?

_Wife._ Sir.

_Gen._ Amazement still pursues me, how am I chang'd,
Or brought ere I can understand myself
Into this new world!

_Rob._ You will believe no witches?

_Gen._ This makes me believe all, aye, anything;
And that myself am nothing. Prithee, Robin,
Lay me to myself open; what art thou,
Or this new transform'd creature?

_Rob._ I am Robin;
And this your wife, my mistress.

_Gen._ Tell me, the earth
Shall leave its seat, and mount to kiss the moon;
Or that the moon, enamour'd of the earth,
Shall leave her sphere, to stoop to us thus low.
What, what's this in my hand, that at an instant
Can from a four-legg'd creature make a thing
So like a wife!

_Rob._ A bridle; a jugling bridle, Sir.

_Gen._ A bridle! Hence, enchantment.
A viper were more safe within my hand,
Than this charm'd engine.--
A witch! my wife a witch!
The more I strive to unwind
Myself from this meander, I the more
Therein am intricated. Prithee, woman,
Art thou a witch?

_Wife._ It cannot be denied,
I am such a curst creature.

_Gen._ Keep aloof:
And do not come too near me. O my trust;
Have I, since first I understood myself,
Been of my soul so chary, still to study
What best was for its health, to renounce all
The works of that black fiend with my best force;
And hath that serpent twined me so about,
That I must lie so often and so long
With a devil in my bosom?

_Wife._ Pardon, Sir. [_She looks down._]

_Gen._ Pardon! can such a thing as that be hoped?
Lift up thine eyes, lost woman, to yon hills;
It must be thence expected: look not down
Unto that horrid dwelling, which thou hast sought
At such dear rate to purchase. Prithee, tell me,
(For now I can believe) art thou a witch?

_Wife._ I am.

_Gen._ With that word I am thunderstruck,
And know not what to answer; yet resolve me.
Hast thou made any contract with that fiend,
The enemy of mankind?

_Wife._ O I have.

_Gen._ What? and how far?

_Wife._ I have promis'd him my soul.

_Gen._ Ten thousand times better thy body had
Been promis'd to the stake; aye, and mine too,
To have suffer'd with thee in a hedge of flames,
Than such a compact ever had been made. Oh--
Resolve me, how far doth that contract stretch?

_Wife._ What interest in this Soul myself could claim,
I freely gave him; but his part that made it
I still reserve, not being mine to give.

_Gen._ O cunning devil: foolish woman, know,
Where he can claim but the least little part,
He will us