University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

—The Terrace, as in Act I., Scene I.
RICHARD and MARIANA.
MARIANA.
And must you leave us? What sad chance is this?
Even as my hopes were brightest, for my uncle
Spoke kindly of you. I said ye had hearts
To love each other—did I not?

RICHARD.
Sweet prophet!
And wilt thou love me, Mariana, still?
Though proud fate trample on me, tho' my lot
Be poverty and scorn—though chilling absence—

MARIANA.
Speak not so sadly; see, here comes old Goldlove,
And your friend, if he be so, Edward Beaufort.

RICHARD.
Let's walk from them; I've much to say.
Enter Widow Lovel from her house; takes Richard's arm.
S'death, she here!

Enter Edward and Goldlove, who go to Mariana.
WIDOW.
You are a wise youth, Master Richard, thus
To listen to advice; nay, come for it.
You have received my letter?

RICHARD
(aside.)
I had forgotten it,
Or ne'er had ventured hither.

WIDOW.
I am well pleased
With this mark of your punctual courtesy,
And will, in due time, thank you for it; but first
I have a quarrel with you.

RICHARD.
Pray you, dame,
Spare both your thanks and anger, and so make
The matter even.

WIDOW.
Nay, to send me up
As far as Westminster, to see the queen,
The whales, the unicorn, and Balaam's ass,
And there was no such sight, nor any sign
Of progress or procession!

RICHARD.
Woe is me!
Just as you quitted me, I had bethought me
My information was apocryphal;
I had it from a sort of Jesuit
I' th' service of the Pope and King of Spain,
As I learnt afterwards.

WIDOW.
A per'lous traitor!
To spread his false reports! you should reveal him
To my Lord Mayor.

RICHARD.
I would, if it were possible
To find him.

WIDOW.
Well, the truth's the best excuse;
Therefore I pardon you: but I must blame you
In another sort.

RICHARD.
Some other time, dear lady

WIDOW.
“There's no time like the present,” says the proverb;
And, sooth, there's many a true proverb.—Come
This way; they'd fain o'erhear us;—I must tell you
It touches you to hear me.—

RICHARD.
Sure, St. Anthony
Had ne'er severer trials of his patience.

[They go up.
EDWARD.
Now for one fortunate instant; I may speak
To you alone—I love you, Mariana.

MARIANA.
Pray, spare me, sir, I am not worthy.

EDWARD.
Nay,
Deny me not an hour of gentle converse,
That I may urge my suit—we are now too public.

MARIANA.
Not for the answer I must give you, sir.
I thank you, and, that said, I've but one word;
My heart's another's, and, as you are noble,
You'll scorn to urge me further.

EDWARD.
So, 'tis Richard's.
Well, 'tis a pity that he prizes not
The preference:—are you content to share
His love with yon gay widow? See, she leads him
In a close converse and bends fondly toward him
And he—

MARIANA.
Endures it, sir!—but who hath told you
'Tis he who hath my heart?

EDWARD.
Do you deny it?

MARIANA.
Have you the right to question? Yet I'll answer.
He's mine, and I am his; if there be truth
In the soul's language—in that fervid trust,
Which, without vows or any other bond
Than that of innocent truth, plights guileless love
Firmly as though the troth were pledged in heaven,
From which the affection sprung.—I love him, sir,
And trust him, and the meaning of your brow,
Deep drawn as 'twas when speaking of yon widow,
I answer with a smile.—You cannot smile too,
For you would wrong your friend.

EDWARD.
I but surmised—

MARIANA.
Well, sir, you see how much I share your fears.
I leave them to their converse—fare you well, sir.

[Exit.
EDWARD.
So 'tis is a prosperous day with me, yon proud one!—
But even her pride's a spur to my desires,
Makes them o'erleap the formal barrier conscience,
Which, at the first, I shrunk from. I'll accept
His boastful challenge.—I should like to change
His triumph into disappointed anger—
My envy to victorious malice. Come!
They wait us, Richard—I've a thought shall do it.
Those jewels! I may frame a tale from them!
Richard, I say; the bell sounding dinner!

RICHARD.
I come—farewell, my gentle dame.

WIDOW.
To-morrow
I will pursue my counsel—or indeed
This afternoon—cannot you dine with me?

RICHARD.
Excuse me; I am expected.

WIDOW.
Well, sir, well,
Remember I shall wait you.

[Exit.
RICHARD.
You shall wait me
Indeed, or ere I come, my gentle mistress;
I must have even called some sudden sickness,
The plague, or some such kind disease, to scare her;
For as you spoke I dreaded an avowal
In plain and open terms. See, she is peeping
Now from her casement—run, or I'm her prisoner.

[Exit.
EDWARD.
A plague upon his fortunes, or his face,
I know not which, that women thus doat on him.

