Cam. I wonder much what lady this can be
Antonio mentions. [Aside.
Don A. Pardon, I beseech you, madam, the liberty
Which I so early take; but I presume
Such is your generous tenderness to those
Whose spiteful fortunes, not their fault, has brought
Into distress, that you will think yourself
Oblig'd to him who gives you the occasion
T' exercise those virtues, which only visit
Others, but reside with you. This fair lady—
But she will best relate her own sad story,
Whilst I seek out Don Henrique, and engage him
T' employ his power and int'rest for her service.
[Exit Don Antonio. Upon Camilla's approach
Porcia takes the handkerchief from
her eyes.
Cam. Ha! what is that I see? Stay, stay, Antonio,
[She runs after Antonio.
It is not fit Don Henrique—but he's gone,
And we are lost for ever!
Por. O heavens! is this Antonio, the same man,
To whom I am betroth'd? then my destruction
Is inevitable.
Cam. Are you an apparition, or are you
Porcia herself? speak; that when y' have said it thrice,
I may not yet believe you.
Por. You well may doubt even what you see, Camilla,
Since my disasters are so new and strange,
They sever truth from credibility.
Cam. How is it possible you should be here?
Por. I know not how: only of this I'm sure,
I have not long to expect the dismal end
Of my sad tragedy; since 'tis evident,
The person that hath led me to this place,
This fatal place, is the abus'd Antonio,
Who has conspir'd with my unnatural brother
To take away my wretched life, and chose
This scene as fittest for their cruelty.
And thus, strange fate! (through ignorance betray'd)
I have sought protection from the same party
Whom I have injur'd, and have made my husband
The only confidant of his own affront:
Who, to accomplish his too just revenge,
As well upon my family as person,
Gives me up to be murder'd by my brother;
So, whilst I'm branded as a faithless bride,
He'll be detested as a parricide.
Cam. Prodigious accident! but wert thou blind,
Not to know thine own house, unhappy Porcia?
Por. Alas! how could I, in so dark a night,
In such confusion, and so full of fear?
Besides, he brought me in by the back-way,
Through his own quarter, where was neither light,
Nor any creature of the family.
Cam. Although I cannot comprehend the steps
Of this your strange adventure, yet, dear cousin,
Your case, as I conceive, is not so desperate.
Por. We easily persuade ourselves to hope
The things we wish. But, cousin, my condition
Will not admit self-flattery, and what
Can you propose to temper my despair?
Cam. Don't you remember, how this afternoon
Antonio's man, finding me in your quarter
Without a veil, you having put on mine,
That he applied himself to me, and I,
By your command, assum'd your person?
Por. Yes, very well.
Cam. The master since has, by the man's mistake,
Been happily led into the same error:
I have not disabus'd him yet, in hopes
It might produce advantage to us both.
Por. O, he has spoken with my brother since,
Who (sure) has undeceiv'd him long e'er this.
No, without doubt, they, having found themselves
Affronted both, have both conspir'd my death.
Cam. How, cousin, can that be, if Don Antonio
Has engag'd himself in your protection,
And is Octavio's friend?
Por. Cousin, if you impartially reflect
On the affront which I have done Antonio,
You will not wonder much if he recede
From the scarce-trodden path of rigid honour
To meet with his revenge, and to that end
Proceeds thus cautelously, still pretending
He knows not me, that he may disavow,
Both to Octavio and to all the world,
Th' infamy of betraying a poor maid
To loss of life and honour.
Cam. Misfortunes make you rave: this vile suspicion
Is inconsistent with Antonio's fame.
You may as well believe that nature will
Reverse the order of the whole creation,
As that Antonio, a man whose soul
Is of so strong and perfect a complexion,
Should e'er descend to such a slavish sin. [Spoken with heat.
And if we had the leisure, I could give you
Such reasons to convince you of your error,
That you would both acknowledge and repent it.
Por. Alas! I had forgot her near concernments
For Antonio. [Aside.] Pardon and pity me, Camilla;
My mind is so distracted by afflictions,
I know not what I should, or should not, fear.
Cam. I pity thee with all my heart. But, cousin,
If Antonio, not knowing you nor your
Relations, should chance to find your brother,
And tell him unawares all that has pass'd,
And that h' has brought the distress'd party hither,
He'll presently imagine it is you,
And then, I fear, 'twill be impossible
(Though he should interpose with all his power)
To stop the torrent, or divert his rage
From breaking in, and executing on us
That horrid parricide which, though too late,
It may be he himself would execrate.
Por. There's too much ground for what you fear, Camilla;
But if I could secure myself this night,
'Tis very possible that to-morrow
We might engage Antonio and your brother
To find out some expedient to relieve me.
Cam. Were you only in pain for your security
This night, I know an easy remedy
For that.
Por. Which way, my dearest?
Cam. Why, what does hinder us from making use
On this occasion of the secret door,
By which, you know, you have so often pass'd
Into your house upon more pleasing errands?
By this we shall obtain these benefits—
[A] safety from your brother's present fury,
And time to try if Carlos and Antonio
May be engag'd to mediate in this business;
And I have cause to think you will not find
Antonio so implacable as you
Imagine.
