The Works of Aphra Behn Volume I Part 31

_Will._ And I was e'en resolv'd to go aboard, condemn my self to my lone Cabin, and the Thoughts of thee.

_h.e.l.l._ And cou'd you have left me behind? wou'd you have been so ill-natur'd?

_Will._ Why, 'twou'd have broke my Heart, Child-- but since we are met again, I defy foul Weather to part us.

_h.e.l.l._ And wou'd you be a faithful Friend now, if a Maid shou'd trust you?

_Will._ For a Friend I cannot promise, thou art of a Form so excellent, a Face and Humour too good for cold dull Friends.h.i.+p; I am parlously afraid of being in love, Child, and you have not forgot how severely you have us'd me.

_h.e.l.l._ That's all one, such Usage you must still look for, to find out all your Haunts, to rail at you to all that love you, till I have made you love only me in your own Defence, because no body else will love.

_Will._ But hast thou no better Quality to recommend thy self by?

_h.e.l.l._ Faith none, Captain-- Why, 'twill be the greater Charity to take me for thy Mistress, I am a lone Child, a kind of Orphan Lover; and why I shou'd die a Maid, and in a Captain's Hands too, I do not understand.

_Will._ Egad, I was never claw'd away with Broad-Sides from any Female before, thou hast one Virtue I adore, good-Nature; I hate a coy demure Mistress, she's as troublesome as a Colt, I'll break none; no, give me a mad Mistress when mew'd, and in flying on[e] I dare trust upon the Wing, that whilst she's kind will come to the Lure.

_h.e.l.l._ Nay, as kind as you will, good Captain, whilst it lasts, but let's lose no time.

_Will._ My time's as precious to me, as thine can be; therefore, dear Creature, since we are so well agreed, let's retire to my Chamber, and if ever thou were treated with such savory Love-- Come-- My Bed's prepar'd for such a Guest, all clean and sweet as thy fair self; I love to steal a Dish and a Bottle with a Friend, and hate long Graces-- Come, let's retire and fall to.

_h.e.l.l._ 'Tis but getting my Consent, and the Business is soon done; let but old Gaffer _Hymen_ and his Priest say Amen to't, and I dare lay my Mother's Daughter by as proper a Fellow as your Father's Son, without fear or blus.h.i.+ng.

_Will._ Hold, hold, no Bugg Words, Child, Priest and _Hymen_: prithee add Hangman to 'em to make up the Consort-- No, no, we'll have no Vows but Love, Child, nor Witness but the Lover; the kind Diety injoins naught but love and enjoy. _Hymen_ and Priest wait still upon Portion, and Joynture; Love and Beauty have their own Ceremonies. Marriage is as certain a Bane to Love, as lending Money is to Friends.h.i.+p: I'll neither ask nor give a Vow, tho I could be content to turn Gipsy, and become a Left-hand Bridegroom, to have the Pleasure of working that great Miracle of making a Maid a Mother, if you durst venture; 'tis upse Gipsy that, and if I miss, I'll lose my Labour.

_h.e.l.l._ And if you do not lose, what shall I get? A Cradle full of Noise and Mischief, with a Pack of Repentance at my Back? Can you teach me to weave Incle to pa.s.s my time with? 'Tis upse Gipsy that too.

_Will._ I can teach thee to weave a true Love's Knot better.

_h.e.l.l._ So can my Dog.

_Will._ Well, I see we are both upon our Guard, and I see there's no way to conquer good Nature, but by yielding-- here-- give me thy Hand-- one Kiss and I am thine--

_h.e.l.l._ One Kiss! How like my Page he speaks; I am resolv'd you shall have none, for asking such a sneaking Sum-- He that will be satisfied with one Kiss, will never die of that Longing; good Friend single-Kiss, is all your talking come to this? A Kiss, a Caudle! farewel, Captain single-Kiss.

[Going out he stays her.

