University of Virginia Library

Scene III.

—A chamber in the house of Collatinus at Collatia. Girls spinning; Lucretia at the door, looking toward the camp fires of Ardea.
Lucretia.
The stars
Do not now entertain me. All my thoughts
Are of my lord. How gracious are the gods
To give us women, in our lonely hours,
The very secret joy and company
Of our too distant loves! How could I bear
These parted months, save for this mystery,
This urgent, throbbing triumph at my heart,
This something that shall tell him how Lucrece
Doth in her bosom rate her Collatine,
This living message! O my child, my son,
Thy father must return that I may break
The joyous news; and yet I'll keep it close;
It is not for the lips. O thou and I
What welcome we will weave for him! I prate.
We who are mothers must be diligent,
And live by pious rule, that, in the womb,
Our sons may feel the discipline of law,
Restraining even such sweet impulses
As carry us to Ardea. Girls, we'll spin
Till midnight, for to-day we have not wrought
Our measured task. We must repair our sloth,
And force our too impatient drowsiness
To wait our pleasure. Merrily to work!
Virgilia,—ah, you must not be o'ertasked.
[Aside.]
A little orphan maid.
[Aloud.]
Go, child, to bed,
At break of morning to your work again,
With swifter shuttle. I will take your wheel.
[Exit Virgilia.
[Aside.]
It irks me, for I'm restless.

1st Maid.
Mistress, stay!
There's noise without of soldiers, and they come
Closer, as they were drawing to the house.
I tremble, lest perchance an enemy—

2nd Maid.
Nay, that is Roman laughter. Lady, list!
It may be from the camp.

Lucretia.
A messenger.
Your lord comes not with drunken revelry;
I never yet have heard him, ere I saw.
[Enter Collatinus and the Princes.]
Ah, he has guests, and hospitality
Raises this clamour. Dear my lord, I find
You're giving welcome. May I to your side
As hostess? [Goes up to Collatinus caressingly; greets the princes.]
'Tis most gracious thus to steal
An hour from camp. As cousins it were kind,
As princes 'tis a favour.

Aruns.
Ah, design
Is in our visit; we have made the round
Of our wives' chambers; the fair enemy
Was taken unawares. But Collatine
Insisted, with a bridegroom's arrogance,
Wisdom and circumspection would be found
Guarding his walls.

Lucretia.
It is most natural
He should be fearless, coming to his home.
Sweet princes, that betwixt my lord and you
There should be disputation, I must grieve;
But bless ye heartily for bringing him
Homeward, on any pretext.

Collatinus.
[Pointing to the maidens spinning.]
Look within.

Sextus.
[Aside.]
I cannot speak to her. Shame's on my lips.
She should have been my captive. Oh, how swift
The order to my tent! What works in me?
Ye gods, she is no stranger to my eyes;
I oft encountered her at feasts, a girl
So unambitious that I slighted her,
Courting disdainful Lesbia for my wife.
How is she changed! Is it the marriage rite
That thus hath sweetly wrought on her? Oh then,
The lady Juno can invest with charm
Out-matching Venus' lures. She is superb,
Radiant and free, and doth confer her face
Frankly as Phœbus his gold-dropping rays.
Have I no manners that I follow her
With stupid stare soon as she moves away,
And through my burning, hidden temples feel
Near me her queenly step? Were we alone, . . .

Aruns.
[To Collatinus.]
I must commend the beaming diligence
Of this fair company. You've won the wage;
Yet on one's slighter hours such industry
Would pall. Lucretia, do you play the lute?

Lucretia.
Yes, to myself, until I quite forget
Who makes the music. I must have sweet sounds
About my ears; the fountain and my bees
Content me in the garden, but within
There must be tunes.

Aruns.
Well, play to us.

Lucretia.
[Looking toward Collatinus.]
Another must command.

Sextus.
[Aside.]
Nothing in common! [Aloud.]
Yet if we entreat . . .

Lucretia.
O cousin Sextus, there's no singing-match
Betwixt us. Tidings of the oracle?
I burn to hear.

Sextus.
I shall be lord of Rome.

Lucretia.
Did the gods presage that?

Aruns.
He's impudent.
Delphi foretold Rome's rulership to him
Who first embraced his mother. He out-ran,
Being superstitious.

Lucretia.
There were three of you.
What said our Dullard to the prophecy?

Aruns.
He was left grovelling on the earth.

Lucretia.
Beware
How you interpret! Yet to rule our Rome . . .

Sextus.
[Aside.]
Ah, what a sigh! She would have empery.
[Aloud.]
When I am tyrant . . .

Lucretia.
O Tarquinius,
Use not that word. As Roman soldier earn
Your civic triumph. See the oak-leaves crown
Deservedly your brow. Come to our home;
'Tis still as Numa's grove; and here, methinks,
Some whispers reach us from the heavenly powers,
I will interpret to you. Collatine,
Give our young cousin welcome.

Collatinus.
To my house
I turn as to a temple, and the doors
Are open to all comers.

Aruns.
I shall bring
Lucilia hither.

Sextus.
I shall come alone.

Collatinus.
Each as ye list. We part in amity?

Aruns.
Owning that you possess the perfect wife.

Sextus.
[Aside.]
I love her; she is tempting me away
From my dishonour, and her soft reproach
Reminds me of my virtue. [Aloud.]
You would make
A hero of me?

Lucretia.
Or the gods forbid
Fulfilment of the Delphic augury!
Good-night, fair cousins.

Aruns.
Lady, take your rest.
You have brought fame to Collatine.

Collatinus.
Farewell.

[Exeunt princes.
Lucretia.
They're full of compliment. Ah me, 'tis strange
That any can speak lightly, or make jest
Of their deep, nuptial blisses, and not feel
What awe we owe each other when we love.

Collatinus.
Rebuke me, dear; among the rioters
I boasted of my wife.

Lucretia.
Dear Collatine,
Shall we keep chastely each for other's joy
Our bodies, and let common fame defile
The holy intercourse of wedded love?
That which a man can boast of is not his;
He shares it with the vulgar. We possess
What the All-ruling One holds secretly
Shut in His hand,—our votive offerings,
The things that we can never touch again,
This hearth that is the gods', this dear, dear bond,
That Juno blesses. Closer must I wind
Round you my guardian arms. When we are thus
Together, every care creeps from my heart.
You'll play to me?

Collatinus.
And we will praise the gods.