Latest / Andromache / Perjur'd Husband, or The Adventures of Venice-Susanna Centlivre
Transcript
- 0:01Speaker 1: Act one of The Perjured Husband or The Adventures of
- 0:06Speaker 1: Venus by Susannah Saint Nivere. This is a LibriVox recording.
- 0:11Speaker 1: All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more
- 0:15Speaker 1: information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. The
- 0:22Speaker 1: Perjured Husband or The Adventures of Venus a tragedy the prologue.
- 0:32Speaker 2: Such dreadful laws of late against wit are made. It
- 0:36Speaker 2: dares not in the city show its hand. No place
- 0:40Speaker 2: is safe. Each cuckle turns informer. If we make Mary,
- 0:46Speaker 2: it must be in a corner. And here's tonight what
- 0:50Speaker 2: doubly makes it sweet? A private table and a lady's
- 0:54Speaker 2: treat at her reflections. None can be uneasy when the
- 0:59Speaker 2: kind creature does her best to please ye. Humbly she sues,
- 1:05Speaker 2: and tis not for your glory to insult a lady
- 1:08Speaker 2: when she falls before ye. But since no human wit
- 1:13Speaker 2: can stand the test with Gourmand and the champion of
- 1:17Speaker 2: the West, she'll fill the lists, and then you cannot
- 1:21Speaker 2: slight her with honor safe, for she's a fair invited,
- 1:26Speaker 2: expects no favor, but at honor's call, defies the boldest
- 1:31Speaker 2: briton of you. All whatever's her fate. She's sure to
- 1:35Speaker 2: gain the field, for women always conquer when they yield.
- 1:42Speaker 3: Dramatist persona Count Bassino, a savoyard married to Placentia and
- 1:49Speaker 3: in love with Aurelia, read by Mike Menelacus.
- 1:55Speaker 4: Armando Bassino's friend read by Ala.
- 1:59Speaker 5: Mat Alonzo, a Venetian gentleman betrothed to Aurelia, read by
- 2:07Speaker 5: Wayne Cook.
- 2:09Speaker 6: Pizzolto, a noble Venetian read by Greg Giardano.
- 2:15Speaker 7: Ludovico, a Frenchman read by Remi.
- 2:20Speaker 8: Placentia Bassino's wife read by Wendy katz Hiller.
- 2:27Speaker 2: Aurelia, a young Venetian lady betrothed to Alonzo but in
- 2:32Speaker 2: love with Bassino, read by Jen Broda.
- 2:37Speaker 9: Florilla her Woman read by Avay.
- 2:42Speaker 10: Lady Pizzalta, Pizzalto's wife read by Sonia.
- 2:47Speaker 11: Lucy.
- 2:48Speaker 12: Her Woman read by Animas.
- 2:53Speaker 13: Montane, servant to Lady Vico Paige, servant and singer read
- 3:01Speaker 13: by Todd.
- 3:03Speaker 1: Stage directions read by the Intern three five six Scene
- 3:11Speaker 1: Venice in Carnival time the badjured husband. Act one, Scene one,
- 3:21Speaker 1: The curtains fly up and discover a mask in Pizalto's house.
- 3:26Speaker 1: Pizalto Lady Pizalta, Lucy Ludovico talking to Lady Pizalta, Bassino
- 3:34Speaker 1: and Aurelia talking together, Florilla and other maskers a Spanish
- 3:42Speaker 1: entry while the dance is performing. Enter Armando and gives
- 3:49Speaker 1: Bussino two letters, which he opens and reads. Lady Pizalta
- 3:55Speaker 1: and Lucy advanced to the front of the stage.
- 4:00Speaker 10: Oh, Lucy, I'm undone. That stranger there has charmed my heart.
- 4:05Speaker 10: I feel the power of conquering love. Quick quickly tell
- 4:10Speaker 10: me what shall I do to ease this racking passion?
- 4:15Speaker 12: Nay, Madam, I fancy your passion has little occasion for
- 4:18Speaker 12: the lentatives it blazes so violently at first, dislike to
- 4:22Speaker 12: be soon extinguished.
- 4:25Speaker 10: Dear Lucy, don't trifle with me, but contrive, imagine, do
- 4:30Speaker 10: anything to bless thy love, sick mistress with the sight
- 4:34Speaker 10: of that dear man, and as in earnest of further
- 4:39Speaker 10: rewards here take.
- 4:42Speaker 1: This gives her a ring.
- 4:45Speaker 12: Madam, I receive your commands with much joy a sigh,
- 4:50Speaker 12: but you're present with much more. I'll try what this
- 4:55Speaker 12: projecting brain can do, and if you step into the
- 4:58Speaker 12: next room, I'll soon give you you an account of
- 5:00Speaker 12: my proceedings.
- 5:02Speaker 1: Exit, Lady Pizalta.
- 5:05Speaker 3: Ye, Gods, what have I done that you pursue me?
- 5:08Speaker 4: Thus?
- 5:09Speaker 3: Why did you air decree that I should wed a WiFi?
- 5:12Speaker 3: Now must hate? Why did I see the bright Aurelia?
- 5:16Speaker 3: Why am I thus tor in TwixT love and duty?
- 5:19Speaker 3: Or what payings? What torments? My soul endures? Oh, my Aurelia.
- 5:26Speaker 1: Excient omnis but Lucy and Ludovico. Lucy pulling Ludovico by
- 5:33Speaker 1: the sleeve.
- 5:34Speaker 12: Sir, sir, one word with you your business? May one
- 5:41Speaker 12: ask you a civil question and be resolved?
- 5:45Speaker 10: Hmmm?
- 5:45Speaker 7: A civil question, says dou, what's it, privy a night's lodging?
- 5:52Speaker 7: If so, pull off thy mask and I resolve thee instantly.
- 5:56Speaker 7: But I never strike bargains in the dark.
- 6:00Speaker 12: I don't know, sir, But it may tend to that
- 6:03Speaker 12: by way of proxy at.
- 6:05Speaker 11: The long run.
- 6:06Speaker 12: But at present my commission reaches no further than to
- 6:10Speaker 12: know your lodgings. If anything comes aunt, I fancy twill
- 6:15Speaker 12: not displease.
- 6:15Speaker 14: You, Ludovico aside, hum, this is but a pettifogger in intrigues.
- 6:23Speaker 7: I find, Hey, God, I'm like to be pretty well
- 6:26Speaker 7: employed during the carnival. Well, considering I'm a stranger here,
- 6:32Speaker 7: this hit may be a lucky one, and the lady handsome. God,
- 6:38Speaker 7: I'll fancy her so at least, what bert for the
- 6:42Speaker 7: pleasure of expectation?
- 6:45Speaker 11: What are you studying?
- 6:46Speaker 1: Sir?
- 6:47Speaker 12: Are you so long resolving whether you shall accept the
- 6:50Speaker 12: lady's favor or no?
- 6:52Speaker 7: No faith, child, I'm not overscrupulous in those matters. Let
- 6:57Speaker 7: her be but woman, and wish to disagree, And so
- 7:02Speaker 7: thou mayst tell her there's a direction for thee.
- 7:07Speaker 1: Tears the superscription of a letter and gives it her exit.
- 7:11Speaker 12: Ludovico frank and easy a la morte parie. Well, these
- 7:18Speaker 12: indifferent sparks charm more than all your cringing fops. Now
- 7:22Speaker 12: for my business, let me see.
- 7:25Speaker 11: Out to my lady.
- 7:27Speaker 12: She'll write, I'll carry the letter, and the devil will
- 7:30Speaker 12: turn saint if I don't bring him together and merit
- 7:34Speaker 12: a further recompense by coupling, many have their fortunes made.
- 7:39Speaker 12: I only want preferment, not my trade.
- 7:43Speaker 1: Exit Lucy. Scene two. The scene changes to Busino's lodgings
- 7:51Speaker 1: and discovers the Count in his nightgown, a table with
- 7:55Speaker 1: lights and letters lying on the table.
- 7:59Speaker 3: All things like hushed in peaceful silence. Here all but
- 8:03Speaker 3: Bassino's mind. Oh, happy he who lives secure and free
- 8:07Speaker 3: from love's alarms. But happier far, who master of himself,
- 8:12Speaker 3: ranges abroad without that clog A wife, Oh, rigorous laws
- 8:16Speaker 3: imposed on free born man, unmanned by bounteous nature first design,
- 8:21Speaker 3: the sovereign lord of all the universe. Why must his
- 8:24Speaker 3: generous passion thus be starved and be confined to one alone?
- 8:30Speaker 3: The woman whom Heaven sent as a relief to ease
- 8:33Speaker 3: the burden of a tedious life and be enjoyed when
- 8:36Speaker 3: summoned by desire, is now become the tyrant of our fates.
- 8:41Speaker 1: Takes up a letter.
- 8:43Speaker 3: But hold, Bessino, Whether does thy passion hurry thy wandering reason?
- 8:48Speaker 3: Let this letter recall the fugitive and fix thy senses
- 8:51Speaker 3: on dutious love. A wife, so young, so fair, so excellent,
- 8:56Speaker 3: whose charms not three months since did fire thy soul?
- 9:00Speaker 3: A wife who dotes on thee, A wife to whom
- 9:04Speaker 3: thou sworest eternal love by Heaven, I swear again I
- 9:08Speaker 3: will be true. This thought again restores my peace of mind.
- 9:12Speaker 3: No charming wife, no dear Placentia, No thou shalt not
- 9:17Speaker 3: beg in vain. I will return kisses the letter. But
- 9:22Speaker 3: who comes here? My friend? Armando?
- 9:26Speaker 4: Enter Armando, dear friend, I heard the conflict of your passion,
- 9:33Speaker 4: and my joys are now complete, since virtue gains the day.
- 9:40Speaker 3: Yes, dear Armando, the conflict is over, and I'm resolved
- 9:43Speaker 3: to fly to my placentia.
- 9:46Speaker 4: Cherish that thought. By Heaven, your resolution transports my soul
- 9:52Speaker 4: with joy. A kind of virtuous wife waits or embraces,
- 9:58Speaker 4: a wife who, like a turtle mourns the absence of
- 10:03Speaker 4: her dear mates. Haste them, my friend, to drive that
- 10:08Speaker 4: cloud of sorrow which or casts her mind, and like
- 10:13Speaker 4: the sun, dispel her gloomy thoughts.
- 10:18Speaker 3: Thanks for your counsel. You, like a god, support my
- 10:21Speaker 3: feeble virtue. This very morning, I'll prepare for Turin, where
- 10:25Speaker 3: time and absence will deface the image of that bewitching
- 10:28Speaker 3: beauty which now haunts my tortured mind. Yet first I'll
- 10:32Speaker 3: take my leave of this fair charmer, and Heaven grant
- 10:35Speaker 3: that I may see her unconcerned?
- 10:38Speaker 4: My lord, what do you mean? Have you well awighed
- 10:43Speaker 4: the danger of this visit?
- 10:46Speaker 3: What danger can there be danger.
- 10:49Speaker 4: My Lord, consider well, how feeble our reason is against
- 10:55Speaker 4: the power of beauty.
- 10:58Speaker 3: My resolution's firm. No charm can shake it.
- 11:02Speaker 4: If not her beauty, fear her siren tongue, fear her
- 11:07Speaker 4: endearing prayers, her fond reproaches, her tender sighs, her vows,
- 11:14Speaker 4: her trickling tears. Nay, if all this proved vain, fear
- 11:21Speaker 4: her despair a woman and abandoned woman's rage.
- 11:27Speaker 3: Were there more dangers? Yet I'll stay in them all.
- 11:30Speaker 3: My honor bids me pay this parting visit. My heart
- 11:34Speaker 3: shall have no share in what I'll speak. Trust me
- 11:36Speaker 3: this once, and be yourself a witness. Bessino can control
- 11:40Speaker 3: unlawful love.
- 11:42Speaker 4: My Lord tis with regret. I see you go. May
- 11:47Speaker 4: Heaven assist you in this dangerous strife.
- 11:52Speaker 1: Scene three, Aurelia's chamber, She and an undress with Florilla.
- 12:00Speaker 2: No more of that cease thy ungrateful suit. Helonzo is
- 12:04Speaker 2: a man I cannot love I own. He's witty, generous,
- 12:09Speaker 2: and brave, has all the charms that nature can bestow
- 12:13Speaker 2: to fire a woman's heart. Yet I'm insensible. His very
- 12:18Speaker 2: sight chills all my trembling spirits. Therefore name him no
- 12:23Speaker 2: more I charge thee do.
- 12:25Speaker 9: Not, madam, I've done yet? Shall I be permitted to
- 12:31Speaker 9: ask a question? Are you unresolved? Ne'er to admit a
- 12:36Speaker 9: passion in your breast?
- 12:38Speaker 2: Oh, dear Florilla, press not a confession which not too well?
- 12:43Speaker 2: My eyes themselves disclose alas I love, I love to
- 12:49Speaker 2: such excess that, though I know I'm loved again, my
- 12:54Speaker 2: mind is still perplexed with doubts and jealous fears.
- 12:59Speaker 9: You love and I beloved? Then sure you reach the
- 13:03Speaker 9: height of human bliss and bounteous heaven can scarce give more?
- 13:08Speaker 9: But who's the happy man? Is it not Count Bassino?
- 13:13Speaker 2: Oh? Charming name? There's music in that sound? Yes, Count
- 13:19Speaker 2: Bussino is the man I love. Coun'st Thou now blame
- 13:23Speaker 2: my coldness to Alonzo.
- 13:26Speaker 9: Forgive me, madam, if I dare presumed to speak my sentiments,
- 13:30Speaker 9: I must confess. Bassino is a man of excellent virtue.
- 13:35Speaker 9: His education at the court of Savoy has still refined
- 13:38Speaker 9: what he received from nature. His person, too, is charming
- 13:43Speaker 9: and what most women court. He has a title, But
- 13:48Speaker 9: then consider you are unacquainted with his estate, and though
- 13:53Speaker 9: his equipage denotes an ample fortune. Yet we see many
- 13:58Speaker 9: a stranger here during the carnival. Well, who makes a
- 14:01Speaker 9: figure here by industrious gaming. As for Alonzo, he was
- 14:06Speaker 9: born at venice of noble parents, his estate a large one.
- 14:11Speaker 9: Even from his youth you had his amorous wishes, and
- 14:15Speaker 9: as he grew in years his love increased. You loved
- 14:19Speaker 9: him too. Nay, which is more, your father approved your
- 14:24Speaker 9: mutual loves, and at his death bequeathed you to Alonzo.
- 14:29Speaker 2: Oh, my Floralla, thou hast roused a thought which will
- 14:33Speaker 2: forever break Aurelia's rest. I know my father's tenderness to
- 14:37Speaker 2: me made him confirm Alonzo's suit. For then I loved Alonzo.
- 14:44Speaker 2: But were my gentle father still alive, I am sure
- 14:47Speaker 2: he would not cross my inclinations. But oh, name not
- 14:52Speaker 2: my father. I cannot bear the sad remembrance of so
- 14:56Speaker 2: great a loss.
- 14:58Speaker 9: Weeps, but fear you not to fend his peaceful ghost
- 15:03Speaker 9: by breaking with the man he destined.
- 15:05Speaker 2: Yours tis not my fault, and just Heaven must forgive
- 15:10Speaker 2: what Heaven decrees. Yes, tis my cruel stars that made
- 15:15Speaker 2: my heart in constant to Alonzo. Tis with regret I
- 15:19Speaker 2: break my plighted faith in vain, I strive to check
- 15:23Speaker 2: my new born love. I cannot cannot live without Bussino, Madam.
- 15:31Speaker 9: I wish your passion ne'er prove fatal. But much I
- 15:35Speaker 9: feared this inauspicious match.
- 15:38Speaker 1: Enter Bassino, Armando, may.
- 15:42Speaker 2: Heaven avert the unlucky combination of our presaging thoughts. For
- 15:48Speaker 2: no I tremble too. But here's the man that will
- 15:52Speaker 2: dispel my fears.
