University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

An Apartment in the Tower.
Nigel, guarded by a Sentry, who paces behind the doorway, in the back Scene.
Nigel.
A sad reverse of yesterday's fair hopes!
The Jewels that should have made my fortune whole,
Forced from my use by murd'rers, and myself
Lodg'd in the Tow'r, the tomb of living men!

(Sir Geoffry unlocks the door, leading in Margaret.)
Sir Geof.
A fellow captive!—Tis a slip scarce worth
The turning of a key on.

Nigel.
I desire
No company.

Sir Geof.
'Tis the Lieutenant's order:
We have no spare apartments, and he wills not
So fair a lad be thrust with baser persons.

[Exit.
[Margaret stands trembling, and with downcast eyes, on the spot where Sir Geoffry has left her.]
Nigel.
He has a gracious mien!—What, pretty lad,
Cheer up! your hand is cold, and trembles!

She silently suffers herself to be led forward: then suddenly wrings her hands, and spreading them before her face, begins to sob aloud. Nigel smooths down her hair with his hand; she shrinks.
Nigel.
Nay,
Weeping! O fie! you must not, like a girl,
Give way to tears.

Marg.
Sir, you are very good—
And I very unhappy!

Nigel.
Some wild frolick,
Some naughty trick?—yet why i'th'Tow'r?

Marg.
Indeed,
I'm innocent; that is, I have done wrong,
But not—

Nigel.
(taking the end of her plaid sash.)
This looks as we were countrymen:
Whence do you come, my boy, and what's your name?

Marg.
My name to you? Oh, never!

Nigel.
You suspect me?

Marg.
No, no, I doubt you not; could tell you all,
That is, not quite, my lord, but almost all.

Nigel.
(negligently.)
Well, I but wish'd to serve you.
(impatiently.)
If all were right, you'd speak to me more frankly.

Marg.
Why, then, I am resolved to tell you nothing.

Nigel.
Why, then, you'll keep your secret; but, observe,
I have found out one passage of your mystery,

Marg.
What means your lordship?

Nigel.
That my pretty comrade
Wears not her sex's habit.

Marg.
It enfolds
One who will not disgrace it!

Nigel.
From a man
Those words might mean a challenge—Nay, fear nothing;
Spite of that garb, I feel you cannot merit
A wanton treatment.

Marg.
From your nobleness
I hoped no less.

Enter an Officer.
Officer.
A citizen, to speak
With the Lord Nigel.

Nigel.
(to Margaret)
Let not feverish thoughts
Distract you now—your pulse is high, and rest
Seems needful. (Points to a large chair in a recess.)


Marg.
(Hurrying towards it and dropping one of her Gloves)
O yes, quickly, ere a stranger
Comes in—the step approaches.

Nigel.
(Covering her face with her cloak and sash)
You'll sleep now.
Enter Strappet, to whom Nigel offers his hand.
[Exit Officer.
Landlord?

Strap.
O, no more courtesies, my Lord;
Have had enough for life! where have you pack'd
My runaway?

Nigel.
Your runaway!

Strap.
You know!
My minx—my plague—my wife—at least that was,
'Till she became your Lordship's light-o'love!

Nigel.
I never touch'd her cheek, or hand, except—

Strap.
Have you forgot the masquerading dress?

Nigel.
Except in honourable courtesy.

Strap.
Aye, that's the very word; She always praised
Your Lordship's honourable courtesy.
You've cozen'd me, between you, with your courtesy
O were your limbs but free, young as you are,
This bit of oak should make you an example
For courteous Lords!

Nigel.
Base groom, will nothing less
Content you, than to have your numskull crack'd
Against this wall?

Strap.
Oh bully on! You know
Th'Alsatian rant! A woman has been here,
(Picking up the glove which Margaret has dropped,)
No long time since, that's plain; this never fitted
Man's hand.

Nigel.
You have my answer.

Strap.
Will you say,
Here's not, e'en now, a hidden petticoat somewhere?

Nigel.
There's not, I vow—no petticoat at all.

Strap.
(Approaching the recess where Margaret is sleeping.)
I will be sure—What's in this chair, for instance?

Nigel.
(Intercepting his approach.)
What's that to thee?

Strap.
(Getting nearer to Margaret.)
I'll tell you, when I've seen
The sleeper's face.

Nigel.
(Swinging him by his arm from the chair down the stage.)
No, pardon me, good friend,
Not so familiar neither.

Strap.
So familiar,
Quotha! What, it's ill manners for a man
To peep at's own wife napping!

Nigel.
But that napper
Is not your wife.

Strap.
(Recovering from Nigel's shake.)

Your manner's rather stagg'ring:

Nigel.
(To Heriot, who at that moment appears at the door.)
Now this is kind. At such a time, a friend
Enter Heriot.
Is doubly welcome!

