The Wonder-Working Magician | Page 7

time

I proceeded to the city.
CYPRIAN. Go in peace.
DEMON. Remain in peace.--
[Aside.
So involved in study IS he,

That I now must wean him from it,
Weaving round him the
bewitchment
Of rare beauty. Since I have leave
To attempt my fires
to kindle
In Justina's breast, one stroke,
Thus, two vengeances shall
give me.
[Exit.
CYPRIAN. Never saw I such a man.
But since still my people linger,

I, the cause of so much doubt,
Will now strive to reconsider.
[He
resumes his reading, without perceiving the approach of those who
enter.

SCENE IV.
Enter LELIUS and FLORUS.-- CYPRIAN.

LELIUS. Further let us not proceed;
For these rocks, these boughs so
thickly
Interwoven, that the sun
Cannot even find admittance,

Shall be the sole witnesses
Of our duel.
FLORUS. Then, this instant
Draw your sword; for here are deeds,

If in words elsewhere we've striven.
LELIUS. Yes, I know that in the field,
While the tongue is mute, the
glitter
Of the sword speaks thus.
[They fight.
CYPRIAN. What's this?
Hold, good Florus! Lelius, listen!--
Here
until your rage is calmed,
Even unarmed I stand betwixt ye.
LELIUS. Thus to interrupt my vengeance,
Whence, O Cyprian, have
you risen
Like a spectre?
FLORUS. A wild wood-god,
Have you from these tree-trunks issued?

SCENE V.
Enter MOSCON and CLARIN.
MOSCON. Yonder, where we left our master,
I hear sword-strokes;
run, run quickly.
CLARIN. Well, except to run away,
I am anything but nimble;--

Truly a retiring person.
MOSCON and CLARIN. Sir . . . .
CYPRIAN. No more: your gabble irks me.--
How? What's this? Two
noble friends,
Who in blood, in birth, in lineage,
Are to-day of
Antioch all
Its expectancy, the city's
Eye of fashion, one the son

Of the Governor, of the princely
House Colalto, one the heir,
Thus
to peril, as of little
Value, two such precious lives
To their country

and their kindred?
LELIUS. Cyprian, although respect
Which on many grounds I give
thee,
Holds my sword suspended thus
In due deference for an
instant,--
To the scabbard's calm repose
It hath got no power to win
it.
Thou of science knowest more,
Than the duel, pretermitting

This, that when two nobles meet
In the field, no power can link them

Friends again, save this, that one
Must his life give as a victim.
FLORUS. This I also say, and ask thee,
With thy people, that thou
quittest,
Leaving us to end our quarrel
Without any help or
hindrance.
CYPRIAN. Though it seems to you my calling
Makes me know the
laws but little
Of the duel -- that strict code
Valour and vain pride
have written,
You are wrong, for I was born
With the obligations
fitting
Rank like yours, to know in truth
Infamy and honour's limits.

The devotion to my studies
Has my courage not diminished,
For
they oftentimes shake hands
Arms and letters as though kinsmen.
If
to meet here in the field
Was the quarrel's first condition,
Having
met and fought, its lies
Calumny can never whisper.
And the cause
you thus can tell me
Of the feud that brings you hither;
For I
promise, if, on hearing
What to me is thus committed,
I perceive
that satisfaction
Must on either side be given,
Here to leave you
both alone,
Unobserved by any witness.
LELIUS. Then on this condition solely,
That you leave us, when the
bitter
Truth is told, to end our quarrel,
I to tell the cause am willing.

I a certain lady love,
The same lady as his mistress
Florus also
loves; now see,
How incompatible are our wishes!--
Since betwixt
two jealous nobles
No mediation is admitted.
FLORUS. I this lady love so much,
That the sunlight I would hinder

From beholding her sweet face.
Since then all interposition
Is in

vain, pray stand aside,
And our quarrel let us finish.
CYPRIAN. Stay, for one more thing I'd know.
Tell me this of your
fair mistress,
Is she possible to your hopes,
Or impossible to your
wishes?--
LELIUS. Oh: she is so good and wise,
That if even the sun enkindled

Jealousy in the heart of Florus,
It was jealousy pure and simple,

Without cause, for even the sun
Dare not look upon her visage.
CYPRIAN. Would you marry with her, then?
FLORUS. This is all my heart's ambition.
CYPRIAN. And would you?
LELIUS. Ah, would to heaven,
I were destined for such blisses!--

For although she's very poor,
Virtue dowers her with its riches.
CYPRIAN. If you both aspire to wed her,
Is it not an act most wicked,

Most unworthy, thus beforehand
Her unspotted fame to injure?

What will say the world, if one
Of you two shall marry with her

After having killed the other
For her sake? The supposition
Is not
probable in fact,
To imagine it is sufficient.
I by no means say you
should
Each your chances try to win her
At one time, for I would
blush
Such a craven proposition
Came from me, because the lover

Who could keep his jealousy hidden,
Would condone even shame
thereafter,
Were the opportunity given;
But I say that you should
learn
Which of you it is your mistress
Gives the preference to,
then . . . .
LELIUS. Stay!--
For it were an act too timid,
Too faint-hearted thus
to ask
Of a lady such admission
As the choosing him or me.
For if
me she chose, more fixed
Is my call for satisfaction;
For his fault
has this addition,
He loves one who loves but me.

If to him the

choice is given,
This