The City Bride (1696) Part 8

_Fri._ O Confusion! I know not what to say!

_Bon._ How, afraid to tell his Name? Then I begin to doubt the Justice of your Quarrel.

_Fri._ Too well you may, for by yon' setting Sun, that Globe of heavenly Light I swear, I come to kill the only Man that strives to save my Life--Man did I say? Nay more than common Man, for those the World abound with; but such a Man besides, all this vast Land affords not.

_Bon._ By this your large Encomium of your Friend, I'm afraid 'twas Wine first made your Quarrel, and thereupon this Challenge did ensue.

_Fri._ O no! I call the Powers above to witness, that in all the Course of our unhappy Friends.h.i.+p, I to my knowledg never did receive the least Affront or Injury from him.

_Bon._ How came this Challenge then?

_Fri._ O dear Friend, the n.o.blest that Man cou'd ever boast of: [_embraces him_] When first my rigid Fate threw on me this Command to fight, I had recourse to many whom I always thought my Friends; but when the Touchstone of my Danger try'd 'em, I found 'em like the cursed Fruit of _Sodom_, fair without, but rotten at the Heart: But then I found out _Bonvile_, my only dearest Friend. _Bonvile_ no sooner heard of my Engagement, but flew unto my Succour with as much Bravery, as a great General hastned by Alarms, marches to meet the Foe: You left your Nuptial Bed perhaps to meet your Death. O unheard-of Friends.h.i.+p! My Father gave me Life, 'tis true; but you, my Friend, support my Honour.

All this for me, while I, ungrateful Man, thus seek your Life: For to my eternal Horror be it spoke, you are the Man whom I come here to kill.

_Bon._ Ha!

_Fri._ Too true alas! there read the Warrant for your Death.

[_Gives him the Letter._]

_Bon._ 'Tis a Woman's Hand.

_Fri._ Yes, and a bad One too, they all speak fair, write foul, but mean worse.

_Bon._ How! kill me? Sure, I dream, and this is all Delusion, or else thou dost it only to try thy Friend.

_Fri._ O, from my Soul, I wish it were no more. But read, read on, see how I'm fetter'd in a _Circe's_ Charms--I love beyond Imagination, love even to Madness, and must as madly do a Deed will d.a.m.n me to the hottest Flames of h.e.l.l.

_Bon._ And woo't thou kill thy Friend for such a Woman?

_Fri._ Alas! I must, you see I am commanded, commanded too by Love; Love more powerful than all the Sacred Ties of Friends.h.i.+p, therefore draw, and guard thy self. [_Draws._

_Bon._ Not I by Heaven! What wou'dst thou have me draw and kill my Friend?

_Fri._ There thou stab'st my Soul. O where, where is now my Resolution fled? A fatal Blast has struck me; a sudden Horror shot me thro the Heart; a Trembling seiz'd my Knees, that I can hardly stand, and all my Vital Powers methinks seem dead; yet Love's the Fire must kindle all again, therefore I charge thee draw, or naked as thou art, I will a.s.sail thee.

_Bon._ I am defended against all that thou canst do, in having Justice on my Side, and Friends.h.i.+p too to back it.

_But since Humanity now bears so sway, To this unguarded Breast come make your way._

Strike home be sure.

[_Opens his Bosom._

_Fri._ That were a barbarous Murder.

_Bon._ How can the Effect prove different from the Cause? Or how can any thing but d.a.m.n'd Barbarity ensue a Woman's much more d.a.m.n'd Design? Who wou'd expect Reason from one that raves, or hope for Mercy in a Tyger's Den? Believe me, _Friendly_, all this may sooner be; Mercy may sooner dwell among the Savage Wolves and Bears, than in a Woman's Breast.

_Fri._ O, my too rigid Fate, to place me thus on such a dangerous Precipice, that wheresoe're I turn my self for help, I see my Ruin still before mine Eyes.

[_Seems to weep._

_Bon._ [_Pausing._] Stay--The Command which thy _Medea_ sent thee, was to kill thy only dearest Friend, was it not?

_Fri._ Alas! it was.

_Bon._ Then here, all Friends.h.i.+p dies between us; thus hast thou kill'd thy Friend, and satisfied that infernal Hag, thy cursed Mistress, who thus commanded thee: Away, I say, begon, and never see me more.

_Fri._ Ha!

_Bon._ Yes, base ungrateful Wretch, farewel, (_Offers to go_) --Yet stay, and since that Sacred Tie of Friends.h.i.+p's broke, know thou, most vile of Men, that _Bonvile_'s now thy Enemy; therefore do thou draw and guard thy spotted Life.

_Fri._ How, Friend!

_Bon._ Friend didst thou call me? On forfeit of thy Life that word no more; the very Name of Friend from thee, shall be a Quarrel: How can I tell but that thou lovest my Wife, and therefore feign'd this d.a.m.n'd Design to draw me from her Arms?

_Fri._ How! wrong thy Wife? O no, I never had a Thought so vile! Yet you must forgive me, indeed you must, by all that once was dear to me; and what I dare not mention more, by Love and Honour, I implore thy Pardon--Still art thou deaf to my Complaints?--Nay, then upon my Knee, I will enforce thy Pity. Behold me, _Bonvile_, prostrate at thy Feet, crawling for Mercy, swimming in Tears, and almost drown'd with Shame; extend thy Arm to help me, as thou'rt a Man, be G.o.d-like in thy Nature, and raise me from the Grave; turn thy Eyes on me, and sink me not with Frowns; O save me, save me, or I fall for ever.

_Bon._ As soon shall Heav'n reverse the Fate of h.e.l.l, as I recal what I have said, or plant thee in my Breast again.

_Fri._ Nay, then I am lost to thee, and all the World besides.

[_Rises._

_Bon._ Thou are indeed for ever lost to me; see what a miserable Wretch thy Folly now has made thee: A Creature so far below my Pity, that I despise and scorn thy base Submission, and will never hear thee more, more.

_Fri._ Say but thou hast forgiven me, and I will ask no more.

_Bon._ I never will.

_Fri._ O cruel _Bonvile_!

_Bon._ More barbarous _Friendly_: Hold off, or I will use thee like a Dog, tread thee to Earth, and spurn thee like a Slave, base as thou art.

_Fri._ Still thou art my Friend----

_Bon._ Thou ly'st, I have abjured the Name.

_Fri._ Let me but go with thee.

_Bon._ Not for the World; I'de rather venture my self with Crocodiles, catch the last dying Gasps of some poor Wretch infested with the Plague, than trust my self with thee.

_Farewel, I leave thee with the greatest Curse, Condemn'd to Woman, h.e.l.l affords no worse._

[_Exit, breaking from him._

Friendly solus, _rising in a Pa.s.sion._

_Fri._ Death and Destruction, am I thus despised! Condemned to Woman's l.u.s.t, and scorn'd by Man. By _Bonvile_ too, after imploring, like a School-Boy, at his Feet--My Blood boils high, and scalds my very Heart!