He kept Concealed from you what he laid bare to her? Oh had he changed his rôle about! Nay, never! He must have given to you what stood for him Within her payment. Learn it then from me-- I laid on him--ask me not why--command Whereby he was to kill her if myself Should have no home-return. That thus I did Proves you how deep I trusted him. Believe me I had good ground therefor, and if the iron, Whereof the man is mettled, flagged and flowed, It proves but this, that he was in the fire. TITUS. Yes, yes, and yet--’tis not what I’d have done. HEROD. Had she but loved me as I her, then were she After my death all out of love with life. What the heart’s out of love with lets a man Begone, nor rues it. No one holds it fast. What was the point to ponder? Had she not Tripped me behind my back, she’d gladly die; Whereas if she did trip me, then were hers A well-earned death for such a double front. Then let the friend of twilight blame my step, The light’s my choice, and now I see full clear, I see what health there is within her heart. Why fret my soul with this and that? why question If, after swearing deathless love to me, In such or such a way she made the breach? Granted that she were pure, granted Soemus Made her his head away--I cannot think it But grant ’twere so--that Joseph did the same, Was it my cue, before her spite’s stiff neck, To sink my own, and like a milksop let her Twist her to sheer negation of her soul? Oh nay, Oh nay! I swear it by the key Of Paradise that she holds in her hands. By all beatitude that she erewhile Has granted me, that she can grant me still, I lash what she became, not what she did. You eye me doubtfully, you think I reach Myself in her. I do it, oh I do it! If it may hap that men can die of wounds They give and not receive, then even now ’Twill come to pass--and yet to my content. 15. _Insert:_-- And this is now the second time. Then hear-- By your stark stubbornness, upon an earth Where all’s in flux, the only rigid thing; By every day of loveliness I lived With you to share, each day that now no more I dare remember; by my future, which Can never bring to me such days again; Yea, by the very shudder which were fain E’en now to choke this oath; this day, this hour I’ll have it out, whether my life is one With life of yours, and if it be that Nature In mock and gibe enknots me with a creature For ever--one to whom I’m naught, who can Avenge her thus, nay stand here as you do! Away! (_To_ THE JUDGES.) You halt? My sentence will no jot Admit retraction! (_Seeing they still hesitate._) Or have I missed the point? 16. _Insert:_-- Since you are not for me nor yet against. MARIA MAGDALENA