creature has the heart of a lion ; but who can resist five at once ? —And so Pompey barked for assistance—the hurt he received was upon his chesthe doctor would not advise him to venture out 'tiil the wound is healed, for fear of an inflammation. Pray what's trumps I"

Sir C. My dear, you'd make a most excellent actress.

Lady R. Well, now, let's go to rest—but, Sir Charles, how shockingly you play'd that last rubber, when I stood looking over you !

Sir C. My love, I played the truth of the game. Lady R. No, indeed my dear, you played it wrong. Sir C. Po ! Nonsense! You don't understand it.

Lady R. I beg your pardon, I'm allowed to play better than you.

Sir C. All conceit, my dear! I was perfectly right.

Lady R. No such thing, Sir Charles ; the diamond was the play.

Sir C. Po! Po ! Ridiculous! The club was the card, against the world.

Lady R. Oh No, no, no—I say it was the diamond.
Sir C. Madam, I say it was the club.
Lady R. What do you fly into such a passion for ?

Sir C. Death and fury ! Do you think I don't know what I'm about? I tell you once more, the club was the judgment of it.

Lady R. May be sc—have it your own way.

Sir C. Vexation ! You're the strangest woman that ever lived; there's no conversing with you.--Look 'ye here, my Lady Racket 'is the clearest case in Ihe world--I'll make it plain in a moment.

Lady R. Well, Sir ; ha, ha, ha!

Sir C. I had four cards left—a trump had led they were six-no, no, no-they were sever), and we ninethen, you know- -the beauty of the play was

Lady R. Well, now, 'tis amazing to me, that you can't see it. Give me leave, Sir Charles your left hand adversary had led his last trump—and he had before finessed the club, and roughed the diamond now if you had put on your diamond

Sir C. But, Madam, we played for the odd trick.

a

Lady R. And sure the play for the odd trick-
Sir C. Death and fury! Can't you hear me ?
Lady R. Go on, Sir.
Sir C. Hear me, I say. Will you hear me ?
Lady R. I never heard the like in my life.

Sir C. Why then you are enough to provoke the patience of a Stoic. Very well, madam ! You know no more of the game than your father's leaden Hercules on the top of the house. You know no more of whist than he does of gardening.

Lady R. Ha, ha, ha!

Sir C. You're a vile womar., and I'll not sleep another night under one roof with you.

Lady R. As you please, Sir.

Sir C. Madam, it shall be as I please—I'll order my chariot this moment. [Going] I know how the cards should be played as well as any man in England, that let me tell you— [Going.] And when your family were standing behind counters, measuring out tape, and bar. tering for Whitechapel needles, my ancestors, my an* cestors, Madam, were squandering away whole estates at cards ; whole estates, my lady Racket—[She hums a tune.] Why, then, by all that's dear to me, I'll never exchange another word with you, good, bad, or indifferent. Look ye, my lady Racket—thus it stood the trump being led, it was then my business

Lady R, To play the diamond, to be sure.

Sir C. I have done with you forever ; and so you may tell your father.

Lady R. What a passion the gentleman is in ! Ha! ha! I promise him I'll not give up my judgment.

Re-enter Sir Charles. Sir C. My lady Racket—look'ye Ma'am, once more, out of pure good nature

Lady R. Sir, I am convinced of your good nature.

Sir C. That, and that only, prevails with me to tell yolig. the club was the play.

Lady R. Well, be it so I have no objection.

Sir C. 'Tis the clearest point in the world we were nine, and

a

Lady R. And for that very reason, you know the clubwas the best in the house.

Sir C. There's no such thing as talking to you. You're a base woman—I'll part with you forever, you may live here with your father, and admire his fantastic. al evergreens, till you grow as fantastical yourself I'll set out for London this instant.- -[Stops at the door.] The club was not the best in the house.

Lady R. How calm you are ! Well, I'll go to bed. Will you come ? You had better Poor Sir. Charles.

[Looks and laughs, then exit. Sir C. That case is provoking-[Crosses to the ofifi site door where she went oui.J I tell you the diamond was not the play ; and here I take my final leave of you[Walks back aa fast as he can] 1 am resolved

upon

it

; and I know the club was not the best in the house.

