done. Two husbands! yet not one! By both enjoyed, Το Therefore no morrow: Ha! a lucky thought BIRON meets her. Bir. Despair and rest for ever! Isabella! These words are far from thy condition, And be they ever so! I heard thy voice, And could not bear thy absence: come, my love! You have staid long; there's nothing, nothing sure Now to despair of in succeeding fate. Isa. I am contented to be miserable, But not this way: I have been too long abused, And can believe no more. Let me sleep on to be deceived no more. Bir. Look up, my love! I never did deceive thee, Nor never can; believe thyself, thy eyes, Isa. And me to my undoing: I look round, I thank them, have at last found out a way Isa. Hope is a lying, fawning flatterer, A trusted friend, who only can betray you; Bir. Has marriage made thee wretched? Isa. Why, what did I say? say so? Bir. That I have made thee miserable. Bir. And yet you said, I have said too much, unless I could speak all. Bir. Thy words are wild; my eyes, my ears, my heart, Were all so full of thee, so much employed Isa. You will tell nobody- [Distractedly. 'Twas madness all--Compose thyself, my love! Isa. To bed! You have raised the storm As sometimes you have thought me, on my knees, Isa. The rugged hand of fate has got between Our meeting hearts, and thrusts them from their joys. Since we must part―― Bir. Nothing shall ever part us. ACT V. SCENE I. Enter BIRON. Nurse following him. Poor Isabella! now I know the cause, Of all ill-stars combined, of heaven and fate- Into despair; they have not urged my doom; I have but to accuse you of my wrongs, Enter Nurse and SAMPSON. Nurse. Here's strange things towards, Samp son: what will be the end of them, do you think? Samp. Nay, marry, nurse, I cannot see so far; but the law, I believe, is on Biron, the first husband's side. Nurse. Yes; no question, he has the law on his side. Samp. For I have heard, the law says, a woman must be a widow, all out seven years, before she can marry again, according to law. Nurse. Ay, so it does: and our lady has not been a widow altogether seven years. Samp. Why, then, nurse, mark my words, and say I told you so. The man must have his wife again, and all will do well. Nurse. But if our master, Villeroy, comes back again Samp. Why, if he does, he is not the first man that has had his wife taken from him. Nurse. For fear of the worst, will you go to the old count, desire him to come as soon as he can; there may be mischief, and he is able to pre vent it. Sump. Now you say something; now I take you, nurse; that will do well, indeed: mischief Isa. Asleep so soon! Oh, happy, happy thou, 'ho thus can sleep! I never shall sleep more— then to sleep be to be happy, he, ho sleeps the longest, is the happiest : eath is the longest sleep-Oh, have a care! Lischief will thrive apace.-Never wake more. [To BIRON. *thou didst ever love thy Isabella, o-morrow must be doomsday to thy peace. he sight of him disarms even death itself. he starting transport of new quickening life lives just such hopes: and pleasure grows again Vith looking on him-Let me look my lastBut is a look enough for parting love! Sure I may take a kiss-Where am I going! Help, help me, Villeroy! Mountains and seas Divide your love, never to meet my shame! [Throws herself upon the floor; after a short pause she raises herself upon her elbow. What will this battle of the brain do with me! This little ball, this ravaged province, long Cannot maintain--The globe of earth wants room And food for such a war-I find I am going- Wide waste and desolation, do your work Conflicting passions have at last unhinged safe, You monitors of mischief! What a change! Would I were landed there- [Sinks into a chair. Bir. Come, Isabella, come.- Isa. A man's voice! in my bed! How came Nothing but villany in this bad world! And there has left me. Oh, the frightful change Bir. Why dost thou fly me so? Isa. I cannot bear his sight; distraction, come, Possess me all, and take me to thyself! Shake off thy chains, and hasten to my aid; Thou art my only cure-Like other friends, He will not come to my necessities; Then I must go to find the tyrant outWhich is the nearest way? [Running out. Bir. Poor Isabella! she's not in a condition To give me any comfort, if she could: Lost to herself--as quickly I shall be To all the world--Horrors come fast around 'Tis Belford, I suppose; he little knows SCENE III-The Street. Enter CARLOS with three Ruffians. We must be sudden. Younger brothers are [Rises Thrust out of their nobility of birth And family, and tainted into trades. But how shall I prevent it?