READ STUDY GUIDE: (II.i); (II.ii) | (II.iii) |
|
Act II
 Enter BARABAS, with a light. |
| BARABAS. Thus, like the sad-presaging raven, that tolls |
| The sick man's passport in her hollow beak, |
| And in the shadow of the silent night |
| Doth shake contagion from her sable wings, |
| Vex'd and tormented runs poor Barabas |
| With fatal curses towards these Christians. |
| The incertain pleasures of swift-footed time |
| Have ta'en their flight, and left me in despair; |
| And of my former riches rests no more |
| But bare remembrance; like a soldier's scar, |
| That has no further comfort for his maim.— |
| O Thou, that with a fiery pillar ledd'st |
| The sons of Israel through the dismal shades, |
| Light Abraham's offspring; and direct the hand |
| Of Abigail this night! or let the day |
| Turn to eternal darkness after this!— |
| No sleep can fasten on my watchful eyes, |
| Nor quiet enter my distemper'd thoughts, |
| Till I have answer of my Abigail. |
| Enter ABIGAIL above. |
| ABIGAIL. Now have I happily espied a time |
| To search the plank my father did appoint; |
| And here, behold, unseen, where I have found |
| The gold, the pearls, and jewels, which he hid. |
| BARABAS. Now I remember those old women's words, |
| Who in my wealth would tell me winter's tales, |
| And speak of spirits and ghosts that glide by night |
| About the place where treasure hath been hid: |
| And now methinks that I am one of those; |
| For, whilst I live, here lives my soul's sole hope, |
| And, when I die, here shall my spirit walk. |
| ABIGAIL. Now that my father's fortune were so good |
| As but to be about this happy place! |
| 'Tis not so happy: yet, when we parted last, |
| He said he would attend me in the morn. |
| Then, gentle Sleep, where'er his body rests, |
| Give charge to Morpheus that he may dream |
| A golden dream, and of the sudden wake, |
| Come and receive the treasure I have found. |
| BARABAS. Bueno para todos mi ganado no era: |
| As good go on, as sit so sadly thus.— |
| But stay: what star shines yonder in the east? |
| The loadstar of my life, if Abigail.— |
| Who's there? |
| ABIGAIL. Who's that? |
| BARABAS. Peace, Abigail! 'tis I. |
| ABIGAIL. Then, father, here receive thy happiness. |
| BARABAS. Hast thou't? |
| ABIGAIL. Here.[throws down bags] Hast thou't? |
| There's more, and more, and more. |
| BARABAS. O my girl, |
| My gold, my fortune, my felicity, |
| Strength to my soul, death to mine enemy; |
| Welcome the first beginner of my bliss! |
| O Abigail, Abigail, that I had thee here too! |
| Then my desires were fully satisfied: |
| But I will practice thy enlargement thence: |
| O girl! O gold! O beauty! O my bliss! |
| [Hugs the bags.] |
| ABIGAIL. Father, it draweth towards midnight now, |
| And 'bout this time the nuns begin to wake; |
| To shun suspicion, therefore, let us part. |
| BARABAS. Farewell, my joy, and by my fingers take |
| A kiss from him that sends it from his soul. |
| [Exit ABIGAIL above.] |
| Now, Phoebus, ope the eye-lids of the day. |
| And, for the raven, wake the morning lark, |
| That I may hover with her in the air, |
| Singing o'er these, as she does o'er her young. |
| Hermoso placer de los dineros. |
| [Exit.] |
| Enter FERNEZE, MARTIN DEL BOSCO, KNIGHTS, and OFFICERS. |
| FERNEZE. Now, captain, tell us whither thou art bound? |
| Whence is thy ship that anchors in our road? |
| And why thou cam'st ashore without our leave? |
| MARTIN DEL BOSCO. Governor of Malta, hither am I bound; |
| My ship, the Flying Dragon, is of Spain, |
| And so am I; Del Bosco is my name, |
| Vice-admiral unto the Catholic King. |
| FIRST KNIGHT. 'Tis true, my lord; therefore entreat him well. |
