Tended me like a brother till recover’d,
Perchance to fight against him once again
And now my sword put back into my hand
By his—if not his son—still, as so seeming,
By me, as first devoir of gratitude,
To seem believing, till the wearer’s self
See fit to drop the ill-dissembling mask.
(Aloud.)
Well, a strange turn of fortune has arrested
The sharp and sudden penalty that else
Had visited your rashness or mischance:
In part, your tender youth too—pardon me,
And touch not where your sword is not to answer—
Commends you to my care; not your life only,
Else by this misadventure forfeited;
But ev’n your errand, which, by happy chance,
Chimes with the very business I am on,
And calls me to the very point you aim at.
Ros.
The capital?
CLO.
Ay, the capital; and
ev’n
That capital of capitals,
the Court:
Where you may plead,
and, I may promise, win
Pardon for this, you
say unwilling, trespass,
And prosecute what else
you have at heart,
With me to help you
forward all I can;
Provided all in loyalty
to those
To whom by natural allegiance
I first am bound to.
Ros.
As you make, I take
Your offer: with
like promise on my side
Of loyalty to you and
those you serve,
Under like reservation
for regards
Nearer and dearer still.
CLO.
Enough, enough;
Your hand; a bargain
on both sides. Meanwhile,
Here shall you rest
to-night. The break of day
Shall see us both together
on the way.
Ros.
Thus then what I for
misadventure blamed,
Directly draws me where
my wishes aim’d.
(Exeunt.)
SCENE II.—The Palace at Warsaw
Enter on one side Astolfo, Duke of Muscovy, with his train: and, on the other, the Princess Estrella, with hers.
Astolfo.
My royal cousin, if
so near in blood,
Till this auspicious
meeting scarcely known,
Till all that beauty
promised in the bud
Is now to its consummate
blossom blown,
Well met at last; and
may—
Estrella.
Enough, my Lord,
Of compliment devised
for you by some
Court tailor, and, believe
me, still too short
To cover the designful
heart below.
Ast.
Nay, but indeed, fair
cousin—
EST.
Ay, let Deed
Measure your words,
indeed your flowers of speech
Ill with your iron equipage
atone;
Irony indeed, and wordy
compliment.
Ast.
Indeed, indeed, you
wrong me, royal cousin,
And fair as royal, misinterpreting
What, even for the end
you think I aim at,
If false to you, were
fatal to myself.