- 15:55Speaker 15: Armando to Bassino, my Lord rem to keep your resolution.
- 16:03Speaker 1: Bassino to Armando, Yes, I will keep it.
- 16:08Speaker 3: To Aurelia, Madam, you will pardon a morning visit when
- 16:13Speaker 3: you know what reasons pressed me to fix it. On
- 16:15Speaker 3: this early hour. By letters from the court, I was
- 16:19Speaker 3: last night commanded to return with speed to Turin and
- 16:22Speaker 3: thence let out for France to represent my sovereign liege
- 16:25Speaker 3: in solemn embassy. This day I must prepare to take
- 16:28Speaker 3: my journey, though it is with killing grief. I leave
- 16:31Speaker 3: my dear, my fair Aurelia to Armando.
- 16:37Speaker 15: Now, my Armando, my Lord, tis warm, but still beyond
- 16:42Speaker 15: your guard.
- 16:44Speaker 4: The dreadful chanc comes.
- 16:46Speaker 2: On this day. Begone what means, my Lord, Oh Heaven,
- 16:52Speaker 2: my foreboding fears are come to pass, I see a
- 16:55Speaker 2: cloud of woes just ready to overwhelm me. Is it possible?
- 17:00Speaker 2: How can that form divine harbor such treachery?
- 17:04Speaker 11: His?
- 17:04Speaker 2: Then, Bassino, false, say, perjured man, how often did you
- 17:10Speaker 2: swear this happy day should make you mine forever? How
- 17:14Speaker 2: can you forget your solemn vows? Why have I met
- 17:18Speaker 2: with this any human usage?
- 17:20Speaker 3: Madam? My Prince's orders are absolute. My honor is concerned.
- 17:26Speaker 2: Must a vain title be preferred to love? But no,
- 17:31Speaker 2: you never loved twas base, deceit, cursed, cursed, dissembling men,
- 17:38Speaker 2: their flattering tongues can feign a passion that will look
- 17:41Speaker 2: like love till by degrees they get us in their power. Then,
- 17:47Speaker 2: with bold impudence they draw the visor and shew the
- 17:51Speaker 2: cheat that mocked our credulous hopes, faithless Bussino, how oft
- 17:57Speaker 2: you swore your love could never except byre How oft
- 18:01Speaker 2: you swore one smile of mine had charms even above
- 18:05Speaker 2: the glories of a crown. Those were the oaths I
- 18:09Speaker 2: fondly did believe. Those words conveyed a poison to my heart.
- 18:15Speaker 2: And even now I feel it's mighty force. My head
- 18:19Speaker 2: turns skiddy, and my trembling knees betray their sinking burden.
- 18:25Speaker 2: Alas I faint, I die.
- 18:29Speaker 1: She faints, Bassino runs and embraces her.
- 18:34Speaker 3: Oh stay, my love, my life, my soul, My All
- 18:37Speaker 3: the conflicts passed and I am thine again. But she
- 18:41Speaker 3: is breathless. Oh ye, rigorous gods, give back her soul,
- 18:45Speaker 3: or let my own be plunged to dark elysium. Oh
- 18:48Speaker 3: my dear, Aurelia hugs her.
- 18:52Speaker 4: Is this your resolution? By heaven? I'd blush to call
- 18:58Speaker 4: you friend wife, My lord, remember your wife curse.
- 19:04Speaker 3: On that name. Urge me no more to follow your
- 19:07Speaker 3: kimiras lest you oblige me to break off that friendship
- 19:10Speaker 3: you blush to own. Oh, my Aurelia, Armando aside.
- 19:16Speaker 4: How sweet is treacherous vice? How eagerly fond man pursues
- 19:23Speaker 4: his ruin. All arguments were vain, Yet still one way
- 19:29Speaker 4: remains which cannot fail to stop the progress of this
- 19:34Speaker 4: impious love. His wife, by my direction, comes to Venice.
- 19:41Speaker 4: Her sight will soon awake his slumbering virtue. At least
- 19:46Speaker 4: it will retrieve Aurabia's senses.
- 19:50Speaker 1: Exit Armando, Aurelia recovering.
- 19:55Speaker 2: Where am I? Where's my lord?
- 19:58Speaker 3: My false passina, hear, hear my soul, My charming dear.
- 20:04Speaker 1: Aurelia thrusts him off.
- 20:07Speaker 2: Hold off, approach me, not urge, not my rage, Or
- 20:11Speaker 2: with this dagger, how revenge my wrongs on thy perfidious heart.
- 20:17Speaker 2: But oh, his heart's too hard even for tempered steel.
- 20:22Speaker 2: Therefore I'll sheathe it.
- 20:24Speaker 1: Here, offers at her breast. Bossino snatches the dagger and
- 20:30Speaker 1: throws himself at her feet in a distracted manner.
- 20:34Speaker 3: Oh, hold forbid it, Gods, I am the cursed cause,
- 20:39Speaker 3: and I must die. Oh who could bear my load
- 20:41Speaker 3: of mortal woe? Ye, heavenly powers, bestow the stroke of
- 20:45Speaker 3: grace and rack Busino. Let your vengeful thunder now crush
- 20:50Speaker 3: my guilty head. Or thou, o parent earth, open thy
- 20:54Speaker 3: bosom and conceal my crime.
- 20:57Speaker 1: Tears the ground? Is he? Then mine again falls down?
- 21:04Speaker 2: Look up, my lord, my love, my life, my dear
- 21:09Speaker 2: Bossino tis. Aurelia calls, let me forever fold thee in
- 21:14Speaker 2: my arms and beg thou to never speak of parting.
- 21:17Speaker 1: More embraces him. Both rise and embrace in an ecstasy.
- 21:24Speaker 3: Oh never, never, the pole shall meet the Sun and
- 21:28Speaker 3: moon invert their wonted motion. Ere I part from thee.
- 21:32Speaker 3: I fondly tried how much I was beloved, And since
- 21:35Speaker 3: you're true, my bliss is now complete.
- 21:38Speaker 2: Was it but a trial? Then my griefs are vanished
- 21:42Speaker 2: and I am lost in joy. Bosino is mine.
- 21:47Speaker 3: They embrace again Thine, Thine forever, and this happy day
- 21:52Speaker 3: shall end aureally as fears aside ha this day, said I,
- 21:58Speaker 3: but where's placense?
- 22:00Speaker 1: You?
- 22:00Speaker 3: Then my wife Placentia? Little does she think? What baseness
- 22:03Speaker 3: I intend? Oh racking thought? But tis resolved. I'll change
- 22:08Speaker 3: nor think no more. I'll try to plunge and reach
- 22:11Speaker 3: the blissful shore. And if I sink yet still this
- 22:15Speaker 3: hopes my friend, I'll snatch my treasure air my course,
- 22:18Speaker 3: I end.
- 22:20Speaker 2: My lord, what makes you pause?
- 22:23Speaker 3: The ravishing thoughts of mighty joys to come kept me
- 22:26Speaker 3: in ecstasy and made me dumb When on thy snowy
- 22:29Speaker 3: breast dissolved, I lie, what monarch? Can there be more
- 22:33Speaker 3: blessed than I?
- 22:35Speaker 1: Bulsino leaves her off with a languishing air enter Alonzo.
- 22:42Speaker 5: Sure, if my eyes deceive me not, I shall allel
- 22:46Speaker 5: you with the count. The giees parting hints dissolved in
- 22:50Speaker 5: love and languishing deceive a damination. I cannot the better
- 22:54Speaker 5: that that I laughed at.
- 22:56Speaker 1: Him Alonso going Floralla, Florlla aside.
- 23:04Speaker 9: Ha Alonso, Here I must prevent a discovery.
- 23:09Speaker 5: Florrella. Here she comes opportunely. She may inform me of
- 23:14Speaker 5: what I yet, but fear good morrow, fera how flair
- 23:20Speaker 5: is my love?
- 23:21Speaker 9: My dear Aralia, signor good morrow? You are an early visitant.
- 23:28Speaker 5: Not for a man in love. But answer Mia, how
- 23:32Speaker 5: does Arelia well in health?
- 23:36Speaker 9: Only she is now? And then in a little fit
- 23:39Speaker 9: of melancholy, such as usually proceeds from timorous doubts about
- 23:43Speaker 9: that dreadful state of matrimony? You know the time draws
- 23:47Speaker 9: nigh that gives her to your arms.
- 23:50Speaker 5: By heaven tis an age. There is a six days
- 23:54Speaker 5: I get.
- 23:55Speaker 1: To come Floralla aside an aid.
- 24:00Speaker 9: Indeed if he knew.
- 24:01Speaker 5: All but the hayes Flaliera lead me to my dear.
- 24:07Speaker 5: She only can contract the tedious age of lingering pain.
- 24:12Speaker 5: And so that with her smiles say is she alone? Yes?
- 24:19Speaker 9: No aside, oh heaven, what shall I say? She she's
- 24:26Speaker 9: a ah?
- 24:28Speaker 5: Or what means is as a faltering answer? Also not right?
- 24:33Speaker 5: And my suspicion's true.
- 24:36Speaker 9: Signor my lady is not dressed, and I shall displease
- 24:41Speaker 9: her in admitting even you without her leave.
- 24:45Speaker 5: Ah, not addressed? Take heed, you mock me not nor
- 24:50Speaker 5: a thing to blind me with your feigned excuse. For
- 24:53Speaker 5: in your guilty face I read the truth. Come tell
- 24:57Speaker 5: me who's the with her?
- 24:59Speaker 1: It's not Basino flour Ella aside.
- 25:03Speaker 9: Oh heaven, what shall I say?
- 25:07Speaker 5: Nay, nay, no study, lying will not do. I saw
- 25:12Speaker 5: them apart from hence just now I saw them herky,
- 25:16Speaker 5: sweet mistress, how long have you practiced this subtle trade?
- 25:21Speaker 5: I find you're much improved. Hell and them nation, Quickly
- 25:26Speaker 5: tell me what did Basino give for his admittance. I'll
- 25:29Speaker 5: double the reward. But she's not addressed for me. Oh damn, damn.
- 25:35Speaker 9: Sex Senor what do you mean.
- 25:39Speaker 5: To see her? Really? Yeah? I see her instantly? Nay,
- 25:43Speaker 5: By Heaven, I will all our positions a vain for
- 25:47Speaker 5: by the avenging power of love, I swear, though in
- 25:50Speaker 5: the Bassino's arms I'll drag her thence only to cast
- 25:54Speaker 5: her from my sight forever. Nor shall he leave to
- 25:58Speaker 5: triumph in my shame? What only marriage rites be not performed?
- 26:03Speaker 5: That I may call her wife. Her father gave her
- 26:07Speaker 5: to me, and her own vows have affixed my heart
- 26:10Speaker 5: in hers. Must then Alonzo be denied admittance under the
- 26:15Speaker 5: poor pretense that she is not dressed, will space but
- 26:19Speaker 5: seen no lies dissolved in pleasures on her perfidious breast.
- 26:24Speaker 5: Oh killing thought. She makes my name of husband infamous,
- 26:29Speaker 5: even before the priest has adjoined our hands. I mean,
- 26:34Speaker 5: and if dear friend I tamely beera, may Heaven deny
- 26:37Speaker 5: me my latest prayer?
- 26:40Speaker 1: Exellent Scene four, Ludovico's lodgings. Ludovico soulis who waits enter mountain.
- 26:52Speaker 13: Indeed you call.
- 26:53Speaker 7: Sir mountain, Run to Signor Ranquilla and tell her I've
- 26:58Speaker 7: done with her forever. If she does not send this
- 27:01Speaker 7: evening the hundred ducats she promised to lend me, and
- 27:06Speaker 7: harky as you come back, a quaint Signora Cornara, I
- 27:10Speaker 7: shall be busy tomorrow, and desire she will put off
- 27:13Speaker 7: her visit till another day.
- 27:16Speaker 15: Knocking at the door, Sir, there's somebody at the door.
- 27:22Speaker 7: See who t is, Sir.
- 27:26Speaker 13: A gentle woman desires to speak.
- 27:28Speaker 7: With you, A gentle woman. Admit her well, tis a
- 27:34Speaker 7: great fatigue to oblige the whole sex. Enter Lucy, Oh,
- 27:41Speaker 7: what news from your lady?
- 27:43Speaker 11: This will inform you.
- 27:44Speaker 1: Sir gives him a letter.
- 27:47Speaker 7: Hm hmmm, A letter reads. Though it may seem improper
- 27:52Speaker 7: for one of my sex to make the first step
- 27:55Speaker 7: in an amour, yet you ought to consider that the
- 27:59Speaker 7: rigorous confinement we are under all the year round may
- 28:04Speaker 7: in some measure excuse the liberties we take during the carnival.
- 28:08Speaker 7: If you have the courage to meet me, I shall
- 28:11Speaker 7: be at four in the afternoon in the Piazza Espagna,
- 28:15Speaker 7: invisible to all but yourself. Well, I believe all women
- 28:20Speaker 7: in Venice are wild for gallants.
- 28:23Speaker 12: Sir, what answer shall I return to my.
- 28:26Speaker 14: Lady Ludovico aside y gad, I am in doubt whether
- 28:32Speaker 14: I shall throw my time away on this intrigue or no,
- 28:37Speaker 14: hearty child, step into the next chamber and I'll answer
- 28:41Speaker 14: your message instantly.
- 28:43Speaker 1: Exit, Lucy. Let me see reads in his table book.
- 28:51Speaker 7: Monday, at two in the afternoon, I am to meet
- 28:54Speaker 7: Signor Rabelezza at her nurse's. She's a pretty rogue, and
- 28:58Speaker 7: so I'll go. At three of the clock. Senora Dorinda,
- 29:04Speaker 7: the Senator's wife at the Indian House. Sure she is
- 29:08Speaker 7: an old acquaintance. I shan't go. At half an hour
- 29:13Speaker 7: past three, the Countess Wrinkle, who presented me with a
- 29:17Speaker 7: gold hilted sword, silly fool? Does she think I'll bestow
- 29:22Speaker 7: one of my visits on an old, shriveled piece of
- 29:25Speaker 7: antiquity for a trifling prisons not worth above three score pistols?
- 29:31Speaker 7: At a quarter past four, my semstress Dorothy Steenkirk, who
- 29:36Speaker 7: supplies me with linen. Oh, this visit may be put
- 29:40Speaker 7: off for a new intrigue, and so I'll acquaints the messenger.
- 29:45Speaker 1: Exit Ludovico the end of the first act, Act two
- 29:57Speaker 1: of the Perjured Husband The Adventures of Venus by Susanna
- 30:03Speaker 1: Saint LeVert. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings
- 30:08Speaker 1: are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
- 30:13Speaker 1: please visit LibriVox dot org. Act two, Scene one, a
- 30:20Speaker 1: chamber in Signior Pizalto's house. Enter Lady Pizalta, Lucy.
- 30:28Speaker 10: Did you deliver my letter to Ludovico?
- 30:30Speaker 11: Lucy, Madam? I did.
- 30:33Speaker 12: I found him in his study reading the Lover's Watch,
- 30:36Speaker 12: which he swears does not at all agree with his constitution.
- 30:40Speaker 12: He hates injunctions of love like those of penance, for
- 30:44Speaker 12: the one, he says, is no more pleasurable to the
- 30:47Speaker 12: body than the other beneficial to the soul.
- 30:50Speaker 10: What a fine Galandan like to have with these principles? Well,
- 30:55Speaker 10: what did he say to a summons from a woman
- 30:57Speaker 10: of my quality? Did it not make him wish the
- 31:00Speaker 10: time of assignation was sooner than the appointment In the latter.
