That shaded his fine brow; looks in his eyes; (1) And death came sōōn and swift LXVII. THE KNAVE UNMASKED. FROM SHAKSPEARE. SCENE I.-Camp before Florence. Enter COUNT ROSENCRANTZ, the captain of horse in the Duke of Florence's army, and CAPT. DUMAIN and his brother, two officers under the Count. 1st Capt. Dumain. Nay, good, my lord, try him. If your lordship find him not a knave, take me henceforth for a fool. 2d Capt. Dumain. On my life, my lord', he is a mere bubble. Count Rosencrantz. Do you think I am so far deceived' in him? 1st Capt. D. Believe it, my lord. To my certain knowledge, without any malice, but to speak of him as gently as if he were my kinsman', he's a notorious coward, an infinite and endless liar, an hourly promise-breaker, and the owner of no one good quality worthy your lordship's respect. 2d Capt. D. It is important that you should understand him, lest, reposing too far in a virtue which he hath not, he might, on some important occasion, in some pressing danger, fail you. Count R. I would I knew in what particular action to try him. 2d Capt. D. None better than to let him fetch off his drum, which you heard him so confidently undertake' to do. 1st Capt. D. I', with a troop of Florentines, will suddenly surprise' him. I will have men whom, I am sure, he knows not from the enemy. We will bind and hoodwink him so, that he shall suppose he is carried into the enemy's camp, when we bring him to our tents. Be but your lordship present at the examination; if he do not', for the promise of his life, and under the compulsion of base fear, vilify us all, offer to betray you, and deliver all the intelligence in his power against you, and that with the forfeit of his soul upon oath, never trust my judgment in any thing. 2d Capt. D. O for the love of laughter, let him fetch his drum; he says he has a stratagem' for 't. When your lordship sees the upshot of this affair, and to what metal this counterfeit lump of ore will be melted, if you give him not John Drum's entertainment, your partiality is indeed beyond the influence of reason. Here he comes. Enter DELGRADO. 1st Capt. D. O for the love of laughter, hinder not the humor of his design; let him fetch off his drum, anyhow. Count R. How now', Monsieur'? This drum sticks sorely in your disposition. 2d Capt. D. Hang' it, let it go'; 'tis but a drum. Delgrado. But a drum'! Is 't but a drum'? A drum so lost! 2d Capt. D. It was a disaster of war that Cæsar himself` could not have prevented, if he had been there to command. Count R. Well', we have reason to be satisfied with our success'. Some dishonor we had in the loss of that drum', but it is not to be recovered. Del. It might have been recovered. Count R. It might, but it is not now. Del. It is to be recovered; but that the merit of service is seldom attached to the real performer, I would have that` drum or another', or hic jacet. Count R. Why, if you have a stomach' to 't, Monsieur', if you think your skill in stratagem can recover' this instrument of honor, be magnanimous in the enterprise, and go on. I will do honor to the attempt as a worthy exploit. If you speed well in it, the Duke shall both speak of it, and extend to you what further becomes his greatness, even to the utmost extent of your merit. Del. By the hand of a soldier, I will undertake it. Count R. But you must not now slumber' in it. Del. I'll about it this evening. I will contrive my plans', prepare myself for the encounter', and, by midnight, look to hear further from me. Count R. I know thou art valiant. Farewell! Del. I love not many words. [Exit. 1st Capt. D. No more than a fish loves water. Is not this a strange fellow, my lord, that so confidently undertakes this business, which he knows is not to be done? 2d Capt. D. You do not know' him, my lord, as we do: certain it is, that he will steal himself into a man's favor, and for a week escape discovery`; but when you find him out, you have him ever after. Count R. Why, do you think he will make no attempt at the deed, which he so boldly and seriously promises? 