Por. I conceive you, cousin. Fool that I was,
To think a heart once conquer'd by your eyes
Should e'er become another virgin's prize!
Enter Don Antonio.
Don A. So late! a guest in's house, that's come so far
On such a business, and not yet come home!
There's something in't I cannot comprehend. [Aside.
Madam, I han't as yet found out your brother,
But (sure) 'twill not be long ere he return;
Then I'll acquaint him with the accident
Has made his house this lady's sanctuary.
Por. Here is a glimpse of comfort, for I see
He takes my cousin for Don Henrique's sister. [Aside.
O bless'd mistake, so luckily continu'd!
Cam. I am by his permission mistress here;
And since that I am pleas'd, sir, 'tis enough,
Without our troubling him with the account
Of her sad story.
Don A. True, madam, as to her reception here;
But yet 'twere very fit he knew it too,
That we might serve ourselves of his advice
And credit for this lady's service.
Enter Don Henrique.
Don H. Though I did promise the corregidor
Not to stir from his house till his return,
Yet I could not obtain it of myself; [Aside.
I'm so impatient to unfold the riddle
Of Don Antonio's seeing of my sister,
And entertaining her in her own lodgings.
I shall not now be long i' th' dark. O heavens! [He sees her.
'Tis she herself, and Camilla with her.
Were all my servants mad, or all agreed
T' abuse me in affirming she was fled?
But Don Carlos, was he mad too to swear
That he had trac'd her to another house?
Certainly I or they must be possess'd,
Or some enchantment reigns within these walls.
Don A. O, here comes Don Henrique: now I'll acquaint him
With your sad story, madam.
Cam. I fear we are undone.
Don A. Don Henrique!
Por. I'm dead if he proceed, but how to hinder him——
Don A. Here's a lady with your sister Porcia——
Don H. Yes, sir, I see who 'tis.
Don A. Since you know her, sir, you will the easier
Excuse my boldness.
Don H. Boldness! in what, sir?
Don A. To have been th' occasion of your finding her
Here with your sister at this time o' th' night.
Don H. Lord, sir, what do you mean?
Don A. There was in truth such a necessity in it,
That 'twill, I hope, excuse my humble suit to you
In her's and my behalf.
Por. Now all comes out.
Don H. I understand you, sir; she does desire
To pass this night with Porcia, to assist her
In th' ordering of her nuptial ceremonies.
Let her stay, a' God's name.
Por. If he does not dissemble, my condition
Is not so desperate as I imagin'd. [Aside.
Don A. I hope you'll pardon this great liberty:
So early a confidence will need it, sir.
Don H. 'Tis more than enough that you desire it;
Th' occasion, too, does justify her stay.
Don A. 'Tis most true, sir, th' occasion did enforce me
Thus boldly to presume upon your friendship.
Don H. Ha' done, for heaven's sake: is it a novelty,
Think you, for Porcia and her cousin-german
To pass a night together?
Don A. Is she so near a kinswoman of his?
Strange inadvertence in her not to tell me
Her relation to him when I nam'd him first.
I'd made fine work on't, had I told him all. [Aside.
Don H. She knows I owe her many a good turn
Upon Octavio's score, and hope ere long
To be able to repay her to the full.
[Looking on the ladies, and spoken aside, that
Antonio might not hear him.
Por. Can he declare his mind in plainer terms?
Cam. I cannot tell which of us two he means:
These words may be applied to either of us;
But I begin to fear that he knows all.
Don H. Since 'tis so late, pray give the ladies leave
To retire to their chambers. Go in, sister.
Don A. My brother's words and his behaviour
Imply some mystery; but I must be silent
Till I discover more. [Aside.
Por. Let us be gone; w' are lost if we stay here.
I'm confident he counterfeits this calm
To cover his revenge, until Antonio
And the rest of the house are gone to bed.
Cam. But we shall ne'er be able to get out,
Whilst they continue in the outward rooms.
Por. Yes, by the garden door; but I'm afraid
'Tis shut.
Cam. No, now I think on't, Flora went that way,
And left it open.
Por. Come, let's be gone: I hope heaven will ordain
Ease by that door which first let in my pain.
[Exeunt Porcia and Camilla.
Don A. I'll only make a step, sir, to my chamber,
And then return to you immediately.
Don H. Pray, sir, give me leave to wait on you.
Don A. I humbly thank you, sir; I know the way,
And shall not stay above a moment from you.
Don H. What you please, sir; you command here.
Don A. I'll now go see whether my servant Sancho
Has brought Octavio to my lodgings,
As I directed him. [Exit Don Antonio.
Don H. Heavens! was there ever so strange a mystery!
Don Carlos, he affirm'd that those we fought with
Had convey'd Porcia away; and when I come
To seek her in the house, I find her missing:
To second this, her waiting-woman Flora
Tells me that she went down, about that time,
Into the garden: Antonio, not long after,
Affirms that he both saw and entertain'd her
In her own apartment, where I now find her,
And Camilla with her. What can this be?
These, sure, are riddles to pose an Œdipus;
But if, by my own sense, I am assur'd
My honour safe, which was so much in doubt,
What matter is it how 'tis brought about?