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What man may say it？ and least of all may kings。
ROSAMUND。
What hast thou done that man should hate theeman
Or woman？
ALBOVINE。
Which of us may answer； Nought？
ROSAMUND。
Thou might'st have made meme； my father's child …
Harlot and slave： thou hast made me wife and queen。
ALBOVINE。
Thee have I loved； ay； and myself in thee；
Who hast made me more than king and lord； being thine。
ROSAMUND。
Courtesy sets on kings a goldener crown
That sits upon them seemlier。
ALBOVINE。
Courtesy！
Truth。 Hark thee； boy； and let thy Hildegard
Hearken。 Is she； thy queen； a peer of mine？
ALMACHILDES。
She wears no crown but heaven's about her head …
No gold that was not born upon her brows
Transfigures or disfigures them。 She is not
A peer of thine。
ROSAMUND。
He answers well。
ALBOVINE。
He answers
Illas the spirit of shamelessness might speak。
ALMACHILDES。
Shameless are they that lie。 I lie not。
ALBOVINE。
Boy；
Tempt not the rod。
ALMACHILDES。
The rod that man may wield
No man may fear： the slave who fears it is not
Man。
ALBOVINE。
Art thou crazed with wine？
ALMACHILDES。
Am I thy king？
ALBOVINE。
My thrall thou knowest thou art not； or thy tongue
Durst challenge not mine anger。
ROSAMUND。
Thrall and free；
Woman and man； yea； queen and king； are born
More wide apart than earth or hell and heaven。
Sirs； let no wrangling breath distune the peace
That shines and glows about us； and discerns
A banquet from a battle。 Thou； my lord；
Hast bidden away the dust of death which fell
Between us at thy bidding； and is now
Nothinga dream blown out at waking。 Thou；
My lord's young chosen of warriors； be not wroth；
Albeit thy wrath be noble； though my lord
See fit to try my love as gold is tried
By fire： it burns not thee。 Strike hand in hand：
Ye have done so after battle。
ALBOVINE。
Drink again。
I pledge thee； boy。
ALMACHILDES。
I pledge thee； king。
ROSAMUND。
My lord；
I am weary at heart； and fain would sleep。 Forgive me
That I can sit no more。
ALBOVINE。
What ails thee？
ROSAMUND。
Nought。
The hot and heavy time of year has bound
About my brows a band of iron。 Sire；
Thou wouldst not see me sink aswoon； and mar
The raptures of thy revel。
ALBOVINE。
Get thee hence。
Go。 God be with thee。
ROSAMUND。
God abide with thee。
＇Exit with attendants。
ALBOVINE。
This is no feast： I will no more of it。 Boy；
Take note； and tempt not so thy bride； albeit
She tempt thee to the trial。
ALMACHILDES。
I shall not； king；
ALBOVINE。
She will not。 Sirs； good nightif night may be
Good。 Hardly may the day be； here。 And yet
For you it may beHildegard and thee。
God give you joy。
ALMACHILDES。
God give thee comfort； king。
＇Exeunt。
ACT II
A room in the Queen's apartments。
Enter ROSAMUND。
ROSAMUND。
I am yet alive to question if I live
And wonder what may ever bid me die。
But live I will； being yet not dead with thee；
Father。 Thou knowest in Paradise my heart。
I feel thy kisses breathing on my lips；
Whereto the dead cold relic of thy face
Was pressed at bidding of thy slayer last night；
And yet they were not withered： nay； they are red
As blood isblood but newly spiltnot thine。
How good thou wast and sweet of spirithow dear；
Father！ None lives that knew thee now save one；
And none loves me but thou nor thee but I；
That was till yesternight thy daughter： now
That very name is tainted； and my tongue
Tastes poison as I speak it。 There is nought
Left in the range and record of the world
For me that is not poisoned： even my heart
Is all envenomed in me。 Death is life；
Or priesthood lies that swears it： then I give
The man my husband and thy homicide
Life； if I slay himthe life he gave thee。
Enter HILDEGARD。
Girl；
I sent for thee； I think： stand near me。 Child；
Thou art fairer than thou knowest； I doubt： thou art fair
As the awless maidenhood of morning： truth
Should live upon thy lips； though truth were dead
On all men's tongues and women's born save thine。
Dawn lies not when it laughs on us。 Thy queen
I am not now： thy friend I would be。 Tell
Thy friend if love sleep or awake in thee
Toward any man。 Thou art silent。 Tell me this；
Dost thou not think； where thought scarce knows itself …
Think in the subtle sense too deep for thought …
That Almachildes loves thee？
HILDEGARD。
More than I
Love Almachildes。
ROSAMUND。
Thus a maid should speak。
Dost thou love me？
HILDEGARD。
Thou knowest it； queen。
ROSAMUND。
It lies
Now in thy power to show me more of love