| MARTIN DEL BOSCO. |
| Our fraught is Grecians, Turks, and Afric Moors; |
| For late upon the coast of Corsica, |
| Because we vail'd not to the Turkish fleet, |
| Their creeping galleys had us in the chase: |
| But suddenly the wind began to rise, |
| And then we luff'd and tack'd, and fought at ease: |
| Some have we fir'd, and many have we sunk; |
| But one amongst the rest became our prize: |
| The captain's slain; the rest remain our slaves, |
| Of whom we would make sale in Malta here. |
| FERNEZE. Martin del Bosco, I have heard of thee: |
| Welcome to Malta, and to all of us! |
| But to admit a sale of these thy Turks, |
| We may not, nay, we dare not give consent, |
| By reason of a tributary league. |
| FIRST KNIGHT. Del Bosco, as thou lov'st and honour'st us, |
| Persuade our governor against the Turk: |
| This truce we have is but in hope of gold, |
| And with that sum he craves might we wage war. |
| MARTIN DEL BOSCO. Will knights of Malta be in league with Turks, |
| And buy it basely too for sums of gold? |
| My lord, remember that, to Europe's shame, |
| The Christian isle of Rhodes, from whence you came, |
| Was lately lost, and you were stated here |
| To be at deadly enmity with Turks. |
| FERNEZE. Captain, we know it; but our force is small. |
| MARTIN DEL BOSCO. What is the sum that Calymath requires? |
| FERNEZE. A hundred thousand crowns. |
| MARTIN DEL BOSCO. My lord and king hath title to this isle, |
| And he means quickly to expel you hence; |
| Therefore be rul'd by me, and keep the gold: |
| I'll write unto his majesty for aid, |
| And not depart until I see you free. |
| FERNEZE. On this condition shall thy Turks be sold.— |
| Go, officers, and set them straight in show.— |
| [Exeunt OFFICERS.] |
| Bosco, thou shalt be Malta's general; |
| We and our warlike knights will follow thee |
| Against these barbarous misbelieving Turks. |
| MARTIN DEL BOSCO. So shall you imitate those you succeed; |
| For, when their hideous force environ'd Rhodes, |
| Small though the number was that kept the town, |
| They fought it out, and not a man surviv'd |
| To bring the hapless news to Christendom. |
| FERNEZE. So will we fight it out: come, let's away. |
| Proud daring Calymath, instead of gold, |
| We'll send thee bullets wrapt in smoke and fire: |
| Claim tribute where thou wilt, we are resolv'd,— |
| Honour is bought with blood, and not with gold. |
| [Exeunt.] |
| Enter OFFICERS, with ITHAMORE and other SLAVES. |
| FIRST OFFICER. This is the market-place; here let 'em stand: |
| Fear not their sale, for they'll be quickly bought. |
| SECOND OFFICER. Every one's price is written on his back, |
| And so much must they yield, or not be sold. |
| FIRST OFFICER. |
| Here comes the Jew: had not his goods been seiz'd, |
| He'd give us present money for them all. |
| Enter BARABAS. |
| BARABAS. In spite of these swine-eating Christians, |
| (Unchosen nation, never circumcis'd, |
| Poor villains, such as were ne'er thought upon |
| Till Titus and Vespasian conquer'd us,) |
| Am I become as wealthy as I was. |
| They hop'd my daughter would ha' been a nun; |
| But she's at home, and I have bought a house |
| As great and fair as is the governor's: |
| And there, in spite of Malta, will I dwell, |
| Having Ferneze's hand; whose heart I'll have, |
| Ay, and his son's too, or it shall go hard. |
| I am not of the tribe of Levi, I, |
| That can so soon forget an injury. |
| We Jews can fawn like spaniels when we please; |
| And when we grin we bite; yet are our looks |
| As innocent and harmless as a lamb's. |
| I learn'd in Florence how to kiss my hand, |
| Heave up my shoulders when they call me dog, |
| And duck as low as any bare-foot friar; |
