Page:Works of Sir John Suckling.djvu/142

122 'T must be a busy and bold hand, that would

Unlink a chain the gods themselves have made:

Peace to thy thoughts, Aglaura.

Zir. [steps back and speaks]. Whate'er he says, believe him not, Aglaura;

For lust and rage ride high within him now:

He knows Thersames made th' escape from hence,

And does conceal it only for his ends;

For, by the favour of mistake and night,

He hopes t' enjoy thee in the prince's room.

I shall be miss'd, else I would tell thee more;

But thou mayest guess, for our condition

Admits no middle ways: either we must

Send them to graves, or lie ourselves in dust. [Exit. Aglaura stands still and studies Agl. Ha!

'Tis a strange act thought puts me now upon;

Yet sure my brother meant the self-same thing,

And my Thersames would have done't for me:

To take his life, that seeks to take away

The life of life—honour—from me, and from

The world the life of honour—Thersames,

Must needs be something, sure, of kin to justice.

If I do fail, th' attempt howe'er was brave;

And I shall have at worst a handsome grave.

Iol. What! are we grown, Semanthe, night and day?

Must one still vanish, when the other comes?

Of all that ever love did yet bring forth

(And 't has been fruitful too) this is

The strangest issue.

Sem. What, my lord?

Iol. Hate, Semanthe.

Sem. You do mistake; if I do shun you, 'tis

As bashful debtors shun their creditors.

I cannot pay you in the self-same coin,

And am asham'd to offer any other.

Iol. It is ill done, Semanthe, to plead bankrupt,

When with such ease you may be out of debt.