Arb. No; let him stay, Mardonius; let him stay;
I have occasion with him very weighty,
And I can spare you now.

Mar. Sir?

Arb. Why, I can spare you now.

Bes. Mardonius, give way to the state affairs.

Mar. Indeed, you are fitter for his present purpose.

[Exit Mardonius.

Arb. Bessus, I should employ thee: Wilt thou do’t?

Bes. Do’t for you? By this air, I will do anything, without exception, be it a good, bad, or indifferent thing.

Arb. Do not swear.

Bes. By this light, but I will; anything whatsoever.

Arb. But I shall name the thing
Thy conscience will not suffer thee to do.

Bes. I would fain hear that thing.

Arb. Why, I would have thee get my sister for me,—
Thou understand’st me,—in a wicked manner.

Bes. Oh, you would have a bout with her? I’ll do’t, I’ll do’t, i’faith.

Arb. Wilt thou? dost thou make no more on’t?

Bes. More? No. Why, is there anything else?
If there be, trust me, it shall be done too.

Arb. Hast thou no greater sense of such a sin?
Thou art too wicked for my company,
Though I have hell within me, and may’st yet
Corrupt me further! Pr’ythee answer me,
How do I show to thee after this motion?

Bes. Why, your majesty looks as well, in my opinion, as ever you did since you were born.

Arb. But thou appear’st to me, after thy grant,
The ugliest, loathed, detestable thing,
That I have ever met with. Thou hast eyes
Like flames of sulphur, which, methinks, do dart
Infection on me; and thou hast a mouth
Enough to take me in, where there do stand
Four rows of iron teeth.

Bes. I feel no such thing: But ’tis no matter how I look; I’ll do your business as well as they that look better. And when this is dispatch’d, if you have a mind to your mother, tell me, and you shall see I’ll set it hard.

Arb. My mother?—Heaven forgive me, to hear this!
I am inspired with horror.—Now I hate thee
Worse than my sin; which, if I could come by,
Should suffer death eternal, ne’er to rise
In any breast again. Know, I will die
Languishing mad, as I resolve I shall,
Ere I will deal by such an instrument:
Thou art too sinful to employ in this.
Out of the world, away!

[Beats him.

Bes. What do you mean, sir?

Arb. Hung round with curses, take thy fearful flight
Into the desarts; where, ’mongst all the monsters,
If thou find’st one so beastly as thyself,
Thou shalt be held as innocent!