Mel. Be wise then, and be safe; thou may’st revenge.

Cal. Ay, o’ the king? I would revenge o’ thee.

Mel. That you must plot yourself.

Cal. I’m a fine plotter.

Mel. The short is, I will hold thee with the king
In this perplexity, till peevishness
And thy disgrace have laid thee in thy grave.
But if thou wilt deliver up the fort,
I’ll take thy trembling body in my arms,
And bear thee over dangers: Thou shalt hold
Thy wonted state.

Cal. If I should tell the king,
Canst thou deny’t again?

Mel. Try, and believe.

Cal. Nay, then, thou canst bring anything about.
Thou shalt have the fort.

Mel. Why, well;
Here let our hate be buried; and this hand
Shall right us both. Give me thy aged breast
To compass.

Cal. Nay, I do not love thee yet;
I cannot well endure to look on thee:
And, if I thought it were a courtesy,
Thou should’st not have it. But I am disgraced;
My offices are to be ta’en away;
And, if I did but hold this fort a day,
I do believe, the king would take it from me,
And give it thee, things are so strangely carried.
Ne’er thank me for’t; but yet the king shall know
There was some such thing in’t I told him of;
And that I was an honest man.

Mel. He’ll buy
That knowledge very dearly.—Diphilus,

Enter DIPHILUS.

Diph. This were a night indeed
To do it in: The king hath sent for her.

Mel. She shall perform it then.—Go, Diphilus,
And take from this good man, my worthy friend,
The fort; he’ll give it thee.

Diph. Have you got that?

Cal. Art thou of the same breed? Canst thou deny
This to the king too?

Diph. With a confidence
As great as his.

Cal. ’Faith, like enough.

Mel. Away, and use him kindly.

Cal. Touch not me;
I hate the whole strain. If thou follow me,
A great way off, I’ll give thee up the fort;
And hang yourselves.

Mel. Be gone.

Diph. He’s finely wrought.

[Exeunt Calianax and Diphilus.