GALLO.

Nor I, by Nemesis!

I'd pine him to a ghost for want of rest.
To the utter verge of death.

MERCUTIUS.

Is that your noble mind?

And then you'd beat him.

GALLO.

Lo! here's a turncoat!

D'ye hear him, gentles ?-he's come here to fool us!

MERCUTIUS.

Nor I; but that I'm turned, I will confess it;

For as we came in thinking over this

Of Lycius, and the lady whom I glanced

Crouching within his mantle-

Her most distressful look came so across me

Her death-white cheeks

That I, for one, can find no heart to fret her.

Shall Lycius then go free?

CURIO.

MERCUTIUS.

Ay for her sake:

But do your pleasure; it is none of mine.

GALLO.

Why, a false traitor !

CURIO.

Sirs, I can expound him;

He's smit-he's passion-smit-I heard him talk

Of her strange witching eyes—such rare ones
That they turned him cold as stone.

[Exit.

1

GALLO.

Why let him go then-but we'll to our own.

CURIO.

Ay, let's be plotting

How we can vent our spites on this Sir Lycius-
I own it stirs my spleen, more than my bruises,
To see him fare so well-hang him !—a model !—
One that was perked too, underneath our noses,
For virtue and for temperance.

I have a scheme will grieve 'em without end:
I planned it by the way.

You know this fellow, Lycius, has a father

Some fifteen leagues away. We'll send him thither
By some most urgent message.

Some mischief ere I go. There's for thee, Lycius!

[He casts a stone through the window, and they run off.

Enter APOLlonius.

APOLLONIUS.

Go to, ye silly fools!-Lo! here's a palace!

I have grown gray in Corinth, but my eyes
Never remember it. Who is the master?

Some one is coming forth. Lycius again!

[LYCIUS comes out disordered, with his face flushed, and reels up to APOLLONIUS.

LYCIUS.

Why, how now, Graybeard? What! are these your frolics, To sound such rude alarum in our ears?

No wrinkle, but our laughter shakes in wine.

I wish you'd learn to drink.

APOLLONIUS.

O Lycius! Lycius!

Would you had never learned to drink, except those springs
We supped together! These are mortal draughts;-
Your cup is drugged with death!

LYCIUS.

Grave sir, you lie !

I'm a young god. Look! do you not behold
The new wings on my shoulders? You may die;
That moss upon your chin proclaims you're mortal,
And feel decays of age.
At every draught I take!

But I'm renewable

Here, Domus ! Domus !

Enter DOMUS.

Bring a full cup of nectar for this churl.

[Exit DOMUS.

'Twill give you back your youth, sir-ay, like magicAnd lift you o'er the clouds. You'll dream of nothing

Peace, madman, peace!

None of your draughts for me-your magic potions,
That stuff your brains with such pernicious cheats!
I say, bear off the bowl!

LYCIUS.

What!-will he not?

Then cast it over him-'twill do as well;

He shall be a demi-god against his will.

Lord, you might soak him in it year by year,
And never plump him up to a comely youth
Like you or me, sir!—

LYCIUS.

Let him go. Farewell!—

Look, foolish Graybeard-I am going back

To what your wisdom scorned. A minute hence

My soul is in Elysium!

[Exit with DOMUз.

APOLLONIUS.

Fool, farewell!

Why, I was sprinkled; yet I feel no wet.

'Tis strange !—this is some magic, against which

Philosophy is proof. I must untangle it.
Hold!-

I have it faintly dawning in my brain.

[He stands in meditation.

'Tis somewhere in my books (which I'll refer to)—
Speaking of Nature's monstrous prodigies,

That there be witching snakes-Circean births-
Who, by foul spells and forgeries, can take
The mask and shape of woman-fair externe,
But viperous within. And so they creep
Into young hearts, and falsify the brain
With juggling mockeries. Alas, poor boy,
If this should be thy case!

To send unto thy father.

These are sad tales

[MERCUTIUS enters without perceiving APOLLONIUS: going up to LAMIA's house, he recollects himself.

MERCUTIUS.

Here again?

What folly led me hither? I thought I was
Proceeding homeward. Why I've walked a circle,

And end where I began!

[APOLLONIUS goes up and calls in his ear.

APOLLONIUS.

I'll tell you, dreamer ;

It's magic, it's vile magic brought you hither,

And made you walk in a fog.

There, think of that;-be wise, and save yourself!

I've better men to care for !

[Exit APOLLONIUS.

MERCUTIUS.

What did he say?

The words were drowned in my ear by something sweeter.

[A strain of wild music within the house.

Music! rare music!--It must be her voice;
I ne'er heard one so thrilling! Is it safe