duke has a journey in hand, and will not be long absent: see, he is come already-let's pass away easily. Enter DUKE and BIANCA. [Exeunt. Duke. Troubled? yes, I have cause.-O Bianca! Here was my fate engraven in thy brow, Advanced thee to my bed; but love, and hope Bian. Speaks your love, Or fear, my lord? Duke. Both, both; Bianca, know, The nightly languish of my dull unrest, Hath stamp'd a strong opinion; for, methoughtMark what I say-as I in glorious pomp Was sitting on my throne, while I had hemm'd She reach'd my cap of state, and cast it down Were both of you hid in a rock of fire, I have a sword-('tis here)-should make my way Through fire, through darkness, death, [and hell] and all, To hew your lust-engender'd flesh to shreds, rage Of my own dream'd of wrongs,' made me forget Bian. 'Twas, my lord, Yet but a vision; for did such a guilt Hang on mine honour, 'twere no blame in you, Nay, strumpet, to the soul; and tear it off Forgive me, good Bianca; still methinks Of my own dream'd of wrongs.] He alludes to the preceding speech. The 4to reads undream'd of wrongs: but this cannot be right, as the duke has just detailed the pretended dream in which he suffered them. A slighter change will give "e'en dream'd of," i. e. wrongs endured merely in a dream; and this perhaps will be thought the better reading. I dream, and dream anew: now, prithee chide me. Sickness, and these divisions, so distract Enter PETRUCHIO, NIBRASSA, FIORMONDA, Pet. It attends your highness. Duke. Friend, hold; take here from me this jewel, this : [Gives him Bianca. Be she your care till my return from Lucca, Honest Fernando.-Wife, respect my friend. Let's go; but hear but hear you, wife, think on my dream. [Exeunt all but Ros. and PET. Pet. Cousin, one word with you; doth not this cloud Acquaint you with strange novelties? The duke Ros. Oh, sir, My fears exceed my knowledge, yet I note Would 'twere! whoever thrive, I shall be sure Never to rise to my unhoped desires : But, cousin, I shall tell you more anon; Meantime, pray send my lord Fernando to me, I covet much to speak with him. Fern. The duke is hors'd for Lucca: how now, coz, How prosper you in love? Ros. As still I hoped.' My lord, you are undone. Fern. Undone! in what? Ros. Lost; and I fear your life is bought and sold; I'll tell you how: late in my lady's chamber, 2 As still I hoped.] i. e. apprehended, expected. See p. 430. "We'll make," quoth he, "his heart-strings crack "Were not the duke a baby, he would seek She were not, and the duke did know she were not; This sword lift up, and guided by this arm, Shall guard her from an armed troop of fiends, Ros. You are too safe In your destruction. Fern. Damn him!-he shall feel-- But peace, who comes? Enter COLONA. Col. My lord, the duchess craves a word with you. Fern. Where is she? Col. In her chamber. Ros. Here, have a plum for e'ee 3 Fernando is a poor, wretched creature. He boasts and blusters incessantly of his prowess, and the reader is led to expect that, like another Drawcansir, he can upon occasion "control whole armies;" yet he is taken like a rat in a trap, and with as little effort as Mauruccio. The duke too roars and bellows in a similar key, and just as little to the purpose: but his starts are the impotency of dotage, raised to frenzy by the machinations of others. |