 | The Casket |  |
SCENE I.
Enter LAMPADISCUS.LAMPADISCUS.
I never knew one worthier of the torture
Than this old jade!—What!—To deny pointblank
All she'd confess'd!—But see, my mistress comes!
What's here?—A casket!—trinkets!—What means this?—
[seeing the casket which Halisca had dropt.
Nobody's near—I'll play a childish trick
And stoop to it—
[taking up the casket.
Enter PHANOSTRATA.
Pha.
What art about, Lampadio?
Lam.
This casket, mistress—Was it from our house?—
For here I took it up, just at the door—
Pha.
What news from the old woman?
Lam.
News! There's not
On earth so vile a jade—Why, she denies
Each circumstance that she confess'd but now—
And shall I let the jade delude me thus?
No—I'll die any death rather than bear it.
98
Gods! I adjure you!
[looking in the casket.]
Lam.
Why call on the gods?
Pha.
Save us!
Lam.
What is't?—
Pha.
These are the very trinkets
Along with which you expos'd my girl to die.
Lam.
Art in thy senses?
Pha.
[still looking at them.]
They're the very same.
Lam.
Persist you?—
Pha.
Yes, the same—
[still looking at them.
Lam.
If any woman
But you had said it, I had thought her drunk.
Pha.
I speak not idly. No, by Castor's temple—
Say, whence should these things be—This casket, say,
What god could lay it 'fore our very door?
Sure, sacred hope, on purpose at the instant,
Comes to my help in person—
[They stand apart.]
| The Casket | |