I will not rest till I have found Castalio,
My wish's lord, comely as the rising day,
Amidst ten thousand eminently known!
Flowers spring up where-e'er he treads, his
Fountains of brightness, cheering all about him! 240
When will they shine on me?—Oh, stay my soul !
I cannot die in peace till I have seen him.

CASTALIO within.

eyes

Cast. Who talks of dying with a voice so sweet, That life's in love with it?

Mon. Hark! 'tis he that answers.

"So, in a camp, though at the dead of night,
"If but the trumpet's cheerful noise is heard,
"All at the signal leap from downy rest,
"And every heart awakes, as mine does now.”
Where art thou?

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?

Why dost thou fly me thus ?

Mon. Oh, were it possible that we could drown In dark oblivion but a few past hours,

We might be happy.

Cast. Is't then so hard, Monimia, to forgive

A fault, where humble love like mine, implores thee?
For I must love thee, though it prove my ruin. 261
Which way
shall I court thee?

What shall I do to be enough thy slave,

And satisfy the lovely pride that's in thee?'
I'll kneel to thee, and weep a flood before thee.
Yet pr'ythee, tyrant, break not quite my heart;
But when my task of penitence is done,

Heal it again, and comfort me with love.

Mon. If I am dumb, Castalio, and want words
Το pay thee back this mighty tenderness;
It is because I look on thee with horror,
And cannot see the man I have wrong'd.
Cast. Thou hast not wrong'd me.

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; " 'Till joining thus, they bill, and spread their wings, “Murmuring love, and joy their fears are over.

"Mon. Yet, have a care; be not too fond of peace, "Lest, in pursuance of the goodly quarry, "Thou meet a disappointment that distracts thee."

Cast. My better angel, then do thou inform me, What danger threatens me, and where it lies: Why didst thou (pr'ythee smile, and tell me why) When I stood waiting underneath the window, Quaking with fierce and violent desires;

300

The dropping dews fell cold upon my head,
Darkness inclos'd, and the winds whistled round me;
Which, with my mournful sighs, made such a music,
As might have mov'd the hardest heart; why wert

thou

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 known:

What dost thou mean by horror and forbearance
Of more inquiry? Tell me, I beg thee, tell me ;
And don't betray me to a second madness.
Mon. Must I?

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,

And let in fears of ugly form upon me.

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?
Thou art my heart's inheritance; I serv'd

A long and painful, faithful slav'ry for thee:
And who shall rob me of the dear-bought blessing?
Mon. Time will clear all; but now, let this content

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,

And from this day, to see thy face no more.

Cast. Where am I? Sure I wander 'midst enchant

ment,

And never more shall find the way to rest;

"But, oh, Monimia! art thou indeed resolv'd
"To punish me with everlasting absence?"
Why turn'st thou from me; I'm alone already;
Methinks I stand upon a naked beach,
Sighing to winds, and to the seas complaining,

340

Whilst afar off the vessel sails away,

Where all the treasure of my soul's embark'd,

Wilt thou not turn ?-Oh! could those eyes but speak, I should know all, for love is pregnant in 'em ;

They swell, they press their beams upon me still: Wilt thou not speak? If we must part for ever, Give me but one kind word to think upon,

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."
What means all this? Why all this stir to plague
A single wretch? If but your word can shake
This world to atoms, why so much ado

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. Who's there?-

Pol. Why, what art thou?

Cast. My brother Polydore ?
Pol. My name is Polydore.
Cast. Canst thou inform me-

Pol. Of what!

Cast. Of my, Monimia ?

Pol. No. Good-day.