Thismockeryismostcruelmostcruelindeed！
_Politian_。Weepnot！oh，sobnotthus！thybittertearsWillmaddenme。Oh，mournnot，Lalage
Becomforted！IknowIknowitall，And_still_Ispeakoflove。Lookatme，brightestAndbeautifulLalage！turnherethineeyes！
ThouaskestmeifIcouldspeakoflove，KnowingwhatIknow，andseeingwhatIhaveseen。
ThouaskestmethatandthusIanswerthee
ThusonmybendedkneeIanswerthee。_kneeling。_
SweetLalage，_Ilovethee__lovethee__lovethee_；
Thro’goodandillthro’wealandwoI_lovethee_。
Notmother，withherfirst-bornonherknee，ThrillswithintenserlovethanIforthee。
NotonGod’saltar，inanytimeorclime，BurnedthereaholierfirethanburnethnowWithinmyspiritfor_thee_。AnddoIlove？_arising。_
EvenforthywoesIlovethee-evenforthywoes-
Thybeautyandthywoes。
_Lal_。Alas，proudEarl，Thoudostforgetthyself，rememberingme！
How，inthyfather’shalls，amongthemaidensPureandreproachlessofthyprincelyline，CouldthedishonoredLalageabide？
Thywife，andwithataintedmemory-
MYsearedandblightedname，howwouldittallyWiththeancestralhonorsofthyhouse，Andwiththyglory？
_Pol_。Speaknottomeofglory！
Ihate-Iloathethename；IdoabhorTheunsatisfactoryandidealthing。
ArtthounotLalageandIPolitian？
DoInotlove-artthounotbeautiful-
Whatneedwemore？Ha！glory！-nowspeaknotofit。
ByallIholdmostsacredandmostsolemn-
Byallmywishesnow-myfearshereafter-
ByallIscornonearthandhopeinheaven-
ThereisnodeedIwouldmoregloryin，ThaninthycausetoscoffatthissamegloryAndtrampleitunderfoot。Whatmattersit-
Whatmattersit，myfairest，andmybest，ThatwegodownunhonoredandforgottenIntothedust-sowedescendtogether。
Descendtogether-andthen-andthen，perchance-
_Lal_。Whydostthoupause，Politian？
_Pol_。Andthen，perchanceArisetogether，Lalage，androamThestarryandquietdwellingsoftheblest，Andstill-
_Lal_。Whydostthoupause，Politian？
_Pol_。Andstilltogether-together。
_Lal_。NowEarlofLeicester！
Thoulovestme，andinmyheartofheartsIfeelthoulovestmetruly。
_Pol_。Oh，Lalage！
_throwinghimselfuponhisknee。_
Andlovestthoume？
_Lal_。Hist！hush！withinthegloomOfyondertreesmethoughtafigurepassed-
Aspectralfigure，solemn，andslow，andnoiseless-
LikethegrimshadowConscience，solemnandnoiseless。
_walksacrossandreturns。_
Iwasmistaken’twasbutagiantboughStirredbytheautumnwind。Politian！
_Pol_。MyLalagemylove！whyartthoumoved？
Whydostthouturnsopale？NotConscience’self，Farlessashadowwhichthoulikenesttoit，Shouldshakethefirmspiritthus。ButthenightwindIschillyandthesemelancholyboughsThrowoverallthingsagloom。
_Lal_。Politian！
Thouspeakesttomeoflove。KnowestthouthelandWithwhichalltonguesarebusyalandnewfound
MiraculouslyfoundbyoneofGenoa
Athousandleagueswithinthegoldenwest？
Afairylandofflowers，andfruit，andsunshine，Andcrystallakes，andover-archingforests，Andmountains，aroundwhosetoweringsummitsthewindsOfHeavenuntrammelledflowwhichairtobreatheIsHappinessnow，andwillbeFreedomhereafterIndaysthataretocome？
_Pol_。O，wiltthouwiltthouFlytothatParadisemyLalage，wiltthouFlythitherwithme？ThereCareshallbeforgotten，AndSorrowshallbenomore，andErosbeall。
Andlifeshallthenbemine，forIwillliveForthee，andinthineeyesandthoushaltbeNomoreamournerbuttheradiantJoysShallwaituponthee，andtheangelHopeAttendtheeever；andIwillkneeltotheeAndworshipthee，andcalltheemybeloved，Myown，mybeautiful，mylove，mywife，Myall；oh，wiltthouwiltthou，Lalage，Flythitherwithme？
_Lal_。Adeedistobedone
Castiglionelives！
_Pol_。Andheshalldie！_exit_
_Lal_。_afterapause。_And-he-shall-die！-alas！
Castiglionedie？Whospokethewords？
WhereamI？-whatwasithesaid？-Politian！
Thouartnotgone-thouarenotgone，Politian！
Ifeelthouartnotgone-yetdarenotlook，LestIbeholdtheenot；thoucouldstnotgoWiththosewordsuponthylips-O，speaktome！
Andletmehearthyvoice-oneword-oneword，Tosaythouartnotgone，-onelittlesentence，Tosayhowthoudostscorn-howthoudosthateMywomanlyweakness。Ha！ha！thouartnotgone-
Ospeaktome！Iknewthouwouldstnotgo！
Iknewthouwouldstnot，couldstnot，durstnotgo。
Villain，thouartnotgone-thoumockestme！
AndthusIclutchthee-thus！-Heisgone，heisgoneGone-gone。WhereamI？-’tiswell-’tisverywell！
Sothatthebladebekeen-theblowbesure，’Tiswell，’tisverywell-alas！alas！
