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Double Falsehood: Act I, Scene 2

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Double Falsehood
Act I, Scene 2

Prospect of a village at a distance.

  1. Enter Camillo with a letter.

Camillo

1 - 13
  1. How comes the Duke to take such notice of my son, that he
  2. must needs have him in court, and I must send him upon the
  3. view of his letter?—Horsemanship! What horsemanship has
  4. Julio? I think, he can no more but gallop a hackney, unless
  5. he practiced riding in France. It may be, he did so; for he
  6. was there a good continuance. But I have not heard him speak
  7. much of his horsemanship. That’s no matter: if he be not a
  8. good horseman, all’s one in such a case, he must bear.
  9. Princes are absolute; they may do what they will in any
  10. thing, save what they cannot do.
  11. Enter Julio.
  12. O, come on, sir; read this paper: no more ado, but read it:
  13. it must not be answer’d by my hand, nor yours, but, in
  14. gross, by your person; your sole person. Read aloud.

Julio

14
  1. Please you, to let me first o’erlook it, sir.

Camillo

15 - 18
  1. I was this other day in a spleen against your new suits: I
  2. do now think, some fate was the tailor that hath fitted
  3. them: for, this hour, they are for the palace of the Duke.
  4. Your father’s house is too dusty.

Julio

19 - 21
  1. Aside.
  2. Hem!—to court? Which is the better, to serve a mistress, or
  3. a Duke? I am sued to be his slave, and I sue to be
  4. Leonora’s.

Camillo

22 - 23
  1. You shall find your horsemanship much praised there; are you
  2. so good a horseman?

Julio

24 - 25
  1. I have been,
  2. E’er now, commended for my seat, or mock’d.

Camillo

26 - 29
  1. Take one commendation with another, every third’s a mock.
  2. Affect not therefore to be praised. Here’s a deal of command
  3. and entreaty mixt; there’s no denying; you must go;
  4. peremptorily he enforces that.

Julio

30 - 31
  1. Aside.
  2. What fortune soever my going shall encounter, cannot be good
  3. fortune; what I part withal unseasons any other goodness.

Camillo

32
  1. You must needs go; he rather conjures than importunes.

Julio

33
  1. Aside.
  2. No moving of my love-suit to him now?

Camillo

34
  1. Great fortunes have grown out of less grounds.

Julio

35 - 36
  1. Aside.
  2. What may her father think of me, who expects to be solicited
  3. this very night?

Camillo

37 - 38
  1. Those scatter’d pieces of virtue, which are in him, the
  2. court will solder together, varnish, and rectify.

Julio

39 - 42
  1. He will surely think I deal too slightly, or unmannerly, or
  2. foolishly, indeed; nay, dishonestly; to bear him in hand
  3. with my father’s consent, who yet hath not been touch’d with
  4. so much as a request to it.

Camillo

43
  1. Well, sir, have you read it over?

Julio

44
  1. Yes, sir.

Camillo

45
  1. And consider’d it?

Julio

46
  1. As I can.

Camillo

47
  1. If you are courted by good fortune, you must go.

Julio

48
  1. So it please you, sir.

Camillo

49 - 50
  1. By any means, and tomorrow: is it not there the limit of his
  2. request?

Julio

51
  1. It is, sir.

Camillo

52 - 55
  1. I must bethink me of some necessaries, without which you
  2. might be unfurnish’d: and my supplies shall at all
  3. convenience follow you. Come to my closet by and by; I would
  4. there speak with you.
  1. Exit Camillo. Manet Julio solus.

Julio

56 - 72
  1. I do not see that fervor in the maid,
  2. Which youth and love should kindle. She consents,
  3. As ’twere to feed without an appetite;
  4. Tells me, she is content; and plays the coy one,
  5. Like those that subtly make their words their ward,
  6. Keeping address at distance. This affection
  7. Is such a feign’d one, as will break untouch’d;
  8. Die frosty, e’er it can be thaw’d; while mine,
  9. Like to a clime beneath Hyperion’s eye,
  10. Burns with one constant heat. I’ll straight go to her;
  11. Pray her to regard my honor: but she greets me.
  12. Enter Leonora, and maid.
  13. See, how her beauty doth enrich the place!
  14. O, add the music of thy charming tongue,
  15. Sweet as the lark that wakens up the morn,
  16. And make me think it paradise indeed.
  17. I was about to seek thee, Leonora,
  18. And chide thy coldness, love.

