Thomas Otway

“ Curse thy dull stars, and the worse fate of Venice, Where brothers, friends, and fathers, all are false; Where there's no truth, no trust; where innocence Stoops under vile oppression, and vice lords it. Hadst thou but seen, as I did, how at last Thy beauteous Belvidera, like a wretch That's doom'd to banishment, came weeping forth, Shining through tears, like April suns in showers, That labour to o'ercome the cloud that loads 'em; Whilst two young virgins, on whose arms she lean'd, Kindly look'd up, and at her grief grew sad, As if they catch'd the sorrows that fell from her. ”

“ Has Priuli's heart relented? Can he be honest? Jaf. Kind heav'n, let heavy curses Gall his old age; cramps, aches, rack his bones, And bitterest disquiet wring his heart. Oh! let him live, till life become his burden: Let him groan under't long, linger an age In the worst agonies and pangs of death, And find its ease but late. Pier. Nay, couldst thou not As well, my friend, have stretch'd the curse to all The senate round, as to one single villain? Jaf. But curses stick not: could I kill with cursing, By heaven I know not thirty heads in Venice Should not be blasted. ”

“ When I would declare How great's my joy, I'm dumb with the big thought; I swell, and sigh, and labour with my longing. O! lead me to some desert wide and wild, Barren as our misfortunes, where my soul May have its vent, where I may tell aloud To the high heavens, and ev'ry list'ning planet, With what a boundless stock my bosom's fraught; Where I may throw my eager arms about thee, Give loose to love, with kisses kindling joy, And let off all the fire that's in my heart. Jaf. Oh, Belvidera! doubly I'm a beggar: Undone by fortune, and in debt to thee. ”

“ Secure thy wretched life; we fear to die Less than thou dar'st be honest. Pier. That's rank falsehood. Fear'st not thou death! Fie, there's a knavish itch In that salt blood, an utter foe to smarting. Had Jaffier's wife prov'd kind, he'd still been true. Faugh, how that stinks! thou die, thou kill my friend! Or thou! or thou! with that lean wither'd face. Away, disperse all to your several charges, And meet to-morrow where your honour calls you. I'll bring that man, whose blood you so much thirst for, And you shall see him venture for you fairly— Hence! ”

“ For liberty, my friend. Thou shalt be freed from base Priuli's tyranny, And thy sequester'd fortunes heal'd again: I shall be free from those opprobrious wrongs That press me now, and bend my spirit downward; All Venice free, and every growing merit Succeed to its just right: fools shall be pull'd From wisdom's seat; those baleful, unclean birds, Those lazy owls, who, perch'd near fortune's top, Sit only watchful with their heavy wings To cuff down new-fledg'd virtues, that would rise To nobler heights, and make the grove harmonious. Jaf. What can I do? Pier. Canst thou not kill a senator? ”

“ The proud Priuli should be taught humanity, And learn to value such a son as thou art. I dare not speak, but my heart bleeds this moment. Jaf. Curs'd be the cause, though I thy friend be part on't: Let me partake the troubles of thy bosom, For I am us'd to misery, and perhaps May find a way to sweeten't to thy spirit. Pier. Too soon 'twill reach thy knowledge— Jaf. Then from thee Let it proceed. There's virtue in thy friendship, Would make the saddest tale of sorrow pleasing, Strengthen my constancy and welcome ruin. ”

“ Bel. Yes, I must; and you must hear too. I have a husband. Pri. Damn him. Bel. Oh! do not curse him; He would not speak so hard a word towards you On any terms, howe'er he deals with me. Pri. Ha! what means my child? Bel. Oh! my husband, my dear husband, Carries a dagger in his once kind bosom, To pierce the heart of your poor Belvidera. Pri. Kill thee! Bel. Yes, kill me. When he pass'd his faith And covenant against your state and senate, He gave me up a hostage for his truth: With me a dagger and a dire commission, Whene'er he fail'd, to plunge it through this bosom. ”

“ Shed blood enough, old Renault! how thou charm'st me! Ren. But one thing more, and then farewell, till fate Join us again, or sep'rate us for ever. First let's embrace. Heav'n knows who next shall thus Wing ye together; but let's all remember, We wear no common cause upon our swords: Let each man think that on his single virtue Depends the good and fame of all the rest; Eternal honour, or perpetual infamy. You droop, sir. Jaf. No; with most profound attention I've heard it all, and wonder at thy virtue. Oh, Belvidera! ”

