_Alb._ What"s this, and at _Clarina"s_ Lodgings too?
Sure "tis _Antonio_, impatient of delay, Gives her a Serenade for me.
Enter _Isabella_.
_Isab._ "Tis the Fool himself-- My Lord, where are you?
_Alb._ How! a Woman"s Voice! "tis dark, I"ll advance.
_Lor._ Thou Simpleton, I told thee there was somebody.
_Pag._ Lord, Sir, "tis only _Isabella_ that calls you.
_Lor._ Away, Sirrah, I find by my fears "tis no Woman.
[Goes out with the _Page_.
_Isab._ Why don"t you come? here"s n.o.body.
_Alb._ Here I am.
_Isab._ Where?
_Alb._ Here. [Gives her his Hand.
_Isab._ My Lord, you may venture, _Clarina_ will be Alone within this Hour, where you shall entertain Her at your freedom: but you must stay awhile in my Chamber till my Lord"s a bed; For none but I must know of the favour she designs you.
_Alb._ Oh G.o.ds! what Language do I hear-- False and Perfidious Woman, I might have thought, Since thou wert gain"d so easily by me, Thou wouldst with equal haste yield to another.
_Isab._ It is not _Lorenzo_, what shall I do? [She steals in.
Enter _Lorenzo_ and _Page_.
_Lor._ A Pox of all d.a.m.n"d cowardly fear!
Now did I think I had drunk Nature up to Resolution: I have heard of those that could have dar"d in their Drink; But I find, drunk or sober, "tis all one in me.
_Alb._ The Traitor"s here, Whom I will kill whoe"er he be.
_Lor._ Boy, go see for _Isabella_.
_Pag._ I see a Man should not be a Coward and a Lover At once--_Isabella_, _Isabella_, she"s gone, Sir. [Calls.
_Alb._ Yes, Villain, she"s gone, and in her room Is one that will chastise thy Boldness.
_Lor._ That"s a proud word though, whoe"er thou be; But how I shall avoid it, is past my Understanding.
_Alb._ Where art thou, Slave?
[_Alberto_ gropes for him, he avoids him.
_Pag._ Take heart, Sir, here"s company which I will Get to a.s.sist you--
Enter _Antonio_.
Sir, as you are a Gentleman, a.s.sist a stranger set upon by Thieves.
[They fight, _Antonio_ with _Alberto_, _Alberto_ falls, is wounded. _Lor._ and _Page_ run away the while.
_Alb._ Whoe"er thou be"st that takes the Traitor"s part, Commend me to the wrong"d _Antonio_.
_Ant._ _Alberto_! dear _Alberto_, is it thee?
_Alb._ _Antonio!_
_Ant._ I am asham"d to say I am _Antonio_; Oh G.o.ds, why would you suffer this mistake?
_Alb._ I am not wounded much, My greatest pain is my concern for thee; Friend, thou art wrong"d, falsely and basely wrong"d; _Clarina_, whom you lov"d and fear"d, Has now betray"d thy Honour with her own.
_Ant._ Without that sad addition to my Grief, I should not long have born the weight of Life, Having destroy"d thine by a dire mistake.
_Alb._ Thou art deceiv"d.
_Ant._ Alas, why was it not permitted me To lose my Friend, or Wife? had one surviv"d, I might have dy"d in silence for the other; Oh my _Alberto_! oh _Clarina_ too!-- [Weeps.
_Alb._ Come, do not grieve for me, I shall be well, I yet find strength enough to get away; And then I"ll let thee know my Fate and thine.
[Exeunt.
SCENE IV. _Antonio"s_ House.
Enter _Clarina_, _Ismena_, and _Isabella_ weeping.
_Isab._ For Heaven sake, Madam, pardon me.
_Clar._ Be dumb for ever, false and treacherous Woman, Was there no way but this to mask your Cheat?
A Lye which has undone us all.
_Isab._ Alas, "twas in the dark, how could I know him?
Pray forgive it me, and try my future Service.
_Clar._ I never will forgive thee, naughty Girl; _Alberto_ now incens"d will tell _Antonio_ all.
_Isab._ What need you care, Madam?
You are secure enough.
_Clar._ Thou salv"st an Error with a greater still; Dost thou not know _Antonio"s_ Jealousy, Which yet is moderate, rais"d to a higher pitch, May ruin me, _Ismena_, and thy self?
_Ism._ Sister, there cannot be much harm in this; "Tis an ill chance, "tis true, for by it we have lost The pleasure of an innocent Revenge Upon _Antonio_; but if understood, We have but miss"d that end.
_Clar._ Oh _Ismena!_ This Jealousy is an unapprehensive madness, A non-sense which does still abandon Reason.
_Isab._ Madam, early in the Morning I"ll to _Alberto"s_ Lodgings, and tell him the mistake.