ROSAURA. 'Tis honour's cure.
CLOTALDO. 'Tis wild fire.
ROSAURA. That will endure.
CLOTALDO. It is frenzy.
ROSAURA. Rage, despair.
CLOTALDO. Can there then be nothing done
This blind rage to let pass by?
ROSAURA. No.
CLOTALDO. And who will help thee?
ROSAURA. I.
CLOTALDO. Is there then no remedy?
ROSAURA. None.
CLOTALDO. Think of other means whereby . . . .
ROSAURA. Other means would seal my fate.
[Exit.
CLOTALDO. If 'tis so, then, daughter, wait,
For together we shall die.
[Exit.
* * * * *
SCENE IX.
THE OPEN PLAIN.
SIGISMUND, clothed in skins: Soldiers marching. CLARIN.
[Drums are heard.]
SIGISMUND. If Rome could see me on this day
Amid the triumphs of its early sway,
Oh, with what strange delight
It would have seen so singular a sight,
Its mighty armies led
By one who was a savage wild beast bred,
Whose courage soars so high,
That even an easy conquest seems the sky!
But let us lower our flight,
My spirit; 'tis not thus we should invite
This doubtful dream to stay,
Lest when I wake and it has past away,
I learn to my sad cost,
A moment given, 'twas in a moment lost;
Determined not to abuse it,
The less will be my sorrow should I lose it.
[A trumpet sounds.
CLARIN. Upon a rapid steed,
(Excuse my painting it; I can't indeed
Resist the inspiration),
Which seems a moving mass of all creation,
Its body being the earth,
The fire the soul that in its heart hath birth,
Its foam the sea, its panting breath the air,
Chaos confused at which I stand and stare,
Since in its soul, foam, body, breath, to me
It is a monster made of fire, earth, air, and sea;
Its colour dapple grey,
Speckled its skin, and flecked, as well it may,
By the impatient spur its flank that dyes,
For lo! it doth not run, the meteor flies;
As borne upon the wind,
A beauteous woman seeks thee.
SIGISMUND. I'm struck blind!
CLARIN. Good God, it is Rosaura, oh, the pain!
[Retires.
SIGISMUND. Heaven has restored her to my sight again.
* * * * *
SCENE X.
ROSAURA, in a light corselet, with sword and dagger;
SIGISMUND, and Soldiers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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