And please myself withal, whilst my heart's breaking. Mon. Ah! poor Castalio![exit. Cas. What means all this? Why all this stir to plague A single wretch? If but your word can shake This world to atoms, why so much ado With me? think me but dead, and lay me so. Enter Polydore. Pol. To live, and live a torment to myself, What dog would bear't, that knew but his condition? We've little knowledge, and that makes us cowards, Because it cannot tell us what's to come. Cas. Who's there? Pol. Why, what art thou? Cas. My brother Polydore? Pol. My name is Polydore. Cas. Canst thou inform me—— Pol. Of what? Cas. Of my Monimia? Pol. No. Good day! Cas. In haste! Methinks my Polydore appears in sadness. Pol. Indeed! and so to me does my Castalio. Cas. Do I? Pol. Thou dost. Cas. Alas, I've wondrous reason! I'm strangely alter'd, brother, since I saw thee. Pol. Why? Cas. I'll tell thee, Polydore; I would repose Within thy friendly bosom all my follies; For thou wilt pardon 'em, because they're mine. Pol. Be not too credulous; consider first, Friends may be false. Is there no friendship false? Cas. Why dost thou ask me that? Does this appear Like a false friendship, when, with open arms And streaming eyes, I run upon thy breast? Oh! 'tis in thee alone I must have comfort! Pol. I fear, Castalio, I have none to give thee. Cas. Dost thou not love me then? Pol. Oh, more than life; I never had a thought of my Castalio, Might wrong the friendship we had vow'd together. Hast thou dealt so by me? Cas. I hope I have. Pol. Then tell me why, this morning, this disorder? Cas. O Polydore, I know not how to tell thee; Shame rises in my face, and interrupts The story of my tongue. Pol. I grieve, my friend Knows any thing which he's asham'd to tell me. Cas. Oh, much too oft. Our destiny contriv'd To plague us both with one unhappy love! Thou, like a friend, a constant, gen'rous friend, In its first pangs didst trust me with thy passion, Whilst I still smooth'd my pain with smiles before thee, And made a contract I ne'er meant to keep. Pol. How! Cas. Still new ways I studied to abuse thee, And kept thee as a stranger to my passion, Till yesterday I wedded with Monimia. Pol. Ah! Castalio, was that well done? Cas. No; to conceal't from thee was much a fault. Pol. A fault! when thou hast heard The tale I'll tell, what wilt thou call it then? Cas. How my heart throbs! Pol. First, for thy friendship, traitor, I cancel't thus: after this day I'll ne'er Hold trust or converse with the false Castalio! This, witness, heaven. Cas. What will my fate do with me? I've lost all happiness, and know not why! What means this, brother? Pol. Perjur'd, treach'rous wretch, Farewell! Cas. I'll be thy slave, and thou shalt use me Just as thou wilt, do but forgive me.