Or is it possible that you could see
Another to possess what was your due,
And not grow pale with envy?
Eug. Yes, of him

That did deceive me. There's no passion, that
A maid so injured ever could partake of,
But I have dearly suffer'd. These three years,
In my desire and labour of revenge,
Trusted to you, I have endured the throes
Of teeming women; and will hazard all
Fate can inflict on me, but I will reach

Thy heart, false Sforza! You have trifled with me,

And not proceeded with that fiery zeal

I look'd for from a brother of your spirit.
Sorrow forsake me, and all signs of grief

Farewell for ever! Vengeance, arm'd with fury,
Possess me wholly now!

Fran. The reason, sister,
Of this strange metamorphosis?
Eug. Ask thy fears:

Thy base, unmanly fears, thy poor delays,
Thy dull forgetfulness equal with death;

My wrong, else, and the scandal which can never
Be wash'd off from our house, but in his blood,
Would have stirr'd up a coward to a deed

In which, though he had fallen, the brave intent
Had crown'd itself with a fair monument
Of noble resolution. In this shape

I hope to get access; and then, with shame,
Hearing my sudden execution, judge

What honour thou hast lost, in being transcended
By a weak woman.

Fran. Still mine own, and dearer! And yet in this you but pour oil on fire, And offer your assistance where it needs not. And, that you may perceive I lay not fallow, But had your wrongs stamp'd deeply on my heart By the iron pen of vengeance, I attempted, By whoring her, to cuckold him: that failing, I did begin his tragedy in her death,

To which it served as prologue, and will make

A memorable story of your fortunes

In my assured revenge. Only, best sister,

Let us not lose ourselves in the performance,

By your rash undertaking; we will be

As sudden as you could wish.

Eug. Upon those terms

I yield myself and cause to be disposed of
As you think fit.

Eug. Why, let us then turn Romans, And, falling by our own hands, mock their threats,

And dreadful preparations.

Fran. 'Twould show nobly;

But that the honour of our full revenge'
Were lost in the rash action. No, Eugenia,
Graccho is wise, my friend too, not my servant,
And I dare trust him with my latest secret.
We would, and thou must help us to perform it,
First kill the duke-then, fall what can upon us!
For injuries are writ in brass, kind Graccho,
And not to be forgotten.

Grac. He instructs me

What I should do.

Fran. What's that?

Grac. I labour with

[Aside.

A strong desire to assist you with my service; And now I am deliver'd of't.

Fran. I told you.

Speak, my oraculous Graccho.

Grac. I have heard, sir,

Of men in debt that, lay'd for by their creditors, In all such places where it could be thought They would take shelter, chose, for sanctuary, Their lodgings underneath their creditors'

noses,

Or near that prison to which they were design'd,
If apprehended; confident that there

They never should be sought for.
Eug. 'Tis a strange one!

Fran. But what infer you from it?
Grac. This, my lord;

That, since all ways of your escape are stopp'd,
In Milan only, or, what's more, in the court,
Whither it is presumed you dare not come,
Conceal'd in some disguise, you may live safe.
Fran. And not to be discover'd?
Grac. But by myself.

Fran. By thee! Alas! I know thee honest,
Graccho,

And I will put thy counsel into act,
And suddenly. Yet, not to be ungrateful
For all thy loving travail to preserve me,
What bloody end soe'er my stars appoint,

Thou shalt be safe, good Graccho.-Who's within there?

Grac. In the devil's name, what means he!

Enter Servants.

Fran. Take my friend

Into your custody, and bind him fast: I would not part with him.

Grac. My good lord.

Fran. Despatch:

'Tis for your good, to keep you honest, Graccho:
I would not have ten thousand ducats tempt you,
Being of a soft and wax-like disposition,
To play the traitor; nor a foolish itch
To be revenged for your late excellent whipping,
Give you the opportunity to offer

My head for satisfaction. Why, thou fool!

I can look through and through thee! Thy intents
Appear to me as written in thy forehead,
In plain and easy characters: and but that

I scorn a slave's base blood should rust that sword

That from a prince expects a scarlet dye, Thou now wert dead; but live, only to pray For good success to crown my undertakings; And then, at my return, perhaps, I'll free thee, To make me further sport. Away with him! I will not hear a syllable.

[Exeunt Servants with GRACCHO.
We must trust

Ourselves, Eugenia; and though we make use of
The counsel of our servants, that oil spent,
Like snuffs that do offend, we tread them out.-
But now to our last scene, which we'll so carry,
That few shall understand how 'twas begun,
Till all, with half an eye, may see 'tis done.

