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QUEEN。 Now； by God's mother； if I respite him； Though you were all
the race of you in one And had more tongues than hairs to cry on me He
should not lose a hair。
DARNLEY。 This is mere mercy… But you thank God you love him not
a whit？
QUEEN。 It shall be what it please； and if I please It shall be anything。
Give me the warrant。
DARNLEY。 Nay； for your sake and love of you； not I； To make it
dangerous。
QUEEN。 O； God' pity； sir！ You are tender of me； will you serve me so；
Against mine own will； show me so much love； Do me good service that I
loath being done； Out of pure pity？
DARNLEY。 Nay； your word shall stand。
QUEEN。 What makes you gape so beastlike after blood？ Were you not
bred up on some hangman's hire And dicted with fleshmeats at his hand
And fed into a fool？ Give me that paper。
DARNLEY。 Now for that word I will not。
QUEEN。 Nay； sweet love； For your own sake be just a little wise；
Come； I beseech you。
DARNLEY。 Pluck not at my hands。
QUEEN。 No； that I will not： I am brain…broken； mad； Pity my madness
for sweet marriage…sake And my great love's； I love you to say this； I
would not have you cross me； out of love。 But for true love should I not
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
chafe indeed？ And now I do not。
DARNLEY。 Yea； and late you chid； You chafed and jested and blew
soft and hard… No； for that 〃fool〃 you shall not fool me so。
QUEEN。 You are no churl； sweet； will you see me weep？ Look； I weep
now； be friends with my poor tears； Think each of them beseeches you of
love And hath some tongue to cry on you for love And speak soft things；
for that which loves not you Is none of mine； not though they grow of
grief And grief of you； be not too hard with them。 You would not of your
own heart slay a man； Nay； if you will； in God's name make me weep； I
will not hate you； but at heart； sweet lord； Be not at heart my sweet heart's
enemy。 If I had many mighty men to friend I would not plead too lovingly
with you To have your love。
DARNLEY。 Why； yet you have my love。
QUEEN。 Alas； what shall mine enemies do to me If he be used so
hardly of my friends？ Come； sir； you hate me； yet for all your hate You
cannot have such heart。
DARNLEY。 What sort of heart？ I have no heart to be used shamefully
If you mean that。
QUEEN。 Would God I loved you not； You are too hard to be used
lovingly。
DARNLEY。 You are moved too much for such a little love As you bear
me。
QUEEN。 God knows you do me wrong； God knows the heart； sweet；
that I love you with。 Hark you； fair sir； I'd have all well with you； Do you
not fear at sick men's time of night What end may come？ are you so sure
of heart？ Is not your spirit surprisable in sleep？ Have you no evil dreams？
Nay； look you； love； I will not be flung off you heart and hand； I am no
snake： but tell me for your love Have you no fancies how these things will
end In the pit's mouth？ how all life…deeds will look At the grave's edge that
lets men into hell？ For my part； who am weak and woman…eyed； It turns
my soul tears： I doubt this blood Fallen on our faces when we twain are
dead Will scar and burn them： yea； for heaven is sweet； And loves sweet
deeds that smell not of split blood。 Let us not kill： God that made mercy
first Pities the pitiful for their deed's sake。
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
DARNLEY。 Get you some painting； with a cheek like this You'll find
no faith in listeners。
QUEEN。 How； fair lord？
DARNLEY。 I say that looking with this face of yours None shall
believe you holy； what； you talk； Take mercy in your mouth； eat holiness；
Put God under your tongue and feed on heaven； With fear and faith and…
faith； I know not what… And look as though you stood and saw men slain
To make you game and laughter； nay； your eyes Threaten as unto blood。
What will you do To make men take your sweet word？ pitiful… You are
pitiful as he that's hired for death And loves the slaying yet better than the
hire。
QUEEN。 You are wise that live to threat and tell me so； Do you love
life too much？
DARNLEY。 O； now you are sweet； Right tender now： you love not
blood nor death； You are too tender。
QUEEN。 Yea； too weak； too soft： Sweet； do not mock me； for my
love's sake； see How soft a thing I am。 Will you be hard？ The heart you
have； has it no sort of fear？
DARNLEY。 Take off your hand and let me go my way And do the
deed； and when the doing is past I will come home and teach you tender
things Out of my love till you forget my wrath。 I will be angry when I see
good need； And will grow gentle after； fear not that： You shall get no
wrong of my wrongdoing。 So I take leave。
QUEEN。 Take what you will； take all； You have taken half my heart
away with words： Take all I have； and take no leave； I have No leave to
give： yea； shortly shall lack leave； I think； to live； but I crave none of you；
I would have none： yet for the love I have； If I get ever a man to show it
you； I pray God put you some day in my hand That you may take that too。
DARNLEY。 Well； as he please； God keep you in such love； and so
farewell。
＇Exit。＇
QUEEN。 So fare I as your lover； but not well。… Ah sweet； if God be
ever good to me To put you in my hand！ I am come to shame； Let me
think now； and let my wits not go； God； for dear mercy； let me not forget
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
Why I should be so angry； the dull blood Beats at my face and blinds me…I
am chafted to death； And I am shamed； I shall go mad and die。 Truly I
think I did kneel down； did pray； Yea； weep （who knows？） it may be…all
for that。 Yea； if I wept not； this was blood brake forth And burnt mine
eyelids； I will have blood back； And wash them cool in the hottest of his
heart； Or I will slay myself： I cannot tell： I have given gold for brass； and
lo the pay Cleaves to my fingers： there's no way to mend… Not while life
stays： would God that it were gone！ The fool will feed upon my fame and
laugh； Till one seal up his tongue and lips with blood； He carries half my
honor and good name Between his teeth。 Lord God； mine head will fail！
When have I done thus since I was alive？ And these ill times will deal but
ill with me… My old love slain； and never a new to help； And my wits gone；
and my blithe use of life； And all the grace was with me。 Love…perchance
If I save love I shall well save myself。 I could find heart to bid him take
such fellows And kill them to my hand。 I was the fool To sue to these and
shame myself： God knows I was a queen born； I will hold their heads Here
in my hands for this。 Which of you waits？
＇Enter MARY BEATON and MARY CARMICHAEL。＇
No maiden of them？…what； no more than this？
MARY CARMICHAEL。 Madam； the lady Seyton is gone forth； She is
ill at heart with watching。
QUEEN。 Ay； at heart… All girls must have such tender sides to the heart
They break for one night's watching； ache to death For an hour's pity； for a
half…hour's love… Wear out before the watches； die by dawn； And ride at
noon to burial。 God's my pity！ Where's Hamilton？ doth she ail too？ at
heart； I warrant her at heart。
MARY BEATON。 I know not； madam。
QUEEN。 What； sick or dead？ I am well holpen of you： Come hither to
me。 What pale blood you have… Is it for fear you turn such cheeks to me？
Why； if I were so loving； by my hand； I would have set my head upon the
chance； And loosed him though I died。 What will you do？ Have you no
way？
MARY BEATON。 None but your mercy。
QUEEN。 Ay？ Why then the thing is piteous。 Think； for God's sake… Is
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
there no loving way to fetch him forth？ Nay； what a white thin…blooded
thing is love； To help no more than this doth！ Were I in love； I would
unbar the ways to…night and then Laugh death to death to…morrow； mock
him dead