Leonora

73
  1.                               What says your father?

Julio

74
  1. I have not mov’d him yet.

Leonora

75
  1.                           Then do not, Julio.

Julio

76 - 77
  1. Not move him? Was it not your own command,
  2. That his consent should ratify our loves?

Leonora

78 - 85
  1. Perhaps, it was: but now I’ve chang’d my mind.
  2. You purchase at too dear a rate, that puts you
  3. To woo me and your father too: besides,
  4. As he, perchance, may say, you shall not have me;
  5. You, who are so obedient, must discharge me
  6. Out of your fancy: then, you know, ’twill prove
  7. My shame and sorrow, meeting such repulse,
  8. To wear the willow in my prime of youth.

Julio

86 - 95
  1. Oh! Do not rack me with these ill-placed doubts;
  2. Nor think, though age has in my father’s breast
  3. Put out love’s flame, he therefore has not eyes,
  4. Or is in judgment blind. You wrong your beauties,
  5. Venus will frown if you disprize her gifts,
  6. That have a face would make a frozen hermit
  7. Leap from his cell, and burn his beads to kiss it;
  8. Eyes, that are nothing but continual births
  9. Of new desires in those that view their beams.
  10. You cannot have a cause to doubt.

Leonora

96 - 101
  1.                                   Why, Julio?
  2. When you that dare not choose without your father,
  3. And, where you love, you dare not vouch it; must not,
  4. Though you have eyes, see with ’em;—can I, think you,
  5. Somewhat, perhaps, infected with your suit,
  6. Sit down content to say, you would, but dare not?

Julio

102 - 108
  1. Urge not suspicions of what cannot be;
  2. You deal unkindly; misbecomingly,
  3. I’m loathe to say: for all that waits on you,
  4. Is graced, and graces. No impediment
  5. Shall bar my wishes, but such grave delays
  6. As reason presses patience with; which blunt not,
  7. But rather whet our loves. Be patient, sweet.

Leonora

109 - 112
  1. Patient! What else? My flames are in the flint.
  2. Haply, to lose a husband I may weep;
  3. Never, to get one: when I cry for bondage,
  4. Let freedom quit me.

Julio

113 - 120
  1.                      From what a spirit comes this?
  2. I now perceive too plain, you care not for me.
  3. Duke, I obey thy summons, be its tenor
  4. Whate’er it will: if war, I come thy soldier:
  5. Or if to waste my silken hours at court,
  6. The slave of fashion, I with willing soul
  7. Embrace the lazy banishment for life;
  8. Since Leonora has pronounc’d my doom.

Leonora

121 - 122
  1. What do you mean? Why talk you of the Duke?
  2. Wherefore of war, or court, or banishment?

Julio

123 - 127
  1. How this new note is grown of me, I know not;
  2. But the Duke writes for me. Coming to move
  3. My father in our bus’ness, I did find him
  4. Reading this letter; whose contents require
  5. My instant service, and repair to court.

Leonora

128 - 135
  1. Now I perceive the birth of these delays;
  2. Why Leonora was not worth your suit.
  3. Repair to court? Ay, there you shall, perhaps,
  4. (Rather, past doubt) behold some choicer beauty,
  5. Rich in her charms, train’d to the arts of soothing,
  6. Shall prompt you to a spirit of hardiness,
  7. To say, “So please you, father, I have chosen
  8. This mistress for my own.”

Julio

136 - 139
  1.                            Still you mistake me:
  2. Ever your servant I profess myself;
  3. And will not blot me with a change, for all
  4. That sea and land inherit.

Leonora

140
  1.                            But when go you?

Julio

141 - 148
  1. Tomorrow, love; so runs the Duke’s command;
  2. Stinting our farewell-kisses, cutting off
  3. The forms of parting, and the interchange
  4. Of thousand precious vows, with haste too rude.
  5. Lovers have things of moment to debate,
  6. More than a prince, or dreaming statesman, know:
  7. Such ceremonies wait on cupid’s throne.
  8. Why heav’d that sigh?