- 31:06Speaker 12: He first hummed over your billet, and, pausing a while,
- 31:10Speaker 12: he desired me to stay for an answer in the
- 31:12Speaker 12: next room. Then, coming to me, he asked me what
- 31:16Speaker 12: country woman you were for, said he, If she should
- 31:20Speaker 12: prove an old acquaintance, I would use her damnably. But
- 31:24Speaker 12: when I had assured him you never saw the outside
- 31:27Speaker 12: of these walls, he began to have that desire which
- 31:30Speaker 12: all men have to a new face.
- 31:33Speaker 2: Very well, and what then?
- 31:36Speaker 12: He straight and quiet? Whether you were black, brown, fair, old,
- 31:40Speaker 12: young maid, wife or widow? I told him you were
- 31:44Speaker 12: as wretched a wife to an old, impotent, rich, covetous
- 31:48Speaker 12: noble Venetian, beautiful, young, generous and of a fair complexion.
- 31:53Speaker 12: Had hugged me at these words seemed transported with the news,
- 31:57Speaker 12: and swore that in intrigues a wife was most soon
- 32:00Speaker 12: to his temper, For said he, there's neither children to father,
- 32:04Speaker 12: nor honor to repair, and where his pocket and liberty
- 32:07Speaker 12: are safe, he is contented to venture his body and soul.
- 32:12Speaker 10: Excellent Maxims.
- 32:14Speaker 12: In short, Madam, he says he has had several bills
- 32:17Speaker 12: of this nature drawn upon him of late, and how
- 32:20Speaker 12: much his stock may be exhausted, he knows not. But
- 32:23Speaker 12: however he'll meet you, and if he cannot answer your expectation,
- 32:28Speaker 12: he'll give you earnest you talk.
- 32:30Speaker 10: Merry, Lee, girl, I hope you did not tell my name.
- 32:34Speaker 10: I should be loth to trust a man of his
- 32:36Speaker 10: character with my reputation at first dash.
- 32:40Speaker 12: No, madam, I only told your quality.
- 32:44Speaker 10: That's well, oh, reputation. What several sorts of slavery do
- 32:49Speaker 10: we undergo to preserve thee for to be thought virtuous?
- 32:53Speaker 10: We are forced to be constantly railing against vice, though
- 32:57Speaker 10: Lord tongues and Maxims seldom.
- 33:01Speaker 12: Alas, Madam, that pretense is growing too common for the men.
- 33:05Speaker 12: Now take it for granted that a lady is very
- 33:08Speaker 12: near surrendering when once she holds out that flag of defiance.
- 33:12Speaker 10: Well, men use us very barbarously. They will neither suffer
- 33:17Speaker 10: us to be honest nor allow us to be thought.
- 33:20Speaker 10: So here take this key and secure everything that concerns
- 33:25Speaker 10: my reputation. And if my husband wakes, ere I come back.
- 33:29Speaker 10: You may easily find some excuse to prevent his enquiries.
- 33:33Speaker 10: For the carnival allows us small liberty than at other
- 33:37Speaker 10: times we dare pretend to. I knowe I honesty and
- 33:40Speaker 10: will rely upon it.
- 33:43Speaker 12: Yes, indeed, Madam, I am honest at the bottom.
- 33:47Speaker 10: Well, I'll be gone.
- 33:49Speaker 2: Tis about the hour.
- 33:51Speaker 1: Exit, lady Pisolta.
- 33:53Speaker 12: Good luck attend you, madam, enter Pisolto. Oh heavens, here's
- 33:59Speaker 12: my law, lord, madam, madam, madam, Oh lord, what shall
- 34:05Speaker 12: I say now she's gone?
- 34:08Speaker 6: Hist hist Lucy, don't don't don't call your lady, for
- 34:13Speaker 6: I have a word or two to say to THEE
- 34:15Speaker 6: in private, and have waited for this lucky opportunity a
- 34:19Speaker 6: great while.
- 34:21Speaker 11: Lucy aside, Now venus be praised.
- 34:24Speaker 12: I hope he has found some business of his own
- 34:27Speaker 12: that may give my lady an opportunity to mind hers.
- 34:31Speaker 6: Well, Lucy, Well, godst thou guess my business now.
- 34:36Speaker 12: No, indeed, sir, aside, but I'm certain an old man's
- 34:41Speaker 12: business can't be great.
- 34:44Speaker 1: Pizalto gives her a looking glass.
- 34:47Speaker 6: Here, child, this will tell thee look in it. Look
- 34:51Speaker 6: in it? I say, ah ah, thou hast a pretty
- 34:56Speaker 6: pouching lip, a delicate, roguish eye, such an orgul, such
- 35:02Speaker 6: a caste, ah rogue faith thou art very pretty? And
- 35:08Speaker 6: in short, if any one rival thy lady, it will
- 35:12Speaker 6: be thee. Lucy he gad I have fire in me yet.
- 35:18Speaker 12: Lucy aside, Oh my conscience and little too, I believe.
- 35:24Speaker 12: Yet I wish he has enough to serve my ends.
- 35:28Speaker 12: I'll make my fortune. Lord, sir, what do you mean
- 35:33Speaker 12: I arrival my lady? Heaven forbid? I would not injure
- 35:36Speaker 12: so good a woman for the world.
- 35:38Speaker 6: Pshaw, pshaw, where's the injury done to her?
- 35:42Speaker 1: Child?
- 35:43Speaker 6: A god, I'll give thee a hundrech crowns.
- 35:47Speaker 11: No injury.
- 35:48Speaker 12: Say you, my lord, why I wonder you should be
- 35:52Speaker 12: so jealous of my lady and preach such religious maxims
- 35:55Speaker 12: to her when your own principles are quite opposite.
- 35:59Speaker 6: Look, ye, child, A man may do that which would
- 36:03Speaker 6: look abominable in a wife A woman's reputation is a
- 36:07Speaker 6: nice thing, tis so?
- 36:10Speaker 12: And therefore tis but reason I should take care of
- 36:13Speaker 12: mine with.
- 36:14Speaker 6: Theee no more of that, thy reputation shall be safe.
- 36:19Speaker 6: I'll marry thee to my gentlemen.
- 36:22Speaker 12: Gentlemen, valet for and what good will a hundred crowns
- 36:27Speaker 12: do me when my virginity is gone? Indeed, if you
- 36:31Speaker 12: love me as much as you say, you would make
- 36:34Speaker 12: my fortune. For I should love extremely to be a lady.
- 36:38Speaker 12: I cannot tell you how far you might persuade me.
- 36:41Speaker 12: I know my reputation would be safe in your hands.
- 36:45Speaker 6: Make thy fortune. Why, I've known some of our nobles
- 36:49Speaker 6: marry a wife with less than a hundred crowns. But
- 36:54Speaker 6: a god, thou art a charming girl, And therefore I'll
- 36:58Speaker 6: make it a hundred pistoles, which sayest thou now, Lucy, Ah, God,
- 37:05Speaker 6: I must buss thee kisses her ah rog methinks I'm
- 37:13Speaker 6: a young, lusty, vigorous fellow. Again, thou shalt find I am.
- 37:18Speaker 12: Girl, Lucy aside, I believe I shall fail you, old gentlemen. Well,
- 37:25Speaker 12: my lord, make it up a thousand pistols, and I
- 37:29Speaker 12: am yours. Else I'll die a maid, I'm resolved a
- 37:33Speaker 12: thousand pistoles.
- 37:35Speaker 6: Why thou art the most unconscionable wench in Italy? Why
- 37:39Speaker 6: tis a price for a duchess in some countries? Come? Come, Prithee,
- 37:45Speaker 6: be reasonable.
- 37:46Speaker 12: Lucy, reasonable? Why you don't ask a reasonable thing? Look you,
- 37:53Speaker 12: you know my mind. I'll not bait a penny. I'll
- 37:57Speaker 12: warry my lady will give me two hundred ly for
- 38:00Speaker 12: my discovery.
- 38:01Speaker 1: Going Pizalto aside, it's life.
- 38:06Speaker 6: She won't tell my wife sure, I'm ruined if she does.
- 38:11Speaker 6: I'd rather give her two thousand hope. Hold Lucy, Sweet, Lucy, prithee,
- 38:18Speaker 6: come back, faith, thou art so charming, I can deny
- 38:23Speaker 6: thee nothing. Come, it shall be what thou wilt. Come now, rogue,
- 38:29Speaker 6: Let's retire to thy chamber.
- 38:33Speaker 12: Nay, nay, no entering the premises till you have paid
- 38:37Speaker 12: the purchase.
- 38:38Speaker 6: Hedd thou art a wag. Come on then, and I'll
- 38:43Speaker 6: discharge the debt. Thou art a cunning gypsy.
- 38:48Speaker 1: Exit Pizalto.
- 38:51Speaker 12: You shall have reason to say so er.
- 38:54Speaker 11: I have done with you, old gentlemen.
- 38:56Speaker 12: I am resolved to shew you a trick and preserve
- 38:59Speaker 12: my furch thank you for did base men within my
- 39:03Speaker 12: powerful to venge my injured sex, I jilt him all
- 39:07Speaker 12: and would but woman follow my advice? They should be
- 39:11Speaker 12: glad last to pay our price.
- 39:14Speaker 1: Exit Lucy, scene too, the piazza, the espagna in venus.
- 39:22Speaker 1: Enter Lady pizalta sola.
- 39:25Speaker 10: Not come yet, ungrateful men, must a woman of my
- 39:30Speaker 10: quality weight?
- 39:32Speaker 2: How have we lost our power?
- 39:34Speaker 10: Since the creation, when the whole world had but one
- 39:38Speaker 10: single lord, whom every creature readily obeyed. Yet he that mighty,
- 39:44Speaker 10: he caught with a smile, flew to the embraces of
- 39:48Speaker 10: the tempting fair. But now each puny sinnadezh to cross
- 39:53Speaker 10: a woman's inclinations.
- 39:58Speaker 1: Enter Ludovico, Oh, are you come?
- 40:02Speaker 10: Signor? I suppose you have some other assignation that makes
- 40:06Speaker 10: you miss my hour?
- 40:08Speaker 2: Pursue it.
- 40:09Speaker 10: Pray I'll not interrupt you.
- 40:12Speaker 1: Your servant going aside.
- 40:16Speaker 10: I hope you'll not take me at my word.
- 40:19Speaker 7: Nay, nay, Senora, Why this passion stops her? You sent
- 40:25Speaker 7: me a challenge, and I, like a man of courage,
- 40:29Speaker 7: I am come to answer it. Pray, don't let a
- 40:32Speaker 7: quarter of an hour break squares. I own it was
- 40:36Speaker 7: a fault to make a lady wait, but friends, madam,
- 40:40Speaker 7: friends and good wine are the devil. Come, I'll make
- 40:45Speaker 7: you amends.
- 40:46Speaker 10: Friends and good wine. I suppose those friends were female ones.
- 40:52Speaker 7: No faith you shall judge of that. But suppose they were,
- 40:58Speaker 7: Why should you be angry that I did not fly
- 41:01Speaker 7: with a desired haste? As long as I am come
- 41:04Speaker 7: time enough to give you satisfaction. Besides, I han't seen
- 41:10Speaker 7: your face yet, and for all I know, he mayn't
- 41:13Speaker 7: reward my compliments in coming. Now, prithe child, un musk,
- 41:20Speaker 7: and then I'll tell thee more of my mind.
- 41:24Speaker 1: Lady Pisota, aside the devil.
- 41:28Speaker 10: Take this fellow, And yet methinks I love him for
- 41:32Speaker 10: his indifferency. You talk as if you were unskilled in
- 41:37Speaker 10: the art of love. Don't you know that expectation feeds
- 41:43Speaker 10: more than twenty tasted pleasures?
- 41:47Speaker 7: Hmm, some sort of fops, it may, but I'm none
- 41:50Speaker 7: of those. I never give my opinion of a dish
- 41:54Speaker 7: till I've tasted. Neither do I care to dine often
- 41:58Speaker 7: on one sort of meat without changing the sauce. But
- 42:03Speaker 7: when that cloud's withdrawn, how long I shall keep my resolution?
- 42:08Speaker 10: I know not say you so, Why then the only
- 42:13Speaker 10: way to preserve your appetite is to feed you slenderly,
- 42:18Speaker 10: or only let you see the food, but not to taste.
- 42:24Speaker 7: Faith, madam, I'm no chameleon, but flesh and blood. Therefore
- 42:30Speaker 7: these prescriptions are of no use. One side of that
- 42:34Speaker 7: dear charming face of yours would be more obliging to
- 42:38Speaker 7: your humble servant.
- 42:41Speaker 1: Lady Pisolta unmasked.
- 42:44Speaker 10: Well, sir, what think you? Is there anything in this
- 42:49Speaker 10: face worth your regard?
- 42:52Speaker 7: Ah, by heaven an angel, Oh madam, Now blame yourself
- 42:58Speaker 7: for my neglect, For had you send a picture of
- 43:01Speaker 7: her in whom all those beauties center I had in
- 43:05Speaker 7: this place weighted the coming of my goddess, or rather
- 43:09Speaker 7: flown on the wings of eager love to meet my
- 43:13Speaker 7: fair though in the arms of ten thousand dangers, say,
- 43:18Speaker 7: my charming angel, do you forgive me? But why do
- 43:22Speaker 7: I ask? Your eyes? Assure me you do. At least
- 43:27Speaker 7: I'll force a pardon from this dear soft ruby lips.
- 43:33Speaker 1: Kisses her in ecstasy.
- 43:36Speaker 10: Hold hold for being so lavish, a sparing games taste,
- 43:42Speaker 10: so likeliess to keep in stock, whilst a profuse hand
- 43:47Speaker 10: at one cast throws all he has away.
- 43:51Speaker 7: To fear that where to doubt you charms in which
- 43:54Speaker 7: a lover is sure to find constant supplies. But we
- 43:59Speaker 7: lose time. Let's retire to my lodgings, where I'll give
- 44:02Speaker 7: thee the best proofs of my love I can, Lady
- 44:07Speaker 7: Pizalta aside, Well, he.
- 44:10Speaker 10: Is a charming fellow. Oh how happy our wife's in
- 44:15Speaker 10: France and England were such as he is. Swarm?
- 44:19Speaker 7: Come, madame, Come, why what do you mean by this delay?
- 44:24Speaker 7: Consider I'm a man, a mortal wishing amoris man.
- 44:29Speaker 10: And consider I am a woman.
- 44:33Speaker 14: Ludovico aside, Ay, ay that I know at least I
- 44:39Speaker 14: hope to find you such or I would not be
- 44:42Speaker 14: in such haste.
- 44:45Speaker 10: And I have a reputation to preserve.
- 44:49Speaker 14: Ludovico aside, Oh Lord, what a dumb turns here?
- 44:55Speaker 7: Reputation? Say you megerd, I find all women make pretense
- 45:01Speaker 7: to that mysterious word. What are you not married? Madam?
- 45:07Speaker 10: Yes? What then?
- 45:09Speaker 7: Why then you have a reputation to preserve?
- 45:12Speaker 10: That's all also, yes, and all in all to me?
- 45:17Speaker 10: Do you consider what country you're in, sir?
- 45:21Speaker 7: Yes, faith madam? And what constitution I am of two.
- 45:26Speaker 7: I know murder is as venuous seen here as adultery
- 45:31Speaker 7: is in some countries, and I am too apprehensive of
- 45:35Speaker 7: my mortal part not to avoid danger. Therefore, Madam, you
- 45:40Speaker 7: have an infallible security. If I should betray you, I
- 45:44Speaker 7: bring myself into jeopardy. And of all pleasures, self preservation
- 45:50Speaker 7: is the dearest.
- 45:53Speaker 10: A very open speaker, I vow.
- 45:55Speaker 7: Ai, madam, that's best. Hang your creeping, creaming, whining, sighing, dying,
- 46:03Speaker 7: lying lovers pure. Their flames are not more durable than mine,
- 46:09Speaker 7: though they make more noise in the blaze. Hang the
- 46:13Speaker 7: whining way of wooing loving was designed the sport.
