Than fair entreats; look! here's a jewel for thee, A friend can play Frank. Not done yet? Win. Mistress, believe my vow ; your severe eye Sus. Wilt thou ? . Win. Pray you say plainly, Sus. Say'st thou so? Win. Believe it, mistress, if I find Sus. Thine own diligence is that I press, And not the curious eye over his faults. his sword to WINNIFREDE.) And haste thee To the hill's top; I'll be there instantly. Sus. No haste, I prithee; slowly as thou canst [Exit Win, Pray let him Obey me now; 't is happily' his last Service to me. My power is e'en a-going out of sight. Frank. Why would you delay? We have no other business now but to part. Sus. And will not that, sweetheart, ask a long time ? Frank. Fy, fy! why look, [Kisses her. ing were sweet; But what a trouble 't will be to obtain it !- (Aside. Come, again, and again, farewell !--[Kisses her. Yet wilt return? All questions of my journey, my stay, employment, And revisitation, fully I have answered all; There's nothing now behind but-nothing. Sus. And that nothing is more hard than any thing ; Than all the every things. This request Frank. What is 't ? Sus. That I may bring you through one pasture more Up to yon knot of trees; among those shadows I'll vanish from you, they shall teach me how. ll. e. haply. Frank. Why, 't is granted; come, walk then. Sus. Nay, not too fast; They say, slow things have best perfection; The gentle shower wets to fertility, The churlish storm may mischief with his bounty. The baser beast take strength even from the womb; But the lord lion's whelp is feeble long. [Exeunt. SCENE III. A Field with a clump of Trees. Enter Dog. Enter FRANK and SUSAN. Sus. What! so churlishly! begone. You have no company, and 't is very early; Some hurt may betide you homewards. Sus. Tush! I fear none: To leave you is the greatest hurt I can suffer: Besides, I expect your father and mine own, To meet me back, or overtake me with you; They began to stir when I came after you: I know they 'll not be long. Frank. So! I shall have more trouble. [The Dog rubs against him.)-Thank you for that:' ! Thank you for that,] i. e. for the incidental mention of their parents being stirring; and thus showing him, that he has no time to lose in the execution of his murderous purpose.--GIFFORD. Then, I'll ease all at once.--[Aside.]—'T is done now; What I ne'er thought on.—You shall not go back. Sus. Why, shall I go along with thee? sweet music! Frank. No, to a better place. Sus. Any place I; I'm there at home, where thou pleasest to have me. Frank. At home! I'll leave you in your last lodging; I must kill you. Sus. Oh fine! you'd fright me from you. Frank. You see I had no purpose; I'm unarm'd ; 'Tis this minute's decree, and it must be; Look, this will serve your turn. [Draws a knife. Sus. I'll not turn from it, Frank. Because you are a strumpet. Sus. There's one deep wound already : a strumpet! 'T was ever further from me than the thought Of this black hour; a strumpet ? Frank. Yes, I will prove it, And you shall confess it. You are No wife of mine; the word admits no second. I was before wedded to another; have her still. I do not lay the sin unto your charge, "T is all mine own: your marriage was my theft ; For I espoused your dowry, and I have it: I did not purpose to have added murder, The Devil did not prompt me till this minute: You might have safe return'd; now you cannot. You have dogg'd your own death. [Stabs her. Suz. And I deserve it ; I'm glad my fate was so intelligent : ’T was some good spirit's motion. Die? oh, 't was time! How many years might I have slept in sin, The sin of my most hatred, too, adultery! Frank. Nay, sure 't was likely that the most was past; For I meant never to return to you After this parting. Sus. Why then I thank you more; You have done lovingly, leaving yourself That you would thus bestow me on another. Thou art my husband, Death, and I embrace thee With all the love I have. Forget the stain Of my unwitting sin; and then I come A crystal virgin to thee; my soul's purity Shalí, with bold wings, ascend the door of Mercy; For Innocence is ever her companion. Frank. Not yet mortal ? I would not linger you, Or leave you a tongue to blab. [Stabs her again. Sus. Now Heaven reward you ne'er the worse for me! height, [Wounds himself. Light scratches, giving such deep ones: the best I can To bind myself to this tree. Now's the storm, Which, if blown o'er, many fair days' may follow. [Binds himself to a tree'; the Dog ties hin behind, and exit. 1 This follows now, To heal her wounds by dressing of the weapon.] The allusion to this silly superstition is vilely out of place, and shows Frank to be (what indeed the whole of his previous conduct confirms) a brutal, unfeeling villain.--GIFFORD, |