Mar. As you were.

Arb. No heavier?

Mar. No, sir.

Arb. Why, my legs
Refuse to bear my body! Oh, Mardonius,
Thou hast in field beheld me, when thou know’st
I could have gone, though I could never run.

Mar. And so I shall again.

Arb. Oh, no, ’tis past.

Mar. Pray you, go rest yourself.

Arb. Wilt thou, hereafter, when they talk of me,
As thou shalt hear nothing but infamy,
Remember some of those things?

Mar. Yes, I will.

Arb. I pray thee, do; for thou shalt never see
Me so again.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.—A Room in the House of Bessus.

Enter BESSUS.

Bes. They talk of fame; I have gotten it in the wars, and will afford any man a reasonable pennyworth. Some will say, they could be content to have it, but that it is to be atchieved with danger; but my opinion is otherwise: For if I might stand still in cannon-proof, and have fame fall upon me, I would refuse it. My reputation came principally by thinking to run away, which nobody knows but Mardonius; and, I think, he conceals it to anger me. Before I went to the wars, I came to the town a young fellow, without means or parts to deserve friends; and my empty guts persuaded me to lie, and abuse people, for my meat; which I did, and they beat me. Then would I fast two days, till my hunger cried out on me, “Rail still:” Then, methought, I had a monstrous stomach to abuse ’em again, and did it. In this state I continued, till they hung me up by the heels, and beat me with hasle-sticks, as if they would have baked me, and have cozen’d somebody with me for venison. After this I rail’d, and eat quietly: For the whole kingdom took notice of me for a baffled whipp’d fellow, and what I said was remembered in mirth, but never in anger, of which I was glad. I would it were at that pass again! After this, Heaven call’d an aunt of mine, that left two hundred pounds in a cousin’s hand for me; who, taking me to be a gallant young spirit, raised a company for me with the money, and sent me into Armenia with ’em. Away I would have run from them, but that I could get no company: and alone I durst not run. I was never at battle but once, and there I was running, but Mardonius cudgell’d me: Yet I got loose at last, but was so afraid that I saw no more than my shoulders do; but fled with my whole company amongst mine enemies, and overthrew ’em: Now the report of my valour is come over before me, and they say I was a raw young fellow, but now I am improved: A plague on their eloquence! ’twill cost me many a beating; and Mardonius might help this too, if he would; for now they think to get honour on me, and all the men I have abused call me freshly to account (worthily as they call it) by the way of challenge.

Enter the third Gentleman.

3 Gent. Good-morrow, Captain Bessus.

Bes. Good-morrow, sir.