Act the Second: Scene XVIII

DEMON. Since the hour that I have beenIn your house a guest, you ne'erShow a gay and cheerful air.Sadness in your face is seen.It is wrong your cure to shun,Seeking to mislead mine eyes,Since I would unsphere the skies,Shake the stars, and shroud the sun,For the least desire you feelThat more pleasantly you might live.

CYPRIAN. Magic has no power to giveThe impossible I conceal,Though the misery I betray.

DEMON. Come, confess the longed-for bliss.

CYPRIAN. I love a woman.

DEMON. And is thisThe impossible that you say?

CYPRIAN. If you knew her, you'd agree.

DEMON. Well, describe her, I'm resigned;Though I can't but smile to findWhat a coward you must be.

CYPRIAN. The fair cradle of the skies,Where the infant sun reposes,Ere he rises, decked with roses,Robed in snow, to dry heaven's eyes.The green prison-bud that triesTo restrain the conscious rose,When the crimson captive knowsApril treads its gardens near,Turning dawn's half frozen tearTo a smile where sunshine glows.The sweet streamlet gliding by,Though it scarcely dares to breatheSoftest murmurs through its teeth,From the frosts that on it lie.The bright pink, in its small skyShining like a coral star.The blithe bird that flies afar,Drest in shifting shades and blooms--Soaring cithern of plumesHarping high o'er heaven's blue bar.The white rock that cheats the sunWhen it tries to melt it down,What it melts is but the crownWhich from winter's snow it won.The green bay that will not shun,Though the heavens are all aglow,For its feet a bath of snow,--Green Narcissus of the brook,Fearless leaning o'er to look,Though the stream runs chill belowIn a word, the crimson dawn,Sun, mead, streamlet, rosebud, MayBird that sings his amorous lay,April's laugh that gems the lawn,Pink that sips the dews up-drawn,Rock that stands in storm and shine,Bay-tree that delights to twineRound its fadeless leaves the sun,All are parts which met in oneForm this woman most divine.For myself, in blind unrest,(Guess my madness if you can)I, to seem another man,In these courtly robes am drest,Studious calm I now detest,Fame no longer fires my mind,Passion reigns where thought refined,I my firmness fling to tears,Courage I resign to fears,And my hopes I give the wind.I have said, and so will do,That to some infernal spriteI would offer with delight(And the pledge I now renew)Even my soul for her I woo.But my offer is in vain,Hell rejects it with disdain,For my soul, it may allege,Is a disproportionate pledgeFor the interest I would gain.

DEMON. Is this, then your boasted courage,In the footsteps of dejectedSwains to follow, who grow timidWhen their first assault's rejected?Are examples then so distantOf fair ladies who surrenderAll their vanities to entreaties,All their pride to fond addresses?Would you make your breast the prisonOf your love, your arms her fetters?

CYPRIAN. Can you doubt it?

DEMON. Then command themTo retire, those two, your servants,So that we remain here only.

CYPRIAN. Go: both leave me for the present.

MOSCON. I obey.

CLARIN. And I as well.--Such a guest must be the devil.

CYPRIAN. They are gone.

DEMON [aside]. That Clarin's hiding,Is to me of small concernment.

CYPRIAN. What more wish you now?

DEMON. First fastenWell this door.

CYPRIAN. Yes; none can enter.

DEMON. For the possession of this woman,With your lips you have assertedYou would give your soul.

CYPRIAN. 'Tis so.

DEMON. Then the contract is accepted.

CYPRIAN. What do you say?

DEMON. That I accept it.

CYPRIAN. How?

DEMON. So much have I effectedBy my science, that I will teach youHow by it to get possessionOf the woman that you worship;For I (though so wise and learned)Have no other means to win her.Let us now in writing settleWhat we have resolved between us.

CYPRIAN. Do you wish by new pretencesTo prolong the pains I suffer?In my hand is what I tender,But in yours is not the offerThat you make me; no, for neverConjurations or enchantmentsCan free will control or fetter.

DEMON. Give me, on the terms you spoke of,Your signed bond.

CLARIN. [peeping]. The deuce! This fellowIs no fool, I see. No greenhornIn his business is this devil.I give him my bond! No, truly,Though my lodgings wanted a tenantFor the space of twenty ages,I wouldn't do it.

