Shall we then live thus vile, the race of Heaven The victor's will. To suffer, as to do, This is now Our doom; which if we can sustain and bear, His anger, and perhaps, thus far removed, With what is punished; whence these raging fires Their noxious vapour, or inured not feel, Or changed at length, and to the place conformed Familiar the fierce heat, and void of pain; Of future days may bring, what chance, what change MISCELLANEOUS DIALOGUES. Scene from "The Hunchback." HELEN. MODUS. Helen. I'm weary wandering from room to room; Enter MODUS. Mod. Latin, sweet cousin. Helen. 'T is a naughty tongue, I fear, and teaches men to lie. Mod. To lie! Helen. You study it. You call your cousin sweet, And treat her as you would a crab. As sour T would seem you think her, so you covet her! Helen. No; nor men. Else would you better know their ways; nor read In presence of a lady. Mod. Right you say, [Strikes the book from his hand. G And well you served me, cousin, so to strike Helen. Pick it up. He fears me as I were his grandmother! Mod. 'T is Ovid's Art of Love. Helen. That Ovid was a fool! Mod. In what? Helen. In that! To call that thing an art, which art is none. Helen. Are you a fool As well as Ovid? Love an art! No art But taketh time and pains to learn. Love comes Mod. Nay, you know not The argument. Helen. I don't? I know it better Than ever Ovid did! The face, the form,— The heart,—the mind we fancy, cousin! that's Couldst thou by Ovid, cousin, find it out? Why, cousin, are you frighten'd, that you stand You care too much for blows! Mod. You wrong me there. At school I was the champion of my form ; Helen. That for college! Mod. Nay, hear me ! Helen. Well? What, since you went to college? You know what men are set down for, who boast Of their own bravery? Go on, brave cousin : What, since you went to college? Was there not One Quentin Halworth there? You know there was, And that he was your master? Mod. He my master? Thrice was he worsted by me! Your master. Mod. He allow'd I had the best! Allow'd it, mark me! nor to me alone, But twenty I could name. Helen. And master'd you At last! Confess it, cousin, 't is the truth! For all your cuffings, cuffing you again Protest that you are valiant! Mod. Cousin Helen! Helen. Well, sir? Mod. The tale is all a forgery! 452188 Helen. A forgery! Mod. From first to last; ne'er spoke I To a proctor's daughter, while I was at college. Helen. Well, 'twas a scrivener's, then-or somebody's. Mod. Cousin, I tell you, if you'll only hear me, Helen. Indeed! Now I'll retreat, if he's advancing. Mod. Well! What more wouldst have me say? Helen. And so think I. I did but jest with you. You are not angry? Shake hands! Why, cousin, do you squeeze me so? Mod. No. May I die if I did! Helen. Why then you did not, cousin. So let's shake hands again—[He takes her hand as before.]—0 go! and now Read Ovid! Cousin, will you tell me one thing: Behoved him teach them, then, to put them on; And that you have to learn. Why, cousin, how you blush! Hold up your head! You're blushing still! Why do you blush, dear cousin? So!-'t will beat me! Mod. Nay, prithee don't-try on! Helen. And if I do, I fear you'll think me bold. Mod. For what? Helen. To trust my face so near to thine. Mod. I know not what you mean! Helen. I'm glad you don't! Cousin, I own right well-behaved you are, Most marvellously well-behaved! They've bred |