ACT V-SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

My wonder is the less, because there are
Too many precedents of unthankful men
Raised up to greatness, which have after studied
The ruin of their makers.

Steph. But that melancholy,

Though ending in distraction, should work
So far upon a man, as to compel him

To court a thing that has nor sense nor being,
Is unto me a miracle.

Pesc. "Troth, I'll tell you,

And briefly as I can, by what degrees

He fell into this madness. When, by the care
Of his physicians, he was brought to life,
As he had only pass'd a fearful dream,
And had not acted what I grieve to think on,
He call'd for fair Marcelia, and being told
That she was dead, he broke forth in extremes
(I would not say blasphemed), and cried that
Heaven,

For all the offences that mankind could do,
Would never be so cruel as to rob it

Of so much sweetness, and of so much goodness;
That not alone was sacred in herself,
But did preserve all others innocent,
That had but converse with her.
Into his fancy that she was accused
By his mother and his sister; thrice he curs'd
them,

Then it came

And thrice his desperate hand was on his sword,

T'have killed them both; but he restrain'd, and they

Shunning his fury, spite of all prevention
He would have turn'd his rage upon himself;
When wisely his physicians, looking on
The duchess' wound, to stay his ready hand,
Cried out it was not mortal.

Tib. 'Twas well thought on.

Pesc. He easily believing what he wish'd,
More than a perpetuity of pleasure

In any object else! flatter'd by hope,
Forgetting his own greatness, he fell prostrate
At the doctors' feet, implored their aid, and swore,
Provided they recover'd her, he would live
A private man, and they should share his

dukedom.

They seem'd to promise fair, and every hour
Vary their judgments, as they find he's fit
To suffer intermission or extremes;
For his behaviour since-

Sfor. [within.] As you have pity,
Support her gently.

Pesc. Now be your own witnesses; I am prevented.

Enter SFORZA, ISABELLA, MARIANA, Doctors, and Servants with the body of MARCELIA.

Sfor. Carefully, I beseech you;
The gentlest touch torments her; and then think
What I shall suffer. Oh you earthly gods,
You second natures that from your great master,
Who join'd the limbs of torn Hippolitus,
And drew upon himself the Thunderer's envy,
Are taught those hidden secrets that restore
To life death-wounded men! you have a patient,
On whom to express the excellence of art,
Will bind even Heaven your debtor, though it
pleases

To make your hands the organs of a work
The saints will smile to look on, and good angels
Clap their celestial wings to give it plaudits.
How pale and wan she looks! Oh pardon me,
That I presume (dy'd o'er with bloody guilt,
Which makes me, I confess, far, far unworthy)
I
To touch this snow-white hand. How cold it is!
This once was Cupid's firebrand, and still
"Tis so to me. How slow her pulses beat too!
Yet in this temper she is all perfection,
And mistress of a heat so full of sweetness,
The blood of virgins, in their pride of youth,
Are balls of snow or ice compared unto her.
Mari. Is not this strange?

Isab. Oh! cross him not, dear daughter; Our conscience tells us we have been abused, Wrought to accuse the innocent, and with him Are guilty of a fact

Enter a Servant, and whispers PESCARA.
Mari. "Tis now past help.
Pesc. With me? What is he?
Serv. He has a strange aspect;

A Jew by birth, and a physician

By his profession, as he says, who, hearing
Of the duke's frenzy, on the forfeit of
His life, will undertake to render him
Perfect in every part:-provided that
Your lordship's favour gain him free access,
And your power with the duke a safe protection,
Till the great work be ended.

Pesc. Bring me to him.

As I find cause I'll do. [Exeunt PESC. and Serv.
Sfor. How sound she sleeps!

Heaven keep her from a lethargy!-How long
(But answer me with comfort, I beseech you)
Does your sure judgment tell you that these lids,
That cover richer jewels than themselves,

Like envious night, will bar these glorious suns
From shining on me?

1 Doct. We have given her, sir,
A sleepy potion, that will hold her long,
That she may be less sensible of the torment
The searching of her wound will put her to.

2 Doct. She now feels little; but if we should wake her,

To hear her speak would fright both us and you, And therefore dare not hasten it.

Sfor. I am patient.

