 | Virginius |  |
SCENE I.
—Appius's House.Appius
[entering].
It is not love, if what I've felt before
And call'd by such a name be love—a thing
That took its turn—that I could entertain,
Put off, or humour. 'Tis some other thing;
Or if the same, why in some other state—
Or I am not the same—or it hath found
Some other part of sensibility
More quick, whereon to try its power, and there
Expends it all! Now, Claudius, your success?
Enter Claudius.
Claud.
Nothing would do, yet nothing left undone!
She was not to be purchased.
App.
Did she guess—
Claud.
She could not.
So guarded was my agent; who described you
A man of power, of noble family,
And regal fortune—one that ask'd not what
His pleasures cost—no further made disclosure.
App.
And did it nothing move her, Claudius?
Claud.
Nothing.
The more my agent urged, the more the shrunk
And wither'd hag grew callous. Further press'd
And with more urgent importuning; ire
And scorn, in imprecations and invectives,
Vented upon the monster—as she call'd him—
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To drop the suit she saw was hopeless.
App.
Now
Had I a friend indeed!
Claud.
Has Appius need
To search for such a friend, and Claudius by him?
App.
Friends ever are provisionally friends—
Friends for so far—friends just to such a point,
And then “farewell!”—friends with an understanding—
As “should the road be pretty safe”—“the sea
Not over-rough,” and so on—friends of ifs
And buts—no friends! O could I find the man
Would be a simple thorough-going friend!
Claud.
I thought you had one, Appius.
App.
So thought Appius,
Till Appius thought upon a test of friendship,
He fears he would not render to himself,
Could he be Appius' friend.
Claud.
Then Appius has
A truer friend than Appius is to Appius.
I'll give that test!
App.
What! you'd remove her father
And that Icilius whom you told me of?
Claud.
Count it a thing already done.
App.
My Claudius!
Can I believe it? Art thou such a friend,
That, when I look'd for thee to stop and leave me,
I find thee, keeping with me, step by step;
And even in thy loving eagerness
Outstriding me?—I do not want thee, Claudius,
To soil thy hand with their plebeian blood.
Claud.
What wouldst thou, then?
App.
I was left guardian to thee—
Claud.
Thou wast.
App.
Among the various property
Thy father left were many female slaves.
Claud.
Well?
App.
It were easy for thee, were it not,
To invent a tale that one of them confess'd
She had sold a female infant (and, of course,
Thy slave) unto Virginius' wife, who pass'd it
Upon Virginius as his daughter, which
Supposititious offspring is this same
Virginia.
Claud.
I conceive you.
App.
To induce
Your agent to confirm your tale would cost
But small persuasion. Is it done?
Claud.
This hour!
I'll find the school, my Appius, where Virginia
Pursues her studies. Thither I'll repair,
And seize her as my slave, at once. Do thou
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Her friends molest me in the attempt, I'll bring her,
And plead my cause before thee.
App.
Claudius! Claudius!
How shall I pay thee? O, thou noble friend!
Power, fortune, life, whate'er belongs to Appius,
Reckon as thine! Away, away, my Claudius!
[They go out severally.
| Virginius | |