_Will._ Nay, if we part so, let me die like a Bird upon a Bough, at the Sheriff's Charge. By Heaven, both the _Indies_ shall not buy thee from me. I adore thy Humour and will marry thee, and we are so of one Humour, it must be a Bargain-- give me thy Hand-- [Kisses her hand.] And now let the blind ones (Love and Fortune) do their worst.

_h.e.l.l._ Why, G.o.d-a-mercy, Captain!

_Will._ But harkye-- The Bargain is now made; but is it not fit we should know each other's Names? That when we have Reason to curse one another hereafter, and People ask me who 'tis I give to the Devil, I may at least be able to tell what Family you came of.

_h.e.l.l._ Good reason, Captain; and where I have cause, (as I doubt not but I shall have plentiful) that I may know at whom to throw my-- Blessings-- I beseech ye your Name.

_Will._ I am call'd _Robert the Constant_.

_h.e.l.l._ A very fine Name! pray was it your Faulkner or Butler that christen'd you? Do they not use to whistle when then call you?

_Will._ I hope you have a better, that a Man may name without crossing himself, you are so merry with mine.

_h.e.l.l._ I am call'd _h.e.l.lena the Inconstant_.

Enter _Pedro_, _Belvile_, _Florinda_, _Fred_. _Valeria_.

_Ped._ Hah! _h.e.l.lena!_

_Flor._ _h.e.l.lena!_

_h.e.l.l._ The very same-- hah my Brother! now, Captain, shew your Love and Courage; stand to your Arms, and defend me bravely, or I am lost for ever.

_Ped._ What's this I hear? false Girl, how came you hither, and what's your Business? Speak.

[Goes roughly to her.

_Will._ Hold off, Sir, you have leave to parly only.

[Puts himself between.

_h.e.l.l._ I had e'en as good tell it, as you guess it. Faith, Brother, my Business is the same with all living Creatures of my Age, to love, and be loved, and here's the Man.

_Ped._ Perfidious Maid, hast thou deceiv'd me too, deceiv'd thy self and Heaven?

_h.e.l.l._ 'Tis time enough to make my Peace with that: Be you but kind, let me alone with Heaven.

_Ped._ _Belvile_, I did not expect this false Play from you; was't not enough you'd gain _Florinda_ (which I pardon'd) but your leud Friends too must be inrich'd with the Spoils of a n.o.ble Family?

_Belv._ Faith, Sir, I am as much surpriz'd at this as you can be: Yet, Sir, my Friends are Gentlemen, and ought to be esteem'd for their Misfortunes, since they have the Glory to suffer with the best of Men and Kings; 'tis true, he's a Rover of Fortune, yet a Prince aboard his little wooden World.

_Ped._ What's this to the maintenance of a Woman or her Birth and Quality?

_Will._ Faith, Sir, I can boast of nothing but a Sword which does me Right where-e'er I come, and has defended a worse Cause than a Woman's: and since I lov'd her before I either knew her Birth or Name, I must pursue my Resolution, and marry her.

_Ped._ And is all your holy Intent of becoming a Nun debauch'd into a Desire of Man?

_h.e.l.l._ Why-- I have consider'd the matter, Brother, and find the Three hundred thousand Crowns my Uncle left me (and you cannot keep from me) will be better laid out in Love than in Religion, and turn to as good an Account-- let most Voices carry it, for Heaven or the Captain?

_All cry,_ a Captain, a Captain.

_h.e.l.l._ Look ye, Sir,'tis a clear Case.

_Ped._ Oh I am mad-- if I refuse, my Life's in Danger-- [Aside.]

--Come-- There's one motive induces me-- take her-- I shall now be free from the fear of her Honour; guard it you now, if you can, I have been a Slave to't long enough.

[Gives her to him.

_Will._ Faith, Sir, I am of a Nation, that are of opinion a Woman's Honour is not worth guarding when she has a mind to part with it.

_h.e.l.l._ Well said, Captain.

_Ped._ This was your Plot, Mistress, but I hope you have married one that will revenge my Quarrel to you-- [To _Valeria_.

_Val._ There's no altering Destiny, Sir.