Pol. I grieve, my friend Knows any thing which he's asham'd to tell me ; Or didst thou e'er conceal thy thoughts from Polydore? Cast. Oh, much too oft! But let me here conjure thee, By all the kind affection of a brother, (For I'm asham'd to call myself thy friend) Forgive me Pol. Well, go on. Cast. Our destiny contriv'd To plague us both with one unhappy love. Thou, like a friend, a constant, gen'rous friend, And made a contract I ne'er meant to keep. Pol. How! Cast. Still new ways I study'd to abuse thee, 420 Cast. No; to conceal't from thee was much a fault. Pol. A fault! when thou hast heard The tale I tell, what wilt thou call it then? Cast. How my heart throbs! Pol. First, for thy friendship, traitor, I cancel't thus ; after this day, I'll ne'er Cast. What will my fate do with me? I've lost all happiness, and know not why. Pol. Perjur'd, treach'rous wretch, Farewel. Cast. I'll be thy slave, and thou shalt use me Just as thou wilt, do but forgive me. Pol. Never. 440 Cast. Oh! think a little what thy heart is doing: Ev'n in the womb w'embrac'd, and wilt thou now, Plung'd in the gulf of grief, and none to help me? Pol. Blind wretch! thou husband! there's a question! "Go to her fulsome bed, and wallow there : "Till some hot ruffian, full of lust and wine, "Come storm thee out, and shew thee what's thy bargain. "Cast. Hold there, I charge thee.” Pol. Is she not a Cast. Whore? Pol. Ay, whore; I think that word needs no ex plaining. Cast. Alas! I can forgive ev'n this, to thee! To wrong that virtue which thou couldst not ruin. Cast. Should the bravest man 460 That e'er wore conquering sword, but dare to whisper Pol. Damn th' evasion; Thou mean'st the worst; and he's a base-born villain That said I lied. Cast. Do, draw thy sword, and thrust it through my heart; There is no joy in life, if thou art lost. A base-born villain! From old Acasto's loins; the midwife put A cheat upon my mother, and instead Of a true brother, in the cradle by me, Plac'd some coarse peasant's cub, and thou art he. Cast. Thou art my brother still. Pol. Thou liest. Cast. Nay then Yet I am calm. Pol. A coward's always so. 481 [He draws. Cast. Ah!-ah-that stings home—Coward! Pol. Ay, base-born coward! villain! Cast. This to thy heart, then, tho' my mother bore thee. [Fight; Polydore drops his sword, and runs on Castalio's.] Pol. Now my Castalio is again my friend. Cast. What have I done? my sword is in thy breast. Pol. So I would have it be, thou best of men, Thou kindest brother, and thou truest friend. Cast. Ye gods, we're taught that all your works are justice, Ye're painted merciful, and friends to innocence : Pol. Blame not the heav'ns; here lies thy fate, Th' are not the gods, 'tis Polydore has wrong'd thee; I've stain'd thy bed; thy spotless marriage joys Have been polluted by thy brother's lust. Cast. By thee! Pol. By me, last night, the horrid deed Was done, when all things slept but rage and incest. Cast. Now where's Monimia? Oh! Enter MONIMIA. Mon. I'm here, who calls me? Methought I heard a voice Sweet as the shepherd's pipe upon the mountains, When all his little flock's at feed before him. But what means this? Here's blood. Cast. Ay, brother's blood. Art thou prepar'd for everlasting pains? Pol. Oh, let me charge thee, by th' eternal justice, Hurt not her tender life! Cast. Not kill her? "Rack me "Ye pow'rs above, with all your choicest torments, "And wreak revenge some way yet never known." Cast. Tell me that story, And thou wilt make a wretch of me indeed. Pol, Hadst thou, Castalio, us'd me like a friend, Hearing th' appointment made, enrag'd to think Thou fairest, goodliest frame the gods e'er made, I've murder'd too my brother. K |