“ Life! ask my life! confess! record myself A villain, for the privilege to breathe! And carry up and down this cursed city, A discontented and repining spirit, Burthensome to itself, a few years longer; To lose it, may be at last, in a lewd quarrel For some new friend, treacherous and false as thou art! No, this vile world and I have long been jangling, And cannot part on better terms than now, When only men, like thee, are fit to live in't. ”

“ Renault, good morrow, for by this time I think the scale of night has turn'd the balance, And weighs up morning! Has the clock struck twelve? Ren. Yes! clocks will go as they are set; but man, Irregular man's ne'er constant, never certain: I've spent at least three precious hours of darkness In waiting dull attendance: 'tis the curse Of diligent virtue to be mix'd, like mine, With giddy tempers, souls but half resolv'd. Spin. Hell seize that soul amongst us it can frighten. Ren. What's then the cause that I am here alone? Why are we not together? ”

“ No; thou shalt not force me from thee. Use me reproachfully, and like a slave; Tread on me, buffet me, heap wrongs on wrongs On my poor head; I'll bear it all with patience Shall weary out thy most unfriendly cruelty: Lie at thy feet, and kiss 'em, though they spurn me; Till, wounded by my sufferings, thou relent, And raise me to thy arms, with dear forgiveness. Pier. Art thou not— Jaf. What? Pier. A traitor? Jaf. Yes. Pier. A villain? Jaf. Granted. Pier. A coward, a most scandalous coward; Spiritless, void of honour; one who has sold Thy everlasting fame, for shameless life? ”

“ Is coward, fool, or villain, in my face? If I seem none of these, I dare believe Thou wouldst not use me in a little cause, For I am fit for honour's toughest task, Nor ever yet found fooling was my province; And for a villainous, inglorious, enterprise, I know thy heart so well, I dare lay mine Before thee, set it to what point thou wilt. Pier. Nay, 'tis a cause thou wilt be fond of, Jaffier; For it is founded on the noblest basis; Our liberties, our natural inheritance. There's no religion, no hypocrisy in't; We'll do the business, and ne'er fast and pray for't ”

“ Belvidera! Oh! she is my wife— And we will bear our wayward fate together, But ne'er know comfort more. Enter Pierre. Pier. My friend, good morrow; How fares the honest partner of my heart? What, melancholy! not a word to spare me? Jaf. I'm thinking, Pierre, how that damn'd starving quality, Call'd honesty, got footing in the world. Pier. Why, powerful villany first set it up, For its own ease and safety. Honest men Are the soft easy cushions on which knaves Repose and fatten. Were all mankind villains, They'd starve each other ”

“ But as thou hop'st to see me live my days, And love thee long, lock this within thy breast: I've bound myself, by all the strictest sacraments, Divine and human—— Bel. Speak! Jaf. To kill thy father—— Bel. My father! Jaf. Nay, the throats of the whole senate Shall bleed, my Belvidera. He amongst us, That spares his father, brother, or his friend, Is damn'd. Bel. Oh! Jaf. Have a care, and shrink not even in thought. For if thou dost—— Bel. I know it; thou wilt kill me. Do, strike thy sword into this bosom: lay me Dead on the earth, and then thou wilt be safe. Murder my father! ”

“ My friend, where art thou? Pier. Here, my honour's brother. Jaf. Is Belvidera gone? Pier. Renault has led her Back to her own apartment; but, by heav'n, Thou must not see her more, till our work's over. Jaf. No! Pier. Not for your life. Jaf. Oh, Pierre, wert thou but she, How I would pull thee down into my heart, Gaze on thee, till my eye-strings crack'd with love; Then, swelling, sighing, raging to be blest, Come like a panting turtle to thy breast; On thy soft bosom hovering, bill and play, Confess the cause why last I fled away ”

“ There my best blood runs foul, and a disease Incurable has seiz'd upon my memory. Enter Belvidera, in a long mourning veil. Bel. He's there, my father, my inhuman father, That for three years has left an only child Expos'd to all the outrages of fate, And cruel rain!—oh!—— Pri. What child of sorrow Art thou, that comes wrapt in weeds of sadness, And mov'st as if thy steps were tow'rds a grave? Bel. A wretch who from the very top of happiness Am fall'n into the lowest depths of misery, And want your pitying hand to raise me up again. ”

