Shedied。ThusendeththehistoryandhermaidsLeanoverandweeptwogentlemaidsWithgentlenamesEirosandCharmion！
RainbowandDove！Jacinta！
_Jac。__pettishly_。Madam，what_is_it？
_Lal。_Wiltthou，mygoodJacinta，besokindAsgodowninthelibraryandbringmeTheHolyEvangelists。
_Jac。_Pshaw！_exit_。
_Lal。_IftherebebalmForthewoundedspiritinGileaditisthere！
DewinthenighttimeofmybittertroubleWilltherebefound“dewsweeterfarthanthatWhichhangslikechainsofpearlonHermonhill。”
_re-enterJacinta，andthrowsavolumeonthetable。_
There，ma’am，’sthebook。Indeedsheisverytroublesome。_aside。_
_Lal。astonished。_Whatdidstthousay，Jacinta？HaveIdoneaughtTogrievetheeortovexthee？Iamsorry。
ForthouhastservedmelongandeverbeenTrust-worthyandrespectful。_resumesherreading。_
_Jac。_Ican’tbelieveShehasanymorejewelsnonoshegavemeall。_aside。_
_Lal。_Whatdidstthousay，Jacinta？NowIbethinkmeThouhastnotspokenlatelyofthywedding。
HowfaresgoodUgo？-andwhenisittobe？
CanIdoaught？-istherenofartheraidThouneedest，Jacinta？
_Jac_。Isthereno_farther_aid！
That’smeantforme。_aside_I’msure，madam，youneednotBealwaysthrowingthosejewelsinmyteeth。
_Lal。_Jewels！Jacinta，nowindeed，Jacinta，Ithoughtnotofthejewels。
_Jac。_Oh！perhapsnot！
ButthenImighthaveswornit。Afterall，There’sUgosaystheringisonlypaste，Forhe’ssuretheCountCastiglioneneverWouldhavegivenarealdiamondtosuchasyou；
AndatthebestI’mcertain，Madam，youcannotHaveuseforjewels_now。_ButImighthaveswornit。_exit。_
_Lalageburstsintotearsandleansherheaduponthetableafterashortpauseraisesit。_
_Lal。_PoorLalage！andisitcometothis？
Thyservantmaid！butcourage！’tisbutaviperWhomthouhastcherishedtostingtheetothesoul！
_takingupthemirror_
Ha！hereatleast’safriendtoomuchafriendInearlierdaysafriendwillnotdeceivethee。
Fairmirrorandtrue！nowtellmeforthoucanst
AtaleaprettytaleandheedthounotThoughitberifewithwoe：Itanswersme。
Itspeaksofsunkeneyes，andwastedcheeks，AndBeautylongdeceasedremembersmeOfJoydepartedHope，theSeraphHope，Inurnedandentombed：now，inatoneLow，sad，andsolemn，butmostaudible，WhispersofearlygraveuntimelyyawningForruinedmaid。Fairmirrorandtrue-thouliestnot！
Thouhastnoendtogainnohearttobreak
Castiglioneliedwhosaidheloved
Thoutruehefalse！false！false！
_Whileshespeaks，amonkentersherapartment，andapproachesunobserved。_
_Monk。_Refugethouhast，Sweetdaughter，inHeaven。Thinkofeternalthings！
Giveupthysoultopenitence，andpray！
_Lal。_arisinghurriedly。I_cannot_pray！MysoulisatwarwithGod！
ThefrightfulsoundsofmerrimentbelowDisturbmysensesgo！Icannotpray
Thesweetairsfromthegardenworryme！
Thypresencegrievesmego！thypriestlyraimentFillsmewithdread-thyebonycrucifixWithhorrorandawe！
_Monk。_Thinkofthyprecioussoul！
_Lal。_Thinkofmyearlydays！thinkofmyfatherAndmotherinHeaventhinkofourquiethome，Andtherivuletthatranbeforethedoor！
