The Works of Aphra Behn Volume I Part 121

_L. Des._ By what strange Miracle, my dearest _Freeman_, wert thou set at liberty?

_Free._ On the zealous Parole of _Rabbie Ananias_; that Rhetorick that can convert whole Congregations of well-meaning Blockheads to errant Knaves, has now mollify'd my Keeper; I'm to be render'd back within this Hour: let's not, my dear _Maria_, lose the precious minutes this Reverend Hypocrite has given us.

_L. Des._ Oh! you are very gay, have you forgot whose Prisoner you are, and that perhaps, e'er many Days are ended, they may hang you for High-Treason against the Commonwealth? they never want a good thorow-st.i.tch'd Witness to do a Murder lawfully.

_Free._ No matter, then I shall die with Joy, _Maria_, when I consider, that you lov'd so well to give me the last Proof on't.

_L. Des._ Are you in earnest, _Freeman_? and wou'd you take what Honour will not suffer me to grant?

_Free._ With all my Heart, Honour's a poor Excuse. Your Heart and Vows (your better part) are mine; you've only lent your Body out to one whom you call Husband, and whom Heaven has mark'd for Cuckoldom. Nay, 'tis an Act of honest Loyalty, so to revenge our Cause; whilst you were only mine, my honest Love thought it a Sin to press these Favours from you; 'twas injuring my self as well as thee; but now we only give and take our Right.

_L. Des._ No more, my Husband's old--

_Free._ Right, my dear _Maria_, and therefore--

_L. Des._ --May possibly die--

_Free._ He will be hang'd first.

_L. Des._ --I hope so-- either of which will do our Bus'ness-- unreasonable _Freeman_, not to have Patience till my Husband be hang'd a little.

_Free._ But what if Destiny put the Change upon us, and I be hang'd instead of _Desbro_?

_L. Des._ Why then thou art not the first gallant Fellow that has died in the Good and Royal Cause; and a small taste of Happiness will but turn thee off the Ladder with the sadder Heart.

_Free._ Hast thou the Conscience, lovely as thou art, To deal out all thy Beauty to a Traitor?

Is not this Treason of the highest Nature, To rob the Royal Party of such Treasure, And give it to our mortal Enemies?

For Shame, be wise, and just, And do not live a Rebel to our Cause; 'Tis Sin enough to have Society with such a wicked Race.

_L. Des._ But I am married to him.

_Free._ So much the worse, to make a League and Covenant with such Villains, and keep the sinful Contract; a little harmless Lying and Dissimulation I'll allow thee, but to be right down honest, 'tis the Devil.

_L. Des._ This will not do, it never shall be said I've been so much debauch'd by Conventicling to turn a sainted Sinner; No, I'm true to my Allegiance still, true to my King and Honour. Suspect my Loyalty when I lose my Virtue: a little time, I'm sure, will give me honestly into thy Arms; if thou hast Bravery, shew it in thy Love.

_Free._ You will o'ercome, and shame me every way;-- but when will this Change come? and till it do, what p.a.w.n will you give me, I shall be happy then?

_L. Des._ My Honour, and that Happiness you long for, and take but two Months time for their Redemption.

_Free._ How greedily I'll seize the Forfeiture!

_L. Des._ But what am I like to get if this Change do come?

_Free._ A Slave, and whatever you please to make of him.

_L. Des._ Who knows, in such an universal Change, how you may alter too?

_Free._ I'll give ye Bond and Vows, unkind _Maria_,-- Here take my Hand-- Be it known unto all Men, by these Presents, that I, _John Freeman_ of _London_, Gent, acknowledge my self in Debt to _Maria Desbro_, the Sum of one Heart, with an incurable Wound; one Soul, destin'd hers from its first Being; and one Body, whole, sound, and in perfect Health; which I here promise to pay to the said _Maria_, upon Demand, if the aforesaid _John Freeman_ be not hang'd before such Demand made. Whereto I set my Hand-- and seal it with my Lips.

[In a Tone.

_L. Des._ And I, in consideration of such Debt, do freely give unto the abovesaid _John Freeman_, the Heart and Body of the abovesaid _Maria Desbro_, with all Appurtenances thereto belonging, whenever it shall please Heaven to bring my Husband fairly to the Gallows.

[In a Tone.

_Free._ Amen-- kiss the Book-- [Kisses her.

[Ana. hums without.

_L. Des._ Hah! that's _Ananias_; sure some Danger's near, the necessary Rascal gives us notice of.

_Free._ 'Tis so, what wouldst thou have me do?

_L. Des._ Thou art undone if seen-- here, step within this Curtain.

[He goes.

Enter _Ananias_, humming, and spreading his Cloak wide; _Desbro_ behind him, puffing in a Chafe.

_Des._ Ads nigs, what a Change is here like to be?-- puff, puff-- we have manag'd Matters sweetly-- to let the _Scotch_ General undermine us; puff, puff.

_L. Des._ What's the Matter?

_Des._ Nothing, c.o.c.key, nothing, but that we are like to return to our first nothing.

_Ana._ Yea, verily, when our time's come; but ah, the great Work of Reformation is not yet fully accomplish'd, which must be wrought by the Saints, and we cannot spare one of them until the Work be finish'd.

_Des._ Yea, yea, it is finish'd I doubt, puff, puff: fie, fie, what a Change is here!

_Ana._ Patience, ah, 'tis a precious Virtue!--

_Des._ Patience, Sir! what, when I shall lose so many fine Estates which did appertain to the Wicked; and which, I trusted, had been establish'd ours, and tell'st thou me of Patience? puff, puff.

[Walking fast.

_Ana._ How! lose 'em, Sir? handle the matter with Patience; I hope the Committee of Safety, or the Rump, will not do an illegal thing to one of the Brethren.

_Des._ No, no, I have been a trusty Knave to them, and so I have found them all to me: but _Monk! Monk!_ O that ever we should be such blind Fools to trust an honest General!

_Ana._ Patience, Sir! what of him?

_Des._ I just now receiv'd private Intelligence, he's coming out of _Scotland_ with his Forces-- puff, puff.

_Ana._ Why, let him come a Gad's Name, we have those will give him a civil Salute, if he mean not honourably to the Commonwealth. Patience, Sir.

_Des._ But if he proves the stronger, and shou'd chance to be so great a Traitor to us, to bring in the Man-- the King.

_L. Des._ How, the King, Husband! the great Heroick!

_Free._ Death, this Woman is a Sybil: ah, n.o.ble _Monk_!

_Ana._ Hum-- the King!--