Volpone and Other Plays (44 page)

MAMMON
: What shall I do?

DOL COMMON
:                                    For, as he says, except

We call the rabbins, and the heathen Greeks –

MAMMON
: Dear lady –

DOL COMMON
:                To come from Salem, and from Athens,

And teach the people of Great Britain –

    [
Enter
FACE
,
in his servant's costume
.]

FACE
:                                                                     What's the matter, sir?

DOL COMMON
: To speak the
tongue
of Eber and Javan –

MAMMON
:                                                                          O,

She's in her fit.

DOL COMMON
: We shall know nothing –

FACE
:                                                              Death, sir,

We are undone!

DOL COMMON
:   Where then a learnèd linguist

Shall see the ancient used communion

20         Of vowels and consonants –

FACE
:                                                 My master will hear!

DOL COMMON
: A wisdom, which Pythagoras held most high –

MAMMON
: Sweet honourable lady!

DOL COMMON
:                                       To comprise

All sounds of voices, in few marks of letters.

FACE
: Nay, you must never hope to lay her now.

They speak together
.

Close
deeds of darkness, and that shun the light!

Bring him again. Who is he? What, my son!

O, I have lived too long.

MAMMON
:                               Nay, good, dear father,

There was no unchaste purpose.

SUBTLE
:                                                  Not? and flee me

When I come in?

MAMMON
:               That was my error.

SUBTLE
:                                                        Error?

Guilt, guilt, my son; give it the right name. No marvel

40       If I found check in our great work within,

When such affairs as these were managing!

MAMMON
: Why, have you so?

SUBTLE
:                                             It has stood still this half-hour,

And all the rest of our less works gone back.

Where is the instrument of wickedness

My lewd false drudge?

MAMMON
:                         Nay, good sir, blame not him;

Believe me, 'twas against his will or knowledge.

I saw her by chance.

SUBTLE
:                           Will you commit more sin,

T'excuse a varlet?

MAMMON
:                               By my hope, 'tis true, sir.

SUBTLE
: Nay, then I wonder less, if you, for whom

50         The blessing was prepared, would so tempt Heaven,

And lose your fortunes.

MAMMON
:                             Why, sir?

SUBTLE
:                                               This'll retard

The work a month at least.

MAMMON
:                                 Why, if it do,

What remedy? But think it not, good father;

Our purposes were
honest
.

SUBTLE
:                                     As they were,

So the reward will prove.

    
A great crack and noise within
.

                                                                 How now! ay me!

God and all saints be good to us. –

    [
Re-enter
FACE
.]

                                                                 What's that?

FACE
: O, sir, we are defeated! All the works

Are flown
in fumo
, every glass is burst!

Furnace and all rent down, as if a bolt

60         Of thunder had been driven through the house.

Retorts, receivers, pelicans, bolt-heads,

All struck in shivers!

    SUBTLE
falls down, as in a swoon
.

                                             Help, good sir! alas,

Coldness and death invades him. Nay, Sir Mammon,

Do the fair offices of a man! You stand,

As you were readier to depart than he.

      
One knocks
.

Who's there? My Lord her brother is come.

MAMMON
:                                                                Ha, Lungs!

FACE
: His coach is at the door. Avoid his sight,

For he's as furious as his sister is mad.

MAMMON
: Alas!

FACE
:                 My brain is quite undone with the fume, sir,

I ne'er must hope to be mine own man again.

MAMMON
: Is all lost, Lungs? Will nothing be preserved

Of all our cost?

FACE
:                  Faith, very little, sir;

A peck of coals or so, which is cold comfort, sir.

MAMMON
: O, my voluptuous mind! I am justly punished.

FACE
: And so am I, sir.

MAMMON
:                         Cast from all my hopes –

FACE
: Nay, certainties, sir.

MAMMON
:                             By mine own base affections.

      
SUBTLE
seems [to] come to himself
.

SUBTLE
: O, the curst fruits of vice and lust!

MAMMON
:                                                              Good father,

It was my sin. Forgive it.

SUBTLE
:                                   Hangs my roof

Over us still, and will not fall, O Justice,

Upon us, for this wicked man!

80     
FACE
:                                                      Nay, look, sir,

You grieve him now with staying in his sight.

Good sir, the nobleman will come too, and take you,

And that may breed a tragedy.

MAMMON
:                                            I'll go.

FACE
: Ay, and repent at home, sir. it may be,

For some good penance you may ha' it yet;

A hundred pound to the box at Bedlam –

MAMMON
:                                                                   Yes.

FACE
: For the restoring such as ha' their wits.

MAMMON
:                                                                          I'll do't.

FACE
: I'll send one to you to receive it.

MAMMON
:                                                           Do.

Is no projection left?

FACE
:                               All flown, or stinks, sir.

90    
MAMMON
: Will nought be saved that's good for med' cine, think'st thou?

FACE
: I cannot tell, sir. There will be perhaps

Something about the scraping of the shards,

Will cure the itch, – though not your itch of mind, sir.

It shall be saved for you, and sent home. Good sir,

This way, for fear the lord should meet you.

      [
Exit
MAMMON
.]

SUBTLE
:                                                                          Face!

FACE
: Ay.

SUBTLE
: Is he gone?

FACE
:                              Yes, and as heavily As all the gold he hoped for were in his blood. Let us be light though.

SUBTLE
[
leaping up
]:     Ay, as balls, and bound

100      And hit our heads against the roof for joy:

There's so much of our care now cast away.

FACE
: Now to our Don.

SUBTLE
:                             Yes, your young widow by this time

Is made a countess, Face; she's been in travail

Of a young heir for you.

FACE
:                                  Good, sir.

SUBTLE
:                                              Off with your
case
,

And greet her kindly, as a bridegroom should,

After these common hazards.

FACE
:                                                  Very well, sir.

Will you go fetch Don Diego off the while?

SUBTLE
: And fetch him over too, if you'll be pleased, sir.

Would Dol were in her place, to pick his pockets now!

FACE
: Why, you can do it as well, if you would set to't.

110   I pray you prove your
virtue
.

SUBTLE
:                                For your sake, sir.

      [
Exeunt
.]

[
The garden of Lovewit's house
.]

[
Enter
SURLY
,
in his Spanish costume, and
DAME PLIANT
.]

[SURLY:]
Lady, you see into what hands you are fall' n;

‘Mongst what a nest of villains! and how near

Your honour was t' have catched a certain
clap
,

Through your credulity, had I but been

So punctually forward, as place, time,

And other circumstance would ha' made a man;

For y' are a handsome woman: would you were wise, too!

I am a gentleman come here disguised,

Only to find the knaveries of this citadel;

10        And where I might have wronged your honour, and have not,

I claim some interest in your love. You are, They say, a widow, rich; and I' m a bachelor

Worth nought. Your fortunes may make me a man,