1st Capt. D. None in the world; but return with an invention, and clap upon you two or three plausible lies; but we have almost encompassed' him; you shall see him fall to-night; for, indeed, he is not worthy of your lordship's confidence. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Without the Florentine Camp. Enter 1st CAPT. DUMAIN, with five or six soldiers in ambush. 1st Capt. D. He can come no other way but by this hedge corner. When you sally upon him, speak what terrible language you will; though you understand it not yourselves, no matter; for we must not seem to understand him; but some one among us must be an interpreter. 1st Soldier. Good Captain, let me be the interpreter. 1st Capt. D. Are you not acquainted with him? he not your voice? 1st Sold. No, sir, I warrant you. Knows 1st Capt. D. But what linsey-woolsey have you to speak to us again? 1st Sold. Even such as you speak to me. 1st Capt. D. He must think us some band of strangers in the enemy's army. Now, he hath a smack of all neighboring languages; therefore, we must all gabble, each after his own fancy; so we seem to know what we say, is to know straight to our purpose. As for you, interpreter, you must seem very politic. But, hide: ho! here he comes; to beguile two hours in sleep, and then to return and swear to the lies he forges. Enter DELGRADO. Del. Ten o'clock: within these two hours t' will be time enough to go home. What shall I say I have done? It must be a very plausible invention that carries it. They begin to smoke' me; and disgraces have, of late, knocked too often at my door. I find my tongue is too fool-hardy; but my heart hath the fear of Mars before it, and of his creatures, not daring to make good the reports of my tongue. 1st Capt. D. This is the first truth that thy tongue was ever guilty of. [Aside. Del. What madness' should move me to undertake the recovery of this drum; being not ignorant of the impossibility, and knowing I had no such purpose? I must give myself some hurts, and say, I got them in the exploit. Yet slight ones will not carry it: they will say :-Come you off with so little?—and great ones I dare not give. Tongue', I must put you into a butter-woman's mouth, and buy another of Bajazet's mule, if you prattle me into these' perils. 1st Capt. D. Is it possible, he should know' what he is, and be what he is? [Aside. Del. I would the cutting of my garments would serve the turn; or the breaking of my Spanish sword. 1st Capt. D. We can not let you off so. [Aside. Del. Or the shaving of my beard', and say it was in stratagem'. 1st Capt. D. 'T would not do. [Aside. Del. Or to drown my clothes', and say, I was stripped'. 1st Capt. D. Hardly serve. [Aside. Del. Though I swore I leaped from the window of the [Aside. citadel' 1st Capt. D. How deep? Del. Thirty fathom. 1st Capt. D. Three great oaths would scarce make that be believed'. [Aside. Del. I would I had any drum of the enemy's; I would swear, I had recovered it. 1st Capt. D. You shall hear one anon. [Aside. Del. A drum now of the enemy's! [Alarm within. 1st Capt. D. Throca movousus, cargo, cargo, cargo. All. Cargo, cargo, villianda par cargo, cargo. Del. O ransom'! ransom'!-do not hide mine eyes'. [They seize him and blindfold him. 1st Sold. Boskos thromuldo boskos. Del. I know you are the Muskos' regiment, 1st Sold. Boskos vanvado : I understand thee, and can speak thy tongue ;— Betake thee to thy faith, for seventeen poniards Del. Oh! oh! oh! 1st Sold. O pray', pray', pray, Manka ravania dulche. 1st Capt. D. Oscorbi dulchos volivorca. 1st Sold. The general is content to spare thee yet; And, hoodwinked as thou art, will lead thee on To gather news from thee; perhaps, thou may'st inform Del. O, let me live, And all the secrets of our camp I'll show; Their force', their purposes'; nay, I'll speak that, Which thou wilt wonder at. 1st Sold. But wilt thou speak truly'? Del. If I do not, hang' me for a spy. 1st Sold. Acordo linta Come on, thou art granted space. [Exit, with Delgrado guarded. 1st Capt. D. Go', tell Count Rosencrantz and my brother, We have caught the woodcock, and will keep him muffled, Till we do hear' from them. 2d Sold. Captain, I will. 1st Capt. D. He will betray us all unto ourselves: Inform 'em that'. |