2. William Shakespeare


Sort of based on Much Ado About Nothing where Claudio jilts Hero at the altar.


Scene i.

EDITH (whisper)

Good afternoon.

SIR ANTHONY (whisper)

Good afternoon, my sweet one.

SIR ANTHONY

In troth, I cannot do this.

ROBERT (sharp whisper)

What?

SIR ANTHONY

I cannot so condemn my sweetest love.

You know within your breast that this is wrong;

You yourself hath many times cried shame

Upon this marriage.

ROBERT

My dear chap.

SIR ANTHONY

No. Love tied my hands when action should have been

My heart's captain. Oft times I called halt

But my resolve drown'd in Edith's eyes.

EDITH

What words are these? My ears hear, but my heart

Is deaf and slow of wit.

SIR ANTHONY

Edith! Edith, I will not let you waste

Your life on me.

EDITH

But smiling happiness sends warm breezes to bless

Our union!

[Edith takes Strallan's hand.]

SIR ANTHONY

Joy will be yours, not mine. My wealth of love

For thee, alas, far outweighs the merit

I possess to deserve such a jewel as you.

[Edith looks into Strallan's eyes, mortified.]

ROBERT

Anthony, it is too late for this.

REVD TRAVIS

A little distance might assist perchance?

[Violet steps forward to Edith.]

VIOLET

No. Let him go, for right is on his side.

This is the only sensible action

He's proposed for many a day.

SIR ANTHONY

I thank you, Lady Grantham.

EDITH

But...Granny...

VIOLET

No, no. It's done, my dear. A limb cut off

Is least painful hewn quickly. Wish him well

And let him go.

EDITH

I cannot. My heart breaks.

SIR ANTHONY

Goodbye, my dearest darling. And may God

Bless you always.

[Strallan walks back up the aisle and Edith turns to him, but Violet holds her back. Edith swoons. Tom runs after Strallan. The congregation disperses in chaos. Matthew, Mary, Edith, Robert, and Travis are left alone in the church.]

MATTHEW

How doth the lady?

MARY

Dead, I think. Help, Papa!

REVD TRAVIS

Have comfort, lady.

MARY

O, on my soul, my sister is betrayed!

[Edith stirs. Mary comforts her.]

REVD TRAVIS

Pause awhile,

And let my counsel sway you in this case.

Your daughter here the baronet left for dead:

Let her awhile be secretly kept in,

And publish it that she is dead indeed.

ROBERT

What shall become of this? What will this do?

REVD TRAVIS

Marry, this well carried shall on her behalf

Change slander to remorse; that is some good:

She dying, as it must so be maintain'd,

Upon the instant that she was abused,

Shall be lamented, pitied and valued

More than she was. So will it fare with Anthony:

When he shall hear she died upon his words,

The idea of her life shall sweetly creep

Into his study of imagination; then shall he mourn,

If ever love had interest in his liver,

And wish he had not so abused her:

And if it sort not well, you may conceal her,

As best befits her wounded reputation,

Out of all eyes, tongues, minds and injuries.

ROBERT

Being that I flow in grief,

The smallest twine may lead me.

REVD TRAVIS

Come, lady, die to live: this wedding-day

Perhaps is but prolong'd: have patience and endure.

[Exeunt all but Matthew and Mary.]

MATTHEW

Lady, weep you?

MARY

Yea, and I will weep a while longer.

MATTHEW

I will not desire that.

Surely I do believe your fair sister is wronged.

MARY

Ah, how much might the man deserve of me that would right her!

MATTHEW

I do love nothing in the world so well as you.

Come, bid me do any thing for thee.

MARY

Kill Anthony.

MATTHEW

Is Anthony thine enemy?

MARY

Is he not approved in the height a villain, that

Hath scorned, dishonoured my kinswoman? O

That I were a man! What, bear her in hand until they

Come to take hands; and then, with public

Abandonment, uncovered cowardice, unmitigated disrespect-

O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart

In the market-place.

MATTHEW

Tarry, good Mary. By this hand, I love thee.

MARY

Use it for my love some other way than swearing by it.

MATTHEW

Enough, I am engaged; I will challenge him. I will

kiss your hand, and so I leave you. Go, comfort your

Sister: I must say she is dead: and so, farewell.


Scene ii.

MATTHEW

Shall I speak a word in your ear?

SIR ANTHONY

God bless me: a challenge!

MATTHEW

You are a villain; do me right, or I will

Protest your cowardice. You have killed a sweet

Lady, and her death shall fall heavy on you.

SIR ANTHONY

I will meet you, my death will bring good cheer

To all, myself as much as any.

[Enter Robert .]

SIR ANTHONY

Is't true? Sweet Edith dead, and by my hand?

ROBERT

Alas, too true.

SIR ANTHONY

I know not how to pray your patience;

Yet I must speak. Choose your revenge yourself;

Impose me to what penance your invention

Can lay upon my sin: yet sinn'd I not

Except in loving far too well

And being far too old and war-wearied.

ROBERT

I cannot bid you bid my daughter live;

To-morrow morning come you to my house,

And since you could not be my son-in-law,

Be yet my nephew: my sister hath a daughter,

Almost the copy of my child that's dead,

Give her the right you should have given her cousin,

And so dies my revenge.

SIR ANTHONY

O noble sir,

Your over-kindness doth wring tears from me!

I do embrace your offer; and dispose

For henceforth of poor Anthony.

[Exeunt, severally]


Scene iii.

REVD TRAVIS

Did I not tell you this would work?

ROBERT

Something they teach you at seminary?

MATTHEW

Well, I am glad that all things sort so well.

Being else by love and promise bound

To call Sir Anthony to a reckoning for it.

ROBERT

Well, daughters, withdraw into a chamber

By yourselves, and when I send for you, come

Hither mask'd.

[Exeunt Ladies.]

[Enter Sir Anthony.]

ROBERT

Good morrow, Sir Anthony. We here attend you.

Are you determined to marry with my sister's daughter?

SIR ANTHONY

I'll hold my mind, but love her I cannot

My heart being buried with fair Edith.

[Re-enter the Ladies masked.]

SIR ANTHONY

Which is the lady I must seize upon?

ROBERT

This same is she, and I do give you her.

SIR ANTHONY

Then she's mine. Sweet one, let me see your face.

ROBERT

No, that you shall not, till you take her hand

Before this priest and swear to marry her.

SIR ANTHONY

Give me your hand: before this holy clerk,

I am your husband, if you like of me.

EDITH

And when I lived, I was your other wife:

[Unmasking.]

And when you loved, you were my other husband.

SIR ANTHONY

Edith!

EDITH

Nothing certainer:

One Edith died defamed, but I do live,

And surely as I live, I am yours, and yours alone.

ROBERT

She died, but while you would not have her love.

SIR ANTHONY

Sweet Edith, forgive my foolish doubts and

Be my wife, and I will live my life to

Prove my love.

EDITH

To wear thy ring, to bear thy name, no more

I ask. Tho' yet perhaps to bear thy sons

And daughters and to seal the bargain with

A kiss.

[They kiss passionately. Dance.]