University of Virginia Library

SCENE V.

Lavinia enters.
Fab.
Come near, Lavinia—nearer—Dost thou know
To what end thou art summon'd?—Speak!

Lavin.
O, sir!—

[Kneels.
Fab.
Why dost thou tremble?—If thou art innocent,
Wherefore thus change thy colour?—

Lavin.
O, my Lord,
The dove, though guiltless, trembles, when Jove's bird
Bears thunder in his talons.—I do see,
In every brow that now is bent before me,
My sentence plainly written.

Fab.
Rise—stand up!
Fear not, but briefly answer me—Who am I?

Lavin.
My master—than the gods scarce less revered;
Who took me in, a helpless, friendless orphan,
To undeserv'd protection.

Fab.
What—no more?

Lavin.
Much, much—Who while your favour was toward me,
Did lift me, from the dust, to high adoption;
And stiled me by the dear, the melting names,
Of child, of daughter!

Fab.
Dost thou owe me aught
Of duty, then?

Lavin.
All, all, my sovereign lord!
The little that I am, without reserve—
Obedience absolute.

Fab.
I, then, should trust
Thou wouldst not bring reproach upon the house,
Wherein thou art ingrafted.

Lavin.
Not for worlds!

Fab.
Dost know Favonius Cimbrius?—Speak—look at me!

Lavin.
I do, my Lord!

Fab.
When didst thou see him last?

Lavin.
Within this hour.

Valeria.
My Lord, they are familiar—
She held him in close converse.

Fab.
Peace, Valeria!—
When didst thou see him first?

Lavin.
Some twelve moons since.

Fab.
That's strange!—And, did he talk of love?

Lavin.
He did.

Julia.
To thee, to thee of love?—a falsehood deep,
As deep as Erebus!

Fab.
Good Julia, patience—
Passion does but defeat its proper purpose!
Tell me, Lavinia—didst thou know him, then,
To be Favonius Cimbrius?

Lavin.
No, my Lord—
The Cimbrii, as I think, were then unconquer'd;
I only knew him, by the name of Junius.

Julia.
I see, I see, it now, clear as the Capitol!
He did deceive thee—he meant thee for his prostitute!

Lavin.
This is hard treatment, sir.

[Weeps.
Fab.
Give me thy pardon for her—Mark me, Julia—
Another word like that, and I dismiss her!—
Yet tell me—tell me truly, my Lavinia—
Wouldst thou espouse Favonius?

Lavin.
No, my Lord—
That were a hard return for his affection!—
Though he were dearly tied unto my heart
By every vital cord, I would not wed him!
Perish Lavinia, die a thousand deaths,
Ere she would bring the man she loved to shame,
Or call upon his high and honour'd head
The just reproaches of his friends and country!

Fab.
Most nobly answer'd—thou art still my daughter!
Wilt thou then promise, wilt thou swear, Lavinia,
No more to see, no more to listen to him,
But yield thy interests in him to Valeria?

Lavin.
It is most meet—before the gods, I swear it!
But know—I yield her more, much more than life!—
This is the soldier, sir, of whom I told you.

Fab.
Your soldier?—what, Favonius?—

Lavin.
True, too true—
The youth, whose valour saved me!

Fab.
O, my child!
I fear—I fear—thou art, indeed, most wretched!

Lavin.
Now, sir—upon my bended knee I crave it—
Return me to my mother!—O, return me,
Back to my native indigence—to light
The lamp of early industry, and earn
The little I may want!—Here I restore you
These costly ornaments, these gems and pearls,
With the proud title of that high adoption,
Wherewith you deigned to grace me—much unequal
To such a weight of honours—needless all!
The world, to me, is empty!

Julia.
Thou smooth enchantress! well thou know'st the way
To wind about my Lord's too easy heart,
And mould him to thy bent—Hence, to thy chamber!
Thou wouldst abroad, like wanton birds in spring,
To chirp it with thy paramour!

Fab.
No more!—
Bear with us, my Lavinia, for this day;
The morrow shall determine of thy fortunes.
Yet mark!—
At thy tenth year thou wast ordain'd a vestal,
When my adoption rent thee from the hand
Of the stern Pontiff—But, if thou swerve
From what thou hast sworn—if thou dost see, or hear,
Or hold the slightest commerce with Favonius—
By the dread mother of the gods, I swear,
To yield thee to her temple, cast thee off
To solitude eternal!

[Exeunt all but Lavinia—who looks after them, weeping.
A Servant enters.
Serv.
Madam, your mother is arrived.

[Exit.