V。
Thesuburbs。Politianalone。
_Politian_。Thisweaknessgrowsuponme。Iamfaint，AndmuchIfearmeill-itwillnotdoTodieereIhavelived！-Stay，staythyhand，OAzrael，yetawhile！-PrinceofthePowersOfDarknessandtheTomb，Opityme！
Opityme！letmenotperishnow，InthebuddingofmyParadisalHope！
Givemetoliveyet-yetalittlewhile：
’TisIwhoprayforlife-IwhosolateDemandedbuttodie！-whatsayeththeCount？
_EnterBaldazzar。_
_Baldazzar_。ThatknowingnocauseofquarreloroffeudBetweentheEarlPolitianandhimself。
Hedothdeclineyourcartel。
_Pol_。Whatdidstthousay？
Whatanswerwasityoubroughtme，goodBaldazzar？
WithwhatexcessivefragrancethezephyrcomesLadenfromyonderbowers！-afairerday，OronemoreworthyItaly，methinksNomortaleyeshaveseen！-whatsaidtheCount？
_Bal_。Thathe，Castiglione’notbeingawareOfanyfeudexisting，oranycauseOfquarrelbetweenyourlordshipandhimself，Cannotacceptthechallenge。
_Pol_。Itismosttrue
Allthisisverytrue。Whensawyou，sir，Whensawyounow，Baldazzar，inthefrigidUngenialBritainwhichweleftsolately，Aheavensocalmasthis-soutterlyfreeFromtheeviltaintofclouds？-andhedidsay？
_Bal_。Nomore，mylord，thanIhavetoldyou，sir：
TheCountCastiglionewillnotfight，Havingnocauseforquarrel。
_Pol_。Nowthisistrue-
Allverytrue。Thouartmyfriend，Baldazzar，AndIhavenotforgottenit-thou’ltdomeApieceofservice；wiltthougobackandsayUntothisman，thatI，theEarlofLeicester，Holdhimavillain？-thusmuch，Iprythee，sayUntotheCount-itisexceedingjustHeshouldhavecauseforquarrel。
_Bal_。Mylord！-myfriend！-
_Pol_。_aside。_’Tishe！-hecomeshimself？aloudThoureasonestwell。
Iknowwhatthouwouldstsay-notsendthemessage-
Well！-Iwillthinkofit-Iwillnotsendit。
Nowprythee，leaveme-hitherdothcomeapersonWithwhomaffairsofamostprivatenatureIwouldadjust。
_Bal_。Igo-to-morrowwemeet，Dowenot？-attheVatican。
_Pol_。AttheVatican。_exitBal_。
_EnterCastigilone。_
_Cas_。TheEarlofLeicesterhere！
_Pol_。IamtheEarlofLeicester，andthouseest，Dostthounot？thatIamhere。
_Cas_。Mylord，somestrange，Somesingularmistakemisunderstanding
Hathwithoutdoubtarisen：thouhastbeenurgedThereby，inheatofanger，toaddressSomewordsmostunaccountable，inwriting，Tome，Castiglione；thebearerbeingBaldazzar，DukeofSurrey。IamawareOfnothingwhichmightwarranttheeinthisthing，Havinggiventheenooffence。Ha！-amIright？
’Twasamistake？undoubtedlyweallDoerrattimes。
_Pol_。Draw，villain，andpratenomore！
_Cas。_Ha！draw？andvillain？haveattheethenatonce，ProudEarl！_draws。_
_Pol_。_drawing。_Thustotheexpiatorytomb，Untimelysepulchre，IdodevotetheeInthenameofLalage！
_Cas。__lettingfallhisswordandrecoilingtotheextremityofthestage_
OfLalage！
Holdoffthysacredhand！avaunt，Isay！
AvauntIwillnotfighttheeindeedIdarenot。
_Pol_。Thouwiltnotfightwithmedidstsay，SirCount？
ShallIbebaffledthus？nowthisiswell；
Didstsaythoudarestnot？Ha！
_Cas。_Idarenotdarenot
HoldoffthyhandwiththatbelovednameSofreshuponthylipsIwillnotfightthee
Icannotdarenot。
_Pol_。NowbymyhalidomIdobelievethee！coward，Idobelievethee！
_Cas。_Ha！coward！thismaynotbe！
_clutcheshisswordandstaggerstowardsPOLITIAN，buthispurposeischangedbeforereachinghim，andhefallsuponhiskneeatthefeetoftheEarl_
Alas！mylord，Itisitismosttrue。InsuchacauseIamtheveriestcoward。Opityme！
_Pol_。_greatlysoftened。_Alas！-Ido-indeedIpitythee。
_Cas。_AndLalage-
_Pol_。Scoundrel！-ariseanddie！
_Cas。_ItneedethnotbethusthusOletmedieThusonmybendedknee。ItweremostfittingThatinthisdeephumiliationIperish。
ForinthefightIwillnotraiseahandAgainstthee，EarlofLeicester。Strikethouhome
_baringhisbosom。_
Hereisnoletorhindrancetothyweapon-
Strikehome。I_willnot_fightthee。
_Pol_。Now，s’DeathandHell！
AmInot-amInotsorely-grievouslytemptedTotaketheeatthyword？Butmarkme，sir，Thinknottoflymethus。DothouprepareForpublicinsultinthestreetsbeforeTheeyesofthecitizens。I’llfollowtheeLikeanavengingspiritI’llfollowtheeEvenuntodeath。Beforethosewhomthoulovest-
BeforeallRomeI’lltauntthee，villain，I’lltauntthee，Dosthear？with_cowardice_thou_wiltnot_fightme？
Thouliest！thou_shalt！__exit_。
_Cas。_Nowthisindeedisjust！
Mostrighteous，andmostjust，avengingHeaven！