And in the curtain wrapp'd my cursed head. Thus as I lay, anon I might behold Out of the vault, up through her chamber floor, My daughter Gismund bringing hand in hand The County Palurin. Alas! it is too true; At her bed's feet this traitor made me see Her shame, his treason, and my deadly grief-- Her princely body yielded to this thief; The high despite whereof so wounded me That, trance-like, as a senseless stone I lay; For neither wit nor tongue could use the mean T'express the passions of my pained heart. Forceless, perforce, I sank down to this pain, As greedy famine doth constrain the hawk Piecemeal to rend and tear the yielding prey: So far'd it with me in that heavy stound. But now what shall I do? how may I seek To ease my mind, that burneth with desire Of dire revenge? For never shall my thoughts Grant ease unto my heart, till I have found A mean of vengeance to requite his pains, That first convey'd this sight unto my soul.-- Renuchio! RENUCHIO. What is your highness' will? TANCRED. Call my daughter: my heart boils, till I see Her in my sight, to whom I may discharge All the unrest that thus distempereth me. [_Exit_ RENUCHIO. Should I destroy them both? O gods, ye know How near and dear our daughter is to us. And yet my rage persuades me to imbrue My thirsty hands in both their trembling bloods, Therewith to cool my wrathful fury's heat. But, Nature, why repin'st thou at this thought? Why should I think upon a father's debt To her that thought not on a daughter's due? But still, methinks, if I should see her die, And therewithal reflex her dying eyes Upon mine eyes, that sight would slit my heart: Not much unlike the cockatrice, that slays The object of his foul infections, O, what a conflict doth my mind endure! Now fight my thoughts against my passions: Now strive my passions against my thoughts: Now sweats my heart, now chill cold falls it dead. Help, heavens, and succour, ye celestial powers! Infuse your secret virtue on my soul. Shall nature win? shall justice not prevail? Shall I, a king, be proved partial? "How shall our subjects then insult on us, When our examples, that are light to them, Shall be eclipsed with our proper deeds?" And may the arms be rented from the tree, The members from the body be dissever'd? And can the heart endure no violence? My daughter is to me mine only heart, My life, my comfort, my continuance; Shall I be then not only so unkind To pass all nature's strength, and cut her off? But therewithal so cruel to myself, Against all law of kind to shred in twain The golden thread that doth us both maintain? But were it that my rage should so command, And I consent to her untimely death, Were this an end to all our miseries? No, no, her ghost will still pursue our life, And from the deep her bloodless, ghastful spirit Will, as my shadow in the shining day, Follow my footsteps, till she take revenge. I will do thus: therefore the traitor dies, Because he scorned the favour of his king,