The Two Lovers of Heaven: Chrysanthus and Daria eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 133 pages of information about The Two Lovers of Heaven.

The Two Lovers of Heaven: Chrysanthus and Daria eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 133 pages of information about The Two Lovers of Heaven.

Carpophorus
He whom God assists.

Chrysanthus
                      Be swayed
By my tears, and ask him.

Carpophorus
                           You
Must too ask him:  for he who
Aids himself, him God doth aid.

Polemius
What, sir, think you of his case?

Carpophorus
I have ordered him a bath,
Strong restoring powers it hath,
Which his illness must displace:—­

Polemius
Sir, relying on you then,
I will give you ample wealth,
If you can restore his health.

Carpophorus
Still I cannot tell you when,
But I shall return and see him
Frequently; in fact ’till he
Is from all his ailment free,
From my hand I will not free him.

Polemius
For your kindness I am grateful.

Chrysanthus
He alone has power to cure me. 
Since he knows what will allure me,
When all other modes are hateful. [Exit Carpophorus.

(Enter Escarpin.)

Escarpin
All this garden of delight
Must be beauty’s birth-place sure,
Here the fresh rose doubly pure,
Here the jasmin doubly white,
Learn to-day a newer grace,
Lovelier red, more dazzling snow.

Polemius
Why?

Escarpin
      Because the world doth show
Naught so fair as this sweet place. 
Falsely boasts th’ Elysian bower
Peerless beauty, here to-day
More, far more, these groves display:—­
Not a fountain, tree, or flower . . .

Polemius
Well?

Escarpin
       But by a nymph more fair
Is surpassed.

Polemius
               Come, Claudius, come,
He will be but dull and dumb,
Shy the proffered bliss to share,
Through the fear and the respect
Which, as son, he owes to me.

Claudius
He who gave the advice should see
Also after the effect. 
Let us all from this withdraw.

Polemius
Great results I hope to gather: 

Escarpin (aside). 
Well, you ’re the first pander-father
Ever in my life I saw.

Chrysanthus
What, Escarpin, you, as well,
Going to leave me?  Mum for once.

Escarpin
Silence suits me for the nonce.

Chrysanthus
Why?

Escarpin
      A tale in point I ’ll tell: 
Once a snuffler, by a pirate
Moor was captured, who in some
Way affected to be dumb,
That his ransom at no high rate
Might be purchased:  when his owner
This defect perceived, the shuffle
Made him sell this Mr. Snuffle
Very cheaply:  to the donor
Of his freedom, through his nose,
Half in snuffle, half in squeak,
Then he said, “Oh!  Moor, I speak,
I ’m not dumb as you suppose”. 
“Fool, to let your folly lead you
So astray”, replied the Moor. 
“Had I heard you speak, be sure
I for nothing would have freed you”. 
Thus it is I moderate me
In the use of tongue and cheek,
Lest when you have heard me speak,
Still more cheaply you may rate me.

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The Two Lovers of Heaven: Chrysanthus and Daria from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.