Ren. My friends, 'tis late; are we assembled | Let us remember through what dreadful hazards all? Theod. At hand. Where's Theodore? Ren. Spinosa. Spin. Here. Ren. Bramveil. Brom. I'm ready. Ren. Durand and Brabe. Ren. Mezzano, Revillido, Ternon, Retrosi! Oh! you are men, I find, Ren. You, Durand, with your thousand, must possess St. Mark's; you, captain, know your charge already; Tis to secure the ducal palace: You, With the like number, Bramveil, to the Procurale; Be all this done with the least tumult possible, Till in each place you post sufficient guards: Then sheathe your swords in every breast you meet. 1 Jaf. Oh! reverend cruelty damned bloody villain! [Aside. Ren. During this execution, Durand, you Batter to ruin. But above all I charge you, Jaf. Merciless, horrid slave-Ay, blood enough! Shed blood enough, old Renault! how thou charmest me! Ren. But one thing more, and then farewell, till fate Join us again, or separate us for ever: Wing ye together; but let's all remember, VOL. I. Propitious fortune hitherto has led us : Those subtle tracks, which puzzled all suspicion. Jaf. No; with most profound attention Are not the senate lulled in full security, Confounded the most subtle for we live, Jaf. Oh, Belvidera! take me to thy arms, And shew me where's my peace, for I have lost it! [Exit. Ren. Without the least remorse, then, let's re solve With fire and sword to exterminate these tyrants; And when we shall behold those cursed tribunals, Stained by the tears and sufferings of the innocent, Burning with flames rather from Heaven than ours, The raging, furious, and unpitying soldier The means are only in our hands to crown them. propitious Had given us birth, one fortune fed our wants, If I'd not hazard all my future peace, Pier. You've singled me, sir, out for this hard As if it were started only for my sake: Is little less. Come, sirs, 'tis now no time Ren. Nay, there is danger in him; I observed During the time I took for explanation, He was transported from most deep attention, Yet in our power: I, for my own part, wear Pier. Well. Ren. And I could wish it Pier. Where? Ren. Buried in his heart. Pier. Away; we're yet all friends; No more of this, 'twill breed ill blood among us. Spin. Let us all draw our swords, and search the house, Pull him from the dark hole, where he sits brood-| ing O'er his cold fears, and each man kill his share of him. Pier. Who talks of killing? Who is he, will shed the blood, That's dear to me? is it you, or you, sir? [To Ren. Ren. A coward![Handles his sword. Pier. Put up thy sword, old man; Thy hand shakes at it. Come, let's heal this breach; I am too hot, we yet may all live friends. be so. The. And I. Ren. And I. Let's die like men, and not be sold like slaves. Pier. One such word more, by Heaven I'll to the senate, And hang ye all, like dogs, in clusters. Why peep your coward swords half out their shells? Why do you not all brandish them like mine? You fear to die, and yet dare talk of killing! Ren. Go to the senate, and betray us! haste! Secure thy wretched life; we fear to die Less than thou darest be honest. Pier. That's rank falsehood. Fearest not thou death! Fie, there's a knavish itch In that salt blood, an utter foe to smarting. with your feet. Spin. Forgive us, gallant friend. Pier. Nay, now you've found The way to melt, and cast me as you will. I'll fetch this friend, and give him to your mercy: Nay, he shall die, if you will take him from me. For your repose, I'll quit my heart's best jewel; But would not have him torn away by villains, And spiteful villany. Spin. No, may you both For ever live, and fill the world with fame. this discord? Oh, what a dangerous precipice have we 'scaped! How near a fall was all we had long been building! What an eternal blot had stained our glories, Oh! could you know him all, as I have known him; How good he is, how just, how true, how brave, You would not leave this place till you had seen him; Humbled yourselves before him, kissed his feet, And gained remission for the worst of follies. Come but to-morrow, all your doubts shall end, And to your loves me better recommend, That I've preserved your fame, and saved my friend. [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE I.-The Rialto. Enter JAFFIER and BELVIDERA. Save thy poor country, save the reverend blood Jaf. WHERE dost thou lead me? Every step I Of all those little infants, which the swords move, Methinks I tread upon some mangled limb Bel. To eternal honour. To do a deed, shall chronicle thy name Bel. Oh, inconstant man! How will you promise! how will you deceive! And let thy dagger do its bloody office. Whilst these poor dying eyes shall, with their tears, Last night, my love! Jaf. Name it not again! It shews a beastly image to my fancy, Bel. Delay no longer then, but to the senate, Of murderers are whetting for this moment. Think, thou already hearest their dying screams; Think, that thou sec'st their sad distracted mothers, Kneeling before thy feet, and begging pity: With torn dishevelled hair, and streaming eyes, Their naked mangled breasts, besmeared with blood; And even the milk, with which their fondled babes Softly they hushed, dropping in anguish from them; Think thou seest this, and then consult thy heart. Jaf. Oh! Bel. Think too, if you lose this present mi nute, What miseries the next day brings upon thee: For every word thou speakest, strikes through my heart, Like a new light, and shews it, how it has wandered. Just what thou hast