| Hoping to see them starve upon a stall, |
| Or else be gather'd for in our synagogue, |
| That, when the offering-basin comes to me, |
| Even for charity I may spit into't.— |
| Here comes Don Lodowick, the governor's son, |
| One that I love for his good father's sake. |
| Enter LODOWICK. |
| LODOWICK. I hear the wealthy Jew walked this way: |
| I'll seek him out, and so insinuate, |
| That I may have a sight of Abigail, |
| For Don Mathias tells me she is fair. |
| BARABAS. Now will I shew myself to have more of the serpent than |
| the dove; that is, more knave than fool. |
| [Aside.] |
| LODOWICK. Yond' walks the Jew: now for fair Abigail. |
| BARABAS. Ay, ay, no doubt but she's at your command. |
| [Aside.] |
| LODOWICK. Barabas, thou know'st I am the governor's son. |
| BARABAS. |
| I would you were his father too, sir! that's all the harm |
| I wish you.—The slave looks like a hog's cheek new-singed. |
| [Aside.] |
| LODOWICK. Whither walk'st thou, Barabas? |
| BARABAS. No further: 'tis a custom held with us, |
| That when we speak with Gentiles like to you, |
| We turn into the air to purge ourselves; |
| For unto us the promise doth belong. |
| LODOWICK. Well, Barabas, canst help me to a diamond? |
| BARABAS. O, sir, your father had my diamonds: |
| Yet I have one left that will serve your turn.— |
| I mean my daughter; but, ere he shall have her, |
| I'll sacrifice her on a pile of wood: |
| I ha' the poison of the city for him, |
| And the white leprosy. |
| [Aside.] |
| LODOWICK. What sparkle does it give without a foil? |
| BARABAS. The diamond that I talk of ne'er was foil'd:— |
| But, when he touches it, it will be foil'd.— |
| [Aside.] |
| Lord Lodowick, it sparkles bright and fair. |
| LODOWICK. Is it square or pointed? pray, let me know. |
| BARABAS. Pointed it is, good sir,—but not for you. |
| [Aside.] |
| LODOWICK. I like it much the better. |
| BARABAS. So do I too. |
| LODOWICK. How shews it by night? |
| BARABAS. Outshines Cynthia's rays:— |
| You'll like it better far o' nights than days. |
| [Aside.] |
| LODOWICK. And what's the price? |
| BARABAS. Your life, an if you have it [Aside].—O my lord, |
| We will not jar about the price: come to my house, |
| And I will give't your honour—with a vengeance. |
| [Aside.] |
| LODOWICK. No, Barabas, I will deserve it first. |
| BARABAS. Good sir, |
| Your father has deserv'd it at my hands, |
| Who, of mere charity and Christian ruth, |
| To bring me to religious purity, |
| And, as it were, in catechising sort, |
| To make me mindful of my mortal sins, |
| Against my will, and whether I would or no, |
| Seiz'd all I had, and thrust me out o' doors, |
| And made my house a place for nuns most chaste. |
| LODOWICK. No doubt your soul shall reap the fruit of it. |
| BARABAS. Ay, but, my lord, the harvest is far off: |
| And yet I know the prayers of those nuns |
| And holy friars, having money for their pains, |
| Are wondrous;—and indeed do no man good;— |
| [Aside.] |
| And, seeing they are not idle, but still doing, |
| 'Tis likely they in time may reap some fruit, |
| I mean, in fullness of perfection. |
| LODOWICK. Good Barabas, glance not at our holy nuns. |
| BARABAS. No, but I do it through a burning zeal,— |
| Hoping ere long to set the house a-fire; |
| For, though they do a while increase and multiply, |
| I'll have a saying to that nunnery.— |
| [Aside.] |
| As for the diamond, sir, I told you of, |
| Come home, and there's no price shall make us part, |
| Even for your honourable father's sake,— |
| It shall go hard but I will see your death.— |
| [Aside.] |
| But now I must be gone to buy a slave. |
| LODOWICK. And, Barabas, I'll bear thee company. |
