POLONIA. Luis, yes, thy gallant bearing, Or inherited or acquired, Has within my breast inspired A strange fear, a certain daring,-- Ah, I know not if, declaring This, 'tis love, for blushes rise At perceiving with surprise That at last hath come the hour, When my heart must own the power Of a deity I despise. This alone I'll say, that here Long thy hope had been fruition, But that I the disposition Of the king, my father, fear, But still hope and persevere. * * * * * SCENE II. PHILIP. -- THE SAME. PHILIP [aside]. If to find my death I come, Why precipitate my doom? But so patient who could be As to not desire to see What impends, how dark its gloom? LUIS. Then, what pledge may I demand Of your faith? POLONIA. This hand. PHILIP. Not so, How to hinder it I shall know; More of this I must withstand. POLONIA. Woe is me! PHILIP. Wilt give thy hand to this outcast of the wave? And, oh thou, to whom pride gave The presumption to aspire To a sun's celestial fire, Knowing that thou wert my slave, Why thus dare to come between Me and mine? LUIS. Because I dare Be what now I am, nor care More to be what I have been. It is true that I was seen Once your slave: for who, indeed, Can the fickle wheel control? But in nobleness of soul The best blood of all your breed I can equal, nay, exceed. PHILIP. Exceed ME? Vile homicide! Wretch . . . . LUIS. In having thus replied You have made a slight mistake. PHILIP. No. LUIS. If such you did not make, You've done worse. PHILIP. Say, what? LUIS. You've lied! PHILIP. Villain! traitor [Strikes him in the face. POLONIA. Oh, ye skies! LUIS. For so many injuries Why not instant vengeance take, When volcanic fires awake In my breast, and hell-flames rise? [They draw their swords. * * * * * SCENE III. EGERIUS and soldiers. -- THE SAME. KING. What is this? LUIS. A lasting woe, A misfortune, an abuse, A sharp pain, a fiend let loose From the infernal pit below. Let no one presume to go 'Twixt me and revenge. Reflect, Fury breathes immortal breath, Vengeance has no fear of death, Nor for any man respect. I my honour must protect. KING. Seize him. LUIS. Let the man who sighs For his death obey! You'll see How the boldest fares, for he, Even before your very eyes, Shall be slain. KING. That this should rise!-- Follow him. LUIS. In desperate mood, Plunging headlong in red blood, Like a sea both wide and deep, Thus courageously I leap, Seeking Philip through the flood. [All enter fighting. * * * * * SCENE IV.