The Works of Aphra Behn Volume Iii Part 9

Shou'd I obey this Tyrant--then too she dies.

Yes, Sir--You may be cruel--take the Law, And kill me quickly, 'twill become your Justice. [_Weeps_.

_Lord_. Was I call'd back for this? Yes, I shall take it, Sir; do not fear.

[_Offers to go_.

_Bel_. Yet, stay, Sir--Have you lost all Humanity?

Have you no Sense of Honour, nor of Horrors?

_Lord_. Away with him--go, be gone.

_Bel_. Stay, Sir. Oh, G.o.d! what is't you'd have me do?

--Here--I resign my self unto your Will-- But, Oh _Celinda_! what will become of thee? [_Weeps_.

--Yes, I will marry--and _Diana_ too.

_Lord_. 'Tis well you will; had I not been good-natur'd now, You had been undone, and miss'd _Diana_ too.

_Bel_. But must I marry--needs marry, Sir?

Or lose my Fortune, and my Liberty, Whilst all my Vows are given to another?

_Lord_. By all means, Sir--

_Bel_. If I must marry any but _Celinda_, I shall not, Sir, enjoy one moment's Bliss: I shall be quite unman'd, cruel and brutal; A Beast, unsafe for Woman to converse with.

Besides, Sir, I have given my Heart and Faith, And my second Marriage is Adultery.

_Lord_. Heart and Faith, I am glad 'tis no worse; if the Ceremony of the Church has not past, 'tis well enough.

_Bel_. All, Sir, that Heaven and Love requires, is past.

_Lord_. Thou art a Fool, _Frank_, come--dry thy Eyes. And receive _Diana_--_Trusty_, call in my Niece.

_Bel_. Yet, Sir, relent, be kind, and save my Soul.

[_Ex_. Trusty.

_Lord_. No more--by Heaven, if you resist my Will, I'll make a strange Example of thee, and of that Woman, whoe'er she be, that drew you to this Folly. Faith and Vows, quoth ye!

_Bel_. Then I obey.

_Enter_ Trusty _and_ Diana.

_Lord_. Look ye here, _Frank_; Is this a Lady to be dislik'd? Come hither, _Frank--Trusty_, haste for Dr. _Tickletext_, my Chaplain's not in Town; I'll have them instantly married--Come hither, _Diana_--will you marry your Cousin, _Frank Bellmour_?

_Dia_. Yes, if it be your pleasure; Heaven cou'd not let fall a greater Blessing. [_Aside_.

_Lord_. And you, _Frank_, will you marry my Niece _Diana_?

_Bel_. Since you will have it so.

_Lord_. Come, follow me then, and you shall be both pleas'd.

_Bel_. Oh my _Celinda_!--

_To preserve thee, what is't I wou'd not do?

Forfeit my Heaven, nay more, I forfeit you_.

[_Exit_.

SCENE V. _The Street_.

_Enter Sir_ Timothy Tawdrey, Sham _and_ Sharp.

Sir _Tim_. Now, _Sham_, art not thou a d.a.m.n'd lying Rogue, to make me saunter up and down the _Mall_ all this Morning, after a Woman that thou know'st in thy Conscience was not likely to be there?

_Sham_. Why, Sir--if her Maid will be a jilting Wh.o.r.e, how can I help it?--_Sharp_, thou know'st we presented her handsomly, and she protested she'd do't.

_Sharp_. Ay, ay, Sir: But the Devil a Maid we saw. [_Aside_.

_Sham_. Sir, it may be Things have so fallen out, that she could not possibly come.

Sir _Tim_. Things! a Pox of your Tricks--Well, I see there's no trusting a poor Devil--Well, what Device will your Rogueship find out to cheat me next?

_Sham_. Prithee help me out at a dead lift, _Sharp_. [_Aside_.

_Sharp_. Cheat you, Sir!--if I ben't reveng'd on this She-Counsellor of the Patching and Painting, this Letter-in of Midnight Lovers, this Receiver of Bribes for stol'n Pleasures; may I be condemn'd never to make love to any thing of higher Quality.

Sir _Tim_. Nay, nay, no threatning, _Sharp_; it may be she's innocent yet--Give her t'other Bribe, and try what that will do.

[_Gives him Money_.

_Sham_. No, Sir, I'll have no more to do with frail Woman, in this Case; I have a surer way to do your Business.

_Enter_ Page _with a Letter_.

Sir _Tim_. Is not that _Bellmour's_ Page?

_Sharp_. It is, Sir.

Sir _Tim_. By Fortune, the Rogue's looking for me; he has a Challenge in his hand too.

_Sham_. No matter, Sir, huff it out.

Sir _Tim_. Prithee do thee huff him, thou know'st the way on't.

_Sham_. What's your Bus'ness with Sir _Timothy_, Sir?

_Page_. Mine, Sir, I don't know the Gentleman; pray which is he?