Unless you intermediate; let us hasten,
For fear we come too late.
Mart. As thou intendest
A virtuous honesty, I am thy second
To any office, Levidolche witty,
My niece, my witty niece.
Lev. Let's slack no time, sir.
An Apartment in 'TRELCATIO's House.
Enter TRELCATIO, MALFATO, SPINELLA, and CASTANNA,
Trel. Kinsman and ladies, have a little patience.
All will be as you wish: I'll be your warrant,
Fear nothing; Auria is a noble fellow.
I leave ye; but, be sure, I am in hearing:
Take courage.
Mal. Courage! they who have no hearts,
Find none to lose; ours is as great as his,
Who defies danger most.-Sure, state and cere
Inhabit here. Like strangers, we shall wait
Formality of entertainment. Cousin,
Let us return; 't is paltry.
Spin. Gentle sir,
Confine your passion; my attendance only
Commends a duty.
Cast. Now, for Heaven's sake, sister!
He comes, your husband comes; take comfort, sister.
Aur. Malfato!
Mal. Auria!
Aur. Cousin, would mine arms,
In their embraces, might at once deliver
Affectionately what interest your merit
Holds in my estimation! I may chide
The coyness of this intercourse betwixt us,
Which a retired privacy on your part
Hath pleas'd to show: if aught of my endeavours
Can purchase kind opinion, I shall honour
The means and practice.
Mal. "Tis your charity.
Aurel. Worthy Malfato!
Mal. Provident Aurelio!
Aur. Castanna, virtuous maid!
Cast. Your servant, brother.
Aur. But who 's that other? such a face mine
Have been acquainted with; the sight resembles
Something which is not quite lost to remembrance.
[SPINELLA kneels.
Why does the lady kneel? to whom? pray rise;
I shall forget civility of manners,
Imagining you tender a false tribute,
Or him to whom you tender it a counterfeit.
[She rises.
Mal. My lord, you use a borrow'd bravery,
Not suiting fair constructions: may your fortunes
Mount higher than can apprehension reach 'em!
Yet this waste kind of antic sovereignty
Unto a wife who equals every best
Of your deserts, achievements, or prosperity,
Bewrays a barrenness of noble nature:
Let upstarts exercise uncomely roughness,
Clear spirits to the humble will be humble.-
You know your wife, no doubt.
Aur. 'Cry ye mercy, gentleman!
Belike you come to tutor a good carriage.
Are expert in the nick on 't: we shall study
Instructions quaintly-" wife," you said? agreed.
Keep fair, and stand the trial.
Spin. Those words raise
A lively soul in her, who almost yielded
To faintness and stupidity; I thank ye:
Though prove what judge you will, till I can purge
Objections which require belief and conscience,
I have no kindred, sister, husband, friend,
Or pity for my plea.
Mal. Call ye this welcome?
We are mistook, Castanna.
Cast. Oh! my lord,
Other respects were promised.
Aur. Said ye, lady,
"No kindred, sister, husband, friend?"
Spin. Nor name;
With this addition-I disclaim all benefit
Of mercy from a charitable thought;
If one or all the subtleties of malice,
If any engineer of faithless discord,
If supposition for pretence in folly,
Can point out, without injury to goodness,
A likelihood of guilt in my behaviour,
Which may declare neglect in every duty,
Required, fit, or exacted.
Aur. High and peremptory!
The confidence is masculine.
Mal. Why not?
An honourable cause gives life to truth,
Without control.
Spin. I can proceed; that tongue,
Whose venom, by traducing spotless honour,
Hath spread th' infection, is not more mine enemy,
Than theirs, or his weak and besotted brains are,
On whom the poison of its canker'd falsehood
Hath wrought for credit to so foul a mischief.
Speak, sir, the churlish voice of this combustion,
Aurelio, speak; nor, gentle sir, forbear
Aught what you know, but roundly use your eloquence
Against a mean defendant.
Mal. He's put to 't;
It seems the challenge gravels him.
Aurel. My intelligence
Was issue of my doubts, not of my knowledge.
A self-confession may crave assistance;
Let the lady's justice then impose the penance.
So, in the rules of friendship, as of love,
Suspicion is not seldom an improper
Advantage for the knitting faster joints
Of faithfullest affection, by the fevers
Of casualty unloos'd, where lastly error
Hath run into the toil.
Spin. Woful satisfaction
For a divorce of hearts!
Aur. So resolute ?
I shall touch nearer home: behold these hairs,
Great masters of a spirit,' yet they are not
By winter of old age quite hid in snow;
Some messengers of time, I must acknowledge,
Among them took up lodging: when we first
Exchang'd our faiths in wedlock, I was proud
I did prevail with one whose youth and beauty
Deserv'd a choice more suitable in both.
Advancement to a fortune could not court
Ambition, either on my side or hers:
Love drove the bargain, and the truth of love
Confirm'd it, I conceived. But disproportion
In years among the married is a reason
For change of pleasures: whereto I reply,
Our union was not forced, 't was by consent;
So then the breach in such a case appears
Unpardonable:-say your thoughts.
Spin. My thoughts
In that respect are as resolute as yours,
The same; yet herein evidence of frailty
Deserv'd not more a separation,
Than doth charge of disloyalty objected
-Behold these hairs,
Great masters of a spirit, &c.]
Lenit albescens animos capillus,
Litium et rixæ cupidos, &c.
Without or ground or witness: women's faults
Subject to punishments, and men's applauded,
Prescribe no laws in force.
Aurel. Are you so nimble?
Mal. A soul sublimed from dross by competition, Such as is mighty Auria's famed, descends
From its own sphere, when injuries, profound ones,
Yield to the combat of a scolding mastery,
Skirmish of words. Hath your wife lewdly ranged,
Adulterating the honour of your bed?
Withhold dispute; but execute your vengeance
With unresisted rage; we shall look on,
Allow the fact, and spurn her from our bloods:
Else, not detected, you have wrong'd her innocence
Unworthily and childishly, for which
I challenge satisfaction.
Cast. 'Tis a tyranny
Over an humble and obedient sweetness,
Ungently to insult.
Enter ADURNI.
Adur. That I make good,
And must without exception find admittance,
Fitting the party who hath herein interest.
Put case I was in fault, that fault stretch'd merely
To a misguided thought; and who in presence,
Except the pair of sisters, fair and matchless,
Can quit an imputation of like folly?
Here I ask pardon, excellent Spinella,
Of only you; that granted, he among you,
Who calls an even reckoning, shall meet
An even accountant.
Aur. Baited by confederacy!
I must have right.
Spin. And I, my lord, my lord
What stir and coil is here! you can suspect?
So reconciliation then is needless :-
Conclude the difference by revenge, or part,
And never more see one another. Sister,
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