CYPRIAN. Sir, much jestingMay with merry friends be pastime,Not with those who are dejected.

DEMON. I, in proof of what I am ableTo effect, will now present youWith an example, though it faintlyShows the power my art possesses.From this gallery what is seen?

CYPRIAN. Much of sky, and much of meadow,Wood, a rivulet, and a mountain.

DEMON. Which to you doth seem most pleasant?

CYPRIAN. The proud mountain, for in itIs my adored one represented.

DEMON. Proud competitor of time,Rival of the years for ever,Who as king of fields and plainsCrown'st thee with the cloud and tempest,Move thyself, change earth and air;Look, see who I am that tell thee.--And, look thou, too, since a mountainI can move, thou mayest a maiden.

CYPRIAN. Never saw I such a wonder!Ne'er a sight of so much terror!

CLARIN [peeping]. With the fright and with the fear,I enjoy a twofold tremble.

CYPRIAN. Mighty mountain bird that fliest,Trees for wings replacing feathers,Boat, whose rocks supply the tackle,As thou furrowest through the zephyr,To thy centre back return thee,And so end this fear, this terror.

DEMON. If one proof is not sufficient,I will give you then a second.Do you wish to see the womanYou adore?

CYPRIAN. Yes.

DEMON. Then, thy entrailsOpe, thou monster, to whose beingThe four elements are servants.Show to us the perfect beautyThat thou hidest in thy centre.Is this she whom you adore?

CYPRIAN. Whom I idolize beyond measure.

DEMON. But since I have power to give her,I can take her too, remember.

CYPRIAN. Now impossible dream of mine,Now thy arms will be the centreOf my love, thy lips the sun,Burning, brimming as with nectar.

DEMON. Stay; for till the word you gave meIs affirmed, and well attested,You can touch her not.

CYPRIAN. Oh, stayCloud that hides the most resplendentSun, that on my bliss e'er dawned!--But 'tis air my void arm presses.--I believe your art, acknowledgeNow I am your slave for ever.What do you wish I do for thee?What do you ask?

DEMON. To be protectedBy your signature here writtenIn your blood, at the foot of a letter.

CLARIN [peeping]. Oh! I'd give my soul that ITo stay here had not been tempted.

CYPRIAN. For my pen I use this dagger,Paper let this white cloth serve for,And the ink wherewith I write it,Be the blood my arm presents me.drawn blood from one of his arms.

CYPRIAN [Aside]. Oh! I freeze with fear, with horror!I, great Cyprian, say expresslyI will give my immortal soul,(Oh! what lethargy, what frenzy!)Unto him whose art will teach me(What confusion! what strange terror!)How I may of fair Justina,Haughty mistress mine, possess me.I have signed it with my name.

DEMON [aside]. Now to my deceits is renderedValid homage, when such reason,When discourse like his must trembleEven when my help is sought for.--Have you written?

CYPRIAN. And signed the letter.

DEMON. Then the sun you adore is thine.

CYPRIAN. Thine too, for the years eternal,Is the soul I offer thee.

DEMON. Soul for soul I pay my debtors,Then for thine I give to theeThy Justina's

CYPRIAN. In what term then,Think you you can teach to meAll your magic art?

DEMON. A twelvemonth;But on this condition....

CYPRIAN. Speak.

DEMON. That within a cavern buried,Without any other study,We may live there both together,In our service having no oneFor us two but this attendant,Who being curious hid him here;--By securing thus his personThat our secret is well kept,We, I think, may be quite certain.

CLARIN [aside]. Oh, that I had never waited!How does it happen though, so manyNeighbours prone to pry, as I am,Are not caught thus by the devil?

CYPRIAN. So far well. My love, my geniusHave this happy end effected:First Justina will be mine,Then by my new lights, new learning,I will wake the world's surprise.

DEMON. I have gained what I intended.

CLARIN. I not so.

DEMON. You come with us.--O'er my great foe I've got the better.

CYPRIAN. Ah, how happy my desires,If I reach to such possession!--

DEMON [aside]. Never will my envy restTill I gain both souls to serve me.--Let us go, and in the deepestCavern this wild world presentethYou to-day will learn in magicYour first lesson.

CYPRIAN. Let us enter,For my mind with such a master,For my love with such incentive,Will the sorcerer Cyprian's nameLive before the world for ever.