Margaret.

’Tis I, Giovanni: all is well: thou’rt safe, Manuel has told me all. Thou dost repent. All is prepared. Ask not my pardon: give me One kiss—I have forgiven thee. Be not sad. ’Twas like thee as I love thee, nobly done: And being so cruel to thyself ’twas easy Thou shouldst forget what I too now forget, Recovering thee. I saw thee ride away, And guessed before the letter. O, Giovanni, Thank God, thou’rt safe. Look, I have brought the money To serve thee on thy journey till the day We meet again; and more. Thy ship will sail But to Messina: there thou wilt disbark. Nay, take the money; thou wilt need it, love, ’Tis Manuel’s gift, not mine.

Pal. (taking). I have no heart, Margaret, for what is done on my behalf. I thank him, but ...

Mar. Alas, alas! Giovanni: I looked to find thee glad of heart and happy. Our troubles all are over. Manuel lives, Whom we thought drowned: Constance, who lay in death, Hath risen from her bed: and even our marriage Is furthered by my brother. How can it be Thou art so dismal, and thy kiss as cold As is this prison?

Pal. I would not leave this prison.

Mar. Thou wouldst not leave it?

Pal. No: dankness and darkness Are now my friends. I have failed. How can I wish To step in the light of heaven?

Mar. O, then I see This death-delivering dungeon hath o’ercome thee. ——There’s news. This morn the ships arrived from Spain. They must bring tidings of the king’s accession. We shall learn all to-day. When he’s proclaimed, There’s nought that thou couldst do if thou wert free. What thou hast done may have determined much.

Pal. When shall I hear of it?

Mar. Love, thou must sail Quickly and secretly: and canst not hear Until thou come to land. But then if I Should meet thee there with Manuel, oh, what joy, Could I be first to tell thee.

Pal. Dost thou think That Manuel hath forgiven me for the wrong I did him, stealing from his house by night?

Mar. That was my theft, Giovanni; and he forgives: Cry not thou forfeit.—See, I bring thy dagger.

Pal. But, Margaret, I wronged thee too. I fled From thee; canst thou forgive me?

Mar. Ask not me If I have forgiven. Hearken, I will tell thee,— This dagger is the dagger which the woman, Whose name thou didst not know, brought thee in prison: By help of this thou madest thy first escape. ’Tis I that bring it now. These two days past, These days of misery, I have held and worn it But for one purpose; that if thou shouldst die, I might have something which had once been thine To end my life with.

Pal. Thou!

Mar. Ay. I had promised This caseless blade my empty heart for sheath.

Pal. Margaret!

Mar. Now take it. I have better hope.

[Palicio takes dagger, and puts it in his breast.

Thou shouldst be armed.

Pal. And thou hast thought of death?

Mar. Only if thou hadst died.

Pal. O, Margaret, Margaret, I am not worthy of thy love. Thou seest I am not. Look how poor a heart I bring to take thee: ’tis too base. I thought I loved thee overmuch. Now, fool, I see I love too little.

Mar. ’Tis this hateful prison Hath chilled thy spirits. When again thou’rt free Thou’lt be Giovanni.

Pal. Canst thou love me so?

Mar. O, what hath come to thee? Did I not love The hour I bound thy wound: the day I brought Rosso to heal thee, and led thee by the hand, Threading the blindest midnight silently, To set thee free? Dost thou forget?

Pal. But then, Then I was brave, a leader of the people Against their tyrant: thou didst hold of me As of a hero: now I have failed, I am shamed.

Mar. O no, Giovanni; thou mistakest sadly My love for thee.

Pal. I am no more myself.

Mar. Then dare I prove to thee how much I love thee, How little thy renown. Remember, thou didst scheme To burn the palace.

Pal. Ay.

Mar. Didst thou not promise Me, trembling for thy life, that if that failed, Thou wouldst to Rome with me?

Pal. My scheme miscarried: I broke my promise.

Mar. The cause of that miscarriage Was the betrayal?

Pal. How should I forget?

Mar. Now wilt thou say I love but thy success? ’Twas I betrayed thy men.

Pal. Ha! thou was’t! was’t thou?

(Leaping up from Margaret, who staggers against the wall.)

From me, sorceress, thou viper, go from me! Traitress, was’t thou? Thou wast my secret curse! Sent by the devil, wast thou, to destroy me, To kill my soul? And bringest now thy money

[Strews it about.

To buy thy happiness: and of thy love Pratest, and sayst, Come forth with me! With thee? Rather all deaths, a thousand deaths of shame,— The axe, the gallows. O, my faithful men, My brave men! and for them!—Ah! I will love My executioner more than thee. Love thee! There is not any tyrant or crowned fiend Whom I will hate like thee.

Mar. Then kill me, Giovanni.

[Swoons falling.

Pal. (taking out dagger). This dagger in my heart, and I am avenged. Nay, nay, O God, I am adding wrong to wrong.

[Putting dagger back.

And Manuel. Alas! what have I done?

[Runs to Margaret.

I spake too roughly, Margaret; I was angry: I knew not what I said. Margaret, I am sorry. Forgive me, Margaret. Nay, I meant it not. I am not angry with thee now. I think I can forgive thee. Hear me! She doth not hear me. She doth not breathe. Her eyes are fixed and sightless. Her hands are cold. My God, oh, if I have killed her! Margaret, Margaret! Dost thou not hear?—I have killed her.—Margaret! I do forgive thee. I forgive thee all. O God, she is dead, she is dead.—Now if I kiss her, If she can feel (kissing). She stirs. O, Margaret, Hear me. I do forgive thee all.

Mar. Giovanni: I did it for thy love.

Pal. Thank God, thank God. Now thou dost breathe and speak. O, I was cruel; I was too angry.—Margaret, forgive me. Kiss me, forgive. [Noise at door.

Mar. Hark, at the door they come; ’Tis now thy time to fly.

Pal. How can I leave thee? I cannot thus.

Enter Blasco with sword drawn, Livio and two soldiers.

Mar. Go for thy life, Giovanni: Fly, fly: think not of me!