And with thine own hands kill me in this place. Tam. What begg'st thou, then? Fond woman, let me go. Lav. "Tis present death I beg; and one thing more, That womanhood denies my tongue to tell. O, keep me from their worse than killing lust, Tam. So should I rob my sweet sons of their fee; No, let them satisfy their lust on thee. Dem. Away, for thou hast staid us here too long. Lav. No grace? no womanhood? Ah, beastly creature! The blot and enemy to our general name! Confusion fall Chi. Nay, then I'll stop your mouth.-Bring thou her husband; [Dragging off LAVINIA. This is the hole where Aaron bid us hide him. [Exeunt. Tam. Farewell, my sons; see that you make her sure. Ne'er let my heart know merry cheer indeed, [Exit. SCENE IV. The same. Enter AARON, with QUINTUS and MARTIUS. Aar. Come on, my lords; the better foot before. Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit, Where I espied the panther fast asleep. Quin. My sight is very dull, whate'er it bodes. Mart. And mine, I promise you; were't not for shame, Well could I leave our sport to sleep awhile. [MARTIUS falls into the pit. Quin. What, art thou fallen? What subtle hole is this, Whose mouth is covered with rude-growing briers; Speak, brother, hast thou hurt thee with the fall? Aar. [Aside.] Now will I fetch the king to find them here; That he thereby may give a likely guess, Quin. I am surprised with an uncouth fear; And see a fearful sight of blood and death. Quin. Aaron is gone; 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 embrewed here, All on a heap like to a slaughtered lamb, Quin. If it be dark, how dost thou know 'tis he? A precious ring, that lightens all the hole,' 1 Old naturalists assert that there is a gem called a carbuncle, which emits not reflected but native light. Boyle believed in the reality of its existence. It is often alluded to in ancient fable. VOL. VI. 47. Which, like a taper in some monument, As hateful as Cocytus' misty mouth. Quin. Reach me thy hand, that I may help thee out; Or, wanting strength to do thee so much good, I have no strength to pluck thee to the brink. Mart. Nor I no strength to climb without thy help. Quin. 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. Sat. Along with me.-I'll see what hole is here, Into this gaping hollow of the earth? Mart. The unhappy son of old Andronicus; Brought hither in a most unlucky hour, To find thy brother Bassianus dead. 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; 'Tis 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, with Attendants; TITUS ANDRONICUS and LUCIUS. Tam. Where is my lord, the king? Sat. Here, Tamora; though grieved with killing grief. Tam. Where is thy brother Bassianus ? Sat. Now to the bottom dost thou search my wound; Poor Bassianus here lies murdered. Tam. Then all too late I bring this fatal writ, The complot of this timeless' tragedy; [Giving a letter. And wonder greatly, that man's face can fold Sat. [Reads.] An if we miss to meet him handsomely, Sweet huntsman, Bassianus 'tis, we mean,- Thou know'st our meaning. Look for thy reward Which overshades the mouth of that same pit, Aar. My gracious lord, here is the bag of gold. [Showing it. Sat. Two of thy whelps, [To TIT.] fell curs of bloody kind, Have here bereft my brother of his life. Sirs, drag them from the pit unto the prison; There let them bide, until we have devised Some never-heard-of torturing pain for them. Tam. What, are they in this pit? O wondrous thing! How easily murder is discovered! Tit. High emperor, upon my feeble knee I beg this boon, with tears not lightly shed, That this fell fault of my accursed sons,— Accursed, if the fault be proved in them,— Sat. If it be proved! you see, it is apparent.Who found this letter? Tamora, was it you? 1 i. e. untimely. Tam. Andronicus himself did take it up. Tit. I did, my lord. Yet let me be their bail Sat. Thou shalt not bail them; see, thou follow me. Some bring the murdered body, some the murderers. Let them not speak a word; the guilt is plain; For, by my soul, were there worse end than death, That end upon them should be executed. 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 them. [Exeunt severally. SCENE V. The same. Enter DEMETRIUS and CHIRON, with LAVINIA, ravished; her hands cut off, and tongue cut out. Dem. So now go tell, an if thy tongue can speak, Who 'twas that cut thy tongue and ravished thee. Chi. Write down thy mind, bewray thy meaning so; And, if thy stumps will let thee, play the scribe. Dem. See how with signs and tokens she can scowl. Chi. Go home, call for sweet water, wash thy hands. Dem. She hath no tongue to call, nor hands to wash; And so let's leave her to her silent walks. Chi. An 'twere my case, I should go hang myself. Dem. If thou hadst hands to help thee knit the cord. [Exeunt DEMETRIUS and CHIRON. Enter MARCUS. Mar. Who's this,—my niece, that flies away so fast? Cousin, a word; where is your husband?— |