_Aquil._ See you this, sir? [_Draws a dagger._ _Ant._ O laud, a dagger! O laud! it is naturally my aversion, I cannot endure the sight on't; hide it, for Heaven's sake, I cannot look that way till it be gone--hide it, hide it, oh, oh, hide it! _Aquil._ Yes, in your heart I'll hide it. _Ant._ My heart! what, hide a dagger in my heart's blood? _Aquil._ Yes, in thy heart, thy throat, thou pampered devil; Thou'st helped to spoil my peace, and I'll have vengeance On thy cursed life, for all the bloody Senate, The perjured faithless Senate. Where's my lord, My happiness, my love, my god, my hero, Doomed by thy accursed tongue, amongst the rest, To a shameful rack? By all the rage that's in me, I'll be whole years in murdering thee. _Ant._ Why, Nacky, wherefore so passionate? what have I done? what's the matter, my dear Nacky? Am not I thy love, thy happiness, thy lord, thy hero, thy senator, and every thing in the world, Nacky? _Aquil._ Thou! think'st thou, thou art fit to met my joys; To bear the eager clasps of my embraces? Give me my Pierre, or-- _Ant._ Why, he's to be hanged, little Nacky; trussed up for treason, and so forth, child. _Aquil._ Thou liest; stop down thy throat that hellish sentence, Or 'tis thy last: swear that my love shall live, Or thou art dead. _Ant._ Ah! _Aquil._ Swear to recall his doom; Swear at my feet, and tremble at my fury. _Ant._ I do. Now if she would but kick a little bit, one kick now; ah! _Aquil._ Swear, or-- _Ant._ I do, by these dear fragrant foots, and little toes, sweet as--e-e-e-e my Nacky, Nacky, Nacky. _Aquil._ How! _Ant._ Nothing but untie thy shoe-string a little, faith and troth, that's all, that's all, as I hope to live, Nacky, that's all. _Aquil._ Nay, then-- _Ant._ Hold, hold; thy love, thy lord, thy hero Shall be preserved and safe. _Aquil._ Or may this poniard Rust in thy heart! _Ant._ With all my soul. _Aquil._ Farewell! [_Exit._ _Ant._ Adieu! Why, what a bloody-minded, inveterate, termagant strumpet have I been plagued with! Oh, yet more! nay then, I die, I die--I am dead already. [_Stretches himself out. Scene closes._ [Illustration] SCENE II.--_A Street near_ PRIULI'S _House_. _Enter_ JAFFIER. _Jaff._ Final destruction seize on all the world! Bend down, ye Heavens, and, shutting round this earth, Crush the vile globe into its first confusion; Scorch it with elemental flames to one curst cinder, And all us little creepers in't, called men, Burn, burn, to nothing! but let Venice burn Hotter than all the rest; here kindle hell Ne'er to extinguish; and let souls hereafter Groan here, in all those pains which mine feels now!