- 46:18Speaker 1: Lady Pizalta, aside.
- 46:22Speaker 10: The us take me if this fellow has not charmed
- 46:25Speaker 10: me strangely, well, the carnival is almost over, and then
- 46:31Speaker 10: I must be shut up like a nun again. Hey, oh,
- 46:36Speaker 10: this time will be so short.
- 46:39Speaker 7: Let's make the better use on it. Then, my dear,
- 46:42Speaker 7: we will consider when we have nothing else to do.
- 46:45Speaker 7: But at present there's a matter of the greatest moment
- 46:48Speaker 7: which I must impose to you. Therefore, come, dear rog Come.
- 46:55Speaker 1: Lady Pizalta, looking on her watch.
- 47:00Speaker 10: Hold, I have outstayed my time and must return home
- 47:04Speaker 10: instantly to prevent discoveries.
- 47:09Speaker 7: Faith, madam, this is not fair to raise a man's
- 47:12Speaker 7: expectation and then disappoint him. Would you be served so yourself?
- 47:18Speaker 10: Now, I'll endeavor to disengage myself from my jealous husband
- 47:23Speaker 10: and contrive another meeting.
- 47:26Speaker 7: But will you be sure to meet me again?
- 47:30Speaker 10: I'll give you my hand as a pledge.
- 47:33Speaker 1: Ludovico kisses it, and I this kiss in return.
- 47:38Speaker 7: Adieu, my charmer.
- 47:41Speaker 1: Sini, farewell, exellent severally enter Possino Alonso, Well, sir, your business.
- 47:53Speaker 5: It is that I tell you you are a vein,
- 47:57Speaker 5: and that as such I had to have treated you
- 48:00Speaker 5: before the face of false Arelia. But I scorn to
- 48:03Speaker 5: follow the barbarous custom of my native country. I seek
- 48:07Speaker 5: with honor to avengere my wrongs. Therefore, sir, draw.
- 48:13Speaker 3: This action speaks you noble, Be likewise, just and let
- 48:17Speaker 3: me know the cause that moves your anger. By Heaven,
- 48:20Speaker 3: I'd rather call you still my friend than be your enemy. Yet,
- 48:24Speaker 3: if I wronged you, I'll give you satisfaction.
- 48:27Speaker 5: Trifle away too well, they'll know'st the cause? And now
- 48:31Speaker 5: wouldst soothe my wrongs with flattery. But my resolve is fixed,
- 48:36Speaker 5: as heaven decrease and the one of us must fall.
- 48:40Speaker 5: Let the survivor dispose of that abysse a false perjured Arelia,
- 48:46Speaker 5: as both his love and honor shall direct. If my
- 48:50Speaker 5: propititi stars defend my life, you shall not die alone.
- 48:55Speaker 5: The doubt is fairer shall bear your company and now draw?
- 49:01Speaker 3: Oh, hold one moment, hold, I must unfold this riddle,
- 49:06Speaker 3: adulterous fair say.
- 49:07Speaker 5: You, Yes, sir, she's my wife.
- 49:11Speaker 3: Humph aside your wife? Sure there's a curse entailed upon
- 49:16Speaker 3: that name. What your real wife?
- 49:20Speaker 5: If at the command of an expiring a father and
- 49:23Speaker 5: her own avowser can make her mind, she is the soul. Indeed,
- 49:28Speaker 5: the married rights are yet to come. Which slightly she
- 49:31Speaker 5: delayed these two months past on slighter pretense of finishing
- 49:36Speaker 5: the time of her morning for her father. But he
- 49:39Speaker 5: is plained, I was a property at your base of love,
- 49:43Speaker 5: and only designed to fill up your place. Well, sir,
- 49:46Speaker 5: fitted that you should return to turin l furies draw,
- 49:52Speaker 5: or in my just revenge, I'll pin you to the earth.
- 49:56Speaker 1: Melcino aside, old.
- 49:59Speaker 3: Woman woman, Yes, I will draw, But at the final
- 50:04Speaker 3: stroke is past. Recall, I swear Aurelia's virtue is clear
- 50:07Speaker 3: and spotless, like Diana's self. Nor was I prompted on
- 50:10Speaker 3: this early visit, but with design to take my last farewell,
- 50:14Speaker 3: having last night received my Prince's orders to haste to Turin. Therefore,
- 50:19Speaker 3: if I fall, I hope she'll meet with mercy.
- 50:22Speaker 5: Now come on, hold the hold, my lord? Oh could
- 50:26Speaker 5: I agree? That is? Sir? I would aspar then and
- 50:30Speaker 5: entreat your friendship.
- 50:32Speaker 3: Tis true upon my honor. But if you doubt my words,
- 50:36Speaker 3: I'm ready, though I have reason to decline this combat
- 50:39Speaker 3: at least at present a sign. Oh Placentia, Oh my placentia.
- 50:46Speaker 3: Why should I abuse thee?
- 50:48Speaker 5: My lord? You seem disturbed, Oh Alonzo, Alonzo.
- 50:54Speaker 3: Should I acquaint you with my wretched fate, you'd find
- 50:56Speaker 3: that life itself has grown a burden I cannot bear.
- 50:59Speaker 3: Since I can be happy, But this is a story
- 51:02Speaker 3: that must never be told. Let it suffice to subtle
- 51:05Speaker 3: your repose that turn holds the cause of my misfortunes.
- 51:10Speaker 1: Alonzo aside, then I am a happier my Lord.
- 51:15Speaker 5: I wish to serve you, but I do it as
- 51:18Speaker 5: an end.
- 51:20Speaker 3: General, Sir, I thank you as far as I am capable,
- 51:24Speaker 3: I am Alonzo's exit Alonzo a force of treacherous love
- 51:31Speaker 3: to gain my end, I wrong a wife, a mistress
- 51:34Speaker 3: and a friend.
- 51:36Speaker 1: Exit Bessino. The end of the second act, Act three
- 51:47Speaker 1: of The Perjured Husband or The Adventures of Venus by
- 51:52Speaker 1: Susanna san LeVert. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox
- 51:58Speaker 1: recordings are in the public domain. For more information or
- 52:02Speaker 1: to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Act three, Scene one,
- 52:09Speaker 1: Aurelia's lodgings. Enter Aurelia, Florilla.
- 52:15Speaker 2: Oh how I tremble for my dear Bassino. Haste fly Florilla,
- 52:20Speaker 2: bring me news he lives or else expect to see
- 52:24Speaker 2: thy mistress die madam.
- 52:27Speaker 11: Be patient.
- 52:29Speaker 9: Consult your reputation and consider that the least noise you
- 52:33Speaker 9: make on this occasion reflects upon your virtue.
- 52:37Speaker 2: Away away talk not of reputation when love's in the
- 52:41Speaker 2: other scale. But what can shock my reputation? Heavens my witness,
- 52:47Speaker 2: I ne'er lodged a thought for Count Bozsino that could
- 52:50Speaker 2: wrong my virtue. Perhaps the gods pursue me with their
- 52:55Speaker 2: hatred because I break my promise to Alonzo. But then
- 53:00Speaker 2: why did they not secure me his Why must weak
- 53:04Speaker 2: mortals be exposed to passions which are not in our
- 53:07Speaker 2: power to subdue, and yet account for what they prompt
- 53:11Speaker 2: us to? But I will think no more, Almighty Love,
- 53:16Speaker 2: Now hear my last resolve. If angry Heaven refuse to
- 53:20Speaker 2: guard my dear Bassino's life, Horelia too shall fall and
- 53:25Speaker 2: leave his murderer accursed forever.
- 53:29Speaker 9: Enter Alonzo, Oh Heaven, where will this end?
- 53:35Speaker 1: Aurelia aside hah.
- 53:38Speaker 2: The gods have sent him to decide my fate? How now?
- 53:43Speaker 2: How dare you meet my angry view? Or think I'll
- 53:47Speaker 2: ever forgive the base affront this very day you offered
- 53:50Speaker 2: to my fame?
- 53:52Speaker 5: Jeez that heaven the refuse is not the pendent, and
- 53:55Speaker 5: therefore I cannot think. Who's a child I'll divined? Should
- 54:01Speaker 5: have failed in goodness? Oh little my love, patone for
- 54:04Speaker 5: my rash deed be count and your friends, Why should
- 54:08Speaker 5: there really be a more severe he lives?
- 54:13Speaker 2: Blessed news? Then do rash actions? Speak your love to me?
- 54:19Speaker 2: Must I in public bear with your insults before I'm yours?
- 54:24Speaker 2: What must I then expect when the strict ties of
- 54:27Speaker 2: marriage shall confirm your jealous passions. No, you have taught
- 54:33Speaker 2: me to avoid the shelf. I was just running on.
- 54:36Speaker 2: No bese alonzo that from this moment I resume my freedom.
- 54:42Speaker 2: I disengage you from your former vows, and will henceforth
- 54:47Speaker 2: be mistress of myself Alonso aside.
- 54:53Speaker 5: Ah these a sudden a coldness has another spring at
- 54:57Speaker 5: my rash carriage. Oh, my jeer fears. But I am
- 55:01Speaker 5: a resolved to trace her winding thoughts and af fetch
- 55:05Speaker 5: the secret forth. Madam, I hope you do better, try,
- 55:10Speaker 5: my love. I cannot think I really you were to
- 55:12Speaker 5: be a false Besides her, you can't recall a what
- 55:16Speaker 5: sir registered in heaven.
- 55:19Speaker 2: Then stay till we come here. There you'll have witness
- 55:23Speaker 2: a weirdness.
- 55:25Speaker 5: Oh, a faithless, a perjured woman. Canst thou think upon
- 55:29Speaker 5: thyself and bid the mere call my weirdness? Yes, you
- 55:33Speaker 5: are a minder, by all the gods you are, and
- 55:37Speaker 5: there shall be a power on this side of a
- 55:39Speaker 5: heaven to stop my blease. A No, by my love,
- 55:44Speaker 5: I swear I now can guess her of your perfidious meaning.
- 55:48Speaker 5: And though that cowardly vealen slyly taught to blind me
- 55:52Speaker 5: with a tale his guilt had framed dissur plain, he
- 55:56Speaker 5: is your dominion, Yet the once couraged to own on.
- 56:00Speaker 2: His territory, detracting, slanderous villain, how dare you treat me thus? Oh,
- 56:08Speaker 2: for the look of a fierce basilisk to punish this
- 56:12Speaker 2: audacious insolence.
- 56:15Speaker 5: Marry the and no, by heaven, said the rather rerect
- 56:18Speaker 5: to death, And for the di vile injustice, none shall
- 56:23Speaker 5: enjoy the well disorder.
- 56:24Speaker 1: Is mine, lays hold on his sword.
- 56:28Speaker 5: Nor shall your a lover escape, but to serve your
- 56:31Speaker 5: lest TELI as a force to pass you through.
- 56:33Speaker 1: This breast points to his breast. Aurelia aside, Oh.
- 56:40Speaker 2: My bossino, Oh cruel man, are you not then contented
- 56:46Speaker 2: to wreck your spite on poor Aurelia? Why must your
- 56:51Speaker 2: rage involve the innocent? Oh, let me fall your passion sacrifice,
- 56:57Speaker 2: Let my blood wash the stain you fix on me.
- 57:01Speaker 2: But do not blast your name with base revenge.
- 57:05Speaker 5: By heaven, She tolts on him. Oh, cunning a woman
- 57:09Speaker 5: butt is a pretense. I won't serve her to save
- 57:11Speaker 5: his life, I learn not to be caught again. No siren, No,
- 57:17Speaker 5: by seeing no ties nor will I leave to fortune
- 57:21Speaker 5: a vengeful stroke, but take a safer.
- 57:24Speaker 1: Way Aurelia niels aside?
- 57:28Speaker 2: Oh Heaven, what words shall I invent to soothe his
- 57:33Speaker 2: rage and save my dear Bossino? Oh Alonzo, my once
- 57:40Speaker 2: loved dear Will you not hear me speak? Oh how
- 57:44Speaker 2: I conjure you by her blighted loves whose purity out
- 57:47Speaker 2: shone the stars above? Hear me this time? Then use me.
- 57:52Speaker 5: As you please, Oh a woman and woman.
- 57:56Speaker 2: If ever a Railia so much as in her thoughts
- 57:59Speaker 2: did wrong, Alonzo, may sudden death pursue.
- 58:03Speaker 1: Her perjured steps aside?
- 58:06Speaker 2: Heaven forgive the perjury, since I've no other way to
- 58:11Speaker 2: save Passino's.
- 58:12Speaker 1: Life, really arise raising her?
- 58:18Speaker 5: Oh good I create it is? How happy are were?
- 58:21Speaker 5: A Lanzo? But something tells me that thou art forsworn,
- 58:26Speaker 5: and yet thou seems as fair as truth itself? How
- 58:31Speaker 5: is it the possible that the guilty can look with
- 58:33Speaker 5: so divine a face?
- 58:35Speaker 2: Oh, kill me, instantly, kill me. I beg you kill me.
- 58:40Speaker 2: Let me not linger out in age and pain for
- 58:43Speaker 2: such as every moment of your anger. I cannot bear
- 58:47Speaker 2: to live in your displeasure.
- 58:49Speaker 5: By Heaven, she is a true. Hence a frivolous fear
- 58:52Speaker 5: is a begun. She's only mine. A come to my
- 58:56Speaker 5: breast and my bracer. Really, you come embraces her to that,
- 59:01Speaker 5: the softest shine that holds that, the sacred image, which
- 59:05Speaker 5: it drives over my soul and grasps it all. I
- 59:09Speaker 5: knew of my boundless treasure, and the thought of losing
- 59:12Speaker 5: thee had raised my love to madness. But now I
- 59:16Speaker 5: am calm. No more. Shall that the fierce surpassion, the
- 59:20Speaker 5: rude jealousy disturb my peaceful mind. Do butter forgive their
- 59:26Speaker 5: faults and my rage committed, and you will find their
- 59:29Speaker 5: loves will grow the purer, just as the Skia looks
- 59:33Speaker 5: up brighter when the storm is chased away, and Thiba
- 59:36Speaker 5: smiles again.
- 59:39Speaker 2: Since both have been to blame, let it suffice we
- 59:42Speaker 2: both repent and will offend no more.
- 59:46Speaker 5: Oh never never, I'll never suspect you more, only resolve me.
- 59:52Speaker 2: It is what is it?
- 59:55Speaker 5: Why Wasabasiino admedately of view? And I had.
- 59:58Speaker 2: Denied he came to take his leave, and it had
- 1:00:02Speaker 2: been rude not to admit a man of his high
- 1:00:05Speaker 2: birth on this occasion. Nor was you denied, but through
- 1:00:09Speaker 2: woman's fears of your suspicions. She thought you would misconstrue
- 1:00:14Speaker 2: the Count's visit as you have really done. I blamed
- 1:00:18Speaker 2: her for it. Indeed this is the truth. I hope
- 1:00:22Speaker 2: Alonzo believes me.
- 1:00:24Speaker 16: Now believe the a yes, as willingly as mart as
- 1:00:28Speaker 16: a state of endless joy. I will is so love
- 1:00:32Speaker 16: for my dear, that old mankind shall look within the
- 1:00:36Speaker 16: on your mutual bliss. I am like a merchant to
- 1:00:40Speaker 16: tossed her to see you by STORMSA who has a
- 1:00:43Speaker 16: last a course with prayers and toil, performs, and the
- 1:00:48Speaker 16: rich cargo safely brought on shore. He hugs it thus
- 1:00:53Speaker 16: and vows it to part no.
- 1:00:55Speaker 1: More, embraces her Aurelia.
- 1:01:00Speaker 2: So in a flowery meat, A serpent lurks, and the
- 1:01:04Speaker 2: unwary traveler surprises where he suspects least danger. Cursed cheat.
- 1:01:11Speaker 2: Oh that I could disclose the fatal story, but it
- 1:01:15Speaker 2: must never out. I beg Alonzo, you to leave me
- 1:01:20Speaker 2: for a while and rest secure you have my love.
