SCENE II.—A Bed-room in CARTER'S House.FRANK in a Slumber. Enter KATHErine. Kath. Brother, brother! so sound asleep? that's well. Frank. (Waking.) No, not I, sister; he that's wounded here, As I am, (all my other hurts are bitings Kath. My good sweet brother; (For now my sister must grow up in you,) Though her loss strikes you through, and that I feel The blow as deep, I pray thee be not cruel Good love, sit up ; To kill me too, by seeing you cast away I shall be well. Frank. I'll do my best. Kath. I thank you : What do you look about for? Frank. Nothing, nothing; But I was thinking, sister Kath. Dear heart, what? Frank. Who but a fool would thus be bound to Frank. No, no; I am not idle.* But here's my meaning; being robb'd as I am, Why should my soul, which married was to her's, Live in divorce, and not fly after her? Why should not I walk hand in hand with Death, To find my love out ? Kath. That were well, indeed, Your time being come; when Death is sent to call you, No doubt you shall meet her. Frank. Why should not I Go without calling ? Kath. Yes, brother, so you might; Were there no place to go to when you're gone, But only this. Frank. "Troth, sister, thou say'st true; For when a man has been an hundred years in Yet then were man more wretched than a beast; For, sister, our dead pay is sure the best. * No, no, I am not idle.] i. e. Wandering. He judges from Katherine's speech, that she suspects him, as indeed she does, of being light-headed.-GIFFORD. Kath. 'Tis so, the best or worst; and I wish To pay (and so I know it will) that traitor, Frank. Slaves! A pair of merciless slaves! speak no more of them. Kath. I think this talking hurts you. I pay for❜t everywhere. Kath. I have done then. Eat if you cannot sleep; you have these two days Not tasted any food:-Jane, is it ready? Frank. What's ready? what's ready? Kath. I have made ready a roasted chicken for [Enter Maid with the chicken. Frank. A pretty stomach on a sudden, yes.— There's one i' th' house can play upon a lute; Good girl, let's hear him too. Kath. You shall, dear brother. [Exit Maid. Would I were a musician, you should hear How I would feast your ear!-[Lute plays within.] -stay, mend your pillow, And raise you higher. Frank. I am up too high, Am I not sister, now? Kath. No, no; 'tis well. Fall to, fall to.-A knife! here's ne'er a knife. Brother, I'll look out your's. [Takes up his vest. Enter Doo, shrugging as it were for joy, and dances. Frank. Sister, O sister, I'm ill upon a sudden, and can eat nothing. I will go fetch a knife. FRANK Searches first one pocket then the other, finds the knife, and then lies down. -The spirit of SUSAN comes to the bed's side: he starts at it, and then turns to the other side, but the spirit is there— meanwhile enter WINNIFREDE as a page, and stands sorrowfully at the foot of the bed.-FRANK, terrified, sits up, and the spirit vanishes. Frank. What art thou? Win. A lost creature. Frank. So am I too.-Win? Ah, my she-page! Win. For your sake I put on A shape that's false; yet do I wear a heart Frank. 'Would mine and thine Were fellows in one house!-kneel by me here. On this side now! how dar'st thou come to mock Outface me, stare upon me with strange postures; Turn my soul wild by a face in which were drawn A thousand ghosts leapt newly from their graves, To pluck me into a winding sheet! Win. Believe it, I came no nearer to you than yon place, At your bed's feet; and of the house had leave, Frank. Then 'twas my fancy; Some windmill in my brains for want of sleep. Win. Would I might never sleep, so you could rest! But you have pluck'd a thunder on your head, Whose noise cannot cease suddenly; why should you Dance at the wedding of a second wife, When scarce the music which you heard at mine Frank. Winnifrede, The chamber door's fast? Win. Yes. Frank. Sit thee then down; And when thou'st heard me speak, melt into tears: Instead of ink, dipp'd my sad pen in blood. What gold soe'er I got, to make it thine. |