Are you afraid to wake the sleeping audience?

Cha.
Plague take you!

Acan.
I have brought you from the port—

Cha.
What have you brought me? tell me.

Acan.
Force, and fear,
Torture, and care, and strife, and beggary.

Cha.
Death! what a store of evils hast thou brought!
I'm ruin'd then?

Acan.
You are.

Cha.
And I'm a wretch?

Acan.
Ev'n so: I'll say no more.

Cha.
What is this mischief?

Acan.
Nay, never ask: the heaviest misfortune!

Cha.
Ah prithee, good now, ease me of my pain:
You keep my mind too long in this suspence.

Acan.
Softly! I've many things to ask of you
Before I'm beaten.

Cha.
Faith, you shall be beaten,
Unless you speak, or run away.

Acan.
See there!
See, how he coaxes! no man upon earth
So gentle, when he gives his mind to it.

Cha.
I beg you, I intreat you, tell me quickly;
Since I must turn a suppliant to my slave.

Acan.
Am I unworthy on't?

Cha.
Oh no: most worthy.

Acan.
I thought so.

Cha.
Is the ship lost?

Acan.
Safe: ne'er fear.

Cha.
And all the cargo?

Acan.
Safe and sound.

Cha.
Then tell me,
Why you ran over the whole town to seek me?

Acan.
You take the words out of my mouth.

Cha.
I'm dumb.

Acan.
Be dumb then: surely if I brought glad tidings
You would be wondrous pressing, since you urge me
Thus beyond measure to tell evil news.

Cha.
I do beseech you, let me know the worst.

Acan.
I will then, since you challenge it.—Your father—

Cha.
What of my father?

Acan.
Has seen—

Cha.
What?

Acan.
Your mistress.

Cha.
My mistress? Oh, ill fortune!—But inform me—

Acan.
Of what?

Cha.
How could he see her?

Acan.
With his eyes.

Cha.
But how?

Acan.
By opening them.

Cha.
Away, you rascal!
To trifle when my life's at stake.

Acan.
How trifle?
Did not I give an answer to your question?

Cha.
Is't certain he has seen her?

Acan.
Ay, as certain
As I see you, or you see me.

Cha.
But where?

Acan.
On board the ship, where he stood close beside her,
And spoke with her.

Cha.
You have undone me, father!
And you, you rascal, wherefore did not you
Prevent his seeing her? How comes it, sirrah,
You did not shut her up, to hinder it?

Acan.
Because we were employ'd about our business,
And busy with the tackling. The mean while
Your father came 'long-side us with a boat,
And no soul saw him till he was on board.

Cha.
In vain have I escap'd loud storms at sea:
Now, when I thought myself secure on shore,
I feel myself the sport of angry waves,
And dash'd upon the rocks.—Proceed: what follow'd?

Acan.
Soon as he saw the woman, he enquir'd
Whom she belong'd to.

Cha.
What did she reply?

Acan.
I ran directly up, and breaking in,
Said you had bought her as a serving-maid,
To wait upon your mother.

Cha.
Did he seem
To credit this?

Acan.
Entirely.—But the rogue
Began to toy with her.

Cha.
With her, d'ye say?

Acan.
Why, do you think he'd toy with me?

Cha.
My heart
Melts away drop by drop in briny tears,
Like salt dissolv'd in water. I'm undone.

Acan.
That's true enough: and yet 'tis foolish too.

Cha.
What shall I do?—If I should tell my father
I bought this woman for my mother's use,
He'll not believe it: and 'tis shameful too
To tell my father lies. He'll not believe it;
Nor is it credible I should have purchas'd
So sweet a creature to attend my mother.

Acan.
Ridiculous! Have done: he will believe it:
For he believ'd my story.

Cha.
How I dread
His catching some suspicion of the truth!
Tell me, Acanthio!

Acan.
What is't I must tell you?

Cha.
Did he appear to have the least suspicion
She was my mistress?

Acan.
Not the least: but swallow'd
All that I told him.

Cha.
So you might imagine.

Acan.
Nay, but I'm sure he did.

Cha.
Confusion! ruin!
—But wherefore waste I my time here in grieving?
Why don't I seek the vessel?—Follow me.

Acan.
Go that way, and you're sure to meet your father:
Who, when he sees you fearful and dismay'd,
Will strait take hold of you, and question you,
Where 'twas you bought her, what you gave for her,
And overwhelm you in your fright.

Cha.
Why then,
I'll go this other way.—D'ye think my father
Has left the port?

Acan.
It was the very reason
I ran before to seek you out, for fear
He should fall on you unawares, and worm
The secret out of you.

Cha.
'Twas bravely done.