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. 280 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. 1 400 Pol. I grieve, my friend Knows any thing which he's asham'd to tell me ; Cast. Oh, much too oft! But let me here conjure thee, By all the kind affection of a brother, 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 What thou proclaim'st, he were the worst of liars: My friend may be mistaken. 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! Pol. Yes; thou never cam'st From old Acasto's loins; the midwife put 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. Cast. Ah!-ah-that stings home Pol. Ay, base-born coward! villain! 481 [He draws. -Coward! 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. 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; 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? |