| BARABAS. Come, then; here's the market-place.— |
| What's the price of this slave? two hundred crowns! do the Turks |
| weigh so much? |
| FIRST OFFICER. Sir, that's his price. |
| BARABAS. What, can he steal, that you demand so much? |
| Belike he has some new trick for a purse; |
| An if he has, he is worth three hundred plates, |
| So that, being bought, the town-seal might be got |
| To keep him for his life-time from the gallows: |
| The sessions-day is critical to thieves, |
| And few or none scape but by being purg'd. |
| LODOWICK. Rat'st thou this Moor but at two hundred plates? |
| FIRST OFFICER. No more, my lord. |
| BARABAS. Why should this Turk be dearer than that Moor? |
| FIRST OFFICER. Because he is young, and has more qualities. |
| BARABAS. What, hast the philosopher's stone? an thou hast, break |
| my head with it, I'll forgive thee. |
| SLAVE. No, sir; I can cut and shave. |
| BARABAS. Let me see, sirrah; are you not an old shaver? |
| SLAVE. Alas, sir, I am a very youth! |
| BARABAS. A youth! I'll buy you, and marry you to Lady Vanity, |
| if you do well. |
| SLAVE. I will serve you, sir. |
| BARABAS. Some wicked trick or other: it may be, under colour |
| of shaving, thou'lt cut my throat for my goods. Tell me, |
| hast thou thy health well? |
| SLAVE. Ay, passing well. |
| BARABAS. So much the worse: I must have one that's sickly, an't |
| be but for sparing victuals: 'tis not a stone of beef a-day |
| will maintain you in these chops.—Let me see one that's |
| somewhat leaner. |
| FIRST OFFICER. Here's a leaner; how like you him? |
| BARABAS. Where wast thou born? |
| ITHAMORE. In Thrace; brought up in Arabia. |
| BARABAS. So much the better; thou art for my turn. |
| An hundred crowns? I'll have him; there's the coin. |
| [Gives money.] |
| FIRST OFFICER. Then mark him, sir, and take him hence. |
| BARABAS. Ay, mark him, you were best; for this is he |
| That by my help shall do much villany.— |
| [Aside.] |
| My lord, farewell.—Come, sirrah; you are mine.— |
| As for the diamond, it shall be yours: |
| I pray, sir, be no stranger at my house; |
| All that I have shall be at your command. |
| Enter MATHIAS and KATHARINE. |
| MATHIAS. What make the Jew and Lodowick so private? |
| I fear me 'tis about fair Abigail. |
| [Aside.] |
| BARABAS. [to LODOWICK.] Yonder comes Don Mathias; let us stay: |
| He loves my daughter, and she holds him dear; |
| But I have sworn to frustrate both their hopes, |
| And be reveng'd upon the—governor. |
| [Aside.] |
| [Exit LODOWICK.] |
| KATHARINE. This Moor is comeliest, is he not? speak, son. |
| MATHIAS. No, this is the better, mother, view this well. |
| BARABAS. Seem not to know me here before your mother, |
| Lest she mistrust the match that is in hand: |
| When you have brought her home, come to my house; |
| Think of me as thy father: son, farewell. |
| MATHIAS. But wherefore talk'd Don Lodowick with you? |
| BARABAS. Tush, man! we talk'd of diamonds, not of Abigail. |
| KATHARINE. Tell me, Mathias, is not that the Jew? |
| BARABAS. As for the comment on the Maccabees, |
| I have it, sir, and 'tis at your command. |
| MATHIAS. Yes, madam, and my talk with him was |
| About the borrowing of a book or two. |
| KATHARINE. Converse not with him; he is cast off from heaven.— |
| Thou hast thy crowns, fellow.—Come, let's away. |
| MATHIAS. Sirrah Jew, remember the book. |
| BARABAS. Marry, will I, sir. |
| [Exeunt KATHARlNE and MATHIAS.] |
| FIRST OFFICER. Come, I have made a reasonable market; let's away. |
| [Exeunt OFFICERS with SLAVES.] |
| BARABAS. Now let me know thy name, and therewithal |
| Thy birth, condition, and profession. |
