And satisfy the lovely pride that's in thee? Mon. If I am dumb, Castalio, and want words Mon. Ah! alas, thou talk'st Just as thy poor heart thinks! Have not I wrong'd thee? Cast. No. Mon. Still thou wander'st in the dark, Castalio; But wilt, ere long, stumble on horrid danger. "Cast. What means my love? "Mon. Could'st thou but forgive me "Cast. What? 280 "Mon. For my fault last night: alas, thou can'st not! "Cast. I can, and do. "Mon. Thus crawling on the earth, "Would I that pardon meet; the only thing "Can make me view the face of Heav'n with hope. "Cast. Then, let's draw near. "Mon. Ah, me! "Cast. So, in the fields, "When the destroyer has been out for prey, "The scatter'd lovers of the feather'd kind, "Seeking, when danger's past, to meet again, "Make moan, and call, by such degrees approach; The dropping dews fell cold upon my head, Deaf to my cries, and senseless of my pains? Mon. Did I not beg thee to forbear inquiry? Read'st thou not something in my face, that speaks Wonderful change, and horror from within me? Cast. Then there is something yet which I've not What dost thou mean by horror and forbearance Cast. If, lab'ring in the pangs of death, Thou would'st do any thing to give me ease; Unfold this riddle ere my thoughts grow wild, 320 Mon. My heart won't let me speak it; but remember, Monimia, poor Monimia, tells you this, We ne'er must meet again Cast. "What means my destiny? "For all my good or evil fate dwells in thee ?" Ne'er meet again! Mon. No, never. Cast. Where's the power On earth, that dare not look like thee, and say so? A long and painful, faithful slav'ry for thee: you. Heav'n has decreed, and therefore I'm resolv'd (With torment I must tell it thee, Castalio) Ever to be a stranger to thy love; In some far distant country waste my life, Cast. Where am I? Sure I wander 'midst enchant ment, And never more shall find the way to rest; 340 Whilst afar off the vessel sails away, Where all the treasure of my soul's embark'd, And please myself withal, whilst my heart's breaking. Mon. Ah, poor Castalio! Cast. "Pity, by the gods, [Exit Monimia. "She pities me! then thou wilt go eternally." With me? Think me but dead, and lay me so. 360 Enter POLYDORE. Pol. To live, and live a torment to myself, What dog would bear't, that knew but his condition? We've little knowledge, and that makes us cowards, Because it cannot tell us what's to come. Cast. In haste. Methinks my Polydore appears in sadness. Pol. Indeed, and so to me does my Castalio. Pol. Thou dost. Cast. Alas, I've wond'rous reason! I'm strangely alter'd, brother, since I saw thee. 380 Friends may be false. Is there no friendship false? Pol. I fear, Castalio, I have none to give thee. Pol. Oh, more than life: I never had a thought of my Castalio, Might wrong the friendship we had vow'd together. Hast thou dealt so by me? Cast. I hope I have. Pol. Then tell me why this mourning, this disorder? Cast. Oh, Polydore, I know not how to tell thee; Shame rises in my face, and interrupts The story of my tongue.' 400 |