University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

A Chamber in Repatio's House.
Enter Rapatio, solus.
Hail happy day! In which I find my wishes,
My gayest wishes crown'd. Brundo retir'd,
The stage is clear. Whatever gilded prospects
E'er swam before me—Honor, places, pensions—
All at command—Oh! my full heart! 'twill burst!
Now patriots think, think on the past and tremble.
Think on that gloomy night, when, as you phras'd it,
Indignant justice rear'd her awful front,
And frown'd me from her—when ten thousand monsters,
Wretches who only claim'd mere outward form,
To give a sanction to humanity
Broke my retirement—rush'd into my chamber,
And rifled all my secrets—then slung me helpless,
Naked and destitute, to beg protection.
Hell! what a night was this—and do they think,
I'll e'er forget such treatment! No. Ye gods—
If there is any secret sympathy,
Which born, and bred together, they may claim,
I give it to the winds—out! out! vile passion,
I'll trample down the choicest of their rights,
And make them curse the hour that gave me birth;
That hung me up a meteor in the sky,
Which from its tail, shook pestilence and ruin.
But here comes Dupe, a creature form'd by nature
To be a sycophant—Tho I despis'd him,
Yet he's too necessary for my purpose,
To be relinquish'd—I'll take him by the hand—
Give him a bow, and buoy up his hopes—
He's mine for ever.—

Enter Dupe.
Dupe.
It gives me highest joy to see your honor
Servia's sole ruler—what tho' not complete,
And primly seated in the chair of power,
Yet all the reins of government you hold.
And should that happy period e'er arrive
When Brundo quits for thee entire possession,
Remember Dupe, and think on former friendships.

Rapatio.
I'll not forget. And well thou said I held
The rains of power; and I will make them feel it.
And, happy for me, all the posts of honor,
Are fill'd with beings wholly at my service.
The b---h what are they? Creatures of my own;
Who if I spoke, would mangle law and reason,
And nobly trample on the highest ties.
And hence the soldier, whose security,
Is the prime basis of my government,
May scoff, insult, nay, in the face of day,
Abuse the citizens, yet go unpunish'd.
P---p too, an happy creature this
To serve a turn—tho' men whose breath was slaughter,
Should urge the meanest of our servants on—
To bathe their daggers in their masters blood,
P---p stays, proceedings—At my nod,
Will break thro' every tie of law and justice,
And bid those monsters go—In short all orders
Obey my summons, and perform my will.

Dupe.
What halcyon days!—And have I liv'd to see them?
And share them too? enough—I've liv'd my day.

Rapatio.
But tell me Dupe, they say these muttering wretches,
Grow fond of riot, and with pageantry,
Do ridicule the friends of government.

Dupe.
The thing is fact—The worthy citizen
Finds property precarious—all things tend
To anarchy and ruin.

Rapatio.
I'll make the scoundrels know who sways the sceptre,
Before I'll suffer this, I'll throw the state,
In dire confusion, nay I'll hurl it down,
And bury all things in one common ruin.
O'er fields of death, with hastning step I'll speed,
And smile at length to see my country bleed:
From my tame heart the pang of virtue sling,
And mid the general flame like Nero sing.—

[Exeunt.