Against Justina's soul, I will extract I never Revolve this doubt again with careful mind. Enter LELIO and FLORO. [Exit. [He reads. Lel. Here stop. These toppling rocks and tangled boughs, Impenetrable by the noonday beam, Shall be sole witnesses of what we Flo. Draw! If there were words, here is the place for deeds. Speaks thus. Cyp. [They fight. Ha! what is this? Lelio, Floro, Be it enough that Cyprian stands between you, Although unarm'd. Mos. Enter MosCON and CLARIN. Run, run! for where we left my master I never We hear the clash of swords. Cla. Run to approach things of this sort, but only To avoid them. Sir! Cyprian! sir! Cyp. Be silent, fellows! What! two friends who are In blood and fame the eyes and hope of Antioch: One of the noble men of the Colatti, The other son of the Governor, adventure And cast away, on some slight cause no doubt, Cyprian! Lel. Although my high respect towards your person Holds now my sword supended, thou canst not Restore it to the slumber of its scabbard. Thou knowest more of science than the duel ; For when two men of honour take the field, No [ ] or respect can make them friends, But one must die in the pursuit. Flo. I pray That you depart hence with your people, and Cyp. Though you may imagine That I know little of the laws of duel, Held no less than yourselves to know the limits In the false quicksands of the sea of honour, From the other, I give you my word of honour Lel. Under this condition then Flo. It seems Much to me that the light of day should look Leave us to fight, according to thy word. Cyp. Permit one question further is the lady She is Impossible to hope or not? So excellent, that if the light of day Without just cause, for even the light of day Cyp. Would you for your Part marry her? Flo. Cyp. And you? O, would that I could lift my hope Lel. So high? for though she is extremely poor, Her virtue is her dowry. Cyp. And if you both Would marry her, is it not weak and vain, Culpable and unworthy, thus beforehand To slur her honour. What would the world say [The rivals agree to refer their quarrel to CYPRIAN; who in consequence visits JUSTINA, and becomes enamoured of her : she disdains him, and he retires to a solitary sea-shore. SCENE II. Cyp. Oh, memory! permit it not Holds dominion o'er the will, That would refuse, but can no more, And gazing, became blind with error; Of her presence bound to terror! So beautiful she was—and I, That, hear me, Hell! I now would give My soul, for ever to inherit, To suffer punishment and pine, So this woman may be mine. Hear'st thou, Hell! dost thou reject it? Dæmon (unseen). I accept it. [Tempest, with thunder and lightning. The lightning's arrow and the thunder-balls As from the horizon round, Burst with earthquake sound, In mighty torrents the electric fountains ;- Compel their causes underneath thy yoke, Imagination's flight; For, on flakes of surge, like feathers light, Upon the gloomy blast, Tell of the footsteps of the storm. And it must fly the pity of the port, The terror of the thrilling cry Was a fatal prophecy Of coming death, who hovers now Upon that shatter'd prow, That they who die not may be dying still. And not alone the insane elements Are populous with wild portents, It strikes-I almost feel the shock,— It stumbles on a jagged rock,— Sparkles of blood on the white foam are cast. All exclaim (within). We are all lost! [A Tempest, Now from this plank will I Pass to the land and thus fulfil my scheme. Cyp. As in contempt of the elemental rage A man comes forth in safety, while the ship's Great form is in a watery eclipse Obliterated from the Ocean's page, And round its wreck the huge sea-monsters sit, The DÆMON enters, as escaped from the sea. Damon (aside). It was essential to my purposes That in this unknown form I might at length Sustain'd upon the mountain, and assail |