In pleasing smiles such murderous tyranny.
She giveth Saturnine a letter. Saturninus reads the letter.
Sat. 'And if we miss to meet him handsomely, 268
Sweet huntsman, Bassianus 'tis we mean,
Do thou so much as dig the grave for him:
Thou know'st our meaning. Look for thy reward
Among the nettles at the elder-tree 272
Which overshades the mouth of that same pit
Where we decreed to bury Bassianus:
Do this, and purchase us thy lasting friends.'
O Tamora! was ever heard the like? 276
This is the pit, and this the elder-tree.
Look, sirs, if you can find the huntsman out
That should have murther'd Bassianus here.
Aar. My gracious lord, here is the bag of gold. 280
Sat. [To Titus.] Two of thy whelps, fell curs of bloody kind,
Have here bereft my brother of his life.
Sirs, drag them from the pit unto the prison:
There let them bide until we have devis'd 284
Some never-heard-of torturing pain for them.
Tam. What! are they in this pit? O wondrous thing!
How easily murder is discovered!
Tit. High emperor, upon my feeble knee 288
I beg this boon with tears not lightly shed;
That this fell fault of my accursed sons,
Accursed, if the fault be prov'd in them,—
Sat. If it be prov'd! you see it is apparent. 292
Who found this letter? Tamora, was it you?
Tam. Andronicus himself did take it up.
Tit. I did, my lord: yet let me be their bail;
274 decreed: determined