“ There sleep in peace, till an eternal morning. Jaf. Did I not say, I came to bless thee? Bel. You did. Jaf. Then hear me, bounteous heav'n: Pour down your blessings on this beauteous head, Where everlasting sweets are always springing With a continual giving hand: let peace, Honour, and safety, always hover round her; Feed her with plenty; let her eyes ne'er see A sight of sorrow, nor her heart know mourning: Crown all her days with joy, her nights with rest, Harmless as her own thoughts ”

“ If, throwing thus my arms about thy neck, I play the boy, and blubber in thy bosom. Oh! I shall drown thee with my sorrows. Pier. Burn, First burn and level Venice to thy ruin. What! starve, like beggars' brats, in frosty weather, Under a hedge, and whine ourselves to death! Thou or thy cause shall never want assistance, Whilst I have blood or fortune fit to serve thee: Command my heart, thou'rt every way its master. Jaf. No, there's a secret pride in bravely dying. Pier. Rats die in holes and corners, dogs run mad; Man knows a braver remedy for sorrow: Revenge, the attribute of gods ”

“ Does this appear like change, or love decaying, When thus I throw myself into thy bosom, With all the resolution of strong truth! Beats not my heart, as 'twould alarum thine To a new charge of bliss?—I joy more in thee, Than did thy mother, when she hugg'd thee first, And bless'd the gods for all her travail past. Jaf. Can there in woman be such glorious faith? Sure all ill stories of thy sex are false! Oh woman! lovely woman! nature made thee To temper man: we had been brutes without you! Angels are painted fair, to look like you: There's in you all that we believe of heaven ”

“ His justice, truth, his general worth, and sufferings From a hard father, taught me first to love him. Enter Jaffier, guarded. Duke. See him brought forth. Pier. My friend too bound! nay then Our fate has conquer'd us, and we must fall. Why droops the man whose welfare's so much mine, They're but one thing? These reverend tyrants, Jaffier, Call us traitors. Art thou one, my brother? Jaf. To thee, I am the falsest, veriest slave, That e'er betray'd a generous, trusting friend, And gave up honour to be sure of ruin. ”

“ May not a man then trifle out an hour With a kind woman, and not wrong his calling? Pier. Not in a cause like ours. Jaf. Then, friend, our cause Is in a damn'd condition: for I'll tell thee, That cankerworm, call'd lechery, has touch'd it; 'Tis tainted vilely. Wouldst thou think it? Renault (That mortify'd, old, wither'd, winter rogue,) He visited her last night, like a kind guardian: Faith! she has some temptation, that's the truth on't. Pier. He durst not wrong his trust. ”

“ A friend to dogs, for they are honest creatures, And ne'er betray their masters: never fawn On any that they love not. Well met, friend: Jaffier! Jaf. The same. Pier. Where's Belvidera?— Jaf. For a day or two I've lodg'd her privately, till I see further What fortune will do for me. Pr'ythee, friend, If thou wouldst have me fit to hear good counsel, Speak not of Belvidera— Pier. Not of her! Jaf. Oh, no! Pier. Not name her! May be I wish her well. Jaf. Whom well? Pier. Thy wife; thy lovely Belvidera. I hope a man may wish his friend's wife well, And no harm done? Jaf. Y' are merry, Pierre. ”

“ Yes, if I thought thou wert not cherish'd T' a nobler purpose, I would be thy friend; But thou hast better friends; friends whom thy wrongs Have made thy friends; friends worthy to be call'd so. I'll trust thee with a secret. There are spirits This hour at work.—But as thou art a man, Whom I have pick'd and chosen from the world, Swear that thou wilt be true to what I utter; And when I've told thee that which only gods, And men like gods, are privy to, then swear No chance or change shall wrest it from thy bosom. Jaf. When thou wouldst bind me, is there need of oaths? ”

“ A council's held hard by, where the destruction Of this great empire's hatching: there I'll lead thee. But be a man! for thou'rt to mix with men Fit to disturb the peace of all the world, And rule it when it's wildest— Jaf. I give thee thanks For this kind warning. Yes, I'll be a man; And charge thee, Pierre, whene'er thou seest my fears Betray me less, to rip this heart of mine Out of my breast, and show it for a coward's. Come, let's be gone, for from this hour I chase All little thoughts, all tender human follies Out of my bosom. ”

“ Let heav'n forget me, When I remember not thy truth, thy love. Enter Pierre. Pier. Jaffier! Jaf. Who calls? Pier. A friend, that could have wish'd T' have found thee otherwise employ'd. What, hunt A wife, on the dull soil! Sure a staunch husband Of all hounds is the dullest. ”