SCENE XV.
CYPRIAN. You must not follow him,
[Aside. (Oh, this news with death o'erwhelms me!)
Since if he who is the loser
Of what you have gained, expressly
Says he would forget it, you
Should not try his patient temper.
FLORUS. Both by you and him at once
Has mine own been too well tested.
Speak not now unto Justina
About me; for though full vengeance
I propose to take for being
Thus supplanted and rejected,
Every hope of her being mine
Now has ceased, for shameful were it,
In the face of such proved facts,
To persist in my addresses.
[Exit.
SCENE XVI.
CYPRIAN, MOSCON, and CLARIN.
CYPRIAN [aside]. What is this, O heavens! I hear?
Can it be the two are jealous
Of each other at one time?
And I too of both together?—
Doubtless from some strange delusion
The two suffer, which I welcome
With a sort of satisfaction,
For to it I am indebted
For the fact of their desisting
From their suit and their pretension.—
Moscon, have for me by morning
A rich court-suit; sword and feathers,
Clarin, be thy care; for love
In a certain airy splendour
Takes delight; for now no longer
Books or studies give me pleasure;—
Love they say doth murder mind,
Learning dies when he is present.
[Exeunt.
ACT THE SECOND.
SCENE I.
THE STREET IN FRONT OF LYSANDER'S HOUSE.
Enter CYPRIAN, MOSCON, and CLARIN, in gala dresses.
CYPRIAN [aside]. Where, presumptuous thoughts, ah! where,
Would you lead me, whither go?
If for certain now you know
That the high attempts you dare
Are delusive dreams of bliss,
Since you strive to scale heaven's wall,
But from that proud height to fall
Headlong down a dark abyss?
I Justina saw..... So near
Would to God I had not seen her,
Nor in her divine demeanour
All the light of heaven's fourth sphere.
Lovers twain for her contend,
Both being jealous each should woo,
And I, jealous of the two,
Know not which doth most offend.
All I know is, that suspicion,
Her disdain, my own desires,
Fill my heart with furious fires—
Drive me, ah! to my perdition.
This I know, and know no more,
This I feel in all my strait;
Heavens! Justina is my fate!
Heavens! Justina I adore!—
Moscon.
MOSCON. Sir.
CYPRIAN. Inquire, I pray,
If Lysander's in.
MOSCON. I fly.
CLARIN. No, sir, no. On me rely,—
Moscon can't go there to-day.
CYPRIAN. Ever wrangling in this way,
How ye both my patience try!
Why can he not go? Say why?
CLARIN. Because to-day is not his day.
Mine it is, sir, to his sorrow.
So your message I will bear.
Moscon can't to-day go there;
He will have his turn to-morrow.
CYPRIAN. What new madness can this be
Which your usual feud doth show?
But now neither of you go,
Since in all her brilliancy
Comes Justina.
CLARIN. From the street
To her house she goes.
SCENE II.
Enter JUSTINA and LIVIA, veiled.—CYPRIAN, MOSCON, and CLARIN.
JUSTINA. Ah, me!
Cyprian's here. [Aside to her.] See, Livia, see!
CYPRIAN [aside]. I must strive and be discreet,
Feigning with a ready wit,
Till my jealousy I can prove.
I will only speak of love,
If my jealousy will permit.
Not in vain, senora sweet,—
Have I changed my student's dress,
The livery of thy loveliness,
As a servant at thy feet,
Thus I wear. If sighs could move thee
I would labour to deserve thee;
Give me leave at least to serve thee,
Since thou wilt not let me love thee.
JUSTINA. Slight effect, sir, as I see,
Have my words produced on you,
Since they have not brought....
CYPRIAN. Too true!
JUSTINA. A forgetfulness of me.
In what way must I explain
Clearer than I have done before,
That persistence at my door
Is and ever must be vain?
If a day, a month, a year,
If for ages there you stay,
Naught but this that now I say
Ever can you hope to hear.
As it were my latest breath,
Let this sad assurance move thee,—
Fate forbids that I should love thee,
Cyprian, except in death.
[She moves towards the house.
CYPRIAN. At these words my hopes revive:—
Sad! no, no, to joy they move me,
For if thou in death canst love me,
Soon for me will death arrive.
Be it so; and since so nigh
Comes the hour your words to prove—
Ah! even now begin to love,
Since I now begin to die.
[JUSTINA enters.