A King, and No King Part 24

O my good Lord, my deep Engagements.

_Bac_.

Tell not me of your Engagements, Captain _Bessus_, it is not to be put off with an excuse: for my own part, I am none of the mult.i.tude that believe your conversion from Coward.

_Bes_.

My Lord, I seek not Quarrels, and this belongs not to me, I am not to maintain it.

_Bac_.

Who then pray?

_Bes_.

_Bessus_ the Coward wrong'd you.

_Bac_.

Right.

_Bes_.

And shall _Bessus_ the Valiant, maintain what _Bessus_ the Coward did?

_Bac_.

I pray thee leave these cheating tricks, I swear thou shalt fight with me, or thou shall be beaten extreamly, and kick'd.

_Bes_.

Since you provoke me thus far, my Lord, I will fight with you, and by my Sword it shall cost me twenty pound, but I will have my Leg well a week sooner purposely.

_Bac_.

Your Leg? Why, what ailes your Leg? i'le do a cure on you, stand up.

_Bes_.

My Lord, this is not n.o.ble in you.

_Bac_.

What dost thou with such a phrase in thy mouth? I will kick thee out of all good words before I leave thee.

_Bes_.

My Lord, I take this as a punishment for the offence I did when I was a Coward.

_Bac_.

When thou wert? Confess thy self a Coward still, or by this light, I'le beat thee into Spunge.

_Bes_.

Why I am one.

_Bac_.

Are you so Sir? And why do you wear a Sword then?

Come unbuckle.

_Bes_.

My Lord.

_Bac_.

Unbuckle I say, and give it me, or as I live, thy head will ake extreamly.

_Bes_.

It is a pretty Hilt, and if your Lordship take an affection to it, with all my heart I present it to you for a New-years-gift.

_Bac_.

I thank you very heartily, sweet Captain, farewel.

_Bes_.

One word more, I beseech your Lordship to render me my knife again.

_Bac_.

Marry by all means Captain; cherish your self with it, and eat hard, good Captain; we cannot tell whether we shall have any more such: Adue dear Captain.

[_Exit_ Bac.

_Bes_.

I will make better use of this, than of my Sword: A base spirit has this vantage of a brave one, it keeps alwayes at a stay, nothing brings it down, not beating. I remember I promis'd the King in a great Audience, that I would make my back-biters eat my sword to a knife; how to get another sword I know not, nor know any means left for me to maintain my credit, but impudence: therefore I will out-swear him and all his followers, that this is all that's left uneaten of my sword.

[_Exit_ Bessus.

_Enter_ Mardonius.

_Mar_.

I'le move the King, he is most strangely alter'd; I guess the cause I fear too right, Heaven has some secret end in't, and 'tis a scourge no question justly laid upon him: he has followed me through twenty Rooms; and ever when I stay to wait his command, he blushes like a Girl, and looks upon me, as if modesty kept in his business: so turns away from me, but if I go on, he follows me again.