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leave no heat and flame upon my dust For witness where a man's heart
was burnt up。 For all Christ's work this Venus is not quelled； But reddens
at the mouth with blood of men； Sucking between small teeth the sap o'
the veins； Dabbling with death her little tender lips… A bitter beauty；
poisonous…pearled mouth。 I am not fit to live but for love's sake； So I were
best die shortly。 Ah； fair love； Fair fearful Venus made of deadly foam； I
shall escape you somehow with my death… Your splendid supple body and
mouth on fire And Paphian breath that bites the lips with heat。 I had best
die。
＇Enter MARY BEATON。＇
What； is my death's time come； And you the friend to make death kind
to me？ 'T is sweetly done； for I was sick for this。
MARY BEATON。 Nay； but see here； nay； for you shall not die： She
has reprieved you； look； her name to that； A present respite； I was sure of
her： You are quite safe： here； take it in your hands： I am faint with the end
of pain。 Read there。
CHASTELARD。 Reprieve？ Wherefore reprieve？ Who has done this to
me？
MARY BEATON。 I never feared but God would have you live； Or I
knew well God must have punished me； But I feared nothing； had no sort
of fear。 What makes you stare upon the seal so hard？ Will you not read
now？
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
CHASTELARD。 A reprieve of life… Reprieving me from living。 Nay；
by God； I count one death a bitter thing enough。
MARY BEATON。 See what she writes； you love； for love of you； Out
of her love； a word to save your life： But I knew this too though you love
me not： She is your love； I knew that： yea； by heaven。
CHASTELARD。 You knew I had to live and be reprieved： Say I were
bent to die now？
MARY BEATON。 Do not die； For her sweet love's sake； not for pity of
me； You would not bear with life for me one hour； But for hers only。
CHASTELARD。 Nay； I love you well； I would not hurt you for more
lives than one。 But for this fair…faced paper of reprieve； We'll have no
riddling to make death shift sides： Look； here ends one of us。
＇Tearing it。＇
For her I love； She will not anger heaven with slaying me； For me； I
am well quit of loving her； For you； I pray you be well comforted； Seeing
in my life no man gat good by me And by my death no hurt is any man's。
MARY BEATON。 And I that loved you？ nay； I loved you； nay； Why
should your like be pitied when they love？ Her hard heart is not yet so
hard as yours； Nor God's hard heart。 I care not if you die。 These bitter
madmen are not fit to live。 I will not have you touch me； speak to me； Nor
take farewell of you。 See you die well； Or death will play with shame for
you； and win； And laugh you out of life。 I am right glad I never am to see
you any more； For I should come to hate you easily； I would not have you
live。
＇Exit。＇
CHASTELARD。 She has cause enow。 I would this wretched waiting
had an end； For I wax feebler than I was： God knows I had a mind once to
have saved this flesh And made life one with shame。 It marvels me This
girl that loves me should desire so much To have me sleep with shame for
bedfellow A whole life's space； she would be glad to die To escape such
life。 It may be too her love Is but an amorous quarrel with herself； Not
love of me but her own wilful soul； Then she will live and be more glad of
this Than girls of their own will and their heart's love Before love mars
them： so God go with her！ For mine own love…I wonder will she come Sad
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
at her mouth a little； with drawn cheeks And eyelids wrinkled up？ or hot
and quick To lean her head on mine and leave her lips Deep in my neck？
For surely she must come； And I should fare the better to be sure What she
will do。 But as it please my sweet； For some sweet thing she must do if
she come； Seeing how I have to die。 Now three years since This had not
seemed so good an end for me； But in some wise all things wear round
betimes And wind up well。 Yet doubtless she might take A will to come
my way and hold my hands And kiss me some three kisses； throat； mouth；
eyes； And say some soft three words to soften death： I do not see how this
should break her ease。 Nay； she will come to get her warrant back： By this
no doubt she is sorely penitent； Her fit of angry mercy well blown out And
her wits cool again。 She must have chafed A great while through for anger
to become So like pure pity； they must have fretted her Night mad for
anger： or it may be mistrust； She is so false； yea； to my death I think She
will not trust me； alas the hard sweet heart！ As if my lips could hurt her
any way But by too keenly kissing of her own。 Ah false poor sweet fair
lips that keep no faith； They shall not catch mine false or dangerous； They
must needs kiss me one good time； albeit They love me not at all。 Lo； here
she comes； For the blood leaps and catches at my face； There go her feet
and tread upon my heart； Now shall I see what way I am to die。
＇Enter the QUEEN。＇
QUEEN。 What； is one here？ Speak to me for God's sake： Where are
you lain？
CHASTELARD。 Here； madam； at your hand。
QUEEN。 Sweet lord； what sore pain have I had for you And been most
patient！Nay； you are not bound。 If you be gentle to me； take my hand。 Do
you not hold me the worst heart in the world？ Nay； you must needs； but
say not yet you do。 I am worn so weak I know not how I live： Reach me
your hand。
CHASTELARD。 Take comfort and good heart； All will find end； this
is some grief to you； But you shall overlive it。 Come； fair love； Be of fair
cheer： I say you have done no wrong。
QUEEN。 I will not be of cheer： I have done a thing That will turn fire
and burn me。 Tell me not； If you will do me comfort； whet your sword。
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But if you hate me； tell me of soft things； For I hate these； and bitterly。
Look up； Am I not mortal to be gazed upon？
CHASTELARD。 Yea； mortal； and not hateful。
QUEEN。 O lost heart！ Give me some mean to die by。
CHASTELARD。 Sweet； enough。 You have made no fault； life is not
worth a world That you should weep to take it： would mine were； And I
might give you a world…worthier gift Than one poor head that love has
made a spoil； Take it for jest； and weep not： let me go； And think I died of
chance or malady。 Nay； I die well； one dies not best abed。
QUEEN； My warrant to reprieve youthat you saw？ That came
between your hands？
CHASTELARD。 Yea； not long since。 It seems you have no will to let
me die。
QUEEN。 Alas； you know I wrote it with my heart； Out of pure love；
and since you were in bonds I have had such grief for love's sake and my
heart's Yea； by my life I haveI could not choose But give love way a
little。 Take my hand； You know it would have pricked my heart's blood out
To write reprieve with。
CHASTELARD。 Sweet； your hands are kind； Lay them about my neck；
upon my face； And tell me not of writing。
QUEEN。 Nay； by heaven； I would have given you mine own blood to
drink If that could heal you of your soul…sickness。 Yea； they know that；
they curse me for your sake； Rail at my lovewould God their heads were
lopped And we twain left together this side death！ But look you； sweet； if
this my warrant hold You are but dead and shamed； for you must die； And
they will slay you shamefully by force Even in my sight。
CHASTELARD。 Faith； I think so they will。
QUEEN。 Nay； they would slay me too； cast stones at me； Drag me
alivethey have eaten poisonous words； They are mad and have no shame。
CHASTELARD。 Ay； like enough。
QUEEN。 Would God my heart were greater； but God wot I have no
heart to bear with fear and die。 Yea； and I cannot help you： or I know I
should be nobler； bear a better heart： But as this standsI pray you for
good love； As you hold honor a costlier thing than life
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CHASTELARD。 Well？
QUEEN。 Nay； I would not be denied for shame； In brief； I pray you