| ITHAMORE. Faith, sir, my birth is but mean; my name's Ithamore; |
| my profession what you please. |
| BARABAS. Hast thou no trade? then listen to my words, |
| And I will teach [thee] that shall stick by thee: |
| First, be thou void of these affections, |
| Compassion, love, vain hope, and heartless fear; |
| Be mov'd at nothing, see thou pity none, |
| But to thyself smile when the Christians moan. |
| ITHAMORE. O, brave, master! I worship your nose for this. |
| BARABAS. As for myself, I walk abroad o' nights, |
| And kill sick people groaning under walls: |
| Sometimes I go about and poison wells; |
| And now and then, to cherish Christian thieves, |
| I am content to lose some of my crowns, |
| That I may, walking in my gallery, |
| See 'em go pinion'd along by my door. |
| Being young, I studied physic, and began |
| To practice first upon the Italian; |
| There I enrich'd the priests with burials, |
| And always kept the sexton's arms in ure |
| With digging graves and ringing dead men's knells: |
| And, after that, was I an engineer, |
| And in the wars 'twixt France and Germany, |
| Under pretence of helping Charles the Fifth, |
| Slew friend and enemy with my stratagems: |
| Then, after that, was I an usurer, |
| And with extorting, cozening, forfeiting, |
| And tricks belonging unto brokery, |
| I fill'd the gaols with bankrupts in a year, |
| And with young orphans planted hospitals; |
| And every moon made some or other mad, |
| And now and then one hang himself for grief, |
| Pinning upon his breast a long great scroll |
| How I with interest tormented him. |
| But mark how I am blest for plaguing them;— |
| I have as much coin as will buy the town. |
| But tell me now, how hast thou spent thy time? |
| ITHAMORE. Faith, master, |
| In setting Christian villages on fire, |
| Chaining of eunuchs, binding galley-slaves. |
| One time I was an hostler in an inn, |
| And in the night-time secretly would I steal |
| To travellers' chambers, and there cut their throats: |
| Once at Jerusalem, where the pilgrims kneel'd, |
| I strewed powder on the marble stones, |
| And therewithal their knees would rankle so, |
| That I have laugh'd a-good to see the cripples |
| Go limping home to Christendom on stilts. |
| BARABAS. Why, this is something: make account of me |
| As of thy fellow; we are villains both; |
| Both circumcised; we hate Christians both: |
| Be true and secret; thou shalt want no gold. |
| But stand aside; here comes Don Lodowick. |
| Enter LODOWICK. |
| LODOWICK. O, Barabas, well met; |
| Where is the diamond you told me of? |
| BARABAS. I have it for you, sir: please you walk in with me.— |
| What, ho, Abigail! open the door, I say! |
| Enter ABIGAIL, with letters. |
| ABIGAIL. In good time, father; here are letters come |
| >From Ormus, and the post stays here within. |
| BARABAS. Give me the letters.—Daughter, do you hear? |
| Entertain Lodowick, the governor's son, |
| With all the courtesy you can afford, |
| Provided that you keep your maidenhead: |
| Use him as if he were a Philistine; |
| Dissemble, swear, protest, vow love to him: |
| He is not of the seed of Abraham.— |
| [Aside to her.] |
| I am a little busy, sir; pray, pardon me.— |
| Abigail, bid him welcome for my sake. |
| ABIGAIL. For your sake and his own he's welcome hither. |
| BARABAS. Daughter, a word more: kiss him, speak him fair, |
| And like a cunning Jew so cast about, |
| That ye be both made sure ere you come out. |
| [Aside to her.] |
| ABIGAIL. O father, Don Mathias is my love! |
| BARABAS. I know it: yet, I say, make love to him; |
| Do, it is requisite it should be so.— |
| [Aside to her.] |
| Nay, on my life, it is my factor's hand; |
