The Case is Altered/Act I Scene IV

SCENE IV.

Enter lord Paulo Ferneze, his boy following him.

Pau. Boy.

Boy. My lord.

Pau. Sirrah, go up to signior Angelo,

And pray him, if he can, devise some means

To leave my father, and come speak with me.

Boy. I will, my lord.

Pau. Well, heaven be auspicious in the event,

For I do this against my genius,

And yet my thoughts cannot propose a reason,

Why I should fear or faint thus in my hopes,

Of one so much endeared to my love.

Some spark it is, kindled within the soul,

Whose light yet breaks not to the outer sense,

That propagates this timorous suspect;

His actions never carried any face

Of change, or weakness; then I injure him

In being thus cold conceited of his faith.

O, here he comes.

Enter Angelo.

Ang. How now, sweet lord, what's the matter?

Pau. Good faith his presence makes me half asham'd

Of my stray'd thoughts. Boy, bestow yourself.

[Exit Boy.]

Where is my father, signior Angelo?

Ang. Marry in the gallery, where your

lordship left him.

Pau. That's well. Then, Angelo, I will be brief,

Since time forbids the use of circumstance.

How well you are receiv'd in my affection,

Let it appear by this one instance only,

That now I will deliver to your trust

The dearest secrets, treasur'd in my bosom.

Dear Angelo, you are not every man,

But one, whom my election hath design'd,

As the true proper object of my soul.

I urge not this t' insinuate my desert,

Or supple your try'd temper with soft phrases;

True friendship lothes such oily compliment;

But from the abundance of that love that flows

Through all my spirits, is my speech enforc'd.

Ang. Before your lordship do proceed too far,

Let me be bold to intimate thus much,

That whatsoe'er your wisdom hath t' expose,

Be it the weightiest and most rich affair

That ever was included in your breast,

My faith shall poise it, if not ——

Pau. O no more.

Those words have wrapt me with their sweet effects,

So freely breath'd, and so responsible

To that which I endeavour'd to extract,

Arguing a happy mixture of our souls.

Ang. Why, were there no such sympa-

thy, sweet lord,

Yet the impressure of those amble favours

I have deriv'd from your unmatched spirit,

Would bind my faith to all observances.

Pau. How! favours, Angelo! O speak not of them,

They are mere paintings, and import no merit.

Looks my love well? thereon my hopes are plac'd;

Faith, that is bought with favours, cannot last.

Enter Boy.

Boy. My lord.

Pau. How now?

Boy. You are sought for all about the house within;

The count your father calls for you.

Pau. God!

What cross events do meet my purposes?

Now will he violently fret and grieve

That I am absent. Boy, say I come presently.

[Exit Boy.]

Sweet Angelo, I cannot now insist

Upon particulars, I must serve the time,

The main of all this is, I am in love.

Ang. Why starts your lordship?

Pau. I thought I heard my father

coming hitherward, list, ha?

Ang. I hear not any thing, it was but your imagination sure.

Pau. No?

Ang. No, I assure your lordship.

Pau. I would work safely.

Ang. Why has he no knowledge of it then?

Pau. O no;

No creature yet partakes it but yourself

In a third person, and believe me, friend,

The world contains not now another spirit,

To whom I would reveal it. Hark! hark!

(Servants within.) Signior Paulo! lord Ferneze!

Ang. A pox upon those brazen-throated slaves,

What are they mad, trow?

Pau. Alas, blame not them,

Their services are (clock-like) to be set

Backward and forward, at their lord's command.

You know my father's wayward, and his humour

Must not receive a check; for then all objects

Feed both his grief and his impatience.

And those affections in him are like powder,

Apt to enflame with every little spark,

And blow up reason; therefore, Angelo, peace.

Within.

Count. Why this is rare, is he not in the garden?

Chr. I know not, my lord.

Count. See, call him.

[Outside]

Pau. He is coming this way, let's with draw a little.

[Exeunt.]

Servants within.

Signior Paulo! lord Ferneze! lord Paulo!