Thinkofmylittlesisters！thinkofthem！
Andthinkofme！thinkofmytrustingloveAndconfidence-hisvows-myruinthinkthinkOfmyunspeakablemisery！begone！
Yetstay！yetstay！whatwasitthousaidstofprayerAndpenitence？DidstthounotspeakoffaithAndvowsbeforethethrone？
_Monk。_Idid。
_Lal。_Lal。’Tiswell。
Thereisavowwerefittingshouldbemade
Asacredvow，imperative，andurgent，Asolemnvow！
_Monk。_Daughter，thiszealiswell！
_Lal。_Father，thiszealisanythingbutwell！
Hastthouacrucifixfitforthisthing？
AcrucifixwhereontoregisterThissacredvow？_hehandsherhisown_
Notthat-Oh！no！no！no！_shuddering_
Notthat！Notthat！Itellthee，holyman，Thyraimentsandthyebonycrossaffrightme！
Standback！Ihaveacrucifixmyself，
IhaveacrucifixMethinks’twerefittingThedeedthevowthesymbolofthedeed
Andthedeed’sregistershouldtally，father！
_drawsacross-handleddagger，andraisesitonhigh_
BeholdthecrosswherewithavowlikemineIswritteninHeaven！
_Monk。_Thywordsaremadness，daughter，Andspeakapurposeunholy-thylipsarelivid
Thineeyesarewildtemptnotthewrathdivine！
Pauseeretoolate！oh，benotbenotrash！
Swearnottheoathoh，swearitnot！
_Lal。_’Tissworn！
III。
AnapartmentinaPalace。PolitianandBaldazzar。
_Baldazzar_。Arousetheenow，Politian！
Thoumustnotnayindeed，indeed，shaltnotGiveawayuntothesehumors。Bethyself！
Shakeofftheidlefanciesthatbesetthee，Andlive，fornowthoudiest！
_Politian_。Notso，Baldazzar！_Surely_Ilive。
_Bal_。Politian，itdothgrievemeToseetheethus。
_Pol_。Baldazzar，itdothgrievemeTogivetheecauseforgrief，myhonouredfriend。
Commandme，sir！whatwouldstthouhavemedo？
AtthybehestIwillshakeoffthatnatureWhichfrommy，forefathersIdidinherit，Whichwithmymother’smilkIdidimbibe，AndbenomorePolitian，butsomeother。
Commandme，sir！
_Bal_。Tothefield，thentothefield
Tothesenateorthefield。
_Pol_。Alas！Alas！
Thereisanimpwouldfollowmeeventhere！
Thereisanimp_hath_followedmeeventhere！
Thereiswhatvoicewasthat？
_Bal_。Ihearditnot。
Iheardnotanyvoiceexceptthineown，Andtheechoofthineown。
_Pol_。ThenIbutdreamed。
_Bal_。Givenotthysoultodreams：thecampthecourt，BefittheeFameawaitstheeGlorycalls
Andherthetrumpet-tonguedthouwiltnothearInhearkeningtoimaginarysoundsAndphantomvoices。
_Pol_。It_is_aphantomvoice！
Didstthounothearit_then？_
_Bal_。Ihearditnot。
_Pol_。Thouheardstitnot！Baldazaar，speaknomoreTome，Politian，ofthycampsandcourts。
Oh！Iamsick，sick，sick，evenuntodeath，Ofthehollowandhigh-soundingvanitiesOfthepopulousEarth！Bearwithmeyetawhile！
Wehavebeenboystogetherschoolfellows
Andnowarefriendsyetshallnotbesolong
ForintheeternalcitythoushaltdomeAkindandgentleoffice，andaPower
APoweraugust，benignantandsupreme
ShallthenabsolvetheeofallfurtherdutiesUntothyfriend。
_Bal_。ThouspeakestafearfulriddleI_will_notunderstand。
_Pol_。YetnowasFateApproaches，andtheHoursarebreathinglow，ThesandsofTimearechangedtogoldengrains，Anddazzleme，Baldazzar。Alas！alas！