| But go you in, I'll think upon the account. |
| [Exeunt ABIGAIL and LODOWICK into the house.] |
| The account is made, for Lodovico dies. |
| My factor sends me word a merchant's fled |
| That owes me for a hundred tun of wine: |
| I weigh it thus much[snapping his fingers]! I have wealth enough; |
| For now by this has he kiss'd Abigail, |
| And she vows love to him, and he to her. |
| As sure as heaven rain'd manna for the Jews, |
| So sure shall he and Don Mathias die: |
| His father was my chiefest enemy. |
| Enter MATHIAS. |
| Whither goes Don Mathias? stay a while. |
| MATHIAS. Whither, but to my fair love Abigail? |
| BARABAS. Thou know'st, and heaven can witness it is true, |
| That I intend my daughter shall be thine. |
| MATHIAS. Ay, Barabas, or else thou wrong'st me much. |
| BARABAS. O, heaven forbid I should have such a thought! |
| Pardon me though I weep: the governor's son |
| Will, whether I will or no, have Abigail; |
| He sends her letters, bracelets, jewels, rings. |
| MATHIAS. Does she receive them? |
| BARABAS. She! no, Mathias, no, but sends them back; |
| And, when he comes, she locks herself up fast; |
| Yet through the key-hole will he talk to her, |
| While she runs to the window, looking out |
| When you should come and hale him from the door. |
| MATHIAS. O treacherous Lodowick! |
| BARABAS. Even now, as I came home, he slipt me in, |
| And I am sure he is with Abigail. |
| MATHIAS. I'll rouse him thence. |
| BARABAS. Not for all Malta; therefore sheathe your sword; |
| If you love me, no quarrels in my house; |
| But steal you in, and seem to see him not: |
| I'll give him such a warning ere he goes, |
| As he shall have small hopes of Abigail. |
| Away, for here they come. |
| Re-enter LODOWICK and ABIGAIL. |
| MATHIAS. What, hand in hand! I cannot suffer this. |
| BARABAS. Mathias, as thou lov'st me, not a word. |
| MATHIAS. Well, let it pass; another time shall serve. |
| [Exit into the house.] |
| LODOWICK. Barabas, is not that the widow's son? |
| BARABAS. Ay, and take heed, for he hath sworn your death. |
| LODOWICK. My death! what, is the base-born peasant mad? |
| BARABAS. No, no; but happily he stands in fear |
| Of that which you, I think, ne'er dream upon,— |
| My daughter here, a paltry silly girl. |
| LODOWICK. Why, loves she Don Mathias? |
| BARABAS. Doth she not with her smiling answer you? |
| ABIGAIL. He has my heart; I smile against my will. |
| [Aside.] |
| LODOWICK. Barabas, thou know'st I have lov'd thy daughter long. |
| BARABAS. And so has she done you, even from a child. |
| LODOWICK. And now I can no longer hold my mind. |
| BARABAS. Nor I the affection that I bear to you. |
| LODOWICK. This is thy diamond; tell me, shall I have it? |
| BARABAS. Win it, and wear it; it is yet unsoil'd. |
| O, but I know your lordship would disdain |
| To marry with the daughter of a Jew: |
| And yet I'll give her many a golden cross |
| With Christian posies round about the ring. |
| LODOWICK. 'Tis not thy wealth, but her that I esteem; |
| Yet crave I thy consent. |
| BARABAS. And mine you have; yet let me talk to her.— |
| This offspring of Cain, this Jebusite, |
| That never tasted of the Passover, |
| Nor e'er shall see the land of Canaan, |
| Nor our Messias that is yet to come; |
| This gentle maggot, Lodowick, I mean, |
| Must be deluded: let him have thy hand, |
| But keep thy heart till Don Mathias comes. |
| [Aside to her.] |
| ABIGAIL. What, shall I be betroth'd to Lodowick? |
| BARABAS. It's no sin to deceive a Christian; |
| For they themselves hold it a principle, |
| Faith is not to be held with heretics: |
| But all are heretics that are not Jews; |
| This follows well, and therefore, daughter, fear not.— |
