Luc. Numitorius there confronted him!
Vir. Did he not strike him dead?

True, true, I know it was in presence of
The Decemvir-O! had I confronted him!

Well! well! the issue-Well! (L.) o'erleap all else,
And light upon the issue! Where is she?

Luc. (R.) I was despatch'd to fetch thee, ere I could learn.

Vir. The claim of Claudius-Appius's client-Ha!

I see the master-cloud (c)-this ragged one,
That lowers before, moves only in subservience
To the ascendant of the other-Jove,

With its own mischief break it and disperse it,
And that be all the ruin! Patience! Prudence!
Nay, prudence, but no patience.-Come! a slave
Dragg'd through the streets in open day! my child!
My daughter! my fair daughter, in the eyes
Of Rome! O! I'll be patient. Come! the essence
Of my best blood in the free common ear
Condemn'd as vile! O! I'll be patient. Come !
O they shall wonder.-I will be so patient.

END OF ACT 111.

[Exeunt, R.

ACT IV

SCENE I.--Numitorius's House.

VIRGINIA discovered C., supported by SERVIA.

Virginia. Is he not yet arrived? Will he not come ?
Servia. He surely will.

Virginia. He surely will! More surely

He had arrived already, had he known

How he is wanted-"They have miss'd him, Servia!
Don't tell me, but I know they have, or surely

We had not now been looking for him." Where's
My uncle?

Servia. Finding you had fallen asleep

After such watching, he went forth to hea.

If there were any tidings of Virginius.

He's here.

Enter NUMITORIUS, R.-VIRGINIA looks at him inquisitively

for some time

Virginia. Not come! not come! I am sure of it!

He will not come . Do you not think he'll come?
Will not my father come? What think you, uncle?
Speak to me, speak-O give me any words,
Rather than what looks utter.

Num. (c.) Be compos'd!

I hope he'll come !

Virginia. A little while ago

You were sure of it-from certainty to hope
Is a poor step: you hope he'll come-One hope,
One little hope, to face a thousand fears!

"Do you not know he'll come? O, uncle, wherefore
Do you not know he'll come? Had I been you,
I had made sure of it..

Num. All has been done

That could be done.

Virginia. Poor all, that does so little!
One would imagine little needs be done
To bring a father to the succour of
His child!" "Tis near the time!

Num. It is, indeed!

Virginia. Must I go forth with you? Must I again
Be dragg'd along by Claudius as his slave,
And none again to succour me?-Icilius !
Icilius! Does your true betrothed wife
Call on you, and you hear not? My Icilius!
Am I to be your wife or Claudius' slave?
Where where are you, Icilius ?

Icil. My Virginia!

Enter ICILIUS, R

What's to be done, my friend? 'tis almost time.

[To Numitorius. Virginia. I hear what you are saying-it is time"O, who could have believed it, that Icilius

Should ever say 'twas time to yield me to
Another's claim!"-And will you give me up?
Can you devise no means to keep me from him?
Could we not fly?

[Icilius looks earnestly at Numitorius, who fixes his eyes steadfastly on the ground: Icilius droops his head.

I see! Your pledge

Must be redeem'd, although it cost you your
Virginia.

Vir. [Without, R.] Is she here ?
Virginia. Ah!

Enter VIRGINIUS.

Vir. My child! my child!

[Virginius rushes into her father's arms. Virginia. I am! I feel I am! I know I am! My father! my dear father! "I despair'd Of seeing you!" You're come! and come in time. And, O! how much the more in time, when hope Had given you up. O! welcome, welcome foot, Whose wished step is heard when least expected!"' Vir. (c.) Brother! Icilius! thank you! thank you. -All

Has been communicated to me. Ay!

And would they take thee from me? Let them try it!
You've ta'en your measures well-I scarce could pass
Along, so was I check'd by loving hands

Ready to serve me.

Hands with hearts in them!

So thou art Claudius' slave? And if thou art,

I'm surely not thy father! Blister'd villain!

You have warn'd our neighbours, have you not, to attend

As witnesses? To be sure you have. A fool

To ask the question. Dragg'd along the streets too!
'Twas very kind in him, to go himself

And fetch thee-such an honour should not pass
Without acknowledgement. I shall return it

In full! In full!