You see I do not rage, but wait your pleasure.
What do you think she dreams of now? for sure,
Although her body's organs are bound fast,
Her fancy cannot slumber.

1 Doct. That, sir, looks on

Your sorrow for your late rash act, with pity
Of what you suffer for it, and prepares
To meet the free confession of your guilt
With a glad pardon.

Sfor. She was ever kind;

And her displeasure, though call'd on, short-lived
Upon the least submission. Oh you Powers,
That can convey our thoughts to one another
Without the aid of eyes or ears, assist me!
Let her behold me in a pleasing dream [Kneels.
Thus on my knees before her (yet that duty
In me is not sufficient); let her see me
Compel my mother, from whom I took life,
And this my sister, partner of my being,
To bow thus low unto her; let her hear us
In my acknowledgment freely confess
That we in a degree as high are guilty
As she is innocent.

creatures,

Bite your tongues, vile

And let your inward horror fright your souls, For having belied that pureness, to come near

which,

All women that posterity can bring forth
Must be, though striving to be good, poor rivals.
And for that dog Francisco, that seduced me,
In wounding her, to rase a temple built
To chastity and sweetness, let her know
I'll follow him to hell, but I will find him,
And there live a fourth Fury to torment him.
Then, for this cursed hand and arm that guided
The wicked steel, I'll have them, joint by joint,
With burning irons sear'd off, which I will eat,
I being a vulture fit to taste such carrion;
Lastly-

1 Doct. You are too loud, sir; you disturb Her sweet repose.

Sfor. I am hush'd. Yet give us leave, Thus prostrate at her feet, our eyes bent downwards,

Unworthy, and ashamed, to look upon her,
To expect her gracious sentence.

2 Doct. He's past hope.

1 Doct. The body too will putrefy, and then We can no longer cover the imposture.

Tib. Which, in his death, will quickly be discover'd.

I can but weep his fortune.

Steph. Yet be careful

You lose no minute to preserve him; time
May lessen his distraction.

Re-enter PESCARA, with FRANCISCO as a Jew doctor, and EUGENIA disguised as before.

Fran. I am no god, sir,

To give a new life to her; yet I'll hazard
My head, I'll work the senseless trunk t'appear
To him as it had got a second being,

Or that the soul that's fled from't, were call'd back
To govern it again. I will preserve it
In the first sweetness, and by a strange vapour,
Which I'll infuse into her mouth, create

Pesc. Look up, sir, cheerfully; comfort in me Flows strongly to you.

Sfor. From whence came that sound? Was it from my Marcelia? If it were,

[Rises.

I rise, and joy will give me wings to meet it.
Pesc. Nor shall your expectation be deferr'd
But a few minutes. Your physicians are
Mere voice, and no performance; I have found
A man that can do wonders. Do not hinder
The duchess' wished recovery, to enquire
Or what he is, or to give thanks, but leave him
To work this miracle.

Sfor. Sure, 'tis my good angel.

I do obey in all things: be it death
For any to disturb him, or come near,
Till he be pleased to call us.
And make a duke thy bondman!

Oh, be prosperous,

[Exeunt all but FRANCISCO and EUGENIA. Fran. "Tis my purpose;

If that to fall a long-wish'd sacrifice
To my revenge can be a benefit.
I'll first make fast the doors;-so!
Eug. You amaze me:
What follows now?

Fran. A full conclusion

Of all thy wishes. Look on this, Eugenia,
Even such a thing, the proudest fair on earth
(For whose delight the elements are ransack'd,
And art with nature studied to preserve her)
Must be, when she is summon'd to appear
In the court of Death. But I lose time.
Eug. What mean you?

Fran. Disturb me not.-Your ladyship looks pale;

But I, your doctor, have a ceruse 1 for you.— See, my Eugenia, how many faces, That are adored in court, borrow these helps, [Paints the cheeks. And pass for excellence, when the better part Of them are like to this.-Your mouth smells sour too,

rotten.

But here is that shall take away the scent;
A precious antidote old ladies use,
When they would kiss, knowing their gums are
[Paints the lips.
These hands too, that disdain'd to take a touch
From any lip, whose owner writ not lord,
Are now but as the coarsest earth; but I
Am at the charge, my bill not to be paid too,
To give them seeming beauty. [Paints the hands.]
-So! 'tis done.

How do you like my workmanship?

Eug. I tremble:

And thus to tyrannize upon the dead Is most inhuman.

Fran. Come we for revenge,

1 ceruse-a cosmetic.