________________________________________________
_ ACT V - SCENE II
[BARABAS discovered rising]
BARABAS.
What, all alone! well fare, sleepy drink!
I'll be reveng'd on this accursed town;
For by my means Calymath shall enter in:
I'll help to slay their children and their wives,
To fire the churches, pull their houses down,
Take my goods too, and seize upon my lands.
I hope to see the governor a slave,
And, rowing in a galley, whipt to death.
[Enter CALYMATH, BASSOES, <182> and TURKS.]
[Footnote 182: Bassoes: Here old ed. "Bashawes." See note Sec., p. 164. [Footnote i.e. note 117.]]
CALYMATH.
Whom have we there? a spy?
BARABAS.
Yes, my good lord, one that can spy a place
Where you may enter, and surprize the town:
My name is Barabas; I am a Jew.
CALYMATH.
Art thou that Jew whose goods we heard were sold
For tribute-money?
BARABAS.
The very same, my lord:
And since that time they have hir'd a slave, my man,
To accuse me of a thousand villanies:
I was imprisoned, but scap [']d their hands.
CALYMATH.
Didst break prison?
BARABAS.
No, no:
I drank of poppy and cold mandrake juice;
And being asleep, belike they thought me dead,
And threw me o'er the walls: so, or how else,
The Jew is here, and rests at your command.
CALYMATH.
'Twas bravely done: but tell me, Barabas,
Canst thou, as thou report'st, make Malta ours?
BARABAS.
Fear not, my lord; for here, against the trench, [183]
The rock is hollow, and of purpose digg'd,
To make a passage for the running streams
And common channels [184] of the city.
Now, whilst you give assault unto the walls,
I'll lead five hundred soldiers through the vault,
And rise with them i' the middle of the town,
Open the gates for you to enter in;
And by this means the city is your own.
[Footnote 183: trench: A doubtful reading.--Old ed. "Truce."--"Query 'sluice'? 'TRUCE' seems unintelligible." COLLIER (apud Dodsley's O. P.).--The Rev. J. Mitford proposes "turret" or "tower."]
[Footnote 184: channels: i.e. kennels.]
CALYMATH.
If this be true, I'll make thee governor.
BARABAS.
And, if it be not true, then let me die.
CALYMATH.
Thou'st doom'd thyself.--Assault it presently.
[Exeunt.] _
Read next: Act 5 - Scene 3
Read previous: Act 5 - Scene 1
Table of content of Jew of Malta
GO TO TOP OF SCREEN
Post your review
Your review will be placed after the table of content of this book
