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.]
