A Select Collection of Old English Plays Part 58

Muster those devils dwell within thy breast, And let them counsel me to a revenge As great as is my will to act it.

LIB. Madam, leave words. The rest you take In breathing makes your anger cool. Out with it, And if I do it not; if I startle at Any ill to do you service, though it be To kill my mother, let me be troubled with The plague of a tender conscience, and lie Sick of repentance a half year after.

AND. What need I tell thee more?

Plangus must die, and after him Ephorbas, Because he is his father.

LIB. Madam, he shall. But give me leave to ask you How he, for whom alone of all the world You had a pa.s.sion, is now become An object of your hatred so great, as others Must die because they have relation to him?

AND. The air is hot yet with those words I proffer'd him In satisfaction, and he refus'd it.

What need I speak?

Is't safe that he should live knows so much by us?

LIB. He had been happy had he never known What virtue meant. I wonder that paltry thing Is not banish'd earth, it ne'er did any good yet.

Beggary's a blessing to't; whoe'er grew rich By virtue? Madam, we are not troubled with it.

But to our business:--I have thought a way.

You know his father loves him. 'Tis he shall ruin him, And let's alone for him.

AND. Pis.h.!.+ pis.h.!.+ that cannot be.

LIB. These women are always with their _cannots_.

What cannot be? Have you but read The _Sophy_,[95] you will find that Haly (O, how I hug that fellow's name!) ruin'd Great Mirza by his father, and his father by his son.

That great politician, while all the court Flam'd round about him, sat secure, and laugh'd, Like those throw fireworks among the waving people That have nothing but fire and smoke about them, And yet not singe one hair. Indeed he fell at last, 'Tis true; but he was shallow in that part o' th' plot.

What have we his example [for] but to learn by it?

Praise Plangus to Ephorbas then so far, That first he may fear for his kingdom; And if you do proceed till he grew jealous of His bed, 'twill do the better.

The king is coming, I must be gone.

[_Exit_ LIBACER.

SCENE VI.

_Enter_ EPHORBAS.

EPH. How fares Andromana?

I'm glad this greatness sits so well about thee; My court was bless'd that hour I knew thee first.

We'll live and still grow happy; we shall flourish Like some spreading tree that shall never cease Till its proud height o'erlook the skies. I hope I bad fair for a boy to-night. How happy Should I count myself could I but leave My kingdom something that had thy image in't.

AND. Sir, never think Iberia can be happy in another son, When such a prince as Plangus lives the heir, Who is the subject of all men's pray'rs--nay, The deserver too. There's not a man or woman In the kingdom hath one good wish within their breast But they straight bestow it upon Plangus: A prince whom mothers show their little children As something they should learn betime To wors.h.i.+p and admire.

EPH. I know, Andromana; but----

AND. Sir, virtue's perfection Is at the height in him. Whatever after Ages bear, or give the name of worth to, Must, if compar'd to him, be but as foils To set his glory off the brighter.

Nor are the men only thus taken with him; There's not a lady in the land but sighs With pa.s.sion for him, and dreams on him a-nights.

Husbands grow jealous of him, yet with joy That they are Plangus' rivals.

EPH. All this is nothing.

Men talk'd as loud of me when I was young.

AND. Yea, but they say, sir, you were Not half so mincing in your carriage, nor so majestic.

Besides----

EPH. I hope they do not make comparisons.

[_Starts._

AND. Sir, I thought we could not have discours'd on a More welcome theme than what is full of Plangus.

EPH. No more you cannot. Let him as a less star Enjoy his splendour, but it must not be so great To darken me; but, prythee, do they compare us then?

AND. You're discompos'd, sir!--I have done.

EPH. Nay, nothing But the remembrance of a foolish dream--what say they?

AND. Why, sir, some went so far to say, they wonder'd A lady of my years could marry the father, Though a king, when I might have had Plangus himself.

EPH. They did not?

AND. Then I confess I blush'd, and had been out Of temper, but that I thought it might be The court fas.h.i.+on to talk boldly.

EPH. This story jump'd Just with my dream to-night;[96] but methought I saw Him threat'ning to kill me 'cause thou hadst married me---- But the young saucy boy shall know I hold My sceptre strong enough to crush him into atoms.

Did they not name Inophilus?

AND. I think they did. He had some share Of praises too; but it was so as gleanings To a loading cart, they sometimes fell beside.

EPH. Then I am satisfied. 'Tis an aspiring youth: 'tis something That unites Plangus and him so. I must Be speedy in resolves.

[_Exit_ EPHORBAS.

SCENE VII.

AND. Who waits without there?

_Enter_ LIBACER.

O, art thou come? Stay, let me breathe, or else----

LIB. Nay, spare your pains, I know it all; I saw him Drink it with as great greediness as usurers Do unthrifts' lands, or jealous husbands confirm Their cuckolds.h.i.+ps by ocular testimony.

AND. It took most rarely, Beyond our hopes. I'll leave the rest to thee, Thou art so fortunate in all designs. Go on and prosper.

LIB. And I'll attend for an opportunity to meet With Plangus, and betray him to ruin As great as unavoidable.

[_Exeunt._

ACT IV., SCENE 1.