• Choose a category
• All
• Classic-Fiction

For you, evermore, Thanks. You’ve done much for Us;

So gently press’d to ’t, that I may perswade me

You’ll do a little more.

Citiz. Put me t’Employment

That’s honest, tho’ not safe, with my best Spirits

I’ll give’t Accomplishment.

Jul. No more but This;

For I must see Leonora: And to appear

Like Julio, as I am, might haply spoil

Some good Event ensuing. Let me crave

Th’ Exchange of Habit with you: some Disguise,

May bear Me to my Love, unmark’d, and secret.

Citiz. You shall not want. Yonder’s the House before us:

Make Haste to reach it.

Jul. Still I thank you, Sir.

O Leonora! stand but this rude Shock;

Hold out thy Faith against the dread Assault

Of this base Lord, the Service of my Life

Shall be devoted to repay thy Constancy. [Exeunt.

Scene II. Don Bernard’s House.

Enters Leonora.

Leon. I’ve hoped to th’ latest Minute Hope can give:

He will not come: H’as not receiv’d my Letter:

’May be, some other View has from our Home

Repeal’d his chang’d Eye: for what Business can

Excuse a Tardiness thus willfull? None.

Well then, it is not Business. — Oh! that Letter, —

I say, is not deliver’d; or He’s sick;

Or, O Suggestion, wherefore wilt Thou fright me?

Julio does to Henriquez on meer Purpose,

On plotted Purpose, yield me up; and He

Hath chose another Mistress. All Presumptions

Make pow’rful to this Point: His own Protraction,

Henriquez left behind; — That Strain lack’d Jealousie,

Therefore lack’d Love. — So sure as Life shall empty

It self in Death, this new Surmise of mine

Is a bold Certainty. ’Tis plain, and obvious,

Henriquez would not, durst not, thus infringe

The Law of Friendship; thus provoke a Man,

That bears a Sword, and wears his Flag of Youth

As fresh as He: He durst not: ’Tis Contrivance,

Gross-dawbing ’twixt them Both. — But I’m o’erheard. [Going.

Enters Julio, disguised.

Jul. Stay, Leonora; Has this outward Veil

Quite lost me to thy Knowledge?

Leon. O my Julio!

Thy Presence ends the stern Debate of Doubt,

And cures me of a thousand heartsick Fears,

Sprung from thy Absence: yet awakes a Train

Of other sleeping Terrors. Do you weep?

Jul. No, Leonora; when I weep, it must be

The Substance of mine Eye. ’Would I could weep;

For then mine Eye would drop upon my Heart,

And swage the Fire there.

Leon. You are full possess’d

How things go here. First, welcome heartily;

Welcome to th’Ending of my last good Hour:

Now Summer Bliss and gawdy Days are gone,

My Lease in ’em ’s expir’d.

Jul. Not so, Leonora.

Leon. Yes, Julio, yes; an everlasting Storm

Is come upon me, which I can’t bear out.

I cannot stay much Talk; we have lost Leisure;

And thus it is: Your Absence hath giv’n Breeding

To what my Letter hath declar’d, and is

This Instant on th’effecting, Hark! the Musick

[Flourish within.

Is now on tuning, which must celebrate

This Bus’ness so discordant. — Tell me then,

What you will do.

Jul. I know not what: Advise me:

I’ll kill the Traytor.

Leon. O! take Heed: his Death

Betters our Cause no whit. No killing, Julio.

Jul. My Blood stands still; and all my Faculties

Are by Enchantment dull’d. You gracious Pow’rs,

The Guardians of sworn Faith, and suff’ring Virtue,

Inspire Prevention of this dreaded Mischief!

This Moment is our own; Let’s use it, Love,

And fly o’th’ Instant from this House of Woe.

Leon. Alas! Impossible: My steps are watch’d;

There’s no Escape for Me. You must stay too.

Jul. What! stay, and see thee ravish’d from my Arms?

I’ll force thy Passage. Wear I not a Sword?

Ne’er on Man’s Thigh rode better. — If I suffer

The Traytor play his Part; if I not do

Manhood and Justice, Honour; let me be deem’d

A tame, pale, Coward, whom the Night-Owl’s Hoot

May turn to Aspen-leaf: Some Man take This,

Give Me a Distaff for it.

Leon.Patience, Julio;

And trust to Me: I have fore-thought the Means

To disappoint these Nuptials. — Hark! again;

[Musick within.

These are the Bells knoll for Us.— See, the Lights

Move this Way, Julio. Quick, behind yon Arras,

And take thy secret Stand. — Dispute it not;

I have my Reasons,