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It were an apparition! Prophilus

Is Ithocles his friend: it strangely puzzles me.

Re-enter PROPHILUS and EUPHRANEA.

Again! help me, my book; this scholar's habit
Must stand my privilege: my mind is busy,

Mine eyes and ears are open.

Pro.

[Walks aside, pretending to read.

Do not waste

The span of this stol'n time, lent by the gods

For precious use, in niceness. Bright Euphranea,
Should I repeat old vows, or study new,

For purchase of belief to my desires,—
Org. [aside] Desires !

Pro.

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My service, my integrity,—

I should but repeat a lesson

Org. [aside] That's better.

Pro.

Oft conned without a promptor but thine eyes:

My love is honourable.

Org. [aside]

So was mine

To my Penthea, chastely honourable.

Pro. Nor wants there more addition to my wish

Of happiness than having thee a wife;

Already sure of Ithocles, a friend.

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In answer to your noble protestations,

From an unskilful maid, but language suited
To a divided mind?

Org. [aside]

Hold out, Euphranea!

Euph. Know, Prophilus, I never undervalued,
From the first time you mentioned worthy love,
Your merit, means, or person: it had been
A fault of judgment in me, and a dulness
In my affections, not to weigh and thank
My better stars that offered me the grace
Of so much blissfulness. For, to speak truth,
The law of my desires kept equal pace
With yours; nor have I left that resolution:
But only, in a word, whatever choice

Lives nearest in my heart must first procure
Consent both from my father and my brother,
Ere he can own me his.

Org. [aside]

Pro. Leave me that task.
Euph.

To Athens, had my oath.

Org. [aside]

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My brother, ere he parted

Yes, yes, he had, sure.

Pro. I doubt not, with the means the court supplies,

But to prevail at pleasure.

Org. [aside]

hopes

Very likely!

Pro. Meantime, best, dearest, I may build my

On the foundation of thy constant sufferance

In any opposition.

Euph.

Death shall sooner

Divorce life and the joys I have in living
Than my chaste vows from truth.

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Pro.

I seal the like.

On thy fair hand

Org. [aside] There is no faith in woman.

Passion, O, be contained! my very heart-strings

Are on the tenters.

Euph.

We are overheard.

Cupid protect us! 'twas a stirring, sir,

Of some one near.

Pro.

Your fears are needless, lady;

None have access into these private pleasures
Except some near in court, or bosom-student
From Tecnicus his oratory, granted

By special favour lately from the king
Unto the grave philosopher.

Euph.

Methinks

I hear one talking to himself,—I see him.

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95

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Pro. 'Tis a poor scholar, as I told you, lady.
Org. [aside] I am discovered-[half aloud to him-
self as if studying] Say it; is it possible,
With a smooth tongue, a leering countenance,
Flattery, or force of reason—I come t'ye, sir-
To turn or to appease the raging sea ?
Answer to that.-Your art! what art? to catch
And hold fast in a net the sun's small atoms?
No, no; they'll out, they'll out; ye may as easily
Outrun a cloud driven by a northern blast
As fiddle-faddle so! Peace, or speak sense.

105

IIO

Euph. Call you this thing a scholar? 'las, he's lunatic.

Pro.

Observe him, sweet; 'tis but his recreation.

Org. But will you hear a little? You're so tetchy,
You keep no rule in argument: philosophy
Works not upon impossibilities,

But natural conclusions.-Mew!-absurd!
The metaphysics are but speculations

Of the celestial bodies, or such accidents

As not mixed perfectly, in the air engendered,
Appear to us unnatural; that's all.

Prove it; yet, with a reverence to your gravity,
I'll balk illiterate sauciness, submitting

My sole opinion to the touch of writers.

Pro. Now let us fall in with him.

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Org.

[They come forward.

Ha, ha, ha!

These apish boys, when they but taste the gram

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With pardon of your deities, a mushroom

On whom the dew of heaven drops now and then ; The sun shines on me too, I thank his beams! Sometime I feel their warmth; and eat and sleep. Pro. Does Tecnicus read to thee?

Org.

He is my master surely; yonder door
Opens upon his study.

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Yes, forsooth,

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Pro.

Happy creatures! Such people toil not, sweet, in heats of state, Nor sink in thaws of greatness; their affections Keep order with the limits of their modesty ; Their love is love of virtue.-What's thy name? 140 Org. Aplotes, sumptuous master, a poor wretch. Euph. Dost thou want anything?

Org.

Books, Venus, books.

Pro. Lady, a new conceit comes in my thought, And most available for both our comforts.

Euph. My lord,—

Pro.

Whiles I endeavour to deserve 145

Your father's blessing to our loves, this scholar
May daily at some certain hours attend,

What notice I can write of my success,

Here in this grove, and give it to your hands;
The like from you to me: so can we never,
Barred of our mutual speech, want sure intelligence,
And thus our hearts may talk when our tongues

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cannot.

Euph. Occasion is most favourable; use it.

Pro. Aplotes, wilt thou wait us twice a day,
At nine i' the morning and at four at night,
Here in this bower, to convey such letters
As each shall send to other? Do it willingly,
Safely, and secretly, and I will furnish

Thy study, or what else thou canst desire.

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Org. Jove, make me thankful, thankful, I beseech

thee,

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