- 1:01:24Speaker 5: Then the brightest sun analysis circle in turn, cannot behold
- 1:01:29Speaker 5: the men more truly happy. What you commend, I readily obey.
- 1:01:35Speaker 1: Farewell, my dear, exit Alonzo.
- 1:01:39Speaker 2: Where art thou now, Aurelia, how wilt thou escape that
- 1:01:44Speaker 2: dreadful precipice on which thou art hurried on by thy
- 1:01:48Speaker 2: fatal passion? With conscious horror, I deceived, Alonzo. I hate
- 1:01:54Speaker 2: this base treachery, but twas unavoidable. The truth had been
- 1:01:59Speaker 2: more fatal, more fatal. No, for I must never wed
- 1:02:04Speaker 2: my dear Bossino. Whilst Alonzo lifts oh the distracting thought,
- 1:02:10Speaker 2: what shall I do? Why die, Aurelia, That's the only
- 1:02:16Speaker 2: way to keep thy vows to both? Huh die, said I?
- 1:02:22Speaker 2: But whether then? Who knows? What punishment just Heaven prepares
- 1:02:27Speaker 2: for guilty souls like mine? But I must think no
- 1:02:30Speaker 2: more lest I grow mad with thought. If there's a
- 1:02:34Speaker 2: power that guards us here below, Oh, look with pitying
- 1:02:38Speaker 2: eyes on poor Aurelia. Appease the tumults of my anxious fear,
- 1:02:44Speaker 2: and load me with no more than I can bear.
- 1:02:48Speaker 1: Exciant Aurelia Florilla, scene too, Lady Pizalta's lodgings. Enter Lady Pizalta, Lucy, who.
- 1:03:00Speaker 10: Held thou art an admirable girl? What would have the
- 1:03:03Speaker 10: ladies in Venice give for such a servant Lucy?
- 1:03:08Speaker 1: Aside truly you have.
- 1:03:10Speaker 11: Reason to say so.
- 1:03:12Speaker 12: But is not the first intrigue I have managed for you. Oh,
- 1:03:16Speaker 12: dear madam, your ladyship does me too much honor. But
- 1:03:21Speaker 12: how do you like your new servant, Madam?
- 1:03:23Speaker 10: Oh, above all men living lucy, he has the most
- 1:03:28Speaker 10: bewitching conversation I ever met with? Say, is there no
- 1:03:33Speaker 10: way to contrive a second meeting? For I am impatient
- 1:03:37Speaker 10: till I see the dear man again. The end of
- 1:03:40Speaker 10: the carnival draws near, which is indeed the end of
- 1:03:43Speaker 10: life to me. For then must I be cooped up
- 1:03:47Speaker 10: with age, condemned to an eternal coughing, spitting, snoring and
- 1:03:53Speaker 10: ill nature. Then let me make the best of life,
- 1:03:58Speaker 10: since hell cannot have a worse plague in store than
- 1:04:01Speaker 10: I have felt already.
- 1:04:03Speaker 12: Indeed, Madam, I pity you and wish to were in
- 1:04:06Speaker 12: my power to free you from this old withered log.
- 1:04:09Speaker 12: But though that's impossible, yet I may do you some
- 1:04:13Speaker 12: little services to make life's tedious journey pleasant. Let me
- 1:04:17Speaker 12: see I have it. What would you say, now, Madam,
- 1:04:21Speaker 12: if I should contrive a way to have your lover
- 1:04:24Speaker 12: in your own chamber?
- 1:04:26Speaker 2: Oh, that were worth.
- 1:04:28Speaker 10: A king's revenue. Speak quickly, How how good, Lucy?
- 1:04:34Speaker 12: Why? Thus he shall put on my clothes and in
- 1:04:38Speaker 12: my place attend you.
- 1:04:40Speaker 10: Where are contrivance? But my husband, Lucy.
- 1:04:45Speaker 12: Oh, let me alone, madam, to manage him. He is
- 1:04:48Speaker 12: defective in sight, you know, and not mistrusting anything.
- 1:04:53Speaker 11: Will not be over curious.
- 1:04:54Speaker 12: But if he should, I have a way to bring
- 1:04:57Speaker 12: you off my life, aunt. Aside, this plot may be
- 1:05:02Speaker 12: of use to my design. I'll manage it with care.
- 1:05:06Speaker 10: Oh the pleasure of hearing my husband like coughing and
- 1:05:11Speaker 10: calling me to bed, and my answering him I'm coming, dear,
- 1:05:17Speaker 10: And while he imagines me in the next room undressing,
- 1:05:21Speaker 10: I'm happy in the arms of my Ludovico. Certainly this
- 1:05:27Speaker 10: as much satisfaction in deceiving a dull, jealous husband as
- 1:05:31Speaker 10: in getting a new gallant, were it not grown so common,
- 1:05:37Speaker 10: each tradesman's wife must have her gallant too, and sometimes
- 1:05:41Speaker 10: makes a journeyman of the apprentice. Ever his intentious behalf out.
- 1:05:47Speaker 10: Ah tis an insufferable fault. That quality can have no
- 1:05:51Speaker 10: pleasure above the vulgar, except it be in not paying
- 1:05:54Speaker 10: their debts well. Dear Lucy, I admired I contrivance about.
- 1:06:00Speaker 1: It instantly, Lucy, aside.
- 1:06:04Speaker 11: About it instantly?
- 1:06:06Speaker 12: Is that all I must have my tother fee first,
- 1:06:10Speaker 12: I will, madam, and you may expect your lover instantly.
- 1:06:14Speaker 12: But Madam, was to be done with your brocade nightgown
- 1:06:17Speaker 12: you tore last night? It can ne'er be mended handsomely.
- 1:06:22Speaker 10: Nothing to be done without a bribe. I find in
- 1:06:25Speaker 10: love as well as law. Well, Lucy, if you manage
- 1:06:29Speaker 10: this intrigue with care and secrecy, the gown is yours.
- 1:06:35Speaker 1: Enter page, madam.
- 1:06:37Speaker 13: My lord desires to speak with you.
- 1:06:41Speaker 12: Madam, I'll go about your business, your Ladyship's very humble servant.
- 1:06:46Speaker 1: Exit Lucy, tell him I'm coming. Exit page.
- 1:06:53Speaker 2: Now by way.
- 1:06:54Speaker 10: Of mortification, must I go entertain my old jealous husband.
- 1:07:01Speaker 1: Exit Lady Pizalta, seeing three the piazza. Enter Ludovico singing.
- 1:07:10Speaker 7: Give me but whine that leaguer of life, and a
- 1:07:13Speaker 7: girl that is wholesome and clean, two or three friends,
- 1:07:17Speaker 7: but the devil a wife and did not change state
- 1:07:20Speaker 7: with the king.
- 1:07:23Speaker 12: Enter Lucy, what singing signor well you're a pleasant gentleman.
- 1:07:29Speaker 7: Ah, my little female mercury, what message brings thou ha
- 1:07:34Speaker 7: will thy lady bless me with another side. Ha, How
- 1:07:38Speaker 7: when where I'm all in flame, come.
- 1:07:41Speaker 12: Along with me, sir, I'll help you to and extinguish
- 1:07:44Speaker 12: your presently.
- 1:07:45Speaker 7: If thou meanest thy lady with all my heart. But
- 1:07:48Speaker 7: I can tell thee she'll rather prove oil than what
- 1:07:51Speaker 7: you speak of. But say, why am I to see
- 1:07:55Speaker 7: my lovely charmer.
- 1:07:56Speaker 11: In her chamber?
- 1:07:58Speaker 4: Good?
- 1:07:59Speaker 7: But how the devil can that be done?
- 1:08:02Speaker 12: Nay, without the help of a conjurer. I assure you,
- 1:08:05Speaker 12: if you dare take me for your pilot, I'll warrant
- 1:08:08Speaker 12: you success in your voyage. I'll set you safe in
- 1:08:11Speaker 12: the island of love. Tis your business to improve the soil.
- 1:08:15Speaker 7: I warrant the girl, Do you but bring me there once?
- 1:08:20Speaker 7: And if I plan on my part, may I never
- 1:08:23Speaker 7: more know the pleasure of an intrigue.
- 1:08:26Speaker 12: Which, if I mistake not, is the streetest curse can
- 1:08:29Speaker 12: fall on you. Well, you must suffer a small metamorphosis.
- 1:08:34Speaker 12: What think you of personating me a little? That is,
- 1:08:38Speaker 12: dressing in my clothes and waiting on your mistress in
- 1:08:41Speaker 12: her bedchamber?
- 1:08:42Speaker 7: Ha, God, I'm afraid I shall make but an awkward
- 1:08:48Speaker 7: champer made. I'm undisciplined in dressing a lady's head.
- 1:08:53Speaker 12: Oh, sir, your commission won't reach so high as the head.
- 1:08:57Speaker 12: I believe my lady will excuse little matters you can undress.
- 1:09:01Speaker 7: I suppose, oh, the best and the quickest of any
- 1:09:04Speaker 7: man in venice. But a pox aunt can'st find no
- 1:09:09Speaker 7: other way.
- 1:09:11Speaker 12: I I I like.
- 1:09:13Speaker 7: Petticoats in their proper places, but I don't care to
- 1:09:16Speaker 7: have my legs in them.
- 1:09:18Speaker 11: And so you resolve against it.
- 1:09:21Speaker 7: No, not absolutely resolved, child, But uh, but what sir, nothing,
- 1:09:30Speaker 7: I will follow that directions whatever comes on it. Now
- 1:09:35Speaker 7: lee the way, for nothing suits better with my humor
- 1:09:39Speaker 7: than a friend, a bottle, a new mistress, and a
- 1:09:42Speaker 7: convenient place.
- 1:09:44Speaker 1: Exit Lucy Ludovico, seeing four Pisolto's lodgings, enter Pisolto with
- 1:09:53Speaker 1: a bond in his hand.
- 1:09:55Speaker 6: Well, my wife's a fine woman, a very fine woman.
- 1:10:00Speaker 6: But the pox she's a wife still in this young
- 1:10:04Speaker 6: jade runs in my head plaguely. Well, here tis under
- 1:10:09Speaker 6: my hand. A thousand pistoleis a great sum for a
- 1:10:14Speaker 6: maiden head, as maiden heads go nowadays. Ah, had I
- 1:10:20Speaker 6: been young now, a fiddle and a treat had bore
- 1:10:25Speaker 6: the prize away. But when we old fools, don't they
- 1:10:29Speaker 6: make us pay?
- 1:10:32Speaker 1: Enter? Lucy?
- 1:10:34Speaker 6: Oh are you come here?
- 1:10:37Speaker 1: Here?
- 1:10:37Speaker 6: Lucy, here's a fortune for thee worth twenty maiden heads
- 1:10:42Speaker 6: a DoD. I have not so much money by me
- 1:10:46Speaker 6: at present, but there's security.
- 1:10:49Speaker 1: Gives her the bond.
- 1:10:51Speaker 12: Your lordship's bond is sufficient. Well, but I am satisfied
- 1:10:55Speaker 12: my reputation is safe with your lordship. Or twice the
- 1:10:59Speaker 12: sum should not have prevailed. Go to my chamber, my lord.
- 1:11:03Speaker 12: I'll but step and see if my lady wants anything,
- 1:11:06Speaker 12: and I'll be with you instantly.
- 1:11:08Speaker 6: You won't stay, Lucy a girl? Bust thy ladies? Chucky?
- 1:11:13Speaker 6: Now do now?
- 1:11:15Speaker 11: Oh lord?
- 1:11:16Speaker 12: Not here we shall be discovered.
- 1:11:20Speaker 6: Well, thou art a cunning sinner. Make haste, Lucy, dost.
- 1:11:25Speaker 1: Hear exit pizalto.
- 1:11:28Speaker 12: You're in mighty Haste, old gentlemen, but I shall deceive you.
- 1:11:34Speaker 12: My end is gained. I have my fortune made. Man
- 1:11:37Speaker 12: has not me, but I have man betrayed.
- 1:11:41Speaker 1: The end of the third act, act four of The
- 1:11:50Speaker 1: Bajured Husband or the Adventures of Venus by Susannah sent LeVert.
- 1:11:57Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
- 1:12:01Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
- 1:12:06Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. Act four, Scene one, Armando's lodgings.
- 1:12:15Speaker 1: Enter Armando Placentia.
- 1:12:18Speaker 8: Poormando, Thou more than friend to the distressed Placentia, Say,
- 1:12:25Speaker 8: how shall I regain my lost Busino? My false, perfidious
- 1:12:30Speaker 8: husband weeps.
- 1:12:32Speaker 4: Dear Madam, moderate your sorrow. Reserve those tears to move
- 1:12:39Speaker 4: Bassino's heart. Mine is all pity. You may rest secure
- 1:12:45Speaker 4: of all the arguments a friend can use to bring
- 1:12:50Speaker 4: him back to your endearing arms. Virtues not quite extinguished
- 1:12:56Speaker 4: in his breast. Therefore, I hope on me of bright
- 1:13:01Speaker 4: Placentia will rouse his slumbering reason.
- 1:13:06Speaker 8: Oh Pssino Bessino, Oh wretched woman. Oh that I had
- 1:13:11Speaker 8: died ere I had known him faulse, then were I happy?
- 1:13:16Speaker 8: And though contented with his second choice, he with a
- 1:13:19Speaker 8: pitying sigh, perhaps had graced my memory. Oh all ye,
- 1:13:25Speaker 8: powers that virtuous love inspire, assist me. Now inform my
- 1:13:30Speaker 8: vocal organs with angel eloquence, such as can melt his
- 1:13:34Speaker 8: heart of flint and move his former kindness a sigh.
- 1:13:40Speaker 8: But if that fail, I will remove the cause of
- 1:13:44Speaker 8: both our woes. Yes, that happy charmer, that rival of
- 1:13:49Speaker 8: my love, shall surely die.
- 1:13:53Speaker 4: Doubt not of the success. What heart of steel could
- 1:13:57Speaker 4: air resist such beauty? Dressed in tears?
- 1:14:03Speaker 13: Enter a servant, Sir card Pasina, inquire if you are within.
- 1:14:10Speaker 8: Oh, heavens, how I.
- 1:14:12Speaker 4: Tremble lucky opportunity show him up, Madam, be pleased to
- 1:14:20Speaker 4: step into that closet till I can sound the utmost
- 1:14:25Speaker 4: of his thoughts and show him naked to your secret view. Then,
- 1:14:31Speaker 4: when he's in the height of impious passion, you, like
- 1:14:36Speaker 4: a bolt from heaven, shall rush on him and strike
- 1:14:40Speaker 4: his folly.
- 1:14:40Speaker 8: Dumb almighty powers whose providential care is ever kind to
- 1:14:46Speaker 8: virtuous innocence. Oh help me now in this extremity.
- 1:14:52Speaker 1: Exit Placentia. Enter Bassino.
- 1:14:57Speaker 3: How does my friend Armando?
- 1:14:59Speaker 4: My Lord Armando's well and wishes you were.
- 1:15:04Speaker 3: So bust Thou discover aught that gives thee cause to doubt.
- 1:15:08Speaker 3: I am not well. Indeed, I think I am in
- 1:15:11Speaker 3: perfect health.
- 1:15:13Speaker 7: My Lord.
- 1:15:14Speaker 4: I should be glad to find that fever of your
- 1:15:17Speaker 4: mind abated in which I left you last Passino aside.
- 1:15:24Speaker 3: I must assemble now else I'll ne'er gain my ends.
- 1:15:28Speaker 3: My dear Armando, that fever thou speakst of is now
- 1:15:32Speaker 3: succeeded by a cold agu fit. The very membrance of
- 1:15:36Speaker 3: my unlawful passion shakes my soul.
- 1:15:39Speaker 4: Such certain cures have often proved pernicious, and we have
- 1:15:45Speaker 4: reason to suspect a wound too quickly healed.