Enter Parallel from Scroope's.
EDWARD.
So, Master Parallel, I need your service.

PARALLEL.
Why, service hath its kind, degree, condition,
Honour, dishonour, safety, peril, accidents,
Beyond enumeration.

EDWARD.
My request
Is first your silence—I'd have your assistance
In my suit to Mariana.

PARALLEL.
Humph! that can't be.
I have hopes of her myself.

EDWARD.
You hopes of her!
What, 'cause you have a loan from Master Scroope?

PARALLEL.
I have, sir, and I'm brave in it; for this bravery
Hath many kinds, the bravery of soul,
The bravery of purse, of dress, of lineage,
Of—

EDWARD.
Stay! Is yours a bravery to meet
A tailor and two varlets?

PARALLEL.
You shall see, sir.
Ay! they're the very hang dogs—Mark my bearing!
It shall be a specimen of that true courage
That springs from what's within.— (Chinking a purse.)

A fortitude
Can answer all draughts on it.
Enter Tailor, and two Officers.
So! approach, sirs.
I have sought long— (aside)
—to keep out of your way.
It troubles me to carry money with me
That's not mine own; for the first joy of money
Is the right to expend it.

TAILOR.
Please your worship
I'm glad, indeed, we've found you; but, good varlet,
Tap him o' th' shoulder, or we lose our costs.
You are arrested, sir.

PARALLEL.
Ay, ay, arrested.
Where's your demand? Some ten marks, is it not?
Mark but my bearing (to Edward.)
Rascal! here they are.

TAILOR.
Alas! good sir, ten marks will pay but little
Of the debt now.

PARALLEL.
How?

TAILOR.
Costs, sir, have accrued.
I'm sorry that your worship found me not:
I've been at charges for an outlawry:
And that, with the attendance of our friends here,
Shall let you cheaply off at twenty pounds.

EDWARD
(to Parallel.)
Well, sir, I mark your bearing.

PARALLEL.
Twenty pounds!

EDWARD.
A perfect specimen of fortitude
Which springs from that within!

PARALLEL.
Twenty pounds! Ruined!

EDWARD.
Stay! these are friends, and merciful, no doubt.
You, sir— (to Tailor.)


TAILOR.
Oh no, sir, we have caught him now:
And, by the livery of our company,
Their arms, the needle, goose, and fatal shears!—
Or all that can be thought more dread and solemn—
I swear I'll have his body or the payment.

PARALLEL.
In full?

TAILOR.
In full.—I told you I would do it
If you paid not.

PARALLEL.
All things conspire against me!
Even tailors keep their words!

EDWARD.
Your leave a moment!

TAILOR.
Is it to speak upon the means of payment?

EDWARD.
It is.

TAILOR.
Then stand you here—you post yourself
By this gate, and be ready with your poles
To knock him down if he should stir. Now, sir,
[to Par.
You're quite at liberty.

EDWARD.
Where are your hopes now
Of Mariana?

PARALLEL.
Oh, 'tis cruel, thus
To mock me in my mortal agony,
For death has many doors; we'll say some forty
First—

EDWARD.
Zounds! Is this a time to talk divisions?
I'll pay the debt.

PARALLEL.
You will?

EDWARD.
On one condition.
You've now no hope of Mariana?

PARALLEL
(sighs.)
True!

EDWARD.
But I may have some yet—if you will join me
In a slight slander, aid me to devise it,
And then deliver it to Mariana.
You are a grave, staid person, and your words
May be, perchance, believed. Say, will you do this
If I should free you?

PARALLEL.
I'll do any thing.

EDWARD.
You may ask audience of her as a suitor,
For all these are admitted, and then speak
What we shall plan for you.

PARALLEL.
But whoop these hounds off,
I'll say or swear whatever you direct me.

TAILOR.
Are we to have the money?

EDWARD.
Friends! bear witness,
I lend him twenty pounds to pay his debt,
And at his strong entreaty—Is't not so?

[To Par.
PARALLEL.
At my most strong, importunate entreaty.

EDWARD.
There 'tis, and he is free (gives money.)


TAILOR.
Thanks! noble sir.
to Par.]
There is my hand, sir, I bear no man malice.
It always grieves me to lock up my customers.
Come friends—you'll chance, perhaps, to want a suit?

PARALLEL.
No; no more of your suits, they fit me not.

[Exit Tailor, &c.
EDWARD.
Come, Master Parallel, come, a cup of wine,
And then to make me a repayment.

PARALLEL.
Ay!
You're a fit type of Lucifer; you've saved
My body but to catch my soul.

EDWARD.
Your body's
Nothing to boast of; yet best of the twain.
But come and learn your lesson, my grave tutor.

[Exeunt.