I_cannot_die，havingwithinmyheartSokeenarelishforthebeautifulAshathbeenkindledwithinit。MethinkstheairIsbalmiernowthanitwaswonttobe
Richmelodiesarefloatinginthewinds
Ararerlovelinessbedeckstheearth
AndwithaholierlustrethequietmoonSittethinHeaven。Hist！hist！thoucanstnotsayThouhearestnot_now_，Baldazzar？
_Bal_。IndeedIhearnot。
_Pol_。Nothearit！listennow！listen！thefaintestsoundAndyetthesweetestthateareverheard！
Alady’svoice！andsorrowinthetone！
Baldazzar，itoppressesmelikeaspell！
Again！again！howsolemnlyitfallsIntomyheartofhearts！thateloquentvoiceSurelyIneverheardyetitwerewellHadI_but_hearditwithitsthrillingtonesInearlierdays！
_Bal_。Imyselfhearitnow。
Bestill！thevoice，ifImistakenotgreatly，ProceedsfromyonderlatticewhichyoumayseeVeryplainlythroughthewindowitbelongs，Doesitnot？untothispalaceoftheDuke。
ThesingerisundoubtedlybeneathTheroofofhisExcellencyandperhapsIseventhatAlessandraofwhomhespokeAsthebetrothedofCastiglione，Hissonandheir。
_Pol_。Bestill！itcomesagain！
_Voice_“Andisthyheartsostrong_veryfaintly_AsfortoleavemethusWhohathlovedtheesolongInwealthandwoeamong？
AndisthyheartsostrongAsfortoleavemethus？
Saynaysaynay！”
_Bal_。ThesongisEnglish，andIofthavehearditInmerryEnglandneversoplaintively
Hist！hist！itcomesagain！
_Voice_“Isitsostrong_moreloudly_AsfortoleavemethusWhohathlovedtheesolongInwealthandwoeamong？
AndisthyheartsostrongAsfortoleavemethus？
Saynaysaynay！”
_Bal_。’Tishushedandallisstill！
_Pol_。Allis_not_still！
_Bal_。Letusgodown。
_Pol_。Godown，Baldazzar，go！
_Bal_。ThehourisgrowinglatetheDukeawaitsuse
ThypresenceisexpectedinthehallBelow。Whatailsthee，EarlPolitian？
_Voice_“Whohathlovedtheesolong_distinctly_Inwealthandwoeamong，Andisthyheartsostrong？
Saynaysaynay！”
_Bal_。Letusdescend！’tistime。Politian，giveThesefanciestothewind。Remember，pray，YourbearinglatelysavoredmuchofrudenessUntotheDuke。Arousethee！andremember_Pol_。Remember？Ido。Leadon！I_do_remember。
_going。_
Letusdescend。BelievemeIwouldgive，FreelywouldgivethebroadlandsofmyearldomTolookuponthefacehiddenbyyonlattice
“Togazeuponthatveiledface，andhearOncemorethatsilenttongue。”
_Bal_。Letmebegyou，sir，DescendwithmetheDukemaybeoffended。
Letusgodown，Iprayyou。
_Voiceloudly__Saynay！saynay！_
_Pol。aside_’Tisstrange！’tisverystrangemethoughtthevoiceChimedinwithmydesires，andbademestay！
_approachingthewindow。_
Sweetvoice！Iheedthee，andwillsurelystay。
NowbethisFancy，byHeaven，orbeitFate，StillwillInotdescend。Baldazzar，makeApologyuntotheDukeforme；
Igonotdownto-night。
_Bal_。Yourlordship’spleasureShallbeattendedto。Good-night，Politian。
_Pol_。Good-night，myfriend，good-night。
IV。
ThegardensofaPalaceMoonlightLalageandPolitian。
_Lalge_。AnddostthouspeakofloveTome，Politian？dostthouspeakofloveToLalage？ah，woeah，woeisme！