It was, I think, for love's sake that Lord Christ, Who was indeed himself incarnate Love, Bade every man forgive his enemy.
MORANZONE
[sneeringly]
That was in Palestine, not Padua;
And said for saints: I have to do with men.
GUIDO
It was for all time said.
MORANZONE
And your white Duchess, What will she do to thank you?
GUIDO
Alas, I will not see her face again.
'Tis but twelve hours since I parted from her, So suddenly, and with such violent passion, That she has shut her heart against me now:
No, I will never see her.
MORANZONE
What will you do?
GUIDO
After that I have laid the dagger there, Get hence to-night from Padua.
MORANZONE
And then?
GUIDO
I will take service with the Doge at Venice, And bid him pack me straightway to the wars, And there I will, being now sick of life, Throw that poor life against some desperate spear.
[A groan from the DUKE'S chamber again.]
Did you not hear a voice?
MORANZONE
I always hear, From the dim confines of some sepulchre, A voice that cries for vengeance. We waste time, It will be morning soon; are you resolved You will not kill the Duke?
GUIDO
I am resolved.
MORANZONE
O wretched father, lying unavenged.
GUIDO
More wretched, were thy son a murderer.
MORANZONE
Why, what is life?
GUIDO
I do not know, my lord, I did not give it, and I dare not take it.
MORANZONE
I do not thank God often; but I think I thank him now that I have got no son!
And you, what bastard blood flows in your veins That when you have your enemy in your grasp You let him go! I would that I had left you With the dull hinds that reared you.
GUIDO
Better perhaps That you had done so! May be better still I'd not been born to this distressful world.
MORANZONE
Farewell!
GUIDO
Farewell! Some day, Lord Moranzone, You will understand my vengeance.
MORANZONE
Never, boy.
[Gets out of window and exit by rope ladder.]
GUIDO
Father, I think thou knowest my resolve, And with this nobler vengeance art content.
Father, I think in letting this man live That I am doing what thou wouldst have done.
Father, I know not if a human voice Can pierce the iron gateway of the dead, Or if the dead are set in ignorance Of what we do, or do not, for their sakes.
And yet I feel a presence in the air, There is a shadow standing at my side, And ghostly kisses seem to touch my lips, And leave them holier. [Kneels down.]
O father, if 'tis thou, Canst thou not burst through the decrees of death, And if corporeal semblance show thyself, That I may touch thy hand!
No, there is nothing. [Rises.]
'Tis the night that cheats us with its phantoms, And, like a puppet-master, makes us think That things are real which are not. It grows late.
Now must I to my business.
[Pulls out a letter from his doublet and reads it.]
When he wakes, And sees this letter, and the dagger with it, Will he not have some loathing for his life, Repent, perchance, and lead a better life, Or will he mock because a young man spared His natural enemy? I do not care.
Father, it is thy bidding that I do, Thy bidding, and the bidding of my love Which teaches me to know thee as thou art.
[Ascends staircase stealthily, and just as he reaches out his hand to draw back the curtain the Duchess appears all in white. GUIDO starts back.]
DUCHESS
Guido! what do you here so late?
GUIDO
O white and spotless angel of my life, Sure thou hast come from Heaven with a message That mercy is more noble than revenge?
DUCHESS
There is no barrier between us now.
GUIDO
None, love, nor shall be.
DUCHESS
I have seen to that.
GUIDO
Tarry here for me.
DUCHESS
No, you are not going?
You will not leave me as you did before?
GUIDO
I will return within a moment's space, But first I must repair to the Duke's chamber, And leave this letter and this dagger there, That when he wakes -
DUCHESS
When who wakes?
GUIDO
Why, the Duke.
DUCHESS
He will not wake again.
GUIDO
What, is he dead?
DUCHESS
Ay! he is dead.
GUIDO
O God! how wonderful Are all thy secret ways! Who would have said That on this very night, when I had yielded Into thy hands the vengeance that is thine, Thou with thy finger wouldst have touched the man, And bade him come before thy judgment seat.
DUCHESS
I have just killed him.
GUIDO
[in horror] Oh!
DUCHESS
He was asleep;
Come closer, love, and I will tell you all.
I had resolved to kill myself to-night.
About an hour ago I waked from sleep, And took my dagger from beneath my pillow, Where I had hidden it to serve my need, And drew it from the sheath, and felt the edge, And thought of you, and how I loved you, Guido, And turned to fall upon it, when I marked The old man sleeping, full of years and sin;
There lay he muttering curses in his sleep, And as I looked upon his evil face Suddenly like a flame there flashed across me, There is the barrier which Guido spoke of:
You said there lay a barrier between us, What barrier but he? - I hardly know What happened, but a steaming mist of blood Rose up between us two.
GUIDO
Oh, horrible!
DUCHESS
And then he groaned, And then he groaned no more! I only heard The dripping of the blood upon the floor.
GUIDO
Enough, enough.
DUCHESS
Will you not kiss me now?
Do you remember saying that women's love Turns men to angels? well, the love of man Turns women into martyrs; for its sake We do or suffer anything.
GUIDO
O God!
DUCHESS
Will you not speak?
GUIDO
I cannot speak at all.
DUCHESS
Let as not talk of this! Let us go hence:
Is not the barrier broken down between us?
What would you more? Come, it is almost morning.
[Puts her hand on GUIDO'S.]
GUIDO
[breaking from her]
O damned saint! O angel fresh from Hell!
What bloody devil tempted thee to this!
That thou hast killed thy husband, that is nothing -
Hell was already gaping for his soul -
But thou hast murdered Love, and in its place Hast set a horrible and bloodstained thing, Whose very breath breeds pestilence and plague, And strangles Love.
DUCHESS
[in amazed wonder]
I did it all for you.
I would not have you do it, had you willed it, For I would keep you without blot or stain, A thing unblemished, unassailed, untarnished.
Men do not know what women do for love.
Have I not wrecked my soul for your dear sake, Here and hereafter?
GUIDO
