Erastus.
Nay, gentlemen, fly you and save yourselves,
Lest you partake the hardness of my fortune.
[Exeunt Guelpio and Julio.
Ah, fickle and blind guidress of the world!
What pleasure hast thou in my misery?
Was't not enough, when I had lost the chain,
Thou didst bereave me of my dearest love;
But now, when I should repossess the same,
To cross me with this hapless accident?
Ah, if but time and place would give me leave,
Great ease it were for me to purge myself,
And to accuse fell Fortune, Love, and Death;
For all these three conspire my tragedy:
But danger waits upon my words and steps.
I dare not stay; for if the governor
Surprise me here, I die by martial law,
Therefore I go: but whither shall I go?
If into any stay adjoining Rhodes,
They will betray me to Philippo's hands,
For love, or gain, or flattery.
To Turkey must I go; the passage short,
The people warlike, and the king renown'd,
For all heroical and kingly virtues.
Ah, hard attempt, to tempt a foe for aid!
Necessity yet says it must be so,
Or suffer death for Ferdinando's death;
Whom honour's title forc'd me to misdo,
By checking his outrageous insolence.—
Piston, here take this chain, and give it to Perseda;
And let her know what hath befallen me:
When thou'st deliver'd it, take ship and follow me,
I will be in Constantinople.—
Farewell, my country, dearer than my life;
Farewell, dear friends, dearer than country soil;
Farewell, Perseda, dearest of them all,
Dearer to me than all the world besides.
[Exit Erastus.
Piston.
Now am I growing into a doubtful agony,
What I were best to do—to run away with this chain,
Or deliver it, and follow my master?
If I deliver it, and follow my master, I shall have thanks;
But they will make me never the fatter:
If I run away with it, I may live upon credit,
All the while I wear this chain;
Or domineer with the money when I have sold it.
Hitherto all goes well; but, if I be taken—
Ay, marry, sir, then the case is alter'd; ay, and halter'd too:
Of all things, I do not love to preach
With a halter about my neck:
Therefore for this once I'll be honest against my will;
Perseda shall have it: but, before I go, I'll be so bold
As to dive into the gentleman's pocket for good luck sake,
If he deny me not. How say you, sir? are you content?—
A plain case: Qui tacet consitiri[408] videtur.
[Robs Ferdinando.
Enter Philippo and Julio [behind].
See where his body lies.