SHAKESPEARE. Remember, Beauty, when you came to me, As came the beggar to Cophetua, As queens came conquered to the Macedon, As Cressid came by night to Diomed, As night comes queenly to the bed of day Enmantled in her hair, so you to me, Juliet, and all your night of hair was mine To curtain me and you-- MARY. Forgotten, forgotten-- SHAKESPEARE. That night you loved me-- ANNE’S VOICE. I was drunk with dreams That night. SHAKESPEARE. That night of victory you loved me! I have my witnesses. O watching stars-- MARY. The eyes, the eyes, the arch of eyes! SHAKESPEARE. --speak for me! Once was a taper that outshone you all, It burned so bright. Oh, how you winked and pried! I saw you through the tatters of the dark And mocked you in my hour. Yet speak for me, Eternal lights, for now my candle’s blown Past envy! But she loved me then! MARY. I know not. SHAKESPEARE. Though god and devil deny--you loved me then! MARY. But was it love? I could have loved if you had taught me loving. Something I sought and found not; so I turned From searching. I have clean forgotten now That ever I sought--and so live merrily-- And so will live! Why wreck myself for you? SHAKESPEARE. O heart’s desire, and eyes’, desire of hands, Self of myself, have pity! MARY. What had you? If I had borne you children (but I was wise, Knowing my man, as men have taught me men) What name had you to give them, to give me? No, no, I wrong you, for you christened me But now, first having slain him who had struck The rankness from your mouth. SHAKESPEARE. What I have done-- MARY. Lied, lied to me! --and if I did-- ANNE’S VOICE. To hold you! I couldn’t lose you. I was mad with pain. MARY. Tricked me-- SHAKESPEARE. To hold--listen to me--to hold you! Lest I should lose you. I was mad with pain. MARY. Are you so womanish that a breath of pain-- SHAKESPEARE. A breath! God, listen! A breath, a summer breath! MARY. --could blow away your honour?