Dash thee disdainfully away? with scorn? Mon. He did! and more, I fear, will ne'er be friends, Though I still love him with unbated passion. Cha. So may this arm Mon. Nay, now, Chamont, art thou unkind as he is! Didst thou not promise me thou wouldst be calm? Keep my disgrace concealed? Why shouldst thou kill him? By all my love, this arm should do him vengeance. Acast. Sure some ill fate is towards me; in I only meet with oddness and disorder; Cha. Then you met a villain. Acast. Ha! Cha. Yes, a villain. Acast. Have a care, young soldier, How thou'rt too busy with Acasto's fame. I have a sword, my arm's good old acquaintance; Villain to thee! Cha. Curse on thy scandalous age, Was ne'er thy father; nothing of him is in thee. Cha. Do. Acast. I scorn it Cha. No, I'll calmly hear the story, For I would fain know all, to see which scale Weighs most-Ha! is not that good old Acasto? What have I done? Can you forgive this folly? Whence came the cause? Cha. Indeed I've been to blame; [Raises him. But I'll learn better; for you've been my father. You have been her father too [Takes MON. by the hand. Acast. Forbear the prologue And let me know the substance of thy tale. Cha. You took her up, a little tender flower, Just sprouted on a bank, which the next frost Had nipped; and, with a careful loving hand, Transplanted her into your own fair garden, Where the sun always shines. There long she flourished, Grew sweet to sense, and lovely to the eye; Acast. You talk to me in parables, Chamont. Your son Castalio has wronged Monimia. Acast. Ha! wronged her? Cha. Married her. Acast. I am sorry for it. Cha. Why sorry? By yon blest heaven, there's not a lord Cha. You dare not! By the gods you dare not; All your family combined In one damned falsehood to outdo Castalio, Acast. How has Castalio wronged her? Is there so wretched as Monimia? Enter POLYDORE. Pol. Monimia, weeping! So morning dews on new-blown roses lodge, Mon. Let me alone to sorrow. 'Tis a cause Pol. Nay, wonder not; last night I heard His oaths, your vows, and to my torment saw Your wild embraces; heard the appointment made; I did, Monimia, and cursed the sound. quiet, And drown your soul in wretchedness for ever; Breathe out the choicest secrets of my heart, By the honour of your name, that's most concerned, To tell me, Polydore, and tell me truly, Pol. Within thy arms I triumphed! rest had been my foe. [She faints. Let mischiefs multiply! Let every hour Mon. Oh, Polydore, if all The friendship e'er you vowed to good Castalio As I am, in possession of thy sweetness? Pol. What says Monimia! ha! Wilt thou be sworn, my love? wilt thou be ne'er Speak that again. Unkind again? Mon. Banish such fruitless hopes ! Have you swore constancy to my undoing? Mon. Away; what meant my lord Last night? Pol. Is that a question now to be demanded? I hope Monimia was not much displeased. Mon. I am Castalio's wife. Saw it performed. Pol. And then, have I enjoyed My brother's wife? Mon. As surely as we both Must taste of misery, that guilt is thine. Pol. Must we be miserable then? Mon. To become a thing More wretched than its parents, to be branded Full of my guilt, distracted where to roam, I'll find some place, where adders nest in winter, [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE I.-A Garden. CASTALIO lying on the ground.-Soft music. SONG. Come, all ye youths, whose hearts e'er bled Bring each a garland on his head, But hand in hand around me move, And see, when your complaints ye join, Though bright as heaven, whose stamp she bears, See where the deer trot after one another, Calm arbours, lusty health and innocence, Once in a season too they taste of love: To my own choice. Acast. I say, no more dispute. Complaints are made to me, that you have I promised you to do Monimia right, wronged her. Cast. Who has complained? And thought my word a pledge, I would not for feit: Acast. Her brother, to my face, proclaimed her But you, I find, would fright us to performance. wronged, Cha. Where is the hero, famous and renowned For wronging innocence and breaking vows? Whose mighty spirit, and whose stubborn heart, No woman can appease, nor man provoke? Acust. I guess, Chamont, you come to seek Castalio. Cha. I come to seek the husband of Monimia. Cast. The slave is here. Cha. I thought e'er now to have found you Atoning for the ills you have done Chamont; For you have wronged the dearest part of him. Monimia, young lord, weeps in this heart; And all the tears, thy injuries have drawn From her poor eyes, are drops of blood from hence. Cast. Sir, in my younger years, with care you taught me, That brave revenge was due to injured honour: Because thou knowest that place is sanctified Cast. I am a villain, if I will not seek thee, Till I may be revenged for all the wrongs, Done me by that ungrateful fair, thou plead'st for. Cha. She wronged thee! by the fury in my heart, Thy father's honour's not above Monimia's; Nor was thy mother's truth and virtue fairer. Acast. Boy, don't disturb the ashes of the dead With thy capricious follies. The remembrance Of the loved creature, that once filled these arms Cha. Has not been wronged. Cast. It shall not. Cha. No, nor shall Monimia, though a helpless orphan, destitute Enter SERINA. Ser. Alas! alas! Sheath up thy angry sword, and don't affright me. Cast. Sir, if you'd have me think you did not take This opportunity to shew your vanity, Cast. Serina, Farewell: I wish much happiness attend you. Ser. Chamont's the dearest thing I have on earth; Give me Chamont, and let the world forsake me. Cast. Sir, 'twas my last request, No artful prostitute, in falsehoods practised, Cast. Farewell-My father, you seem troubled. Came to disturb thee thus, I'm grieved I hin dered Thy just resentment. But Monimia Cast. Damn her. Acast. Don't curse her, Cast. Did I? Acast. Yes. Cast. I'm sorry for it, Except she see you, sure she'll grow distracted. Cast. I cannot hear Monimia's soul's in sadness, Acust. Delay not then, but haste and cheer thy love. Gast. Oh! I will throw my impatient arms In her soft bosom sigh my soul to peace, SCENE II. A Chamber. Enter MONIMIA. I will not rest till I have found Castalio, Acast. Methinks, if, as I guess, the fault's but I cannot die in peace till I have seen him. small, Acast. I'll send and bring her hither. Acast. For my sake, Castalio, and the quiet of my age. Gast. Why will you urge a thing my nature starts at? Acast. Prithee forgive her. Cust. Lightnings first shall blast me. I tell you, were she prostrate at my feet, Enter FLORElla. CASTALIO within. Cast. Who talks of dying with a voice so sweet, Mon. Hark! 'tis he that answers. And every heart awakes, as mine does now. Cast. [Entering.] Here, my love. Mon. No nearer, lest I vanish. Cast. Have I been in a dream, then, all this while? And art thou but the shadow of Monimia ? Mon. Oh, were it possible, that we could drown Gast. Is't then so hard, Monimia, to forgive For I must love thee, though it prove my ruin. Flor. My lord, where are you! Oh, Castalio! What shall I do to be enough thy slave, And satisfy the lovely pride that's in thee? Mon. If I am dumb, Castalio, and want words |