Heriot.
That's as conscience makes it.
My lord, my lord, how can you raise your eyes,
And look an honest tradesman in the face,
Seducer as you are?

Nigel.
Are you mad too,
About the barber's wife?

Heriot.
I've heard of that;
But, you well know 'tis not of her I speak.

Nigel.
What, have I had the fortune to detach
Some other lady, likewise, from her lord?

Strap.
Here is a precious devil among the women

Heriot.
Nor lord, nor lady; but a giddy girl
From a too careless guardian. Why, 'tis monstrous
T'affect this ign'rance that I come to claim
My poor niece, Marg'ret.

Nigel.
What has witch'd the women?
No charming creature in all London town
But takes some freak, that I may bear the blame.

Heriot.
Well play'd, indeed!

Nigel.
I never saw her, sir,
Save once at your own board, some three months past,
And yester-eve, a moment in the park;
Nay, all my memory of her face, is but
That it was passing fair.

Heriot.
I'm not so answered.

Strap.
No, no, young courtesy, we're not so answer'd.

Nigel.
Then, by mine honour, and nobility,
I have no knowledge of these gentlewomen,
Where they have been, or are, or mean to be,
Save that they are not here.

[Bridget appears by the door at the back of the stage, struggling with the sentry, and comes in.
Bridg.
My sweet young friend,
Must not be left alone.

Marg.
(waking with a start, and springing forward.)
What's that? who call'd?

[The two women thus occupy the back of the stage, right and left; Heriot and Strappet amazed, stand at equal distances in the front; so that these four form a square, in the centre of which is Nigel.
Strap.
Now!

Marg.
Bridget!

Brid.
Margaret!

Her.
Dissembler!

Nigel.
Devil!

Strap.
Two at a time, too! Have your Scotch no conscience?

Marg.
(attempts to cover her face, first with her cloak, then with her hands: these Heriot unceremoniously removes, giving her a slight shake.)


Heriot.
How comes this, minion? goodly gear, i'faith!
You'd shew your little foot and ancle, would you?
Nay, nay, your modesty's too late.

Bridg.
Well, John!

Strap.
Wife! Mrs. Strappet! do you face it out then?

Bridg.
Marry come up! does he suspect my virtue?

Nigel.
And mine too, Bridget.

Her.
Truly, with some reason.

Bridg.
Had I been that way bent, no nobleman
I'm sure, would have been likelier than your lordship;
But I would let him know—

Her.
Pray, do, good woman,
For we are much i'th'dark.

Bridg.
Why then, this fuss
Is all about a girl, a round faced girl,
That's what my wise, bald, John is jealous of.

Strap
(Looking at Nigel)
Girl, quotha! by my troth, a bouncing lass!
(To Sir Geoffry)
Look out, good master officer: 'twere better,
Turn your wild beasts out, in Tower Hill, than let
(Pulling Bridget with him)
This smooth Lord loose on honest people's wives.

Bridg.
(Significantly at Nigel with a nod towards Margaret)
You understand, I say no more, a girl!

[Exeunt Strappet and Bridget.
Nigel.
I understand, a girl? why, yes! I see
My pretty fellow-prisoner is a girl,
And pretty girls, I know, are pretty things;
But there my understanding ends.

Heriot.
Will neither
Explain?

Marg.
You much mistake me, and not less
This nobleman.

Nigel.
When all else league against me,
The more I'm bound to one who does me justice.
(Re-enter Sir Geoffry, with guards.
Now, good lieutenant?

Sir Geof.
I am sent to place
Your Lordship under stricter custody.

Nigel.
Upon what charge?

Sir Geof.
I grieve to say, of murder,
Committed in Whitefriars, upon the body
Of the old usurer, Trapbois.

Nigel.
And they dare
Impute the crime to me, who chased the felons?

Sir Geof.
Then you were there?

Nigel.
Yes, and shall call his daughter
To witness for me.

Sir Geof.
She has not been found;
Which makes no trivial circumstance against you.

Nigel.
Clouds thicken round me, but I'll clear them still.
Let but your smile, like a bright star, shine through,
To light my spirit. (to Margaret.)


Marg.
Could I smile—

Heriot.
Enough!
I'll to the King anon, and get you moved
Out of this custody.—For you my Lord,
Th'event must speak.

Nigel.
Meanwhile, then, my past life
Shall be my surety: for, in lib'ral judgments,
Good name is still the wearer's amulet
Against crude calumny; and with a sweet
And saving fragrance, like the balms o'th'East,
Wards the rank breath of malice. Sir, I follow.

[Margaret retires again into the recess:— Nigel goes out, preceded by Sir Geoffry, and followed by Guards and Heriot.