Thus by keeping it secret thou wilt not escape thy sorrow, but rather thou wilt shed tears unceasingly, if not tears of the eyes, tears of blood from the heart, like those shed by that simple doctor our poet tells us of, that tried the test of the cup, which the wise Rinaldo, better advised, refused to do; for though this may be a poetic fiction it contains a moral lesson worthy of attention and study and imitation.
"Tell me, Anselmo, if Heaven or good fortune had made thee master and lawful owner of a diamond of the finest quality, with the excellence and purity of which all the lapidaries that had seen it had been satisfied, saying with one voice and common consent that in purity, quality, and fineness, it was all that a stone of the kind could possibly be, thou thyself too being of the same belief, as knowing nothing to the contrary, would it be reasonable in thee to desire to take that diamond and place it between an anvil and a hammer, and by mere force of blows and strength of arm try if it were as hard and as fine as they said?
-- pay more attention, sir, To a becoming carriage -- much thou wantest In dignity.
(places her hand on his shoulder) what art thou dreaming?
Thou little knowest what a relief it is, after the torment of a seven years' cheat, to look into an eye that recognises me for what I am!
"Such a friend as thou hast even now wished for," said she, "with whom to weep over thy sin, thou hast in me, the partner of it!" Again she hesitated, but brought out the words with an effort "Thou hast long had such an enemy, and dwellest with him, under the same roof!"
"Halloa, my sweet bird," said he, laughing merrily, "how likest thou thine ale?
"Now yield thee," quoth the Tinker, "for thou art my captive; and if thou do not, I will beat thy pate to a pudding."
OEDIPUS Didst thou or didst thou not advise that I Should call the priest?
OEDIPUS This much thou knowest and canst surely tell.
To be sure,
thou wouldst call it by name and caress it;
thou wouldst pull its ears and amuse thyself with it.
THESEUS What profit dost
thou proffer to have brought?