Page:Works of Sir John Suckling.djvu/307

Bel. Who, my lord?

Flo. My wife, my lord. Draw, draw, or by all my hopes,
My rage will make me turn a murderer.

Bel. Not so easily.[They fight

Flo. Hold, let's breathe: why should I do him right,25
Who has done me such wrong,
Or die for her that will not live for me?[Puts up
Go, enjoy her![Offers to go out

Bel. Soft! [Pulls him back.] You have stol'n a secret here,
That you must give again, or take my life.30
Draw!

Flo. Prithee, disturb me not.

Bel. No,
Unless you promise never to disclose
What you have here discover'd, this must be
The passage.[Stands betwixt the door and Florelio35

Flo. Hum!
I will be mute, credit me: I will not speak one word.[Offers to go out again

Bel. Nay [pulls him back], you must swear it too.

Flo. If I must, I must.
By heaven and by my honour, how tame a thing
A cuckold is![Exit40

Bel. 'Sdeath,
Why did I let him go? We can no more
Subsist together than fire and water.
One of us two must die;
And, charity tells me, better he than I.45
But how?
It is not for my honour to kill him basely;
Nor is it for hers to kill him otherwise.
Th' whole court will guess the quarrel, if it be a duel.[Studies again
It is decreed. No matter which way, so he fall;50
Mine, in respect of hers, are no respects at all.[Exit

 

Scene II
Enter Doco Discopio and Drollio

Doc. Abused, grossly abused!
A base affront, believe it, Drollio!

Drol. Why, what's the matter, signior?