VIII.Brutus and Cassius.-SHAKESPEARE. Cat. THAT you have wrong'd me doth appear in this; You have condemnd and noted Lucius Pella For taking bribes here of the Sardians ; Wherein my letter (praying on his side, Because I knew the man) was slighted of.

Bru. You wrong'd yourself to write in such a case

Cos. At such a time as this, is it not meet
That every nice offence should bear its comment ?

Bru. Yet let me tell you, Cassius, you yourself
Are much condemn'd to have an itching palm,
To sell and mart your offices for gold,
To undeservers.

Cas> I an itching palm?
You know that you are Brutus that speak this,
Or, by the gods, this speech were else your last.

Bru. The name of Cassius honors this corruption,
And chastisement doth therefore hide its head.

Cas. Chastisement ?

Bru. Remember March, the Ides of March remember. Did not great Julius bleed for justice sake ? What ! That struck the foremost man of all this world3 But for supporting robbers ; Shall we now

one

US,

Contaminate our fingers with base bribes ?
And sell the mighty space of our large honors,
For so much trash as may be grasped thus ?
I had rather be a dog and bay the moon.
Than such a Roman.

Cas. Brutus, bay not me :
I'll not endure rt. You forget yourself
To hedge me in: I am a soldier,
Older in practice, abler than yourself,
To make conditions.

Bru. Go to ! You are not, Cassius.
Cas. I am.
Bru. I say you are not.

Cas. Urge me no more : I shall fofget myself r
Have mind upon your health : tempt me no farther.

Bru. Away, slight man!
Cas. Is't possible !

Bru. Hear me, for I will speak.
Must I give way and room to your rash choler 1
Shall I be frighted when a madman stares ?

Cas. Must 1 endure all this !
Bru. All this ! Ay, more. Fret till your proud heart

break :
Go, show your slaves how choleric yon are,
And make your bondmen tremble. Must I budge ?
Must I observe you ? Must I stand and crouch
Under your testy humor !
You shall digest the venom of your spleen,
Though it do split you ; for from this day forth,
I'll use you for my mirth, yea, for my laughter,
When you are waspish.

Cas. Is it come to this ?

Bru. You say you are a better soldier ;
Let it appear so ; make your vaunting true,
And it shall please me well. For my own part
I shall be glad to learn of noblemen.

Cas. You wrong me every way; you wrong me Brutus;
I said an elder soldier, not a better.
Did I say better?

Bru. If you did I care not.
Cos. WhenCesar liv'd he durst not thus have mov'd me,

Bru. Peace, peace; you durst not so have tempted him-
Cas. I durst not !
Bru. No.
Cas. What ! durst not tempt him!
Bru. For your life you durst not.

Cas. Do not presume too much upon my love.
I may do that 1 shall be sorry for.

Bru. You have done that you should be sorry for ,
There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats ;
For I am arm'd so strong in honesty,
That they pass by me as the idle wind,
Which I respect not. I did send to you
For certain sums of gold, which you denied me ;
I had rather coin my heart,
And drop my blood for drachmas, than to wring
From the hard hands of peasants, their vile trash,
By any indirection. I did send
To

you for gold to pay my legions ; Which

you

denied me. Was that done like Cassius ?
Should I have answered Caius Cassius so ?
When Marcus Brutus grows so covetous,
To lock such rascal counters from his friends,
Be ready, gods, with all your thunderbolts)
Dash him in pieces.

Cas. 1 denied you not.
Bru. You did.

Cas. I did not ; he was but a fool
That brought my answer back. Brutus hath riv'd my

heart.
A friend should bear a friend's infirmities ;
But Brutus makes mine greater than they are.

Bru. I do not. Still you practise them on me.
Cas. You love me not.
Bru. I do not like your faults.
Cas. A friendly eye could never see such faults.

Bru. A flatterer's would not, though they did appear As huge as high Olympus.

Cas. Come Anthony! And young Octavius, come! Revenge yourselves alone on Cussius : For Gassius is a weary of the world