- 1:15:49Speaker 3: Not when thou knowest what bossam I applied.
- 1:15:53Speaker 4: There's scarce a bomb for the deep wounds of love
- 1:15:57Speaker 4: besides possession. And I I cannot think you have enjoyed
- 1:16:02Speaker 4: a realia.
- 1:16:04Speaker 3: I swear I have not. But I enjoy my reason,
- 1:16:07Speaker 3: my free reason. And who possesses that can never cherish
- 1:16:11Speaker 3: a thought against himself? For such I call whatsoever keeps
- 1:16:14Speaker 3: me from my lawful wife, my dear Placentia, to whose
- 1:16:18Speaker 3: arms I'll fly with all the eager haste of a
- 1:16:20Speaker 3: fond bridegroom. There I shall revel in the virtuous pleasures
- 1:16:24Speaker 3: of a chaste bed. Oh, my friend, Armando, my dear
- 1:16:28Speaker 3: placentious friend, canstou forgive? Indeed, I'm penitent and will offend
- 1:16:34Speaker 3: no more.
- 1:16:36Speaker 4: My lord, these are the words you spoke before. What
- 1:16:41Speaker 4: greater reason have I now to think you'll keep your promise?
- 1:16:46Speaker 3: Pride, honor, justice are come to my aid and love,
- 1:16:50Speaker 3: too feeble to withstand them, all has left the field.
- 1:16:53Speaker 3: To my victorious reason, pride, with the prospect of my
- 1:16:57Speaker 3: future greatness, allures me to return with speed to Turin
- 1:17:02Speaker 3: to bay my prince's orders, honor and justice. Tell me
- 1:17:06Speaker 3: I'm Placentia's and that Aurelia is Alonzo's bride to him.
- 1:17:10Speaker 3: She gave her virgin vows name, or to him her
- 1:17:14Speaker 3: dying father did bequeath her. He loves her too and
- 1:17:16Speaker 3: shall not be deprived. My passion is subdued, and I'm
- 1:17:20Speaker 3: resolved myself to give Aurelia to Alonzo.
- 1:17:25Speaker 4: If this be true, then you are my friend again.
- 1:17:30Speaker 4: But how came you to learn Aurelia's engagements to Alonzo?
- 1:17:36Speaker 3: I have it from himself, who, an hour since, with
- 1:17:38Speaker 3: eager fury, sought to venge on me his injured love
- 1:17:41Speaker 3: and challenged me to fight. I chose with justice to
- 1:17:44Speaker 3: defend my life and quit Aurelia, rather than to vanquish
- 1:17:48Speaker 3: in such a cause. Alonzo straight embraced me, called me
- 1:17:52Speaker 3: his friend, and vowed I should not go till I
- 1:17:54Speaker 3: had seen him joined in solemn marriage with great Aurelia. This,
- 1:17:59Speaker 3: I read granted. Canst thou believe me.
- 1:18:02Speaker 4: True, my lord, I do believe you, and I'm overjoyed
- 1:18:08Speaker 4: to hear your resolution. Bye Heaven. There's more glory in
- 1:18:14Speaker 4: subduing our wild desires than an embattled foe aside. Now
- 1:18:21Speaker 4: do I wish his wife had never come?
- 1:18:25Speaker 3: Armando, thou art, my friend? And on that score, I
- 1:18:28Speaker 3: must desire you to repair to Turin with all the
- 1:18:31Speaker 3: speed you can, to bear these letters to our great prince,
- 1:18:34Speaker 3: and beg you will excuse my stay for three days more.
- 1:18:38Speaker 3: And here this letter bear to Placentia. Speak to her
- 1:18:41Speaker 3: the kindest, the softest things thy fancy can suggest. I
- 1:18:45Speaker 3: shall make good thy promise. My dear Placentia. Oh that
- 1:18:50Speaker 3: she were here, panting and warm within these longing arms.
- 1:18:54Speaker 3: 'tis a long age since I did see her last.
- 1:18:57Speaker 3: But come, my friend, you must this hour set forward.
- 1:19:00Speaker 4: With all my heart. But twill not be amiss before
- 1:19:05Speaker 4: I go to fix the victory which conquering virtue in
- 1:19:11Speaker 4: your breast hath gained. And if what you pretend to
- 1:19:16Speaker 4: be real truth, I have a welcome present for Basino, madam.
- 1:19:24Speaker 1: Come forth, enter Placentia, Bassino A side.
- 1:19:31Speaker 3: What do I see? My wife? This was a lucky
- 1:19:34Speaker 3: plot hypocrisy, didn't ever befriend me more, This was not
- 1:19:38Speaker 3: like a friend. Why should Armando disturb her soft tranquility
- 1:19:42Speaker 3: of mind and give her ocular proofs of my disloyalty. Oh,
- 1:19:46Speaker 3: my placentia, my beloved wife embraces her. Oh that I
- 1:19:50Speaker 3: should e'er think the wrong, My dear, my.
- 1:19:55Speaker 8: Lord, waste not a sigh on my account. My joys
- 1:19:59Speaker 8: are infinite. Since you are mine, and what has past
- 1:20:03Speaker 8: I easily forget. Nay, let me beg for pardon, for
- 1:20:09Speaker 8: I know I have offended you in coming hither I
- 1:20:12Speaker 8: should have waited this return of virtue, or, if abandoned,
- 1:20:18Speaker 8: silently have mourned my loss without aubraiding my loved lord.
- 1:20:24Speaker 8: All this I should have done. But mighty love, too
- 1:20:28Speaker 8: powerful for duty to withstand, guided my steps to Venice
- 1:20:32Speaker 8: in hopes my presence would retrieve your heart.
- 1:20:37Speaker 3: Messina aside Gods that this woman were a relia. Thou
- 1:20:42Speaker 3: wonder of thy sex, thou best of women. I blush
- 1:20:45Speaker 3: to think that thou hast heard my folly. Yet, since
- 1:20:48Speaker 3: your love cancels your just complaints, you make me doubly blessed,
- 1:20:52Speaker 3: and ill reward this excellent goodness with eternal fondness. Oh
- 1:20:57Speaker 3: that thou hadst been here. Not all the beauties that
- 1:21:00Speaker 3: venis Holts could have diverted me, No, not one moment
- 1:21:03Speaker 3: from my dear Placentia. Long absence is the bane of
- 1:21:06Speaker 3: newborn love. But fate shall never have power to part
- 1:21:10Speaker 3: us more.
- 1:21:11Speaker 8: Oh, my dear lord, your goodness is too great, and
- 1:21:15Speaker 8: I am or paid for all my sorrows past Armando say,
- 1:21:21Speaker 8: is not he wondrous kind?
- 1:21:24Speaker 4: Madam? I told you virtue was struggling in his breast
- 1:21:30Speaker 4: and that it might overcome his vicious love. I thought
- 1:21:35Speaker 4: your presence was requisite, and now, my lord, I hope
- 1:21:41Speaker 4: you will forgive me, since all the endeavors I used
- 1:21:46Speaker 4: before had been in vain. I once designed to let
- 1:21:51Speaker 4: Aurelia know your marriage, but then perhaps she would not
- 1:21:57Speaker 4: have believed me. Let this please my excuse in sending
- 1:22:02Speaker 4: for Percentsia, we then your knowledge Bassino aside.
- 1:22:09Speaker 3: I must not let him see I am concerned. I
- 1:22:13Speaker 3: know it was friendship, all well meaning friendship. I only
- 1:22:16Speaker 3: am to blame, but I'll retrieve my credit in your
- 1:22:19Speaker 3: heart and still deserve the name of friend. And Thou,
- 1:22:23Speaker 3: the best of wives, shall never have caused a doubt
- 1:22:26Speaker 3: my constant love.
- 1:22:28Speaker 8: Oh my Besino, this excess of kindness exalts me or
- 1:22:33Speaker 8: all mortals. If you're true, there's not a blast within
- 1:22:38Speaker 8: the power of fortune can shock my happiness.
- 1:22:42Speaker 3: Thou shalt ne'er find me fault. I swear thou shalt
- 1:22:44Speaker 3: not aside, Oh, that I could engage, she would return
- 1:22:48Speaker 3: to tour and with Armando. For if she stays, I
- 1:22:51Speaker 3: never can enjoy my bright Aurelia, and by Heaven I will,
- 1:22:55Speaker 3: although ten thousand lives should pay the purchase.
- 1:23:00Speaker 8: My lord, you seem disturbed.
- 1:23:03Speaker 3: It troubles me. You can't appear in Venice with a
- 1:23:06Speaker 3: train that maybe speak the rank you hold in savoy.
- 1:23:10Speaker 8: Oh Harmando, he is so kind. I wish I never
- 1:23:15Speaker 8: had come. What if I offered to return with.
- 1:23:18Speaker 4: You, Madam? You will do well, for I myself cannot
- 1:23:25Speaker 4: suspecting now.
- 1:23:28Speaker 8: My Lord, let not my presence here disturb you. I
- 1:23:32Speaker 8: doubt your love no more, and to convince you, I
- 1:23:36Speaker 8: will go back before'tis known I'm here. Besides tis fit,
- 1:23:41Speaker 8: I should prepare all things to welcome you at.
- 1:23:44Speaker 1: Home, Bessina.
- 1:23:46Speaker 3: Aside blessed opportunity, fortune, I think the would my dear
- 1:23:52Speaker 3: then leave me so very soon alast will be an
- 1:23:55Speaker 3: age ere I returned to turin three long days. No,
- 1:23:59Speaker 3: my dear, No, I will not part from thee at
- 1:24:01Speaker 3: least this night.
- 1:24:02Speaker 8: My love will then Armando stay.
- 1:24:06Speaker 3: No, my best hopes he instantly departs with letters to
- 1:24:09Speaker 3: my prince.
- 1:24:11Speaker 8: Then suffer me to go this very moment. Three days
- 1:24:15Speaker 8: will soon be ore, and your return shall make me
- 1:24:18Speaker 8: fully blessed. If I should stay, twould look like base distrust,
- 1:24:24Speaker 8: and I can't think Bessina would be.
- 1:24:26Speaker 1: False Mossina aside, Oh Heaven that I were not.
- 1:24:32Speaker 4: Indeed, my lord, I think you're truly happy. Scarce does
- 1:24:38Speaker 4: any age produce so good a wife?
- 1:24:42Speaker 3: Oh that I could reward this wondrous goodness?
- 1:24:45Speaker 8: My lord? What makes you sigh to part from thee?
- 1:24:50Speaker 3: But since it is your desire, it shall be so
- 1:24:53Speaker 3: Armando to thy charge, I here commit the treasure of
- 1:24:56Speaker 3: my soul. Take care of her, and think that on
- 1:24:59Speaker 3: her safety my life life depends.
- 1:25:02Speaker 4: My Lord. I hope you do not leant my care.
- 1:25:06Speaker 3: Dear friend, I do not. May Heaven's blessings still attend
- 1:25:10Speaker 3: my love.
- 1:25:10Speaker 1: My dear Placentia embraces and goes to lead her off.
- 1:25:17Speaker 8: As many more guard my busino Bussino aside.
- 1:25:23Speaker 3: A sudden horror seizes all my limbs. I trembled the
- 1:25:26Speaker 3: thought of this base deed.
- 1:25:28Speaker 1: Pulls out his handkerchief and drops a letter, which Armando
- 1:25:33Speaker 1: takes up.
- 1:25:34Speaker 3: Huh tears uncalled for bathe my guilty eyes. Gods either
- 1:25:39Speaker 3: give me virtue to withstand this impious love, or courage
- 1:25:42Speaker 3: to pursue it without remorse, For I'm but half a villain.
- 1:25:46Speaker 1: Exeant Bussino Placentia. Armando opens the letter.
- 1:25:53Speaker 4: A letter and to a Radia. Now curiosity prompts me
- 1:26:01Speaker 4: to know the subjects.
- 1:26:04Speaker 15: What's here.
- 1:26:07Speaker 1: Reads, I have.
- 1:26:09Speaker 4: Dispatched Armando to the court of Savoy and found pretense
- 1:26:16Speaker 4: to stay behind a false, treacherous man. This night I
- 1:26:25Speaker 4: give a mask at my lodgings, which I hope will
- 1:26:29Speaker 4: divert Alonzo till the priest has joined our hands. And
- 1:26:36Speaker 4: while all the company are engaged in mirth, are steal
- 1:26:41Speaker 4: to the dear arms of my divine Aurelia, Oh villain villain,
- 1:26:50Speaker 4: monstrous villain, Oh poor Pasensia. But I will prevent his
- 1:27:00Speaker 4: policy and break his wicked measures.
- 1:27:05Speaker 1: Exit Armanda. Scene too. Pis Alto's lodgings enter pizalto soulis.
- 1:27:14Speaker 6: Why what makes this young jade stay so long a
- 1:27:18Speaker 6: DoD This is to pay beforehand? Aha, methinks I hear
- 1:27:23Speaker 6: a laughing and giggling in my wife's apartment. I must
- 1:27:27Speaker 6: know whence their mirth proceeds. Oh, here's Lucy coming, harky,
- 1:27:33Speaker 6: you pray, Why did you make me wait so long? Nay,
- 1:27:38Speaker 6: I'm resolved. You shan't escape me.
- 1:27:40Speaker 1: Now goes to the door and pulls in Ludovico in
- 1:27:45Speaker 1: Lucy's clothes, whose common falls off in the struggle and
- 1:27:50Speaker 1: discovers his bald head.
- 1:27:53Speaker 6: Oh, Benedictite, what have we here? A man disguised in
- 1:27:58Speaker 6: my wife's chamber and I unarmed? Oh cursed a minute, speak,
- 1:28:04Speaker 6: thou wicked prophet, Thou son of iniquity? What camest thou
- 1:28:09Speaker 6: here for, ah, thou priest of bail, to offer sacrifices
- 1:28:14Speaker 6: on the altar of my wife? Oh my head, my horns,
- 1:28:19Speaker 6: weigh it down to the ground already wherein there? Bring
- 1:28:23Speaker 6: me my sword and pistols.
- 1:28:26Speaker 7: The bucks and old pitticoats. What a devil shall I say?
- 1:28:30Speaker 5: Now?
- 1:28:31Speaker 1: Oh?
- 1:28:31Speaker 7: For a sword that would be of more use to
- 1:28:34Speaker 7: me now than my tongue.
- 1:28:37Speaker 1: Enter, Lady Pizalto, Oh thou wicked fallacious woman, what.
- 1:28:45Speaker 10: Is my dear chucky? Why dost thou call for arms, dearie.
- 1:28:49Speaker 6: To cut down that vile creeper which overruns thy garden
- 1:28:53Speaker 6: of virtue.
- 1:28:55Speaker 1: Lady Pizalto, aside.
- 1:28:59Speaker 10: Now and assist me. Oh heavens, what's here? A man
- 1:29:06Speaker 10: in disguise?
- 1:29:07Speaker 2: Asie?
- 1:29:07Speaker 10: If it must be, raise the servants. Oh heaven, we
- 1:29:11Speaker 10: might have had all our throats cut in our beds aside?
- 1:29:16Speaker 10: No for Lucy, for I am at a loss to
- 1:29:19Speaker 10: come off.
- 1:29:20Speaker 6: No, no, I warrant you know he is more gentle in.
- 1:29:25Speaker 1: Bed Ludovico aside, Oh the devil?
- 1:29:30Speaker 7: What does she mean? Death, hell and furies? If I
- 1:29:34Speaker 7: come off? Now, catch me at this sport again and
- 1:29:37Speaker 7: hang me.
- 1:29:39Speaker 1: Enter, Lucy, Oh are you there, mistress?
- 1:29:44Speaker 10: How came this man here in your clothes? Ah, gentlewoman Lucy?
- 1:29:50Speaker 1: Aside?
