_D'Am._ Sir, 'tis a witness only of my love, And love doth always satisfy itself. Now to your father, labour his consent, My importunity shall second yours. We will obtain it. _Charl._ If entreaty fail, The force of reputation shall prevail. [_Exit._ _D'Am._ Go call my sons, that they may take their leaves Of noble Charlemont. Now, my Borachio! _Bor._ The substance of our former argument Was wealth. _D'Am._ The question, how to compass it. _Bor._ Young Charlemont is going to the war. _D'Am._ O, thou begin'st to take me! _Bor._ Mark me then. Methinks the pregnant wit of man might make The happy absence of this Charlemont A subject of commodious providence. He has a wealthy father, ready even To drop into his grave. And no man's power, When Charlemont is gone, can interpose 'Twixt you and him. _D'Am._ Thou hast apprehended both My meaning and my love. Now let thy trust, For undertaking and for secrecy Hold measure with thy amplitude of wit; And thy reward shall parallel thy worth. _Bor._ My resolution has already bound Me to your service. _D'Am._ And my heart to thee. _Enter_ ROUSARD _and_ SEBASTIAN. Here are my sons.-- There's my eternity. My life in them And their succession shall for ever live. And in my reason dwells the providence To add to life as much of happiness. Let all men lose, so I increase my gain, I have no feeling of another's pain. [_Exeunt._ SCENE II.--_An Apartment in_ MONTFERRERS' _Mansion._ _Enter_ MONTFERRERS _and_ CHARLEMONT. _Mont._ I prithee, let this current of my tears Divert thy inclination from the war, For of my children thou art only left To promise a succession to my house. And all the honour thou canst get by arms Will give but vain addition to thy name; Since from thy ancestors thou dost derive A dignity sufficient, and as great As thou hast substance to maintain and bear. I prithee, stay at home. _Charl._ My noble father, The weakest sigh you breathe hath power to turn My strongest purpose, and your softest tear To melt my resolution to as soft Obedience; but my affection to the war Is as hereditary as my blood To every life of all my ancestry. Your predecessors were your precedents, And you are my example. Shall I serve For nothing but a vain parenthesis I' the honoured story of your family? Or hang but like an empty scutcheon Between the trophies of my predecessors, And the rich arms of my posterity? There's not a Frenchman of good blood and youth, But either out of spirit or example Is turned a soldier. Only Charlemont Must be reputed that same heartless thing That cowards will be bold to play upon. _Enter_ D'AMVILLE, ROUSARD, _and_ SEBASTIAN. _D'Am._ Good morrow, my lord. _Mont._ Morrow, good brother. _Charl._ Good morrow, uncle.