MOS: Do so. My Fox Is out of his hole, and ere he shall re-enter, I"ll make him languish in his borrow"d case, Except he come to composition with me.- Androgyno, Castrone, Nano!
[ENTER ANDROGYNO, CASTRONE AND NANO.]
ALL: Here.
MOS: Go, recreate yourselves abroad; go sport.- [EXEUNT.]
So, now I have the keys, and am possest.
Since he will needs be dead afore his time, I"ll bury him, or gain by him: I am his heir, And so will keep me, till he share at least.
To cozen him of all, were but a cheat Well placed; no man would construe it a sin: Let his sport pay for it, this is call"d the Fox-trap.
[EXIT.]
SCENE 5.4
A STREET.
ENTER CORBACCIO AND CORVINO.
CORB: They say, the court is set.
CORV: We must maintain Our first tale good, for both our reputations.
CORB: Why, mine"s no tale: my son would there have kill"d me.
CORV: That"s true, I had forgot:- [ASIDE.]-mine is, I am sure.
But for your Will, sir.
CORB: Ay, I"ll come upon him For that hereafter; now his patron"s dead.
[ENTER VOLPONE.]
VOLP: Signior Corvino! and Corbaccio! sir, Much joy unto you.
CORV: Of what?
VOLP: The sudden good, Dropt down upon you-
CORB: Where?
VOLP: And, none knows how, From old Volpone, sir.
CORB: Out, arrant knave!
VOLP: Let not your too much wealth, sir, make you furious.
CORB: Away, thou varlet!
VOLP: Why, sir?
CORB: Dost thou mock me?
VOLP: You mock the world, sir; did you not change Wills?
CORB: Out, harlot!
VOLP: O! belike you are the man, Signior Corvino? "faith, you carry it well; You grow not mad withal: I love your spirit: You are not over-leaven"d with your fortune.
You should have some would swell now, like a wine-fat, With such an autumn-Did he give you all, sir?
CORB: Avoid, you rascal!
VOLP: Troth, your wife has shewn Herself a very woman; but you are well, You need not care, you have a good estate, To bear it out sir, better by this chance: Except Corbaccio have a share.
CORV: Hence, varlet.
VOLP: You will not be acknown, sir; why, "tis wise.
Thus do all gamesters, at all games, dissemble: No man will seem to win.
[exeunt corvino and corbaccio.]
-Here comes my vulture, Heaving his beak up in the air, and snuffing.
[ENTER VOLTORE.]
VOLT: Outstript thus, by a parasite! a slave, Would run on errands, and make legs for crumbs?
Well, what I"ll do-
VOLP: The court stays for your worship.
I e"en rejoice, sir, at your worship"s happiness, And that it fell into so learned hands, That understand the fingering-
VOLT: What do you mean?
VOLP: I mean to be a suitor to your worship, For the small tenement, out of reparations, That, to the end of your long row of houses, By the Piscaria: it was, in Volpone"s time, Your predecessor, ere he grew diseased, A handsome, pretty, custom"d bawdy-house, As any was in Venice, none dispraised; But fell with him; his body and that house Decay"d, together.
VOLT: Come sir, leave your prating.
VOLP: Why, if your worship give me but your hand, That I may have the refusal, I have done.
"Tis a mere toy to you, sir; candle-rents; As your learn"d worship knows-
VOLT: What do I know?
VOLP: Marry, no end of your wealth, sir, G.o.d decrease it!
VOLT: Mistaking knave! what, mockst thou my misfortune?
[EXIT.]
VOLP: His blessing on your heart, sir; would "twere more!- Now to my first again, at the next corner.
[EXIT.]
SCENE 5.5.
ANOTHER PART OF THE STREET.