University of Virginia Library

Scene IX.

Enter Cyprian, Clarin, and Moscon.
Cyprian.
A wish to serve you
Is the sole cause of my presence.
For on seeing the officials
Issuing from your house, the friendship
Which I owe unto Lysander
Made me bold herein to enter;
But to know (Aside.
Disturbed, bewildered
Am I.) if by chance (Aside.
What gelid
Frost is freezing up my veins!)
I in any way could help you.
(Aside.
Ah, how badly have I spoken!—
Fire not frost my blood possesses!)

Justina.
May heaven guard you many years,
Since in his more grave concernments,
Thus you honour my dear father
With your favours.

Cyprian.
I shall ever
Be most gratified to serve you.
(Aside.
What disturbs me, what unnerves me?)

Justina.
He is not just now at home.

Cyprian.
Thus then, lady, I can better
Tell you what is the true cause
That doth bring me here at present;
For the cause that you have heard
Is not that which wholly led me
Here to see you.

Justina.
Then, what is it?

Cyprian.
This, which craves your brief attention.—
Fair Justina, beauty's shrine,
To whose human loveliness
Nature, with a fond excess,
Adds such marks of the divine,
'Tis your rest that doth incline
Hither my desire to-day;
But see what the tyrant sway
Of despotic fate can do,—
While I bring your rest to you,
You from me take mine away.
Lelius, of his passion proud,
(Never less was love to blame!)
Florus, burning with love's flame,
(Ne'er could flame be more allowed!)
Each of them by vows they vowed
Sought to kill his friend for you:
I for you disturbed the two,
(Woe is me!) but see the end;
While from death I saved my friend,
You my own death give in lieu.
Lest the scandal-monger's hum
Should be buzzed about your name,
Here to speak with you I came,
(Would that I had never come!)
That your choice might strike it dumb,
Being the umpire in the cause,
Being the judge in love's sweet laws;—
But behold what I endure,
While I their sick hearts may cure,
Jealousy mine own heart gnaws.
Lady, I proposed to be
Their bold spokesman here, that you
Might decide betwixt the two
Which you would select (ah, me!)
That I might (oh, misery!)
Ask you of your father: vain
This pretence. No more I'll feign:—
For you see while I am speaking
About them, my heart is seeking
But a vent for its own pain.

Justina.
Half in wonder and dismay
At the vile address you make me,
Reason, speech, alike forsake me,
And I know not what to say.
Never in the slightest way
Have your clients had from me
Encouragement for this embassy—
Florus never—Lelius no:—
Of the scorn that I can show
Let then this a warning be.

Cyprian.
If I, knowing that you loved
Some one else, would dare to seek
Your regard, my love were weak,
And could justly be reproved.
But here seeing you stand unmoved,
Like a rock mid raging seas,
No extraneous miseries
Make me say I love you now.
'Tis not for my friends I bow,
So your warning hear with ease.—
To Lelius what shall I say?

Justina.
That he
Well may trust the boding fears
Of his love of many years.

Cyprian.
To Florus?

Justina.
Not my face to see.

Cyprian.
And to myself?

Justina.
Your love should be
Not so bold.

Cyprian.
Though a god should woo?

Justina.
Will a god do more for you
Than for those I have denied?

Cyprian.
Yes.

Justina.
Well then, I have replied
To Lelius, Florus, and to you.

[Exeunt Justina and Cyprian at opposite sides.