LADY P: Is"t possible! how has my judgment wander"d?
Sir, I must, blushing, say to you, I have err"d; And plead your pardon.
PER: What, more changes yet!
LADY P: I hope you have not the malice to remember A gentlewoman"s pa.s.sion. If you stay In Venice here, please you to use me, sir-
MOS: Will you go, madam?
LADY P: "Pray you, sir, use me. In faith, The more you see me, the more I shall conceive You have forgot our quarrel.
[EXEUNT LADY WOULD-BE, MOSCA, NANO, AND WAITING-WOMEN.]
PER: This is rare!
Sir Politick Would-be? no; sir Politick Bawd.
To bring me thus acquainted with his wife!
Well, wise sir Pol, since you have practised thus Upon my freshman-ship, I"ll try your salt-head, What proof it is against a counter-plot.
[EXIT.]
SCENE 4.2.
THE SCRUTINEO, OR SENATE-HOUSE.
ENTER VOLTORE, CORBACCIO, CORVINO, AND MOSCA.
VOLT: Well, now you know the carriage of the business, Your constancy is all that is required Unto the safety of it.
MOS: Is the lie Safely convey"d amongst us? is that sure?
Knows every man his burden?
CORV: Yes.
MOS: Then shrink not.
CORV: But knows the advocate the truth?
MOS: O, sir, By no means; I devised a formal tale, That salv"d your reputation. But be valiant, sir.
CORV: I fear no one but him, that this his pleading Should make him stand for a co-heir-
MOS: Co-halter!
Hang him; we will but use his tongue, his noise, As we do croakers here.
CORV: Ay, what shall he do?
MOS: When we have done, you mean?
CORV: Yes.
MOS: Why, we"ll think: Sell him for mummia; he"s half dust already.
[TO VOLTORE.]
Do not you smile, to see this buffalo, How he does sport it with his head?
[ASIDE.]
-I should, If all were well and past.
[TO CORBACCIO.]
-Sir, only you Are he that shall enjoy the crop of all, And these not know for whom they toil.
CORB: Ay, peace.
MOS [TURNING TO CORVINO.]: But you shall eat it.
Much! [ASIDE.]
[TO VOLTORE.]
-Worshipful sir, Mercury sit upon your thundering tongue, Or the French Hercules, and make your language As conquering as his club, to beat along, As with a tempest, flat, our adversaries; But much more yours, sir.
VOLT: Here they come, have done.
MOS: I have another witness, if you need, sir, I can produce.
VOLT: Who is it?
MOS: Sir, I have her.
[ENTER AVOCATORI AND TAKE THEIR SEATS, BONARIO, CELIA, NOTARIO, COMMANDADORI, SAFFI, AND OTHER OFFICERS OF JUSTICE.]
1 AVOC: The like of this the senate never heard of.
2 AVOC: "Twill come most strange to them when we report it.
4 AVOC: The gentlewoman has been ever held Of unreproved name.
3 AVOC: So has the youth.
4 AVOC: The more unnatural part that of his father.
2 AVOC: More of the husband.
1 AVOC: I not know to give His act a name, it is so monstrous!
4 AVOC: But the impostor, he"s a thing created To exceed example!
1 AVOC: And all after-times!
2 AVOC: I never heard a true voluptuary Discribed, but him.
3 AVOC: Appear yet those were cited?
NOT: All, but the old magnifico, Volpone.