-Biron comes Bir. Ha! am I beset! I live but to revenge me. [They surround him, fighting; VILLEROY enters with two servants; they rescue him; CARLOS and his party fly. Vil. How are you, sir? Mortally hurt, I fear. Take care, and lead him in. Bir. I thank you for this goodness, sir; though 'tis Bestowed upon a very wretch; and death, SCENE IV.-The Inside of the House. Enter ISABELLA. Isa. Murder my husband! Oh! I must not To think of living on; my desperate hand Stab me any where but there. Here's room enough In my own breast, to act the fury in, The proper scene of mischief. Villeroy comes; Villeroy and Biron come! Oh! hide me from them They rack, they tear; let them carve out my limbs, Divide my body to their equal claims ! [Going to stab herself, VILLEROY runs in and prevents her, by taking the dagger from her. Vil. Angels defend and save thee! Attempt thy precious life! the treasury Of nature's sweets! life of my little world! Lay violent hands upon thy innocent self! Isa. Swear I am innocent, and I'll believe you. What would you have with me? Pray let me go. Are you there, sir! You are the very man Have done all this-You would have made Me believe you married me; but the fool Was wiser, I thank you: 'tis not all gospel You men preach upon that subject. Vil. Dost thou not know me, love? Isa. O yes: very well. [Staring on him. You are the widow's comforter, that marries Any woman when her husband's out of the way: But I'll never, never take your word again. Vil. I am thy loving husband. Isa. I have none; no husband— [Weeping. Never had but one, and he died at Candy! Did he not? I am sure you told me so; you, Or somebody, with just such a lying look, As you have now. Speak, did he not die there! Vil. He did, my life. Isa. But swear it, quickly swear, BIRON enters bloody, and leaning upon his sword. Before that screaming evidence appears, In bloody proof against me [She, seeing BIRON, swoons in a chair; VIL LEROY helps her. Vil. Help there! Nurse, where are you? Ha! I am distracted too! Bir. I know it must-Here I give up that death You but delayed: since what is past has been The work of fate, thus we must finish it. Thrust home, be sure. [Faints. Vil. Alas! he faints: some help there! Bir. 'Tis all in vain, my sorrows soon will end. Oh, Villeroy! let a dying wretch entreat you To take this letter to my father. My Isabella! Could'st thou but hear me, my last words should bless thee. I cannot, though in death, bequeath her to thee. My wife, my Isabella-Bless my child! [Dies. Vil. He's gone-Let what will be the conse quence, I'll give it him. I have involved myself, now. My care of her is lost in wild amaze. Going to ISABELLA. Are you all dead within there? Where, where are you? (Exit. ISABELLA comes to herself. Isa. Where have I been? Methinks I stand upon The brink of life, ready to shoot the gulph, [Throws herself by BIRON's body. My body, soul, and life. A little dust, Enter VILLEROY, with Servants. Vil. Poor wretch! upon the ground! She's not herself: Remove her from the body. [Servants going to raise her. Isa. Never, neverYou have divorced us once, but shall no moreHelp, help me, Biron! Ha! bloody and dead! Oh, murder! murder! you have done this deed; Vengeance and murder! bury us togetherDo any thing but part us. Vil. Gently, gently raise her. She must be forced away. [She drags the body after her: they get her into their arms, and carry her off. Isa. Oh, they tear me! Cut off my handsLet me leave something with himThey'll clasp him fast Oh, cruel, cruel men! This you must answer one day. Vil. Good nurse, take care of her. [Nurse follows her. =Send for all helps: all, all that I am worth, Shall cheaply buy her peace of mind again. Be sure you do, Just as I ordered you. I am prepared for it. [To a Servant. The storm grows louder. [Knocking at the door. Now let them in. But I must say that you have murdered him; Bel. Poor Biron! Is this thy welcome home! think Me guilty of. I know my innocence; They're his accomplices, his instruments, Lie nimbly, and swear hard to bring him off.— You were new married-married to his wife; Car. It can be only so. Fr. Indeed it has a face- Car. As black as hell. C. Bald. The law will do me justice: send for the magistrate. Car. I'll go myself for him- [Erit. Vil. These strong presumptions, I must own, indeed, Are violent against me; but I have (Door opens, and PEDRO is brought forward by VILLEROY's servants. Here's one can tell you all. Ped. All, all; save me but from the rack, I'H confess all. Vil. You and your accomplices designed To murder Biron ?-Speak. Ped. We did. Vil. Did you engage upon your private wrongs, Or were employed? Ped. He never did us wrong. Ped. We were set on. Vil. What do you know of me? You saved his life, and have discovered me. If you would be resolved of any thing, |