Venice Preserved Part 8

Away, disperse all to your several charges, And meet to-morrow where your honour calls you.

I'll bring that man, whose blood you so much thirst for, And you shall see him venture for you fairly-- Hence! hence, I say. [_exit Renault, angrily._

_Spin._ I fear we've been to blame, And done too much.

_Theo._ 'Twas too far urg'd against the man you lov'd.

_Rev._ Here, take our swords, and crush them with your feet.

_Spin._ Forgive us, gallant friend.

_Pier._ Nay, now you've found The way to melt, and cast me as you will.

Whence rose all this discord?

Oh, what a dangerous precipice have we 'scap'd!

How near a fall was all we'd long been building!

What an eternal blot had stain'd our glories, If one, the bravest and the best of men, Had fall'n a sacrifice to rash suspicion, Butcher'd by those, whose cause he came to cherish!

Come but to-morrow, all your doubts shall end, } And to your loves, me better recommend, } That I've preserv'd your fame, and sav'd my friend.}

[_exeunt._

ACT THE FOURTH.

SCENE I. THE RIALTO.

_Enter Jaffier and Belvidera._

_Jaf._ Where dost thou lead me? Every step I move, Methinks I tread upon some mangled limb Of a rack'd friend. O, my charming ruin!

Where are we wandering?

_Bel._ To eternal honour.

To do a deed shall chronicle thy name Among the glorious legends of those few That have sav'd sinking nations. Thy renown Shall be the future song of all the virgins, Who by thy piety have been preserv'd From horrid violation. Every street Shall be adorn'd with statues to thy honour; And at thy feet this great inscription written, Remember him that propp'd the fall of Venice.

_Jaf._ Rather, remember him, who, after all The sacred bonds of oaths, and holier friendship, In fond compa.s.sion to a woman's tears, Forgot his manhood, virtue, truth, and honour, To sacrifice the bosom that reliev'd him.

Why wilt thou d.a.m.n me?

_Bel._ Oh, inconstant man!

How will you promise; how will you deceive!

Do, return back, replace me in my bondage, Tell all my friends how dangerously thou lov'st me, And let thy dagger do its b.l.o.o.d.y office.

Or, if thou think'st it n.o.bler, let me live, Till I'm a victim to the hateful l.u.s.t Of that infernal devil.

Last night, my love!

_Jaf._ Name it not again; It shows a beastly image to my fancy, Will wake me into madness.

Destruction, swift destruction, fall on my coward head.

_Bel._ Delay no longer then, but to the senate, And tell the dismal'st story ever utter'd: Tell 'em what bloodshed, rapines, desolations, Have been prepar'd: how near's the fatal hour.

Save thy poor country, save the reverend blood Of all its n.o.bles, which to-morrow's dawn Must else see shed.

_Jaf._ Oh! think what then may prove my lot; By all heav'n's powers, prophetic truth dwells in thee; For every word thou speak'st, strikes through my heart.

Just what thou'st made me, take me, Belvidera, And lead me to the place where I'm to say This bitter lesson; where I must betray My truth, my virtue, constancy, and friends.

Must I betray my friend? Ah! take me quickly; Secure me well before that thought's renew'd; If I relapse once more, all's lost for ever.

_Bel._ Hast thou a friend more dear than Belvidera?

_Jaf._ No; thou'rt my soul itself; wealth, friendship, honour, All present joys, and earnest of all future, Are summ'd in thee.

Come, lead me forward, now, like a tame lamb To sacrifice. Thus, in his fatal garlands Deck'd fine and pleas'd, the wanton skips and plays, Trots by th' enticing, flatt'ring, priestess' side, And, much transported with its little pride, Forgets his dear companions of the plain; Till, by her bound, he's on the altar lain, Yet then too hardly bleats, such pleasure's in the pain.

_Enter Officer and six Guards._

_Offi._ Stand! who goes there?

_Bel._ Friends.

_Offi._ But what friends are you?

_Bel._ Friends to the senate, and the state of Venice.

_Offi._ My orders are to seize on all I find At this late hour, and bring 'em to the council, Who are now sitting.

_Jaf._ Sir, you shall be obey'd.

Now the lot's cast, and, fate, do what thou wilt.

[_exeunt, guarded._

SCENE II. THE SENATE-HOUSE.

_Duke of Venice, Priuli, and other Senators._

_Duke._ Antony, Priuli, senators of Venice, Speak, why are we a.s.sembled here to night?

What have you to inform us of, concerns The state of Venice' honour, or its safety?

_Pri._ Could words express the story I've to tell you, Fathers, these tears were useless, these sad tears That fall from my old eyes; but there is cause We all should weep, tear off these purple robes, And wrap ourselves in sackcloth, sitting down On the sad earth, and cry aloud to heav'n.

Heav'n knows, if yet there be an hour to come Ere Venice be no more.

_All Sen._ How!

_Pri._ Nay, we stand Upon the very brink of gaping ruin.

Within this city's form'd a dark conspiracy, To ma.s.sacre us all, our wives and children, Kindred and friends, our palaces and temples To lay in ashes; nay, the hour too fix'd; The swords, for aught I know, drawn e'en this moment, And the wild waste begun. From unknown hands I had this warning; but, if we are men, Let's not be tamely butcher'd, but do something That may inform the world, in after ages, Our virtue was not ruin'd, though we were. [_noise._ Room, room, make room for some prisoners--

_Enter Officer and Guards._

_Duke._ Speak, there. What disturbance?

_Offi._ Two prisoners have the guards seiz'd in the street, Who say they come t' inform this reverend senate About the present danger.

_Enter Jaffier and Officer._