Than ever yet hath man or woman。 Swear；
If thou dost love me； thou wilt show it。
HILDEGARD。
I swear。
ROSAMUND。
By all our fathers' great forsaken gods
Who smiled on all their battles； and by him
Who clomb or crept or leapt upon their throne
And signed us Christian； swear it； then。
HILDEGARD。
I swear。
ROSAMUND。
What if I bid thee give thyself to shame …
Yield up thy soul and bodyplay such parts
As shameless fame records of women crowned
Imperial in the tale of lust and Rome？
HILDEGARD。
Thou couldst not bid me do it。
ROSAMUND。
Thou hast sworn。
HILDEGARD。
I have sworn。
Queen； I would do it； and die。
ROSAMUND。
Thou shalt not。 Yet
This must thou do； and live。 Thou shalt not be
Shamed。 Thou shalt bid thine Almachildes come
And speak with thee by nightfall。 Say； the queen
Will give not up the maiden so beloved
… And truth it is； I love theewillingly
To the arms of one her husband loves： but were it
Shame； utter shame； that he should wed not her；
The shamefast queen could choose not。 Then shall he
Plead。 Then shalt thou turn gentler than the snow
That softens at the strong sun's kiss； and yield。
But needs must night be close about your love
And darkness whet your kisses。 Light were death。
Hast thou no heart to guess now？ Fear not then。
Not thou but I must put on shame。 I lack
A hand for mine to grasp and strike with。 His
I have chosen。
HILDEGARD。
I see but as by lightning。 Queen；
What should I do but warn the kingor him？
ROSAMUND。
Thou hast sworn。 I hold thee by thy word。
HILDEGARD。
My Christ；
Help me！
ROSAMUND。
No God can break thine oath in twain
And leave thee less than perjured。 Thou must bid him
Make thee to…night his bride。
HILDEGARD。
I could not say it。
ROSAMUND。
Thou shalt； or God shall smite thee down to hell。
What； art thou godless？
HILDEGARD。
Art not thou？
ROSAMUND。
Not I。
I find him just and gracious； girl： he gives me
My right by might set fast on thine and thee。
HILDEGARD。
For love of mercy； queenfor honour's sake；
Bid me not shame myself before a man …
The man I lovewho gives me back at least
Honour； if love he gives not。
ROSAMUND。
Ay； my maid？
And yet he loves thee； or thy maiden thought
Errs with no gracious error； more than thou
Him？
HILDEGARD。
Art thou woman born； to cast me back
My maiden shame for shame upon my face？
I would not say I loved him more than man
Loved ever woman since the light of love
Lit them alive together。 Let us be。
ROSAMUND。
I will not。 Mine are both by God's own gift。
I will not cast it from me。 Ye may live
Hereafter happy： never now shall I。
HILDEGARD。
Have mercy。 Nay； I cannot do it。 And thou；
Albeit thine heart be hot with hate as hell；
Couldst say not； nor fold round with fairer speech；
Those foul three words the Egyptian woman said
Who tempted and could tempt not Joseph。
ROSAMUND。
No。
He would not hearken。 Joseph loved not her
More than thine Almachildes me。 But thou
Shalt。 Now no more may I debate with thee。
Go。
HILDEGARD。
God requite thee！
ROSAMUND。
That shall he and I；
Not thou； make proof of。 If I plead with him；
I crave of God but wrong's requital。 Go。
＇Exit HILDEGARD。
And yet； God help me！ Can I do it？ God's will
May no man thwart； or leave his righteousness
Baffled。 I would not say； 'My will be done；'
Were God's will not for righteousness as mine；
If right be righteous； wrong be wrong； must be。
How else may God work wrong's requital？ I
Must be or none may be his minister。
And yet what righteousness is his to cast
Athwart my way toward right this wrong to me；
A sin against the soul and honour？ Why
Must this vile word of YET cross all my thought
Always； a drifting doom or doubt that still
Strikes up and floats against my purpose？ God；
Help me to know it！ This weapon chosen of me；
This Almachildes； were his face not fair；
Were not his fame brightwere his aspect foul；
His name dishonourable； his line through life
A loathing and a spitting…stock for scorn；
Could I do this？ Am I then even as they
Who queened it once in Rome's abhorrent face
An empress each； and each by right of sin
Prostitute？ All the life I have lived or loved
Hath been； if snows or seas or wellsprings be；
Pure as the spirit of love toward heaven ischaste
As children's eyes or mothers'。 Though I sinned
As yet my soul hath sinned not； Albovine
Must bear； if God abhor unrighteousness；
The weight of penance heaviest laid on sin；
Shame。 Not on me may shame be set； though hell
Take hold upon me dying