Fly ere I spurn thee; and beware this night That thou cross not my footsteps. It were safer To come between the tiger and his prey.

[EXIT LUCRETIA.]

It must be late; mine eyes grow weary dim _175 With unaccustomed heaviness of sleep.

Conscience! Oh, thou most insolent of lies!

They say that sleep, that healing dew of Heaven, Steeps not in balm the foldings of the brain Which thinks thee an impostor. I will go _180 First to belie thee with an hour of rest, Which will be deep and calm, I feel: and then...

O, mult.i.tudinous h.e.l.l, the fiends will shake Thine arches with the laughter of their joy!

There shall be lamentation heard in Heaven _185 As o'er an angel fallen; and upon Earth All good shall droop and sicken, and ill things Shall with a spirit of unnatural life, Stir and be quickened...even as I am now.

[EXIT.]

SCENE 4.2: BEFORE THE CASTLE OF PETRELLA.

ENTER BEATRICE AND LUCRETIA ABOVE ON THE RAMPARTS.

BEATRICE: They come not yet.

LUCRETIA: 'Tis scarce midnight.

BEATRICE: How slow Behind the course of thought, even sick with speed, Lags leaden-footed time!

LUCRETIA: The minutes pa.s.s...

If he should wake before the deed is done?

BEATRICE: O, mother! He must never wake again. _5 What thou hast said persuades me that our act Will but dislodge a spirit of deep h.e.l.l Out of a human form.

LUCRETIA: 'Tis true he spoke Of death and judgement with strange confidence For one so wicked; as a man believing _10 In G.o.d, yet recking not of good or ill.

And yet to die without confession!...

BEATRICE: Oh!

Believe that Heaven is merciful and just, And will not add our dread necessity To the amount of his offences.

[ENTER OLIMPIO AND MARZIO BELOW.]

LUCRETIA: See, _15 They come.

BEATRICE: All mortal things must hasten thus To their dark end. Let us go down.

[EXEUNT LUCRETIA AND BEATRICE FROM ABOVE.]

OLIMPIO: How feel you to this work?

MARZIO: As one who thinks A thousand crowns excellent market price For an old murderer's life. Your cheeks are pale. _20

OLIMPIO: It is the white reflection of your own, Which you call pale.

MARZIO: Is that their natural hue?

OLIMPIO: Or 'tis my hate and the deferred desire To wreak it, which extinguishes their blood.

MARZIO: You are inclined then to this business?

OLIMPIO: Ay, _25 If one should bribe me with a thousand crowns To kill a serpent which had stung my child, I could not be more willing.

[ENTER BEATRICE AND LUCRETIA BELOW.]

n.o.ble ladies!

BEATRICE: Are ye resolved?

OLIMPIO: Is he asleep?

MARZIO: Is all Quiet?

LUCRETIA: I mixed an opiate with his drink: _30 He sleeps so soundly...

BEATRICE: That his death will be But as a change of sin-chastising dreams, A dark continuance of the h.e.l.l within him, Which G.o.d extinguish! But ye are resolved?

Ye know it is a high and holy deed? _35

OLIMPIO: We are resolved.

MARZIO: As to the how this act Be warranted, it rests with you.

BEATRICE: Well, follow!

OLIMPIO: Hush! Hark! What noise is that?

MARZIO: Ha! some one comes!

BEATRICE: Ye conscience-stricken cravens, rock to rest Your baby hearts. It is the iron gate, _40 Which ye left open, swinging to the wind, That enters whistling as in scorn. Come, follow!

And be your steps like mine, light, quick and bold.

[EXEUNT.]

SCENE 4.3: AN APARTMENT IN THE CASTLE.

ENTER BEATRICE AND LUCRETIA.

LUCRETIA: They are about it now.

BEATRICE: Nay, it is done.

LUCRETIA: I have not heard him groan.

BEATRICE: He will not groan.

LUCRETIA: What sound is that?

BEATRICE: List! 'tis the tread of feet About his bed.

LUCRETIA: My G.o.d!

If he be now a cold, stiff corpse...

BEATRICE: O, fear not _5 What may be done, but what is left undone: The act seals all.

[ENTER OLIMPIO AND MARZIO.]