Ne'er let my heart know merry cheer indeed, Now will I hence to seek my lovely Moor, And let my spleenful sons this trull deflour. [Exit. SCENE IV. The same. Enter AARON, with QUINTUS and MARTIUS. Aar. Come on, my lords; the better foot before: Straight will I bring you to the loathsome pit, Where I espy'd the panther fast asleep. Quin. My sight is very dull, whate'er it bodes. Mart. And mine, I promise you; wer't not for shame, Well could I leave our sport to sleep awhile. [MARTIUS falls into the Pit. Quin. What art thou fallen? What subtle hole is this, Whose mouth is cover'd with rude-growing briars; Upon whose leaves are drops of new-shed blood, As fresh as morning's dew distill'd on flowers? A very Speak, brother, hast thou hurt thee with the fall? Mart. O, brother, with the dismallest object That ever eye, with sight, made heart lament. Aar. [Aside.] Now will I fetch the king to find them here; fatal place it seems to me : That he thereby may give a likely guess, How these were they that made away his brother. [Exit AARON. Mart. Why dost not comfort me, and help me out From this unhallow'd and blood-stained hole? Quin. I am surprized with an uncouth fear: A chilling sweat o'er-runs my trembling joints; My heart suspects more than mine eye can see. Mart. 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. Quin. Aaron is gone; and my compassionate heart Mart. Lord Bassianus lies embrewed here, Quin. If it be dark, how dost thou know 'tis he? As hateful as Cocytus' misty mouth. Quin. Reach me thy hand, that I may help thee out; Or, wanting strength to do thee so much good, I may be pluck'd into the swallowing womb Of this deep pit, poor Bassianus' grave. I have no strength to pluck thee to the brink. Mart. Nor I no strength to climb without thy help. Quin. Thy hand once more; I will not loose again, Till thou art here aloft, or I below: Thou canst not come to me, I come to thee. [Falls in. Enter SATURNINUS and AARON. Sat. Along with me:-I'll see what hole is here. Mart. The unhappy son of old Andronicus; Sat. My brother dead? I know, thou dost but jest: He and his lady both are at the lodge, Upon the north side of this pleasant chase; "Tis not an hour since I left him there. Mart. We know not where you left him all alive, But, out alas! here have we found him dead. Enter TAMORA, with Attendants; TITUS ANDRONICUS, and LUCIUS. Tam. Where is my lord, the king? Sat. Here, Tamora; though griev'd with killing grief. Tam. Where is thy brother Bassianus ? Sat. Now to the bottom dost thou search my wound; Poor Bassianus here lies murdered. Tam. Then all too late I bring this fatal writ, [Giving a Letter. The complot of this timeless tragedy; And wonder greatly, that man's face can fold Sat. [Reads.] An if we miss to meet him hand- Sweet huntsman, Bassianus 'tis, we mean,- Which overshades the mouth of that same pit, Aar. My gracious lord, here is the bag of gold. [Showing it. Sat. Two of thy whelps, [To TIT.] fell curs of bloody kind, Have here bereft my brother of his life :- How easily murder is discovered! Tit. High emperor, upon my feeble knee I beg this boon, with tears not lightly shed, That this fell fault of my accursed sons, Accursed, if the fault be prov'd in them, 3 Untimely. Sat. If it be prov'd! you see, it is apparent.→ Who found this letter? Tamora, was it you? Tam. Andronicus himself did take it up. Tit. I did, my lord: yet let me be their bail: To answer their suspicion with their lives. Sat. Thou shalt not bail them: see, thou follow me. Some bring the murder'd body, some the muderers: Tam. Andronicus, I will entreat the king; them. SCENE V. The same. Enter DEMETRIUS and CHIRON, with LAVINIA, ravished; her Hands cut off, and her Tongue cut out. Dem. So, now go tell, an if thy tongue can speak, Who 'twas that cut thy tongue, and ravish'd thee. Chi. Write down thy mind, bewray thy meaning so; And, if thy stumps will let thee, play the scribe. Dem. See, how with signs and tokens she can scowl. Chi. Go home, call for sweet water, wash thy hands. |