_Mal._ Perhaps I have: (How right the blockhead hits!) Yet more to rack thy heart, and break thy brain, Thy niece has been before the Guise's mistress. _Gril._ Hell-hound, avaunt! _Mal._ Forgive my honest meaning. [_Exit._ _Gril._ 'Tis hatched beneath, a plot upon mine honour; And thus he lays his baits to catch my soul:-- Ha! but the presence opens; who comes here? By heaven, my niece! led by Alphonso Corso! Ha, Malicorn! is't possible? truth from thee! 'Tis plain! and I, in justifying woman, Have done the devil wrong. _Enter_ ALPHONSO CORSO, _leading in_ MARMOUTIERE. _Alph._ Madam, the king (Please you to sit) will instantly attend you. [_Exit._ _Gril._ Death, hell, and furies! ha! she comes to seek him!-- O prostitute!--and, on her prodigal flesh, She has lavished all the diamonds of the Guise, To set her off, and sell her to the king. _Mar._ O heavens! did ever virgin yet attempt An enterprise like mine? I, that resolved Never to leave those dear delightful shades, But act the little part that nature gave me, On the green carpets of some guiltless grove, And having finished it, forsake the world; Unless sometimes my heart might entertain Some small remembrance of the taking Guise: But that far, far from any darkening thought, To cloud my honour, or eclipse my virtue. _Gril._ Thou liest! and if thou hadst not glanced aside, And spied me coming, I had had it all. _Mar._ By heaven! by all that's good-- _Gril._ Thou hast lost thy honour. Give me this hand, this hand by which I caught thee From the bold ruffian in the massacre, That would have stained thy almost infant honour, With lust, and blood;--dost thou remember it? _Mar._ I do, and bless the godlike arm, that saved me. _Gril._ 'Tis false! thou hast forgot my generous action; And now thou laugh'st, to think how thou hast cheated, For all his kindness, this old grisled fool. _Mar._ Forbid it heaven! _Gril._ But oh, that thou hadst died Ten thousand deaths, ere blasted Grillon's glory; Grillon, that saved thee from a barbarous world. Where thou hadst starved, or sold thyself for bread; Took thee into his bosom, fostered thee As his own soul, and laid thee in his heart-strings; And now, for all my cares, to serve me thus! O 'tis too much, ye powers! double confusion On all my wars; and oh,--out, shame upon thee! It wrings the tears from Grillon's iron heart, And melts me to a babe. _Mar._ Sir! father! hear me! I come to court, to save the life of Guise. _Gril._ And prostitute thy honour to the king. _Mar._ I have looked, perhaps, too nicely for my sex, Into the dark affairs of fatal state; And, to advance this dangerous inquisition, I listened to the love of daring Guise. _Gril._ By arms, by honesty, I swear thou lovest him!