Death, Why do you tarry, get to the upper chamber; The cold meats of my husband’s funeral feast Are set for you; this is a wedding feast. You are out of place, sir; and, besides, ’tis summer. We do not need these heavy fires now, You scorch us. Oh, I am burned up, Can you do nothing? Water, give me water, Or else more poison. No: I feel no pain— Is it not curious I should feel no pain?— And Death has gone away, I am glad of that. I thought he meant to part us. Tell me, Guido, Are you not sorry that you ever saw me? GUIDO I swear I would not have lived otherwise. Why, in this dull and common world of ours Men have died looking for such moments as this And have not found them. DUCHESS Then you are not sorry? How strange that seems. GUIDO What, Beatrice, have I not Stood face to face with beauty? That is enough For one man’s life. Why, love, I could be merry; I have been often sadder at a feast, But who were sad at such a feast as this When Love and Death are both our cup-bearers? We love and die together. DUCHESS Oh, I have been Guilty beyond all women, and indeed Beyond all women punished. Do you think— No, that could not be—Oh, do you think that love Can wipe the bloody stain from off my hands, Pour balm into my wounds, heal up my hurts, And wash my scarlet sins as white as snow?— For I have sinned. GUIDO They do not sin at all Who sin for love. DUCHESS No, I have sinned, and yet Perchance my sin will be forgiven me. I have loved much [_They kiss each other now for the first time in this Act_, _when suddenly the_ DUCHESS _leaps up in the dreadful spasm of death_, _tears in agony at her dress_, _and finally_, _with face twisted and distorted with pain_, _falls back dead in a chair_. GUIDO _seizing her dagger from her belt_, _kills himself_; _and_, _as he falls across her knees_, _clutches at the cloak which is on the back of the chair_, _and throws it entirely over her_. _There is a little pause_. _Then down the passage comes the tramp of Soldiers_; _the door is opened_, _and the_ LORD JUSTICE, _the Headsman_, _and the Guard enter and see this figure shrouded in black_, _and_ GUIDO _lying dead across her_. _The_ LORD JUSTICE _rushes forward and drags the cloak off the_ DUCHESS, _whose face is now the marble image of peace_, _the sign of God’s forgiveness_.] _Tableau_ CURTAIN * * * * * Printed by T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to His Majesty at the Edinburgh University Press * * * * *