XIV. A NOBLE REVENGE BY PHILIP MASSINGER Rutilio, an Italian, flying from his native land, reaches Lisbon, and is forced into a street fight with a young Portuguese nobleman whom he runs through and leaves for dead. To escape capture, he rushes through an open door into a house hard by. It belongs to Guiomar, sister of Manuel du Sosa, the governor of Lisbon, and mother of Duarte, a gifted and high-spirited young man, but overbearing and quarrelsome. The feuds which he wantonly provokes cause his mother great anxiety. The scene is a bedroom in the house of Guiomar. Enter Guiomar and her Servants. Guiomar. He's not i' the house? Servants. No, madam. Haste and seek him, Go all, and everywhere; I'll not to bed Till you return him. Take away the lights too; Are written in my heart, not in this book, And I shall read them there without a taper. [She kneels in prayer. Exeunt Servants with lights. Enter Rutilio. He moves cautiously, feeling his way, and speaks in a low voice. ΙΟ Rutilio. I am pursued; all the ports are stopped too; I am got into a house; the doors all open; To one of means and rank. No servant stirring ? 15 Murmur nor whisper ? Guiomar. Who waits there? Rutilio [aside]. Who's that? By the voice 20 Stephano, Jasper, Julia! 'Tis the lady of the house; I'll fly to her protection. Speak, what are you? 26 Rutilio. Of all that ever breathed, a man most wretched. Guiomar. I am sure you are a man of most ill manners; You could not with so little reverence else Press to my private chamber. Whither would you? Or what do you seek for? Rutilio. Gracious woman, hear me : I am a stranger, and in that I answer 30 Justice pursues me, And for that life I took unwillingly Guiomar. Are you a Castilian ? Rutilio. No, madam; Italy claims my birth. 35 40 I ask not With purpose to betray you; if you were If the officers come, as you expect they will do, Rutilio. 45 50 The blest saints pay for me The infinite debt I owe you! How he quakes! Guiomar [aside]. All men are subject to such accidents, Enter Page, Officers, and Servants, with the body of Guiomar's son Duarte. Lights are brought in. 55 бо First Servant. Now, madam, if your wisdom ever could Raise up defences against floods of sorrow That haste to overwhelm you, make true use of Your great discretion. Second Servant. Your only son His murderer, My Lord Duarte 's slain. First Servant. Sure her heart is broke. 65 Madam ! Stand off: My sorrow is so dear and precious to me Like wounds that do bleed inward, to dispatch me. 70 [Aside.] O my Duarte, such an end as this Thy pride long since did prophesy. Thou art dead; That are to others angels, are my Furies : But that I must protect the murderer Or suffer in that faith he made his altar ? 75 80 Motherly love, give place; the fault, made this way, To keep a vow to which high heaven is witness, Heaven may be pleased to pardon. 'Tis too late. 85 Enter Manuel du Sosa, Doctors, and Surgeons. Manuel. He's gone, past all recovery: now my reproof Were but unseasonable when I should give comfort; And yet remember, sister— Guiomar. Oh, forbear! Search for the murderer, and remove the body We obey you 90 [They all leave her and take away the body. Rutilio [aside]. My spirits come back and now despair resigns Her place again to hope. Whate'er thou art Guiomar. 95 100 My vow once paid to heaven. [Rutilio comes forth with his face covered.] Thou hast taken from me The respiration of my heart, the light 105 Of my swoln eyes, in his life that sustained me: And so, farewell for ever. Let me first fall Before your feet and on them pay the duty ΙΙΟ I owe your goodness: next, all blessings to you, 115 XV. ANTONIO AND SHYLOCK BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE SCENE I. THE SECOND ARROW. Antonio is a rich merchant in the city of Venice, which was once one of the great trading cities of the world. He is one of the most generous of men, never weary of doing his friends a kindness, lending without interest to those who are in difficulty, and spending large sums in relieving poor debtors. His greatest friend is Bassanio, a soldier and scholar, frank and open, but careless of his money and heavily in debt. The scene is a street in Venice. Enter Antonio and Bassanio. Bassanio. 'Tis not unknown to you, Antonio, 5 ΙΟ Antonio. I pray you, good Bassanio, let me know it; My purse, my person, my extremest means, 15 Bassanio. In my schooldays, when I had lost one shaft, I shot his fellow of the self-same flight The selfsame way with more advisèd watch, To find the other forth; and by adventuring both, 20 |