220

Flor. Oh, shew me quickly, where's Castalio.
Acast. Why, what's the business?
Flor. Oh, the poor Monimia !-
Cast. Hah!
Acast, What's the matter?

Flor. Hurry'd by despair,
She Aies with fury over all the house,
Through every room of each apartment, crying,
Where's my Castalio ? Give me my Castalio!
Except she see you, sure she'll grow distracted.

Cast. Hah! will she? Does she name Castalio?
And with such tenderness ? Conduct me quickly
To the poor lovely mourner. “ Oh, my father!"
Acast. Then wilt thou go? Blessings attend thy

purpose. Cast. I cannot hear Monimia's soul's in sadness, And be a man; my heart will not forget her; “ But do not tell the world you saw this of me."

Acast. Delay not then, but haste and cheerthy love.

Cast. Oh! I will throw m’impatient arms about her, In her soft bosom sigh my soul to peace, Till through the panting breast she finds the way To mould my heart, and make it what she will. Monimia! oh!

[Exeunt Acasto and Cast.

SCENE 11.

A Chamber. Enter MONIMIA.
Mon. Stand off, and give me room,

I will not rest till I have found Castalio,
My wish's lord, comely as the rising day,
Amidst ten thousand eminently known!
Flowers spring up where-e'er he treads, his eyes
Fountains of brightness, cheering all about him! 240
When will they shine on me!-Oh, stay my soul !
I cannot die in peace till I have seen him.

a

CASTALIO within.
Cast. Who talks of dying with a voice so sweet,
That life's in love with it?
Mon. Hark! 'tis he that answers.

So, in a camp, though at the dead of night,
" If but the trumpet's cheerful noise is heard,
~ All at the signal leap from downy rest,
“ And every heart awakes, as mine does now.”
Where art thou ?

Cast. [Entering.] Here, my love.
Mon. No nearer, lest I vanish.

Cast. Have I been in a dream, then, all this while?
And art thou but the shadow of Monimia ?
Why dost thou fly me thus ?

Mon. Oh, were it possible that we could drown
In dark oblivion but a few past hours,
We might be happy.

Cast. Is't then so hard, Monimia, to forgive
A fault, where humble love like mine, implores thee?
For I must love thee, though it prove my ruin. 261
Which

way shall I court thee? What shall I do to be enough thy slave,

a

And satisfy the lovely pride that's in thee?
I'll kneel to thee, and weep a flood before thee.
Yet pr’ythee, tyrant, break not quite my heart;
But when my task of penitence is done,
Heal it again, and comfort me with love.

Mon. If I am dumb, Castalio, and want words
To pay

thee back this mighty tenderness; It is because I look on thee with horror, And cannot see the man I have wrong'd.

Cast. Thou hast not wrong'd me,

Mon. Ahl alas, thou talk'st Just as thy poor heart thinks! Have not I wrong'd

thee? Cast. No.

Mon. Still thou wander'st in the dark, Castalio; But wilt, ere long, stumble on horrid danger.

“ Cast. What means my love?
« Mon. Could'st thou but forgive me-
“ Cast. What?
“ Mon. For my fault last night: alas, thou can'st

not!
" Cast. I can, and do.

“ Mon. Thus crawling on the earth, “ Would I that pardon meet; the only thing “ Can make me view the face of Heav'n with hope.

“ Cast. Then, let's draw near.
“ Mon. Ah, me!

" Cast. So, in the fields,
" When the destroyer has been out for prey,
“ The scatter'd lovers of the feather'd kind,

280

“ Seeking, when danger's past, to meet again, “ Make moan, and call, by such degrees approach; “ 'Till joining thus, they bill, and spread their wings, “ Murmuring love, and joy their fears are over.

“ Mon. Yet, have a care ; be not too fond of peace, “ Lest, in pursuance of the goodly quarry, “ Thou meet a disappointment that distracts thee.”

Cast. My better angel, then do thou inform me, What danger threatens me, and where it lies:

300 Why didst thou (pr’ythee smile, and tell me why) When I stood waiting underneath the window, Quaking with fierce and violent desires; The dropping dews fell cold upon my head, Darkness inclos’d, and the winds whistled round me; Which, with my mournful sighs, made such a music, As might have mov'd the hardest heart; why wert

thou Deaf to my cries, and senseless of my pains ?

Mon. Did I not beg thee to forbear inquiry?
Read'st thou not something in my face, that speaks
Wonderful change, and horror from within me?
Cast. Then there is something yet which I've not

known:
What dost thou mean by horror and forbearance
Of more inquiry? Tell me, I beg thee, tell me;
And don't betray me to a second madness.

Mon. Must I ?

Cast. If, lab’ring in the pangs of death, Thou would'st do any thing to give me ease ;

a

Unfold this riddle ere my thoughts grow wild,
And let in fears of ugly form upon me.

320
Mon. My heart won't let me speak it; but remember,
Monimia, poor Monimia, tells you this,
We ne'er must meet again-

Cast. “ What means my destiny ? “ For all my good or evil fate dwells in thee ?" Ne'er meet again!

Mon. No, never.

Cast. Where's the power On earth, that dare not look like thee, and say so? Thou art my heart's inheritance; I serv'd A long and painful, faithful slav'ry for thee : And who shall rob me of the dear-bought blessing? Mon. Time will clear all; but now, let this content

you. Heav'n has decreed, and therefore I'm resolv'd (With torment I must tell it thee, Castalio) Ever to be a stranger to thy love; In some far distant country waste my life, And from this day, to see thy face no more. Cast. Where am I ? Sure I wander 'midst enchant.

ment, And never more shall find the way to rest; 340

But, oh, Monimia! art thou indeed resolv'd
“ To punish me with everlasting absence?"
Why turn'st thou from me; I'm alone already;
Methinks I stand upon a naked beach,
Sighing to winds, and to the seas complaining,