[_To Miss Fitton._] But will you promise? THE QUEEN: Lord Herbert! MISS FITTON: Go, I’ll forgive you, go. HERBERT: But will you promise? THE QUEEN: [_Turning to a Servant._] Send Lord Herbert to me. MISS FITTON: [_As the servant nears the couple._] Yes, I promise—sometime—go! [_Herbert, bowing low to Miss Fitton, swings round, walks to the Queen, and puts one knee to the ground._] THE QUEEN: [_Angrily._] You forget your manners, my lord, and your duty. HERBERT: [_Smiling._] Manners, ma’am, and duty are worthless frozen words: my allegiance to you is an irresistible passion; as, you know, the desire of the moth for the light. THE QUEEN: Methinks, the moth is quite content with blackness, here. [_With a glance at Miss Fitton._] HERBERT: The eyes that suffer through excess of radiance close of themselves to rest. THE QUEEN: [_As if pacified or negligent._] You may dance, my lord. [_Amid the astonished silence and observation of all, Herbert bows and draws backward towards Miss Fitton._] Go on with the dance. The Coranto, not that kissing thing. [_The Pages remove the cushions._] LADY JANE WROTH: [_To Sir John Stanley._] She hates to see _others_ kissing. STANLEY: That’s morality. [_The talk breaks out again, and the dance goes on. In a moment or so Herbert is at Miss Fitton’s side, and they dance round._] THE QUEEN: [_As they pass, calls_] Lord Herbert! [_He dances on as if he didn’t hear. The Queen descends from_ _her throne, and takes him by the ear._] Are you deaf to-night? I will dance with you. [_Lord Herbert bows, smiling, and they dance a measure or two; the Queen holds up her dress very high and marks each step elaborately in bygone fashion: when they come to_ C.] HERBERT: I knew I’d win you. THE QUEEN: Win me? HERBERT: And now I have succeeded. THE QUEEN: What do you mean? HERBERT: Jealousy is the best proof of love. THE QUEEN: You saucy boy! [_They dance to the entrance_, R. _He holds the cloth, and the Queen passes through. As the cloth falls, Herbert turns and hastens back to Miss Fitton, who moves to meet him: the others are dispersing; the servants begin to dismantle the tent._] HERBERT: Did I keep my word? MISS FITTON: How bold you are! HERBERT: And you—beautiful. Remember! you promised. MISS FITTON: [_Hesitates, then looking at him nods as if reflecting._] I did promise. HERBERT: Come, then. MISS FITTON: Oh no; not to-night. To-night I must—I could not. I could not. It is so late. I said “sometime.” HERBERT: You are too proud to cheat. I have your word. Come: it’ll soon be midnight. MISS FITTON: Midnight! HERBERT: Yes, midnight. What of that? MISS FITTON: Nothing: nothing—— HERBERT: Come, then. You are not afraid of the dark with me.