POLITIAN. And still together--together. LALAGE. Now, Earl of Leicester ! Thou lovest me, and in my heart of hearts I feel thou lovest me truly. POLITIAN. Oh, Lalage! And lovest thou me ? LALAGE. [Throwing himself upon his knee. Hist! hush! within the gloom Of yonder trees methought a figure pass'd A spectral figure, solemn, and slow, and noiseless Like the grim shadow Conscience, solemn and noiseless. [Walks across and returns. I was mistaken-'twas put a giant bough Stirred by the autumn wind. Politian ! POLITIAN. My Lalage-my love! why art thou moved? Why dost thou turn so pale? Not Conscience 'self, Far less a shadow which thou likenest to it, Should shake the firm spirit thus. But the night wind Is chilly and these melancholy boughs Throw over all things a gloom. LALAGE. Thou speakest to me of love. Politian ! Knowest thou the land With which all tongues are busy-a land new found— Miraculously found by one of Genoa A thousand leagues within the golden west? H A fairy land of flowers, and fruit, and sunshine, And crystal lakes, and over-arching forests, And mountains, around whose towering summits the winds Of Heaven untrammelled flow—which air to breathe Is Happiness now, and will be Freedom hereafter In days that are to come? POLITIAN. O wilt thou-wilt thou Fly to that Paradise-my Lalage, wilt thou Fly thither with me? There care shall be forgotten, And Sorrow shall be no more, and Eros be all. For thee, and in thine eyes—and thou shalt be LALAGE. A deed is to be done Castiglione lives! POLITIAN. And he shall die! LALAGE [after a pause]. And-he-shall-die! alas! Castiglione die? Who spoke the words? [Exit. Where am I?-what was it he said ?-Politian ! To say To say how thou dost scorn-how thou dost hate My womanly weakness. Ha! ha! thou art not gone O speak to me! I knew thou wouldst not go. I knew thou wouldst not, couldst not, durst not go. Villain, thou art not gone--thou mockest me ! And thus I clutch thee-thus! gone -He is gone, he is Gone-gone. Where am I?——'tis well-'tis very well! So that the blade be keen-the blow be sure, 'Tis well, 'tis very well-alas! alas! |