| [Aside to her.] |
| I have entreated her, and she will grant. |
| LODOWICK. Then, gentle Abigail, plight thy faith to me. |
| ABIGAIL. I cannot choose, seeing my father bids: |
| Nothing but death shall part my love and me. |
| LODOWICK. Now have I that for which my soul hath long'd. |
| BARABAS. So have not I; but yet I hope I shall. |
| [Aside.] |
| ABIGAIL. O wretched Abigail, what hast thou done? |
| [Aside.] |
| LODOWICK. Why on the sudden is your colour chang'd? |
| ABIGAIL. I know not: but farewell; I must be gone. |
| BARABAS. Stay her, but let her not speak one word more. |
| LODOWICK. Mute o' the sudden! here's a sudden change. |
| BARABAS. O, muse not at it; 'tis the Hebrews' guise, |
| That maidens new-betroth'd should weep a while: |
| Trouble her not; sweet Lodowick, depart: |
| She is thy wife, and thou shalt be mine heir. |
| LODOWICK. O, is't the custom? then I am resolv'd: |
| But rather let the brightsome heavens be dim, |
| And nature's beauty choke with stifling clouds, |
| Than my fair Abigail should frown on me.— |
| There comes the villain; now I'll be reveng'd. |
| Re-enter MATHIAS. |
| BARABAS. Be quiet, Lodowick; it is enough |
| That I have made thee sure to Abigail. |
| LODOWICK. Well, let him go. |
| [Exit.] |
| BARABAS. Well, but for me, as you went in at doors |
| You had been stabb'd: but not a word on't now; |
| Here must no speeches pass, nor swords be drawn. |
| MATHIAS. Suffer me, Barabas, but to follow him. |
| BARABAS. No; so shall I, if any hurt be done, |
| Be made an accessary of your deeds: |
| Revenge it on him when you meet him next. |
| MATHIAS. For this I'll have his heart. |
| BARABAS. Do so. Lo, here I give thee Abigail! |
| MATHIAS. What greater gift can poor Mathias have? |
| Shall Lodowick rob me of so fair a love? |
| My life is not so dear as Abigail. |
| BARABAS. My heart misgives me, that, to cross your love, |
| He's with your mother; therefore after him. |
| MATHIAS. What, is he gone unto my mother? |
| BARABAS. Nay, if you will, stay till she comes herself. |
| MATHIAS. I cannot stay; for, if my mother come, |
| She'll die with grief. |
| [Exit.] |
| ABIGAIL. I cannot take my leave of him for tears. |
| Father, why have you thus incens'd them both? |
| BARABAS. What's that to thee? |
| ABIGAIL. I'll make 'em friends again. |
| BARABAS. |
| You'll make 'em friends! are there not Jews enow in Malta, |
| But thou must dote upon a Christian? |
| ABIGAIL. I will have Don Mathias; he is my love. |
| BARABAS. Yes, you shall have him.—Go, put her in. |
| ITHAMORE. Ay, I'll put her in. |
| [Puts in ABIGAIL.] |
| BARABAS. Now tell me, Ithamore, how lik'st thou this? |
| ITHAMORE. Faith, master, I think by this |
| You purchase both their lives: is it not so? |
| BARABAS. True; and it shall be cunningly perform'd. |
| ITHAMORE. O, master, that I might have a hand in this! |
| BARABAS. Ay, so thou shalt; 'tis thou must do the deed: |
| Take this, and bear it to Mathias straight, |
| [Giving a letter.] |
| And tell him that it comes from Lodowick. |
| ITHAMORE. 'Tis poison'd, is it not? |
| BARABAS. No, no; and yet it might be done that way: |
| It is a challenge feign'd from Lodowick. |
| ITHAMORE. Fear not; I will so set his heart a-fire, |
| That he shall verily think it comes from him. |
| BARABAS. I cannot choose but like thy readiness: |
| Yet be not rash, but do it cunningly. |
| ITHAMORE. As I behave myself in this, employ me hereafter. |
| BARABAS. Away, then! |
| [Exit ITHAMORE.] |
| So; now will I go in to Lodowick, |
| And, like a cunning spirit, feign some lie, |
| Till I have set 'em both at enmity. |
| [Exit.] |
|
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