Читать книгу The Spanish Curate: A Comedy - Beaumont Francis - Страница 4

Is it my fault, Don Henrique, or my fate?

What's my offence? I came young to your bed,

I had a fruitfull Mother, and you met me

With equall ardour in your May of blood;

And why then am I barren?

'Tis not in Man

To yield a reason for the will of Heaven,

Which is inscrutable.

To what use serve

Full fortunes, and the meaner sort of blessings,

When that, which is the Crown of all our wishes,

The period of humane happiness,

One only Child that may possess what's ours,

Is cruelly deni'd us?

'Tis the curse

Of great Estates to want those Pledges, which

The poor are happy in: They in a Cottage,

With joy, behold the Models of their youth,

And as their Root decaies, those budding Branches

Sprout forth and flourish, to renew their age;

But this is the beginning, not the end

Of misery to me, that 'gainst my will

(Since Heaven denies us Issue of our own)

Must leave the fruit of all my care and travel

To an unthankfull Brother that insults

On my Calamity.

I will rather choose

A Bastard from the Hospital and adopt him,

And nourish him as mine own.

Such an evasion

(My Violante) is forbid to us;

Happy the Romane State, where it was lawfull,

(If our own Sons were vicious) to choose one

Out of a vertuous Stock, though of poor Parents,

And make him noble. But the laws of Spain,

(Intending to preserve all ancient Houses)

Prevent such free elections; with this, my Brother's

Too well acquainted, and this makes him bold to

Reign o're me, as a Master.

I will fire

The Portion I brought with me, e're he spend

A Royal of it: no Quirck left? no Quiddit

That may defeat him?

Were I but confirmed,

That you would take the means I use with patience,

As I must practise it with my dishonour,

I could lay level with the earth his hopes

That soar above the clouds with expectation

To see me in my grave.

Viol. Effect but this,

And our revenge shall be to us a Son

That shall inherit for us.

Do not repent

When 'tis too late.

I fear not what may fall

He dispossess'd that does usurp on all.