gone, Quint. Åaron is and my compassionate heart Will not permit mine eyes once to behold The thing whereat it trembles by surmise: O, tell me how it is, for ne'er till now Was I a child, to fear I know not what. Mart. Lord Bassianus lies embrued here, All on a heap, like to a slaughter'd lamb, In this detested, dark, blood-drinking pit. Quint. If it be dark, how dost thou know 't is he? Mart. Upon his bloody finger he doth wear A precious ring, that lightens all the hole: Which, like a taper in some monument, Doth shine upon the dead man's earthly cheeks, And shows the ragged entrails of this pit: So pale did shine the moon on Pyramus, When he by night lay bath'd in maiden blood. O, brother, help me with thy fainting hand,If fear hath made thee faint, as me it hath,Out of this fell-devouring receptacle, As hateful as Cocytus' misty mouth. Quint. Reach me thy hand, that I may help thee out; Or, wanting strength to do thee so much good, I may be pluck'd into the swallowing womb Of this deep pit, poor Bassianus' grave. I have no strength to pluck thee to the brink. Mart. Nor I no strength to climb without thy help. Quint. Thy hand once more; I will not loose again, Till thou art here aloft, or I below: Thou canst not come to me, I come to thee. [Falls in. Enter SATURNINUS and AARON. Sat. Along with me:-I'll see what hole is here, And what he is that now is leap'd into it. Say, who art thou that lately didst descend Into this gaping hollow of the earth? Mart. The unhappy son of old Andronicus, Brought hither in a most unlucky hour, Sat. My brother dead? I know thou dost but jest: He and his lady both are at the lodge, Upon the north side of this pleasant chase; 'T is not an hour since I left him there. Mart. We know not where you left him all alive, But out, alas! here have we found him dead. Enter TAMORA, ANDRONICUS, and Lucius. Tam. Where is my lord the king? Sat. Here, Tamora, though griev'd with killing grief. Tam. Where is thy brother Bassianus? Sat. Now to the bottom dost thou search my wound; Poor Bassianus here lies murthered. Tam. Then all too late I bring this fatal writ, The complot of this timeless tragedy; And wonder greatly that man's face can fold In pleasing smiles such murderous tyranny. [She gives SATURNINE a letter. SATURNINUS reads the letter. "An if we miss to meet him handsomely,- Which overshades the mouth of that same pit, Do this, and purchase us thy lasting friends." Sat. Oh Tamora, was ever heard the like? That should have murther'd Bassianus here. Aaron. My gracious lord, here is the bag of gold. Sat. Two of thy whelps, [to TITUS] fell curs of bloody kind, Have here bereft my brother of his life: Sirs, drag them from the pit unto the prison; Tam. What, are they in this pit? oh wondrous thing! How easily murther is discovered! Tit. High emperor, upon my feeble knee, Sat. If it be prov'd! you see it is apparent. Sat. Thou shalt not bail them, see thou follow me. Tam. Andronicus, I will entreat the king: Fear not thy sons; they shall do well enough. Tit. Come, Lucius, come; stay not to talk with [Exeunt. them. SCENE V.The Forest. Enter DEMETRIUS and CHIRON, with LAVINIA, her hands cut off, and her tongue cut out. Demet. So now go tell, an if thy tongue can speak, Who 't was that cut thy tongue and ravish'd thee. Chi. Write down thy mind, bewray thy meaning so, An if thy stumps will let thee play the scribe. Demet. See, how with signs and tokens she can scrowl. Chi. Go home, call for sweet water, wash thy hands. Demet. She hath no tongue to call, nor hands to And wash; So, let's leave her to her silent walks. Chi. An 't were my cause, I should go hang myself. Demet. If thou hadst hands to help thee knit the cord. [Exeunt DEMET. and CHI. Enter MARCUS, from hunting. Marc. Who is this? my niece, that flies away so fast? Cousin, a word; where is your husband? If I do dream, would all my wealth would wake me! Speak, gentle niece; what stern ungentle hands Whose circling shadows kings have sought to sleep in, As half thy love? why dost not speak to me? Like to a bubbling fountain stirr'd with wind, But, lovely niece, that mean is cut from thee; And make the silken strings delight to kiss them, He would have dropp'd his knife, and fell asleep, [Exeunt. |