Leonora

149 - 155
  1.                       O Julio, let me whisper
  2. What, but for parting, I should blush to tell thee:
  3. My heart beats thick with fears, lest the gay scene,
  4. The splendors of a court, should from thy breast
  5. Banish my image, kill my int’rest in thee,
  6. And I be left, the scoff of maids, to drop
  7. A widow’s tear for thy departed faith.

Julio

156 - 161
  1. O let assurance, strong as words can bind,
  2. Tell thy pleas’d soul, I will be wond’rous faithful;
  3. True, as the sun is to his race of light,
  4. As shade to darkness, as desire to beauty:
  5. And when I swerve, let wretchedness o’ertake me,
  6. Great as e’er falsehood met, or change can merit.

Leonora

162 - 168
  1. Enough. I’m satisfied: and will remain
  2. Yours, with a firm and untir’d constancy.
  3. Make not your absence long: old men are wav’ring;
  4. And sway’d by int’rest more than promise giv’n.
  5. Should some fresh offer start, when you’re away,
  6. I may be press’d to something, which must put
  7. My faith, or my obedience, to the rack.

Julio

169 - 175
  1. Fear not, but I with swiftest wing of time
  2. Will labor my return. And in my absence,
  3. My noble friend, and now our honor’d guest,
  4. The lord Henriquez, will in my behalf
  5. Hang at your father’s ear, and with kind hints,
  6. Pour’d from a friendly tongue, secure my claim;
  7. And play the lover for thy absent Julio.

Leonora

176 - 178
  1. Is there no instance of a friend turn’d false?
  2. Take heed of that: no love by proxy, Julio.
  3. My father—
  1. Enter Don Bernard.

Don Bernard

179 - 181
  1. What, Julio, in public? This wooing is too urgent. Is your
  2. father yet moved in the suit, who must be the prime unfolder
  3. of this business?

Julio

182 - 184
  1. I have not yet, indeed, at full possess’d
  2. My father, whom it is my service follows;
  3. But only that I have a wife in chase.

Don Bernard

185 - 193
  1. Chase!—let chase alone; no matter for that. You may halt
  2. after her, whom you profess to pursue, and catch her too;
  3. marry, not unless your father let you slip.—Briefly, I
  4. desire you, (for she tells me, my instructions shall be both
  5. eyes and feet to her) no farther to insist in your
  6. requiring, ’till, as I have formerly said, Camillo make
  7. known to me, that his good liking goes along with us; which
  8. but once breath’d, all is done; ’till when, the business has
  9. no life, and cannot find a beginning.

Julio

194 - 199
  1. Sir, I will know his mind, e’er I taste sleep:
  2. At morn, you shall be learn’d in his desire.
  3. I take my leave. O virtuous Leonora,
  4. Repose, sweet as thy beauties, seal thy eyes;
  5. Once more, adieu. I have thy promise, love;
  6. Remember, and be faithful.
  1. Exit Julio.

Don Bernard

200 - 211
  1. His father is as unsettled, as he is wayward, in his
  2. disposition. If I thought young Julio’s temper were not
  3. mended by the metal of his mother, I should be something
  4. crazy in giving my consent to this match: and, to tell you
  5. true, if my eyes might be the directors to your mind, I
  6. could in this town look upon twenty men of more delicate
  7. choice. I speak not this altogether to unbend your
  8. affections to him: but the meaning of what I say is, that
  9. you set such price upon yourself to him, as many, and much
  10. his betters, would buy you at; (and reckon those virtues in
  11. you at the rate of their scarcity) to which if he come not
  12. up, you remain for a better mart.

Leonora

212
  1. My obedience, sir, is chain’d to your advice.

Don Bernard

213 - 215
  1. ’Tis well said, and wisely. I fear, your lover is a little
  2. folly-tainted; which, shortly after it proves so, you will
  3. repent.

Leonora

216 - 217
  1. Sir, I confess, I approve him of all the men I know; but
  2. that approbation is nothing, ’till season’d by your consent.

Don Bernard

218 - 222
  1. We shall hear soon what his father will do, and so proceed
  2. accordingly. I have no great heart to the business, neither
  3. will I with any violence oppose it: but leave it to that
  4. power which rules in these conjunctions, and there’s an end.
  5. Come, haste we homeward, girl.
  1. Exeunt.
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