Darkness
and Hell _40
Have swallowed up the vapour they sent forth
To blacken the sweet light of life.
Have swallowed up the vapour they sent forth
To blacken the sweet light of life.
Shelley
[SNATCHING A DAGGER FROM ONE OF THEM, AND RAISING IT. ]
Hadst thou a tongue to say,
'She murdered her own father! '--I must do it!
But never dream ye shall outlive him long!
OLIMPIO:
Stop, for God's sake!
MARZIO:
I will go back and kill him.
OLIMPIO:
Give me the weapon, we must do thy will. _35
BEATRICE:
Take it! Depart! Return!
[EXEUNT OLIMPIO AND MARZIO. ]
How pale thou art!
We do but that which 'twere a deadly crime
To leave undone.
LUCRETIA:
Would it were done!
BEATRICE:
Even whilst
That doubt is passing through your mind, the world
Is conscious of a change.
Darkness and Hell _40
Have swallowed up the vapour they sent forth
To blacken the sweet light of life. My breath
Comes, methinks, lighter, and the jellied blood
Runs freely through my veins. Hark!
[ENTER OLIMPIO AND MARZIO. ]
He is. . .
OLIMPIO:
Dead!
MARZIO:
We strangled him that there might be no blood; _45
And then we threw his heavy corpse i' the garden
Under the balcony; 'twill seem it fell.
BEATRICE [GIVING THEM A BAG OF COIN]:
Here, take this gold, and hasten to your homes.
And, Marzio, because thou wast only awed
By that which made me tremble, wear thou this! _50
[CLOTHES HIM IN A RICH MANTLE. ]
It was the mantle which my grandfather
Wore in his high prosperity, and men
Envied his state: so may they envy thine.
Thou wert a weapon in the hand of God
To a just use. Live long and thrive! And, mark, _55
If thou hast crimes, repent: this deed is none.