- 1:29:51Speaker 12: How confidently she asked the question, poor lady, as if
- 1:29:55Speaker 12: she knew nothing of it? Now must I bring her off?
- 1:29:59Speaker 12: For reason you might not know?
- 1:30:00Speaker 6: Madam, Ah, thou wicked pair of bellows to blow the
- 1:30:05Speaker 6: fire of iniquity? Why thou art, the very casement through
- 1:30:10Speaker 6: which thy mistress sucks the air of abomination. Tell me
- 1:30:16Speaker 6: I say how he came here and for what? And
- 1:30:20Speaker 6: be sure it be a substantial lie, or twill not
- 1:30:25Speaker 6: pass lucy aside.
- 1:30:29Speaker 12: All my hopes are her impudence.
- 1:30:32Speaker 1: Lucy to pizalto harky.
- 1:30:35Speaker 11: Sir, one word with you?
- 1:30:37Speaker 12: Do you remember our agreement tonight?
- 1:30:40Speaker 6: Why what of that?
- 1:30:43Speaker 11: Then?
- 1:30:43Speaker 12: Imagine what I designed that gentleman for. I'm honest, sir, that's.
- 1:30:48Speaker 1: All Kasalto, mimicking her tone.
- 1:30:52Speaker 6: I'm honest, sir, that's all honest with a pox?
- 1:30:59Speaker 1: What?
- 1:31:00Speaker 6: And so you honestly provided a companion for my wife
- 1:31:04Speaker 6: in my absence?
- 1:31:07Speaker 12: No, sir, I designed him for your companion, in my absence.
- 1:31:10Speaker 12: This is the business he was dressed for. Therefore, no
- 1:31:14Speaker 12: more words, but believe my lady honest, or all shall out?
- 1:31:19Speaker 6: Oh the devil this shaped pass, hussy? Do you think
- 1:31:22Speaker 6: I'll be cuckled, jilted, bubbled and let it pass for
- 1:31:26Speaker 6: a Christmas gamble? A God give me my bond again?
- 1:31:31Speaker 1: Or or holds up his cane.
- 1:31:34Speaker 12: No hold here, sir, Women and lawyers never re found
- 1:31:38Speaker 12: a faith. But tis your best way to be patient?
- 1:31:42Speaker 12: Now I'll not take blows.
- 1:31:44Speaker 10: Why all this whispering, Why meant I know the business?
- 1:31:48Speaker 6: I am mistaken if you have not known too much
- 1:31:51Speaker 6: business already. But I am right enough served. I had
- 1:31:55Speaker 6: more ground before than I could manage. I had no
- 1:31:59Speaker 6: need of my neighbors.
- 1:32:01Speaker 12: Right, my lord, ground that lies fellow will breed weeds
- 1:32:05Speaker 12: in time, but yours is clear yet.
- 1:32:08Speaker 6: Damn your jests, I shall expect a better account. Do
- 1:32:12Speaker 6: you hear to Ludovico, I'll find a servant to see
- 1:32:17Speaker 6: you out of doors.
- 1:32:20Speaker 1: Exeant Pizzalto and Lady Pisalto.
- 1:32:24Speaker 7: Well, this was an admirable lift at a pinch. She
- 1:32:28Speaker 7: has brought me off now, And if they catch me
- 1:32:32Speaker 7: at this music again, I'll give them leave to make
- 1:32:34Speaker 7: an Italian singer of me. No more intrigues in disguise.
- 1:32:39Speaker 7: If it had not been for the waiting woman, now
- 1:32:42Speaker 7: I might have been hanged for a thief.
- 1:32:45Speaker 12: What all or more signor no courage?
- 1:32:48Speaker 11: Left?
- 1:32:49Speaker 7: Faith? Not much? I think I've lost my manhood with
- 1:32:53Speaker 7: my breeches. This transformation may suit with gods, but not
- 1:32:58Speaker 7: with mortals of my humor. Come pretty good, mistress, Lucy,
- 1:33:03Speaker 7: help me to my proper shape. Again. For though I
- 1:33:06Speaker 7: have a natural inclination to Petticoats, I hate him upon
- 1:33:10Speaker 7: my own back a flourish of music within.
- 1:33:15Speaker 12: Hark I hear count Passino's music. He gives a mask tonight.
- 1:33:20Speaker 12: You are already dressed for masquerade. Won't you stay and
- 1:33:24Speaker 12: take a dance?
- 1:33:25Speaker 7: God, I'd rather dant to jig with thee elsewhere faith
- 1:33:30Speaker 7: without a pretty girl, and hast a good deal of
- 1:33:33Speaker 7: wit too, But then pox on it thout honest, thou sayest,
- 1:33:39Speaker 7: thou cannot swallow a pill except is gilded over with matrimony.
- 1:33:44Speaker 11: And that turned your stomach.
- 1:33:46Speaker 7: I warrant why, I faith, my stomach is damned squeamish
- 1:33:51Speaker 7: in these matters. Yet he God, if I could find
- 1:33:55Speaker 7: one with half as much money as thou hast wit
- 1:33:59Speaker 7: and beauty, I'd marry and leave honest.
- 1:34:03Speaker 11: That is, you'd marry her money.
- 1:34:05Speaker 7: One with the other child. There's no living upon love,
- 1:34:09Speaker 7: thou knowest, Oh, faith, I could live well enough to well.
- 1:34:15Speaker 12: I suppose I help you to a lady with a
- 1:34:17Speaker 12: round son. You'd keep your word and marry her.
- 1:34:21Speaker 7: I am a gentleman, I scorned to break my word.
- 1:34:24Speaker 12: Well, sir, come to the mask, and I'll engage you,
- 1:34:27Speaker 12: a mistress, if you are not over curious.
- 1:34:31Speaker 7: With all my heart, I'm not resolved to leave this
- 1:34:34Speaker 7: wenching trade for Norman's safe upon a Hackney jade. That
- 1:34:39Speaker 7: he of danger makes the pleasure pain. A virtuous wife
- 1:34:44Speaker 7: will always be, saying.
- 1:34:48Speaker 1: The end of the fourth act, Act five, of the
- 1:34:57Speaker 1: Perjured Husband or the Adventure's Venus by Susannah sint LeVert.
- 1:35:03Speaker 1: This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in
- 1:35:07Speaker 1: the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please
- 1:35:12Speaker 1: visit LibriVox dot org. Act five, Scene one, a mask
- 1:35:20Speaker 1: in Busino's lodgings. Bassino, Alonzo Armando in a disguise, Licentia
- 1:35:29Speaker 1: in a man's clothes, signor pisolto Lady Pizalta, Lucy and Co.
- 1:35:37Speaker 1: An entry of three men and three women of several nations.
- 1:35:43Speaker 3: I can't imagine where I dropped my letter. Pray Heaven
- 1:35:46Speaker 3: it be where none can ever find it. Gods, let
- 1:35:49Speaker 3: me once enjoy her. Then call on me your store
- 1:35:52Speaker 3: of plagues, and I will meet them all.
- 1:35:56Speaker 1: Enter Ludovico, singing.
- 1:36:00Speaker 7: Oh Ah, Mistress Lucy, I'm come thou seest I expect
- 1:36:05Speaker 7: thou shalt be as good as thy word. Child is
- 1:36:09Speaker 7: the lady here?
- 1:36:10Speaker 12: The lady is forth coming, if you are still in
- 1:36:13Speaker 12: the same mind my love here, okey Lucy, bye and
- 1:36:19Speaker 12: bye madam. I'm catering for myself now well, sir, will
- 1:36:25Speaker 12: two thousand pistoles?
- 1:36:26Speaker 3: Do?
- 1:36:27Speaker 1: Ludovico aside?
- 1:36:30Speaker 7: I must humor her, hi child?
- 1:36:33Speaker 12: Why then I take you at your words, sir, and
- 1:36:36Speaker 12: can produce your four said some to.
- 1:36:39Speaker 11: Pisalto with the little of your assistance, my.
- 1:36:43Speaker 1: Lord Ludovico aside, hum.
- 1:36:47Speaker 7: A pretty wife, I'm like to have catch me there
- 1:36:51Speaker 7: if you can.
- 1:36:52Speaker 5: Hah.
- 1:36:53Speaker 6: How is that?
- 1:36:55Speaker 7: How, mistress Lucy? Worth two thousand pistoles?
- 1:37:00Speaker 12: Aye, and I have a very good paymaster for one half.
- 1:37:04Speaker 1: Of it too, to Pisoalto.
- 1:37:07Speaker 11: Do you know this hand?
- 1:37:08Speaker 1: My lord shoes the bond Pizalto aside.
- 1:37:13Speaker 6: Confound your jilting sneer.
- 1:37:17Speaker 7: Ha ha what a thousand pistoles a dish, my lord? I
- 1:37:21Speaker 7: hope you don't send often ha.
- 1:37:23Speaker 6: Ha, Hussy, I'll be revenged. Tis all false, tis counterfeit
- 1:37:29Speaker 6: ha ha.
- 1:37:31Speaker 12: But had it been current coin, if I had suffered
- 1:37:34Speaker 12: you to put your stamp upon it in my bed chamber.
- 1:37:38Speaker 10: My lord, how mistress, have you tricked my husband out
- 1:37:42Speaker 10: of a thousand pistoles and never told me of it?
- 1:37:47Speaker 12: Nay, Madam, don't frown. Remember you have tricked him out
- 1:37:51Speaker 12: of something too, which I never told him of. Don't
- 1:37:54Speaker 12: urge me to more discoveries.
- 1:37:57Speaker 1: Ludovico aside.
- 1:37:59Speaker 7: So oh, here's trick upon trick. But faith you shall
- 1:38:04Speaker 7: never trick me out of my liberty. I'm not so
- 1:38:07Speaker 7: fond of a wife to marry your chambermaid, though with
- 1:38:10Speaker 7: ten times as much money, and so sweet mistressed Abigail,
- 1:38:16Speaker 7: you humble servant.
- 1:38:17Speaker 1: Exit Ludovico, Lady Pizalta aside.
- 1:38:22Speaker 10: The jade has me upon the hip. I must be silent.
- 1:38:28Speaker 10: She who has her husband's bad abused can never expect
- 1:38:32Speaker 10: she should be better used.
- 1:38:35Speaker 1: Exit, ha, what my lover gone?
- 1:38:39Speaker 11: With all my heart?
- 1:38:41Speaker 12: Better now than after? For whilst I have my fortune
- 1:38:44Speaker 12: in my own hands, I must have no need to
- 1:38:47Speaker 12: sue for a separate maintenance and get nothing for it.
- 1:38:50Speaker 1: Neither Armando to Placentia.
- 1:38:55Speaker 4: Now, madam, go, may heaven be prepared wishes to your designs.
- 1:39:02Speaker 4: I'll stay and watch Bassino, and when he goes, we'll
- 1:39:07Speaker 4: follow with Alonso.
- 1:39:10Speaker 8: Oh, my sick fancy frames a thousand forms which tell
- 1:39:14Speaker 8: me that our meeting will prove fatal and warn me
- 1:39:17Speaker 8: not to go. What shall I do? Must I bear
- 1:39:22Speaker 8: calmly my Basino's loss? Why do I tremble?
- 1:39:26Speaker 11: Thus?
- 1:39:27Speaker 8: Sure? It can't be the fear of death. No, for
- 1:39:31Speaker 8: if I go not, I must lose him, and that's
- 1:39:34Speaker 8: more than death to me. And if I go, I
- 1:39:38Speaker 8: can but fall, and life without him is the greater woe. Therefore, eilon,
- 1:39:46Speaker 8: I'll use the softest words that tongue can frame to
- 1:39:50Speaker 8: soothe her into pity and dissuade her from this impious marriage.
- 1:39:55Speaker 8: If I succeed, I am completely happy. If not, I'd
- 1:40:01Speaker 8: rather die than live with hate. But first, cursed rival,
- 1:40:07Speaker 8: thou shalt share my fate.
- 1:40:10Speaker 1: Exit Placentia, A flourish of music.
- 1:40:15Speaker 3: Tis now the time? But whither do I go? Shall
- 1:40:19Speaker 3: I A made a wife, a friend? Betray? No matter?
- 1:40:23Speaker 3: All arguments are vain. Where love bears sway.
- 1:40:27Speaker 1: Exit Bessino.
- 1:40:29Speaker 15: A song.
- 1:40:31Speaker 13: When the winds rage and the seas grow high, they
- 1:40:36Speaker 13: beat mankind beware, But when they smooth and calm the
- 1:40:41Speaker 13: sky tis then they would ensnare. So the bright chaos.
- 1:40:48Speaker 13: Kindness shows by frowning on her lovers for ruin only
- 1:40:53Speaker 13: from her floes when she her charms discovers.
- 1:41:00Speaker 6: Come now, gentlemen and ladies, be pleased to walk into
- 1:41:03Speaker 6: the next room and take a small collation. But where's
- 1:41:08Speaker 6: my lord Bassino? Come gentlemen, He's gone before us.
- 1:41:14Speaker 15: Armando aside, where we will quickly follow.
- 1:41:20Speaker 4: Alonzo A word with you.
- 1:41:25Speaker 1: Exit on this scene. Two a chamber in Aurelia's house.
- 1:41:33Speaker 1: Two armchairs. Aurelia Sola, I.
- 1:41:37Speaker 2: Wonder much at my Basino's stay, Oh love, how swiftly
- 1:41:43Speaker 2: fly thy hours away when we are blessed? How tedious
- 1:41:47Speaker 2: are thy minutes when cruel absence parts two longing lovers.
- 1:41:52Speaker 1: Enter Florilla, is my Basino?
- 1:41:55Speaker 2: Come speak?
- 1:41:57Speaker 9: No, madam? A young stranger desires to speak with you.
- 1:42:03Speaker 9: He says you are not acquainted with his name, but
- 1:42:05Speaker 9: will soon with his business, which is something of great
- 1:42:09Speaker 9: import that can be told to none but yourself.
- 1:42:13Speaker 1: Aurelia aside a stranger business with me?
- 1:42:19Speaker 2: I know of none I have with strangers Heaven? What's this?
- 1:42:24Speaker 2: I feel a sudden throbbing in my heart, as if
- 1:42:27Speaker 2: twas conscious of some fatal news womanish fears admit.
- 1:42:32Speaker 1: Him exit Florilla.
- 1:42:36Speaker 2: It must be one of Bassino's friends whom he entrusts
- 1:42:39Speaker 2: to be a witness of our marriage.
- 1:42:41Speaker 1: Vows enter Placentia in man's clothes.
- 1:42:47Speaker 8: Madam, I was informed that Count Bassino was to be here,
- 1:42:51Speaker 8: and having things to impart that much concern him, I
- 1:42:54Speaker 8: made bold to come.
- 1:42:57Speaker 2: Sir, I expect him straight if you're his friend, and
- 1:43:00Speaker 2: I will account you mine. Be pleased to sit.
- 1:43:04Speaker 1: Both sit.
- 1:43:06Speaker 8: My brother, Madam is extremely happy in being favored by
- 1:43:10Speaker 8: so fair a lady.
- 1:43:12Speaker 2: Your brother, Sir is, then my lord your brother, Madam,
- 1:43:17Speaker 2: he is, and then I may call you brother too,
- 1:43:21Speaker 2: for all the solemn vows of love have passed TwixT
- 1:43:25Speaker 2: him and me, And a blissful hymen waits with a
- 1:43:29Speaker 2: lighted dorche to tie this sacred knot, which shall be
- 1:43:33Speaker 2: done this hour, this hour.
- 1:43:36Speaker 8: Say you, oh madam, have a care. You tread enchanted ground,
- 1:43:42Speaker 8: and ere you know what path you take, your hurried
- 1:43:45Speaker 8: to destruction?
- 1:43:47Speaker 2: Where lies the danger?
- 1:43:49Speaker 8: Oh tis a fatal tale, yet you must hear it. Therefore,
- 1:43:54Speaker 8: summon your courage to your aid, for you will need
- 1:43:58Speaker 8: it all. Whilst I relate the fatal story.
