Complete Plays, The Read Online Free PDF Page A

off Lavinia
    Tamora
    Farewell, my sons: see that you make her sure.Ne’er let my heart know merry cheer indeed,Till all the Andronici be made away.Now will I hence to seek my lovely Moor,And let my spleenful sons this trull deflow’r.
    Exit
    Re-enter Aaron, with Quintus and Martius
    Aaron
    Come on, my lords, the better foot before:Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pitWhere I espied the panther fast asleep.
    Quintus
    My sight is very dull, whate’er it bodes.
    Martius
    And mine, I promise you; were’t not for shame,Well could I leave our sport to sleep awhile.
    Falls into the pit
    Quintus
    What art thou fall’n? What subtle hole is this,Whose mouth is cover’d with rude-growing briers,Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed bloodAs fresh as morning dew distill’d on flowers?A very fatal place it seems to me.Speak, brother, hast thou hurt thee with the fall?
    Martius
    O brother, with the dismall’st object hurtThat ever eye with sight made heart lament!
    Aaron
    [Aside]   Now will I fetch the king to find them here,That he thereby may give a likely guessHow these were they that made away his brother.
    Exit
    Martius
    Why dost not comfort me, and help me outFrom this unhallowed and blood-stained hole?
    Quintus
    I am surprised with an uncouth fear;A chilling sweat o’er-runs my trembling joints:My heart suspects more than mine eye can see.
    Martius
    To prove thou hast a true-divining heart,Aaron and thou look down into this den,And see a fearful sight of blood and death.
    Quintus
    Aaron is gone; and my compassionate heartWill not permit mine eyes once to beholdThe thing whereat it trembles by surmise;O, tell me how it is; for ne’er till nowWas I a child to fear I know not what.
    Martius
    Lord Bassianus lies embrewed here,All on a heap, like to a slaughter’d lamb,In this detested, dark, blood-drinking pit.
    Quintus
    If it be dark, how dost thou know ’tis he?
    Martius
    Upon his bloody finger he doth wearA precious ring, that lightens all the hole,Which, like a taper in some monument,Doth shine upon the dead man’s earthy cheeks,And shows the ragged entrails of the pit:So pale did shine the moon on PyramusWhen he by night lay bathed in maiden blood.O brother, help me with thy fainting hand —If fear hath made thee faint, as me it hath —Out of this fell devouring receptacle,As hateful as Cocytus’ misty mouth.
    Quintus
    Reach me thy hand, that I may help thee out;Or, wanting strength to do thee so much good,I may be pluck’d into the swallowing wombOf this deep pit, poor Bassianus’ grave.I have no strength to pluck thee to the brink.
    Martius
    Nor I no strength to climb without thy help.
    Quintus
    Thy hand once more; I will not loose again,Till thou art here aloft, or I below:Thou canst not come to me: I come to thee.
    Falls in
    Enter Saturninus with Aaron
    Saturninus
    Along with me: I’ll see what hole is here,And what he is that now is leap’d into it.Say who art thou that lately didst descendInto this gaping hollow of the earth?
    Martius
    The unhappy son of old Andronicus:Brought hither in a most unlucky hour,To find thy brother Bassianus dead.
    Saturninus
    My brother dead! I know thou dost but jest:He and his lady both are at the lodgeUpon the north side of this pleasant chase;’Tis not an hour since I left him there.
    Martius
    We know not where you left him all alive;But, out, alas! here have we found him dead.
    Re-enter Tamora, with Attendants; Titus Andronicus, and Lucius
    Tamora
    Where is my lord the king?
    Saturninus
    Here, Tamora, though grieved with killing grief.
    Tamora
    Where is thy brother Bassianus?
    Saturninus
    Now to the bottom dost thou search my wound:Poor Bassianus here lies murdered.
    Tamora
    Then all too late I bring this fatal writ,The complot of this timeless tragedy;And wonder greatly that man’s face can foldIn pleasing smiles such murderous tyranny.
    She giveth Saturninus a letter
    Saturninus
    [Reads]   ‘An if we miss to meet him handsomely —Sweet huntsman, Bassianus