Two Noble Kinsmen (Oxford 1908)/Act 5/Scene 3

Scaena 3. (A Place near the Lists.)

[Enter Theseus, Hipolita, Emilia, Perithous: and some Attendants, (T. Tucke: Curtis.)]

EMILIA.

Ile no step further.

PERITHOUS.

Will you loose this sight?

EMILIA.

I had rather see a wren hawke at a fly Then this decision; ev'ry blow that falls Threats a brave life, each stroake laments The place whereon it fals, and sounds more like A Bell then blade: I will stay here; It is enough my hearing shall be punishd With what shall happen&mdash;gainst the which there is No deaffing, but to heare&mdash;not taint mine eye With dread sights, it may shun.

PERITHOUS.

Sir, my good Lord, Your Sister will no further.

THESEUS.

Oh, she must. She shall see deeds of honour in their kinde, Which sometime show well, pencild. Nature now Shall make and act the Story, the beleife Both seald with eye and eare; you must be present, You are the victours meede, the price, and garlond To crowne the Questions title.

EMILIA.

Pardon me; If I were there, I'ld winke.

THESEUS.

You must be there; This Tryall is as t'wer i'th night, and you The onely star to shine.

EMILIA.

I am extinct; There is but envy in that light, which showes The one the other: darkenes, which ever was The dam of horrour, who do's stand accurst Of many mortall Millions, may even now, By casting her blacke mantle over both, That neither coulde finde other, get her selfe Some part of a good name, and many a murther Set off wherto she's guilty.

HIPPOLITA.

You must goe.

EMILIA.

In faith, I will not.

THESEUS.

Why, the knights must kindle Their valour at your eye: know, of this war You are the Treasure, and must needes be by To give the Service pay.

EMILIA.

Sir, pardon me; The tytle of a kingdome may be tride Out of it selfe.

THESEUS.

Well, well, then, at your pleasure; Those that remaine with you could wish their office To any of their Enemies.

HIPPOLITA.

Farewell, Sister; I am like to know your husband fore your selfe By some small start of time: he whom the gods Doe of the two know best, I pray them he Be made your Lot.

[Exeunt Theseus, Hipolita, Perithous, &c.]

EMILIA.

Arcite is gently visagd; yet his eye Is like an Engyn bent, or a sharpe weapon In a soft sheath; mercy and manly courage Are bedfellowes in his visage. Palamon Has a most menacing aspect: his brow Is grav'd, and seemes to bury what it frownes on; Yet sometime tis not so, but alters to The quallity of his thoughts; long time his eye Will dwell upon his object. Mellencholly Becomes him nobly; So do's Arcites mirth, But Palamons sadnes is a kinde of mirth, So mingled, as if mirth did make him sad, And sadnes, merry; those darker humours that Sticke misbecomingly on others, on them Live in faire dwelling. [Cornets. Trompets sound as to a charge.] Harke, how yon spurs to spirit doe incite The Princes to their proofe! Arcite may win me, And yet may Palamon wound Arcite to The spoyling of his figure. O, what pitty Enough for such a chance; if I were by, I might doe hurt, for they would glance their eies Toward my Seat, and in that motion might Omit a ward, or forfeit an offence Which crav'd that very time: it is much better I am not there; oh better never borne Then minister to such harme. [Cornets. A great cry and noice within, crying 'a Palamon'.] What is the chance?

[Enter Servant.]

SERVANT.

The Crie's 'a Palamon'.

EMILIA.

Then he has won! Twas ever likely; He lookd all grace and successe, and he is Doubtlesse the prim'st of men: I pre'thee, run And tell me how it goes. [Showt, and Cornets: Crying, 'a Palamon.']

SERVANT.

Still Palamon.

EMILIA.

Run and enquire. Poore Servant, thou hast lost; Vpon my right side still I wore thy picture, Palamons on the left: why so, I know not; I had no end in't else, chance would have it so. On the sinister side the heart lyes; Palamon Had the best boding chance. [Another cry, and showt within, and Cornets.] This burst of clamour Is sure th'end o'th Combat.

[Enter Servant.]

SERVANT.

They saide that Palamon had Arcites body Within an inch o'th Pyramid, that the cry Was generall 'a Palamon': But, anon, Th'Assistants made a brave redemption, and The two bold Tytlers, at this instant are Hand to hand at it.

EMILIA.

Were they metamorphisd Both into one! oh why? there were no woman Worth so composd a Man: their single share, Their noblenes peculier to them, gives The prejudice of disparity, values shortnes, [Cornets. Cry within, Arcite, Arcite.] To any Lady breathing&mdash;More exulting? Palamon still?

SERVANT.

Nay, now the sound is Arcite.

EMILIA.

I pre'thee, lay attention to the Cry, [Cornets. A great showt and cry, 'Arcite, victory!'] Set both thine eares to'th busines.

SERVANT.

The cry is 'Arcite', and 'victory', harke: 'Arcite, victory!' The Combats consummation is proclaim'd By the wind Instruments.

EMILIA.

Halfe sights saw That Arcite was no babe; god's lyd, his richnes And costlines of spirit look't through him, it could No more be hid in him then fire in flax, Then humble banckes can goe to law with waters, That drift windes force to raging: I did thinke Good Palamon would miscarry; yet I knew not Why I did thinke so; Our reasons are not prophets, When oft our fancies are. They are comming off: Alas, poore Palamon! [Cornets.]

[Enter Theseus, Hipolita, Pirithous, Arcite as victor, and attendants, &c.]

THESEUS.

Lo, where our Sister is in expectation, Yet quaking, and unsetled.&mdash;Fairest Emily, The gods by their divine arbitrament Have given you this Knight; he is a good one As ever strooke at head. Give me your hands; Receive you her, you him; be plighted with A love that growes, as you decay.

ARCITE.

Emily, To buy you, I have lost what's deerest to me, Save what is bought, and yet I purchase cheapely, As I doe rate your value.

THESEUS.

O loved Sister, He speakes now of as brave a Knight as ere Did spur a noble Steed: Surely, the gods Would have him die a Batchelour, least his race Should shew i'th world too godlike: His behaviour So charmed me, that me thought Alcides was To him a sow of lead: if I could praise Each part of him to'th all I have spoke, your Arcite Did not loose by't; For he that was thus good Encountred yet his Better. I have heard Two emulous Philomels beate the eare o'th night With their contentious throates, now one the higher, Anon the other, then againe the first, And by and by out breasted, that the sence Could not be judge betweene 'em: So it far'd Good space betweene these kinesmen; till heavens did Make hardly one the winner. Weare the Girlond With joy that you have won: For the subdude, Give them our present Iustice, since I know Their lives but pinch 'em; Let it here be done. The Sceane's not for our seeing, goe we hence, Right joyfull, with some sorrow.&mdash;Arme your prize, I know you will not loose her.&mdash;Hipolita, I see one eye of yours conceives a teare The which it will deliver. [Florish.]

EMILIA.

Is this wynning? Oh all you heavenly powers, where is your mercy? But that your wils have saide it must be so, And charge me live to comfort this unfriended, This miserable Prince, that cuts away A life more worthy from him then all women, I should, and would, die too.

HIPPOLITA.

Infinite pitty, That fowre such eies should be so fixd on one That two must needes be blinde fort.

THESEUS.

So it is. [Exeunt.]