- 1:44:03Speaker 2: Ah, how I tremble, say, is he dead? Has any
- 1:44:08Speaker 2: murderous villain killed my Bossino?
- 1:44:11Speaker 8: No, he is well in health, but his distempered mind
- 1:44:17Speaker 8: is of a wild and feverish disposition, longing to taste
- 1:44:21Speaker 8: what tasted will undo him.
- 1:44:24Speaker 2: Your speech is all a riddle, pray speak, plainer. But yet,
- 1:44:29Speaker 2: ever you proceed If Count Bosino lives, I care not
- 1:44:33Speaker 2: what must follow, since he's mine.
- 1:44:37Speaker 8: No, he's not yours, nor ever must tis false.
- 1:44:43Speaker 2: There's not a power on earth can part us. Perhaps
- 1:44:47Speaker 2: you think my blood too bas to mix with yours,
- 1:44:50Speaker 2: But sir, your brother loves me, and in love, all
- 1:44:54Speaker 2: ranks are equal.
- 1:44:56Speaker 8: No, I wish that were all. But there's a greater obstacle.
- 1:45:01Speaker 8: He is married, Oh, God's unfortunately married married, Yes, married
- 1:45:12Speaker 8: to my sister, to my unfortunate abandoned sister. Oh do
- 1:45:19Speaker 8: not you conspire to undo her? Quite? It is enough.
- 1:45:23Speaker 8: She's false Bassino's wife.
- 1:45:26Speaker 2: God married, And is it possible? Oh faithless men, Oh truth,
- 1:45:34Speaker 2: oh justice? Whither are you fled? Now all my fears
- 1:45:39Speaker 2: and horrors are explained.
- 1:45:42Speaker 8: I'm glad I reached this place in time to hinder
- 1:45:45Speaker 8: those ills that must have waited on your marriage. Now
- 1:45:49Speaker 8: it is in your power both to be happy and
- 1:45:54Speaker 8: in some measure make my sister so.
- 1:45:57Speaker 1: Both rise paradox in nature.
- 1:46:02Speaker 2: Bid or rill, ye be happy when you rob her
- 1:46:05Speaker 2: of heaven her dear bossino. Indeed, your sister may be
- 1:46:10Speaker 2: counted happy if she's his wife. Ah wife by heaven
- 1:46:17Speaker 2: tis false? No, No, he has no other wife but me.
- 1:46:21Speaker 2: He is not married. You belie him basely. He cannot
- 1:46:26Speaker 2: be so treacherous.
- 1:46:28Speaker 8: Madam, I swear whate'er I said is truth. Do but
- 1:46:33Speaker 8: defer this marriage for a day. And if I don't
- 1:46:37Speaker 8: produce convincing proofs, may all the plagues a woman can
- 1:46:41Speaker 8: invent fall on my perjured head.
- 1:46:44Speaker 2: Defer our marriage. No, by heaven, I will not. I
- 1:46:48Speaker 2: can't suspect him, neither do I think you durst maintain
- 1:46:53Speaker 2: the story to his face?
- 1:46:55Speaker 8: Madam, I dare nay. Which is more? I'll die or
- 1:47:00Speaker 8: vindicate my injured sister's honor.
- 1:47:04Speaker 2: Bald arrogance. Oh that he were but here to answer
- 1:47:08Speaker 2: the affront. Perhaps he may have wronged your family, debauched
- 1:47:12Speaker 2: your sister, for which you would force him to marry her.
- 1:47:16Speaker 2: But I must tell thee boy he's mine already. Nor
- 1:47:20Speaker 2: would he forsake me to hold command over all the universe.
- 1:47:25Speaker 8: Oh, Heaven, must I bear this?
- 1:47:28Speaker 2: Nay, expect more? If he should find you here, tis
- 1:47:32Speaker 2: not your being brother to his mistress that will secure
- 1:47:35Speaker 2: you from his just revenge revenge.
- 1:47:39Speaker 8: Nay, then away with all disguise, pity be gone, and
- 1:47:43Speaker 8: in its room fell rage take place, that I may
- 1:47:47Speaker 8: dash that haughty insolence that dares to treat me. Thus, no, madam,
- 1:47:52Speaker 8: I am his wife, his lawful, wedded wife with borrowed shape.
- 1:47:58Speaker 8: I came to try your virtue, which I have found
- 1:48:00Speaker 8: so light that the least puff of wanton love will
- 1:48:05Speaker 8: blast it. Else my visit had met a better welcome.
- 1:48:09Speaker 8: Draws here with sword in hand, I'll wait his coming,
- 1:48:15Speaker 8: And as he enters, pierce thy haughty breast. I know
- 1:48:20Speaker 8: he loves thee, and therefore tis brave revenge to let
- 1:48:25Speaker 8: him see thy dying pangs, thy parting size will rack
- 1:48:29Speaker 8: him worse than hell his wife.
- 1:48:33Speaker 2: Oh, insolence, in vain, you waste your breath. It moves
- 1:48:38Speaker 2: me not so much. I love him so much I'm
- 1:48:42Speaker 2: beloved that should an angel from yon heaven descend to
- 1:48:46Speaker 2: tell me he's married, I'd not credit him kill me
- 1:48:50Speaker 2: if you dare, he will revenge my death. That pleasing
- 1:48:55Speaker 2: thought gives courage to my soul. To live without him
- 1:48:59Speaker 2: would be death. Indeed, no, he'll never leave me for
- 1:49:03Speaker 2: a common thing. For such, I'm sure thou art.
- 1:49:08Speaker 8: Common, proud wretch by heaven. That word gives wings to
- 1:49:13Speaker 8: my revenge. Vile creature, die stabs her help, murder, murder.
- 1:49:22Speaker 1: Enter bassino ha, that to thy heart kills placentia.
- 1:49:28Speaker 3: Wert thou adema God and thirst attempt the shrine? Thus
- 1:49:31Speaker 3: shouldst thou fall placentia falling?
- 1:49:35Speaker 2: Oh bassanio, Oh, oh, hold my lord, what has your
- 1:49:41Speaker 2: rationist done? I only should have died. I'll not upbraid
- 1:49:46Speaker 2: your treachery. No tis the hand of heaven that guides
- 1:49:50Speaker 2: the stroke that takes my guilty life for being faithless
- 1:49:55Speaker 2: to Alonso.
- 1:49:56Speaker 3: Talk not of death, my fair, My dear Aurelia, that
- 1:50:00Speaker 3: very sound does harrow up my soul. But who art thou,
- 1:50:04Speaker 3: whose sacrilegious hand durst to profane the temple of my love?
- 1:50:09Speaker 6: Hi?
- 1:50:09Speaker 8: Happy your wife, Your loving wife, placentia. Oh, pardon this
- 1:50:17Speaker 8: rash deed, blame jealous love, and grace me with a
- 1:50:21Speaker 8: sigh that I may die contented.
- 1:50:25Speaker 3: My wife and killed by me? Under what load of
- 1:50:29Speaker 3: miseries I stand? Oh horror, horror, infinity of guilt. Hurl
- 1:50:34Speaker 3: now your vengeful bolts, almighty powers on my devoted head. Oh,
- 1:50:39Speaker 3: I have wronged you both, deceived you basely. Thus prostrate
- 1:50:44Speaker 3: on the ground, let me beg.
- 1:50:46Speaker 1: Pardon throws himself on the ground.
- 1:50:50Speaker 3: I do not ask it with design to live.
- 1:50:53Speaker 2: Oh, dear Bassino, live and try to save her, for
- 1:50:59Speaker 2: she's in a cent and we only are in fault.
- 1:51:03Speaker 2: I urged my wretched fate with impious language, for which
- 1:51:07Speaker 2: I beg forgiveness. Generous lady, Let not my soul depart
- 1:51:13Speaker 2: with guilt oppressed.
- 1:51:16Speaker 8: As I forgive you. So may heaven me.
- 1:51:21Speaker 3: Oh placentia, oh my wife.
- 1:51:25Speaker 2: One more thing, and I'm happy, or but alonzo here
- 1:51:30Speaker 2: that I might ask forgiveness for my falsehood. But alas,
- 1:51:35Speaker 2: my spirits faint within my frozen veins, and everything seems
- 1:51:39Speaker 2: double to my sight. Oh, how I dread the uncertain future.
- 1:51:44Speaker 3: State, unhappy maid, Oh my once dear Aurelia, cursed, cursed Fassino,
- 1:51:51Speaker 3: Oh my wife, How dare I stand in the view
- 1:51:54Speaker 3: of both these injured women? Oh, Heaven. Why nay, I Heaven,
- 1:51:59Speaker 3: Heaven will not hear a wretch like me. No, even
- 1:52:02Speaker 3: Hell wants torment proportion to my guilt. Oh, my Placentia, Oh, oh, my.
- 1:52:08Speaker 8: Dear lord, I cannot see you. Thus live live, my lord,
- 1:52:15Speaker 8: be happy when I'm dead. Nay, for your sake, I
- 1:52:20Speaker 8: with a really a too, may live to make you happy.
- 1:52:24Speaker 3: Oh, hold, heap not more curses on me. By your kindness.
- 1:52:28Speaker 3: I wish that she might live, but not for me,
- 1:52:31Speaker 3: only to clear me from her guilty blood.
- 1:52:34Speaker 17: Hope, Placentia, rise, my lord, rise, Do not indulge your woe,
- 1:52:41Speaker 17: your sighs atone for all, and make in death a pleasure.
- 1:52:47Speaker 8: I see him coming. He will soon be here.
- 1:52:51Speaker 3: No, I will never rise, ne'er see the day the
- 1:52:55Speaker 3: sun would blush to shine on such an impious wretch. Here,
- 1:52:59Speaker 3: Let me lie and tear with these cursed hands.
- 1:53:03Speaker 1: Tears the ground in a distracted manner.
- 1:53:07Speaker 3: A passage through the earth, and hide my face forever.
- 1:53:12Speaker 5: Alonzo within, where the where is the Where is the Baracino?
- 1:53:20Speaker 2: Tis Alonzo's voice? Oh fly, my lord, fly from his
- 1:53:25Speaker 2: just revenge.
- 1:53:27Speaker 1: Enter Alonzo, hastily fly?
- 1:53:30Speaker 3: Where shall I fly? From justice?
- 1:53:33Speaker 1: Now?
- 1:53:33Speaker 3: Heaven is kind and sending him to help my journey forward?
- 1:53:37Speaker 5: Where's the basino?
- 1:53:39Speaker 1: Busino rising here?
- 1:53:41Speaker 3: Sir? I stand?
- 1:53:43Speaker 5: Then there it stands a vielin. Ah what do I see?
- 1:53:48Speaker 5: Are really murdered? Oh, treacherous made? They love has casty,
- 1:53:53Speaker 5: dear think, and they've broken the vows, and to call
- 1:53:57Speaker 5: to Heaven for mercy the death. I will the revenge
- 1:54:01Speaker 5: because I love the ones.
- 1:54:03Speaker 2: Oh, Alonso, pardon.
- 1:54:05Speaker 1: Me, Alonzo to Busino.
- 1:54:09Speaker 5: Now Vilan, what a story? What a pretense against thou
- 1:54:14Speaker 5: will invent to avoid them? I just a revenge or
- 1:54:17Speaker 5: that I had never listened to thy tongue, thy base,
- 1:54:21Speaker 5: perfidious tongue. Then all these murders had been prevented, and
- 1:54:26Speaker 5: thou cursed in hell, Thou monstrous fiend.
- 1:54:30Speaker 3: You talk too much. Let's see what you can do.
- 1:54:33Speaker 3: Thus I return your villain, take their reward.
- 1:54:38Speaker 1: They fight, Busino falls enter Armando.
- 1:54:43Speaker 4: Hold hold, oh god, I'm come too late. What has
- 1:54:52Speaker 4: my fatal friendship done? Ah, Presentia too cursed less, sir.
- 1:55:01Speaker 3: My friend Armando. Oh, I blush to see thee. But
- 1:55:04Speaker 3: let me have your pardon now I need it.
- 1:55:08Speaker 4: Oh, first, pardon me, for I have been the cause
- 1:55:14Speaker 4: of all this mischief, whilst my officious friendship strives to
- 1:55:20Speaker 4: save you. I bring you all to this unhappy end.
- 1:55:26Speaker 4: Say can you pardon me?
- 1:55:30Speaker 3: I do? And oh my friend had virtue been my
- 1:55:33Speaker 3: guide as it was thine I still were truly happy?
- 1:55:38Speaker 2: Where am I? Why do I hover thus TwixT rest
- 1:55:43Speaker 2: and misery?
- 1:55:45Speaker 3: Oh?
- 1:55:45Speaker 2: Good Alonso, Say you pardon me and let me die
- 1:55:49Speaker 2: in peace? Else full of horror, My guilty soul must
- 1:55:53Speaker 2: wander in the shades of gloomy night, and never never rest.
- 1:56:00Speaker 5: Thou ahest of my aparton, then de disapromise, never to
- 1:56:06Speaker 5: love again.
- 1:56:08Speaker 2: Oh you're too kind, and I want breath to think you.
- 1:56:16Speaker 1: Farewell dies, Oh Placentia embraces her thus in thy arms.
- 1:56:25Speaker 3: My thread of life shall break.
- 1:56:28Speaker 8: My lord my husband, Oh, come nearer yet that I
- 1:56:34Speaker 8: may take a part and kiss to smooth my passage
- 1:56:37Speaker 8: to the realms of endless.
- 1:56:38Speaker 1: Night, kissing him.
- 1:56:41Speaker 8: So now I die much happier than I lived.
- 1:56:53Speaker 3: Farewell dies, farewell, fair excellence, thou best of wives. But
- 1:57:01Speaker 3: I shall quickly follow ye before I go, I beg
- 1:57:06Speaker 3: alonzo let my death atone for all the injuries my
- 1:57:10Speaker 3: life has done you. I'll spare my memory when I'm
- 1:57:13Speaker 3: no more by heaven.
- 1:57:17Speaker 5: I see is such virtuous struggling in thy breast, as
- 1:57:21Speaker 5: it makes me wish I could to prevent the flight
- 1:57:24Speaker 5: of thy departing soul.
- 1:57:26Speaker 3: No, no, I would not live hadst thou not come.
- 1:57:30Speaker 3: My hand had set me free. But now I fell
- 1:57:33Speaker 3: more nobly and less guilty. My friend, my dear Armando,
- 1:57:37Speaker 3: haste to inform my prince Basino rests, but hide, if possible,
- 1:57:42Speaker 3: my shame, and let one grave hold both this wretched
- 1:57:46Speaker 3: corpse and mine home. My placentia dies.
- 1:57:52Speaker 5: Unhappy pair, but far more wretched than me, For I
- 1:57:58Speaker 5: must live and leave without. Really, though I am convinced
- 1:58:05Speaker 5: that she loved me, not, I can't punish your image
- 1:58:10Speaker 5: from my love. Seek mind, Oh that I ne'er had
- 1:58:15Speaker 5: seen the charming fair.
- 1:58:19Speaker 4: The gods are just in all their punishments. And by
- 1:58:24Speaker 4: this single act we plainly see that vengeance always treads
- 1:58:31Speaker 4: on perjury. And though sometimes no bolts be at us
- 1:58:36Speaker 4: hurled whilst we enjoy the pleasures of this world, yet
- 1:58:43Speaker 4: a day awaits, a day of general doom, when guilty
- 1:58:48Speaker 4: souls must to an audit. Come then that we may
- 1:58:55Speaker 4: not tremble, blush or fear. Let our desires be just,
- 1:59:01Speaker 4: our lives unsullied.
- 1:59:03Speaker 1: Here exiant Omnes, the end of Act five, End of
- 1:59:12Speaker 1: the Perjured Husband, or the Adventures of Venus by Susanna
- 1:59:18Speaker 1: Saint Livert