The Wonder-Working Magician Part 5

To whose human loveliness Nature, with a fond excess, Adds such marks of the divine, 'Tis your rest that doth incline Hither my desire to-day: But see what the tyrant sway Of despotic fate can do,-- While I bring your rest to you, You from me take mine away.

Lelius, of his pa.s.sion proud, (Never less was love to blame!) Florus, burning with love's flame, (Ne'er could flame be more allowed!) Each of them by vows they vowed Sought to kill his friend for you: I for you disturbed the two, (Woe is me!) but see the end; While from death I saved my friend, You my own death give in lieu.

Lest the scandal-monger's hum Should be buzzed about your name, Here to speak with you I came, (Would that I had never come!) That your choice might strike it dumb, Being the umpire in the cause, Being the judge in love's sweet laws;-- But behold what I endure, While I their sick hearts may cure, Jealousy mine own heart gnaws.

Lady, I proposed to be Their bold spokesman here, that you Might decide betwixt the two Which you would select (ah, me!) That I might (oh, misery!) Ask you of your father: vain This pretence. No more I'll feign:-- For you see while I am speaking About them, my heart is seeking But a vent for its own pain.

[footnote] * The five-lined rhymed stanza here recommences, and continues to the end of the scene.

JUSTINA. Half in wonder and dismay At the vile address you make me, Reason, speech, alike forsake me, And I know not what to say.

Never in the slightest way Have your clients had from me Encouragement for this emba.s.sy-- Florus never--Lelius no:-- Of the scorn that I can show Let then this a warning be.

CYPRIAN. If I, knowing that you loved Some one else, would dare to seek Your regard, my love were weak, And could justly be reproved.

But here seeing you stand unmoved, Like a rock mid raging seas, No extraneous miseries Make me say I love you now.

'Tis not for my friends I bow, So your warning hear with ease.-- To Lelius what shall I say?

JUSTINA. That he Well may trust the boding fears Of his love of many years.

CYPRIAN. To Florus?

JUSTINA. Not my face to see.

CYPRIAN. And to myself?

JUSTINA. Your love should be Not so bold.

CYPRIAN. Though a G.o.d should woo?

JUSTINA. Will a G.o.d do more for you Than for those I have denied?

CYPRIAN. Yes.

JUSTINA. Well then, I have replied To Lelius, Florus, and to you.

[Exeunt JUSTINA and CYPRIAN at opposite sides.

SCENE X.

CLARIN, MOSCON, and LIVIA.

CLARIN. Livia, heigh!

MOSCON. And Livia, ho!-- List good la.s.s.

CLARIN. We're here, we two.

LIVIA. Well, what WANT you, sir? and YOU, What do you want?

CLARIN. We both would show, If perchance you do not know, That we love you to distraction.

On a murderous transaction We came here, to kill each other:-- So to put an end to the bother, Just choose one for satisfaction.

LIVIA. Why the thing that you're demanding Is so great, it hath bereft me Of my wits. My grief hath left me Without sense or understanding.

Choose but one! My heart expanding, Beats so hard a strait to shun!

I one only! 'Tis for fun That you ask me so to do.

For with heart enough for two, Why require that I choose one?

CLARIN. Two at once would you have to woo?

Would not two embarra.s.s you, pray?

LIVIA. No, we women have a way To dispose of them two by two.

MOSCON. What's the way? do tell us, do;-- What is it? speak.

LIVIA. You put one out!-- I would love them, do not doubt....

MOSCON. How?

LIVIA. ALTERNATIVELY.

CLARIN. Eh, What's ALTERNATIVELY?

LIVIA. 'Tis to say, That I would love them day about.

[Exit.

MOSCON. Well, I choose to-day: good-bye.

CLARIN. I, to-morrow, the better part.

So I give it with all my heart.

MOSCON. Livia, in fine, for whom I die, To-day love me, and to-day love I.

Happy is he who so much can say.

CLARIN. Hearken, my friend: you know my way.

MOSCON. Why this speech? Does a threat lie in it?

CLARIN. Mind, she is not yours a minute After the clock strikes twelve to-day.

[Exeunt.

SCENE XI.