CYPRIAN: 
Ha! what is this?  Lelio,—­Floro,
Be it enough that Cyprian stands between you,
Although unarmed.

LELIO: 
Whence comest thou, to stand 225
Between me and my vengeance?

FLORO: 
From what rocks
And desert cells?

[ENTER MOSCON AND CLARIN.]

MOSCON: 
Run! run! for where we left
My master.  I now hear the clash of swords.

NOTES:  228 I now hear transcr.; we hear 1824. 227-229 lines of otherwise arranged, 1824.

CLARIN: 
I never run to approach things of this sort
But only to avoid them.  Sir!  Cyprian! sir! 230

CYPRIAN: 
Be silent, fellows!  What! two friends who are
In blood and fame the eyes and hope of Antioch,
One of the noble race of the Colalti,
The other son o’ the Governor, adventure
And cast away, on some slight cause no doubt, 235
Two lives, the honour of their country?

NOTE: 
233 race transcr.; men 1824.  Colalti]Colatti 1824.

LELIO: 
Cyprian! 
Although my high respect towards your person
Holds now my sword suspended, thou canst not
Restore it to the slumber of the scabbard: 
Thou knowest more of science than the duel; 240
For when two men of honour take the field,
No counsel nor respect can make them friends
But one must die in the dispute.

NOTE: 
239 of the transcr.; of its 1824.
242 No counsel nor 1839, 1st edition;
     No [...] or 1824; No reasoning or transcr.
243 dispute transcr. pursuit 1824.

FLORO: 
I pray
That you depart hence with your people, and
Leave us to finish what we have begun 245
Without advantage.—­

CYPRIAN: 
Though you may imagine
That I know little of the laws of duel,
Which vanity and valour instituted,
You are in error.  By my birth I am
Held no less than yourselves to know the limits 250
Of honour and of infamy, nor has study
Quenched the free spirit which first ordered them;
And thus to me, as one well experienced
In the false quicksands of the sea of honour,
You may refer the merits of the case; 255
And if I should perceive in your relation
That either has the right to satisfaction
From the other, I give you my word of honour
To leave you.

NOTE: 
253 well omit, cj.  Forman.

LELIO: 
Under this condition then
I will relate the cause, and you will cede 260
And must confess the impossibility
Of compromise; for the same lady is
Beloved by Floro and myself.

FLORO: 
It seems
Much to me that the light of day should look
Upon that idol of my heart—­but he—­ 265
Leave us to fight, according to thy word.