PAR. Oh brave! oh excellent! if you maintain it! But if you try, and can't go through with spirit, And finding you can't bear it, uninvited, Your peace unmade, all of your own accord, You come and swear you love, and can't endure it, Good-night! all's over! ruin'd and undone She'll jilt you, when she sees you in her pow'r. PHAED. You then, in time consider and advise! PAR. Master! the thing which hath not in itself Or measure or advice, advice can't rule. In love are all these ills: suspicions, quarrels, Wrongs, reconcilements, war, and peace again: Things thus uncertain, if by reason's rules You'd certain make, it were as wise a task To try with reason to run mad. And now What you in anger meditate--I her? That him?--that me? that would not--pardon me! I would die rather: No! she shall perceive How much I am a man.--Big words like these, She in good faith with one false tiny drop, Which, after grievous rubbing, from her eyes Can scarce perforce be squeez'd, shall overcome. Nay, she shall swear, 'twas you in fault, not she; You too shall own th' offense, and pray for pardon. PHAED. Oh monstrous! monstrous! now indeed I see How false she is, and what a wretch I am! Spite of myself I love; and knowing, feeling, With open eyes run on to my destruction; And what to do I know not. PAR. What to do? What should you do, Sir, but redeem yourself As cheaply as you can?--at easy rates If possible--if not--at any rate---- And never vex yourself. PHAED. Is that your counsel? PAR. Aye, if you're wise; and do not add to love More troubles than it has, and those it has Bear bravely! But she comes, our ruin comes; For she, like storms of hail on fields of corn, Beats down our hopes, and carries all before her. SCENE II. _Enter THAIS._ THAIS. Ah me! I fear lest Phaedria take offense And think I meant it other than I did, That he was not admitted yesterday. (_To herself, not seeing them._) PHAED. I tremble, Parmeno, and freeze with horror. PAR. Be of good cheer! approach yon fire--she'll warm you. THAIS. Who's there? my Phaedria? Why did you stand here? Why not directly enter? PAR. Not one word Of having shut him out! THAIS. Why don't you speak? PHAED. Because, forsooth, these doors will always fly Open to me, or that because I stand The first in your good graces. (_Ironically._) THAIS. Nay, no more! PHAED. No more?--O Thais, Thais, would to Heaven Our loves were parallel, that things like these Might torture you, as this has tortur'd me: Or that your actions were indifferent to me! THAIS. Grieve not, I beg, my love, my Phaedria! Not that I lov'd another more, I did this. But I by circumstance was forc'd to do it. PAR. So then, it seems, for very love, poor soul, You shut the door in 's teeth. THAIS. Ah Parmeno! Is't thus you deal with me? Go to!--But hear Why I did call you hither? PHAED. Be it so. THAIS. But tell me first, can yon slave hold his peace?