Num. (R. C.) Pray you be prudent, brother.

Virginia (c.) Dear father, be advised-Will you not, father?

Vir. I never saw you look so much like your mother In all my life!

Virginia. You'll be advis'd, dear father?

Vir. It was her soul-her soul, that play'd just then About the features of her child, and lit them

Into the likeness of her own.

When first

She plac'd thee in my arms-I recollect it

As a thing of yesterday!—she wish'd, she said,
That it had been a man. I answer'd her,

It was the mother of a race of men ;

And paid her for thee with a kiss. Her lips
Are cold now-could they but be warm'd again,
How they would clamour for thee!

Virginia. My dear father,

You do not answer me! Will you not be advis'd?

Vir. I will not take him by the throat and strangle him!

But I could do it! I could do it! Fear not :

I will not strike while any head I love

Is in the way. It is not now a time

To tell thee-but, would'st thou believe it!-honest
Siccius Dentatus has been murder'd by them.

Icil. Murdered!

Num. Dentatus murder'd!
Virginia. O! how much

Have we to fear.

Vir. We have the less to fear.

I spread the news at every step-A fire
Is kindled, that will blaze at but a breath
Into the fiercest flame!

Num. 'Tis time. Let's haste

To the Forum.

Vir. Let the Forum wait for us!

Put on no show of fear, when villainy

Would wrestle with you! It can keep its feet
Only with cowards! I shall walk along
Slowly and calmly, with my daughter thus
In my hand though with another kind of gripe
Than that which Claudius gave her. Well, I say,
I'll walk along thus, in the eyes of Rome.
Go you before, and what appeal soe'er

[Going, R.

You please, make you to rouse up friends. For me,
I shall be mute-my eloquence is here-

Her tears-her youth-her innocence-her beauty!
If orators like these can't move the heart,
Tongues surely may be dumb.

Icil. (L. C.) A thousand hearts.
Have spoke already in her cause!
Vir. Come on!

Fear not! it is your father's grasp you feel.
O, he'll be strong as never mau was, that
Will take thee from it. Come, Virginia;
We trust our cause to Rome and to the gods!

[Virginius leads her off R. Icilius, &c. follow.

SCENE II.-The Forum.

Enter APPIUS and LICTORS, R. U. E.

App. See you keep back the people! Use your fasces With firmer hands, or hearts. Your hands are firm Enough, would but your hearts perform their office "And leave your hands at liberty, not hang

Upon them with unseemly fears and clamours!"

Look to it!

"Time! hadst thou the theme that I have For speed, thou would'st not move this cripple's gait: But there's no urging thee, and thou wast ever Dull fellow traveller to young Impatience, Dragging him back upon the road he pants Το run, but cannot find without thee."

Well?

Enter MARCUS, R.

Marc. (R.) News has arriv'd, that speaks as if Dentatus Was murder'd by the order of your colleagues!

There's not a face I meet but lowers with it:

The streets are fill'd with througing groups, that, as
You pass, grow silent, and look sullen round on you,
Then fall again to converse.

App. (c.) 'Tis ill-tim'd.

Marc. What say you, Appius?

App. Murder's ill-tim'd, I say,

Happen when 'twill; but now is most ill-tim'd,
When Rome is in a ferment, on account

Of Claudius, and this girl he calls his slave;
"For come when evil will, or how it will,
All's laid to our account!" Look out and see
If Claudius be approaching yet.

"My wish,

[Marcus retires into back ground.

Like an officious friend, comes out of time
To tell me of success. I had rather far

It had miscarried-they run high enough;

They wanted not this squall on squall to raise them
Above their present swell-the waves run high
Enough, through which we steer ;-but such a haven,
If won, can never be too dearly won!"

Marc. [Advancing.] Claudius is here!

Enter CLAUDIUS, L.

App. Well, Claudius, are the forces

At hand?

Claud. They are, and timely too Are in unwonted ferment.

App. I have heard

;

the people

Word has arriv'd of old Dentatus' death;
Which, as I hear, and wonder not to hear it,
The mutinous citizens lay to our account.