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QUEEN。 I am quite sure I shall die sadly some day； Chastelard； I am
quite certain。
CHASTELARD。 Do not think such things； Lest all my next world's
memories of you be As heavy as this thought。
QUEEN。 I will not grieve you； Forgive me that my thoughts were sick
with grief。 What can I do to give you ease at heart？ Shall I kiss now？ I
pray you have no fear But that I love you。
CHASTELARD。 Turn your face to me； I do not grudge your face this
death of mine； It is too fairby God； you are too fair。 What noise is that？
QUEEN。 Can the hour be through so soon？ I bade them give me but a
little hour。 Ah！ I do love you！ such brief space for love！ I am yours all
through； do all your will with me； What if we lay and let them take us fast；
Lips grasping lips？ I dare do anything。
CHASTELARD。 Show better cheer： let no man see you mazed； Make
haste and kiss me； cover up your throat Lest one see tumbled lace and
prate of it。
＇Enter the Guard： MURRAY； DARNLEY； MARY HAMILTON；
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MARY BEATON； and others with them。＇
DARNLEY。 Sirs； do your charge； let him not have much time。
MARY HAMILTON。 Peace； lest you chafe the queen： look； her brows
bend。
CHASTELARD。 Lords； and all you come hither for my sake； If while
my life was with me like a friend That I must now forget the friendship of；
I have done a wrong to any man of you； As it may be by fault of mine I
have； Of such an one I crave for courtesy He will now cast it from his
mind and heed Like a dead thing； considering my dead fault Worth no
remembrance further than my death。 This for his gentle honor and
goodwill I do beseech him； doubting not to find Such kindliness if he be
nobly made And of his birth a courteous race of man。 You； my Lord James；
if you have aught toward me Or you； Lord DarnleyI dare fear no jot；
Whate'er this be wherein you were aggrieved； But you will pardon all for
gentleness。
DARNLEY。 For my partyea； well； if the thing stand thus； As you
must dieone would not bear folk hard And if the rest shall hold it
honorable； Why； I do pardon you。
MURRAY。 Sir； in all things We find no cause to speak of you but well：
For all I see； save this your deadly fault； I hold you for a noble perfect
man。
CHASTELARD。 I thank you； fair lord； for your nobleness。 You
likewise； for the courtesy you have I give you thanks； sir； and to all these
lords That have not heart to load me at my death。 Last； I beseech of the
best queen of men And royallest fair lady in the world To pardon me my
grievous mortal sin Done in such great offence of her： for； sirs； If ever
since I came between her eyes She hath beheld me other than I am Or
shown her honor other than it is； Or； save in royal faultless courtesies；
Used me with favor； if by speech or face； By salutation or by tender eyes；
She hath made a way for my desire to live； Given ear to me or boldness to
my breath； I pray God cast me forth before day cease Even to the heaviest
place there is in hell。 Yea； if she be not stainless toward all men； I pray this
axe that I shall die upon May cut me off body and soul from heaven。 Now
for my soul's sake I dare pray to you； Forgive me； madam。
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QUEEN。 Yea； I do； fair sir： With all my heart in all I pardon you。
CHASTELARD。 God thank you for great mercies。 Lords； set hence； I
am right loth to hold your patience here； I must not hold much longer any
man's。 Bring me my way and bid me fare well forth。
＇As they pass out the QUEEN stays MARY BEATON。＇
QUEEN。 Hark hither； sweet。 Get back to Holyrood And take
Carmichael with you： go both up In some chief window whence the
squares lie clear Seem not to know what I shall domark that And
watch how things fare under。 Have good cheer； You do not think now I can
let him die？ Nay； this were shameful madness if you did； And I should
hate you。
MARY BEATON。 Pray you love me； madam； And swear you love me
and will let me live； That I may die the quicker。
QUEEN。 Nay； sweet； see； Nay； you shall see； this must not seem
devised； I will take any man with me； and go； Yea； for pure hate of them
that hate him： yea； Lay hold upon the headsman and bid strike Here on my
neck； if they will have him die； Why； I will die too： queens have died this
way For less things than his love is。 Nay； I know They want no blood； I
will bring swords to boot For dear love's rescue though half earth were
slain； What should men do with blood？ Stand fast at watch； For I will be
his ransom if I die。
＇Exeunt。＇
SCENE III。The Upper Chamber in Holyrood。
MARY BEATON seated； MARY CARMICHAEL at a window。
MARY BEATON。 Do you see nothing？
MARY CARMICHAEL。 Nay； but swarms of men And talking women
gathered in small space； Flapping their gowns and gaping with fools' eyes：
And a thin ring round one that seems to speak； Holding his hands out
eagerly； no more。
MARY BEATON。 Why； I hear more； I hear men shout The Queen。
MARY CARMICHAEL。 Nay； no cries yet。
MARY BEATON。 Ah； they will cry out soon When she comes forth；
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they should cry out on her； I hear their crying in my heart。 Nay； sweet； Do
not you hate her？ all men； if God please； Shall hate her one day； yea； one
day no doubt I shall worse hate her。
MARY CARMICHAEL。 Pray you； be at peace； You hurt yourself： she
will be merciful； What； could you see a true man slain for you？ I think I
could not； it is not like our hearts To have such hard sides to them。
MARY BEATON。 O； not you； And I could nowise； there's some blood
in her That does not run to mercy as ours doth： That fair face and the
cursed heart in her Made keener than a knife for manslaying Can bear
strange things。
MARY CARMICHAEL。 Peace； for the people come。 AhMurray；
hooded over half his face With plucked…down hat； few folk about him；
eyes Like a man angered； Darnley after him； Holding our Hamilton above
her wrist； His mouth put near her hair to whisper with And she laughs
softly； looking at her feet。
MARY BEATON。 She will not live long； God hath given her Few days
and evil； full of hate and love； I see well now。
MARY CARMICHAEL。 Hark； there's their cryThe Queen！ Fair life
and long； and good days to the Queen！
MARY BEATON。 Yea； but God knows。 I feel such patience here As I
were sure in a brief while to die。
MARY CARMICHAEL。 She bends and laughs a little； graciously； And
turns half； talking to I know not whom A big man with great shoulders；
ah； the face； You get his face nowwide and duskish； yea The youth burnt
out of it。 A goodly man； Thewed mightily and sunburnt to the bone；
Doubtless he was away in banishment； Or kept some march far off。
MARY BEATON。 Still you see nothing？
MARY CARMICHAEL。 Yea； now they bring him forth with a great
noise； The folk all shouting and men thrust about Each way from him。
MARY BEATON。 Ah； Lord God； bear with me； Help me to bear a
little with my love For thine own love； or give me some quick death。 Do
not come down； I shall get strength again； Only my breath fails。 Looks he
sad or blithe？ Not sad I doubt yet。
MARY CARMICHAEL。 Nay； not sad a whit； But like a man who
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losing gold or lands Should lose a heavy sorrow； his face set； The eyes not
curious to the right or left； And reading in a book； his hands unbound；
With short fleet smiles。 The whole place catches breath； Looking at him；
she seems at point to speak： Now she lies back； and laughs； with her brows
drawn And her lips