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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
love me now； for then I should die meanlier some time。 I am safe； Sure of
her face； my life's end in her sight； My blood shed out about her feetby
God； My heart feels drunken when I think of it。 See you； she will not rid
herself of me； Not though she slay me： her sweet lips and life Will smell of
my spilt blood。
MARY BEATON。 Give me good…night。
CHASTELARD。 Yea； and good thanks。
＇Exit MARY BEATON。＇
Here is the very place： Here has her body bowed the pillows in And
here her head thrust under made the sheet Smell sort of her mixed hair and
spice： even here Her arms pushed back the coverlet； pulled here The
golden silken curtain halfway in It may be； and made room to lean out
loose； Fair tender fallen arms。 Now； if God would； Doubtless he might
take pity on my soul To give me three clear hours； and then red hell Snare
me forever： this were merciful： If I were God now I should do thus much。
I must die next； and this were not so hard For him to let me eat sweet fruit
and die With my lips sweet from it。 For one shall have This fare for
common days'…bread； which to me Should be a touch kept always on my
sense To make hell soft； yea； the keen pain of hell Soft as the loosening of
wound arms in sleep。 Ah； love is good； and the worst part of it More than
all things but death。 She will be here In some small while； and see me face
to face That am to give up life for her and go Where a man lies with all his
loves put out And his lips full of earth。 I think on her； And the old pleasure
stings and makes half…tears Under mine eyelids。 Prithee； love； come fast；
That I may die soon： yea； some kisses through； I shall die joyfully enough；
so God Keep me alive till then。 I feel her feet Coming far off； now must I
hold my heart； Steadying my blood to see her patiently。
＇Hides himself by the bed。＇
＇Enter the QUEEN and DARNLEY。＇
QUEEN。 Nay； now go back： I have sent off my folk； Maries and all。
Pray you； let be my hair； I cannot twist the gold thread out of it That you
wound in so close。 Look； here it clings： Ah！ now you mar my hair
unwinding it。 Do me no hurt； sir。
DARNLEY。 I would do you ease； Let me stay here。
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
QUEEN。 Nay； will you go； my lord？
DARNLEY。 Eh？ would you use me as a girl does fruit； Touched with
her mouth and pulled away for game To look thereon ere her lips feed？ but
see； By God； I fare the worse for you。
QUEEN。 Fair sir； Give me this hour to watch with and say prayers；
You have not faith…it needs me to say prayers； That with commending of
this deed to God I may get grace for it。
DARNLEY。 Why； lacks it grace？ Is not all wedlock gracious of itself？
QUEEN。 Nay； that I know not of。 Come； sweet； be hence。
DARNLEY。 You have a sort of jewel in your neck That's like mine
here。
QUEEN。 Keep off your hands and go： You have no courtesy to be a
king。
DARNLEY。 Well； I will go： nay； but I thwart you not。 Do as you will；
and get you grace； farewell； And for my part； grace keep this watch with
me！ For I need grace to bear with you so much。
＇Exit。＇
QUEEN。 So； he is forth。 Let me behold myself； I am too pale to be so
hot； I marvel So little color should be bold in the face When the blood is
not quieted。 I have But a brief space to cool my thoughts upon。 If one
should wear the hair thus heaped and curled Would it look best？ or this
way in the neck？ Could one ungirdle in such wise one's heart
＇Taking off her girdle。＇
And ease it inwards as the waist is eased By slackening of the slid
clasp on it！ How soft the silk is…gracious color too； Violet shadows like
new veins thrown up Each arm； and gold to fleck the faint sweet green
Where the wrist lies thus eased。 I am right glad I have no maids about to
hasten me… So I will rest and see my hair shed down On either silk side of
my woven sleeves； Get some new way to bind it back with…yea； Fair
mirror…glass； I am well ware of you； Yea； I know that； I am quite beautiful。
How my hair shines！…Fair face； be friends with me And I will sing to you；
look in my face Now； and your mouth must help the song in mine。
Alys la chatelaine Voit venir de par Seine Thiebault le capitaine
Qui parle ainsi！
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Algernon Charles Swinburne； _Chastelard； a tragedy_ 。 Boston： E。P。 Dutton； 1866。
Was that the wind in the casement？ nay； no more But the comb drawn
through half my hissing hair Laid on my arms…yet my flesh moved at it。
Dans ma camaille Plus de clou qui vaille； Dans ma cotte…maille
Plus de fer aussi。
Ah； but I wrong the ballad…verse： what's good In such frayed fringes of
old rhymes； to make Their broken burden lag with us？ meseems I could be
sad now if I fell to think The least sad thing； aye； that sweet lady's fool；
Fool sorrow； would make merry with mine eyes For a small thing。 Nay；
but I will keep glad； Nor shall old sorrow be false friends with me。 But my
first wedding was not like to this… Fair faces then and laughter and sweet
game； And a pale little mouth that clung on mine When I had kissed him
by the faded eyes And either thin cheek beating with faint blood。 Well； he
was sure to die soon； I do think He would have given his body to be slain；
Having embraced my body。 Now； God knows； I have no man to do as
much for me As give me but a little of his blood To fill my beauty from；
though I go down Pale to my grave for want…I think not。 Pale… I am too
pale purely…Ah！
＇See him in the glass； coming forward。＇
CHASTELARD。 Be not afraid。
QUEEN。 Saint Mary！ what a shaken wit have I！ Nay； is it you？ who let
you through the doors？ Where be my maidens？ which way got you in？
Nay； but stand up； kiss not my hands so hard； By God's fair body； if you
but breathe on them You are just dead and slain at once。 What adder Has
bit you mirthful mad？ for by this light A man to have his head laughed off
for mirth Is no great jest。 Lay not your eyes on me； What； would you not
be slain？
CHASTELARD。 I pray you； madam； Bear with me a brief space and
let me speak。 I will not touch your garments even； nor speak But in soft
wise； and loo