made me, take me, Belvidera, And lead me to the place, where I am to say Bel. Hast thou a friend more dear than Belvi- Jaf. No; thou art my soul itself; wealth, friendship, honour, All present joys, and earnest of all future, arms, Thus leaning on thy breast, one minute's more Than a long thousand years of vulgar hours. Why was such happiness not given me pure? Why dashed with cruel wrongs, and bitter warn ings? Come, lead me forward, now, like a tame lamb To sacrifice. Thus, in his fatal garlands Decked fine and pleased, the wanton skips and plays, Trots by the enticing flattering priestess' side, Yet then too hardly bleats, such pleasure's in the pain. Enter Officer and Six Guards. Offi. Stand! who goes there? Jaf. Friends, Belvidera! Hide me from my friends! By Heaven, I would rather see the face of hell, Than meet the man I love. Offi. But what friends are you? Bel. Friends to the senate, and to the state of Offi. My orders are to seize on all I find Jaf. Sir, you shall be obeyed. Hold, brute, stand off! none of your paws upon Ant. Short and pithy. The man speaks well. Jaf. Would every man, that hears me, Would deal so honestly, and own his title. Duke. Tis rumoured, that a plot has been contrived Against this state; and you have a share in it too. If you are a villain, to redeem your honour Unfold the truth, and be restored with mercy. Jaf. Think not, that I to save my life came hither; I know its value better; but in pity To all those wretches, whose unhappy dooms Are fixed and sealed. You may see here before you, The sworn and covenanted foe of Venice: But use me as my dealings may deserve, And I may prove a friend. Duke. The slave capitulates! Give him the torture! Jaf, That you dare not do: Your fear wont let you, not the longing itch Pri. Could words express the story I have to To hear a story, which you dread the truth of— tell you, Fathers, these tears were useless; these sad tears, That fall from my old eyes; but these 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 heaven: Heaven knows, if yet there be an hour to come, Ere Venice be no more. Truth, which the fear of smart shall ne'er get from me. Cowards are scared with threatenings; boys are whipt Into confessions: but a steady mind Duke. Name your conditions. Jaf. For myself full pardon, Besides the lives of two and twenty friends, Whose names are here enrolled-Ñay, let their crimes From unknown Be ne'er so monstrous, I must have the oaths I had this warning; but, if we are men, That may inform the world, in after ages, All. We'll swear. Ye have of peace and happiness hereafter, Swear. All. We all swear. Juf. To grant me what I have asked, Ye swear? All. We swear. Jaf. And, as ye keep the oath, May you, and your posterity be blessed, Jaf. Then here's the list, and with it the full disclose Of all, that threatens you. [Delivers a paper. Now, Fate, thou hast caught me. Ant. Why, what a dreadful catalogue of cutting throats is here! I'll warrant you, not one of these fellows but has a face like a lion. I dare not so much as read their names over. Duke. Give order, that all diligent search be To seize these men; their characters are public; You, Jaffier, must with patience bear, till morning, To be our prisoner. Jaf. Would the chains of death Had bound me safe, e'er I had known this minute! I've done a deed will make my story hereafter Duke. Captain, withdraw your prisoner. Lead me, where my own thoughts themselves may lose me; Where I may doze out what I've left of life, Forget myself, and this day's guilt and falsehood. Cruel remembrance! how shall I appease thee? [Exit guarded. room, room, Offi. [Without.] More traitors; room, make room there. Duke. How is this? guards! Where are our guards? Shut up the gates, the treason's Already at our doors. Enter Officer. Offi. My lords, more traitors, Seized in the very act of consultation; Enter PIERRE, RENAULT, THEODORE, ELIOT, Pier. You, my lords, and fathers (As you are pleased to call yourselves) of Venice, If you sit here to guide the course of justice, Why these disgraceful chains upon the limbs, That have so often laboured in your service? Duke. Go on; you shall be heard, sir. Ant. And be hanged too, I hope. Pier. Are these the trophies I have deserved for fighting Your battles with confederated powers? When winds and seas conspired to overthrow you, And brought the fleets of Spain to your own harbours; When you, great Duke, shrunk trembling in your palace, And saw your wife, the Adriatic, ploughed, The task of honour, and the way to greatness? And brave enough, to tell me I am a traitor. [Consp. murmur. Pier. Yes, and know his virtue. His justice, truth, his general worth, and suffer ings From a hard father, taught me first to love him. Enter JAFPIER guarded. Duke. See him brought forth. Pier. My friend too bound! nay, then, Our fate has conquered us, and we must fall. Why droops the man, whose welfare's so much mine, They are but one thing? These reverend tyrants, Jaffier, Call us traitors. Art thou one, my brother? And Jaf. To thee, I am the falsest, veriest slave, That e'er betrayed a generous, trusting friend, gave up honour to be sure of ruin. All our fair hopes, which morning was to have crowned, Has this cursed tongue o'erthrown. Pier. So, then, all's over: Venice has lost her freedom, I my life. Duke. Say; will you make confession Still vex your councils, shake your public safety, Pier. Death! honourable death! Ren. Death's the best thing we ask, or you can give; |