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Hush！ And now
See； starting to his feet； he strides about
Far as his tether'd steps
SEG。
And if the chain
You help'd to rivet round me did contract
Since guiltless infancy from guilt in act；
Of what in aspiration or in thought
Guilty； but in resentment of the wrong
That wreaks revenge on wrong I never wrought
By excommunication from the free
Inheritance that all created life；
Beside myself； is born tofrom the wings
That range your own immeasurable blue；
Down to the poor； mute； scale…imprison'd things；
That yet are free to wander； glide； and pass
About that under…sapphire； whereinto
Yourselves transfusing you yourselves englass！
ROS。
What mystery is this？
FIFE。
Why； the man's mad：
That's all the mystery。 That's why he's chain'd
And why
SEG。
Nor Nature's guiltless life alone
But that which lives on blood and rapine； nay；
Charter'd with larger liberty to slay
Their guiltless kind； the tyrants of the air
Soar zenith…upward with their screaming prey；
Making pure heaven drop blood upon the stage
Of under earth； where lion； wolf； and bear；
And they that on their treacherous velvet wear
Figure and constellation like your own；
With their still living slaughter bound away
Over the barriers of the mountain cage；
Against which one； blood…guiltless； and endued
With aspiration and with aptitude
Transcending other creatures； day by day
Beats himself mad with unavailing rage！
FIFE。
Why； that must be the meaning of my mule's
Rebellion
ROS。
Hush！
SEG。
But then if murder be
The law by which not only conscience…blind
Creatures； but man too prospers with his kind；
Who leaving all his guilty fellows free；
Under your fatal auspice and divine
Compulsion； leagued in some mysterious ban
Against one innocent and helpless man；
Abuse their liberty to murder mine：
And sworn to silence； like their masters mute
In heaven； and like them twirling through the mask
Of darkness； answering to all I ask；
Point up to them whose work they execute！
ROS。
Ev'n as I thought； some poor unhappy wretch；
By man wrong'd； wretched； unrevenged； as I！
Nay； so much worse than I； as by those chains
Clipt of the means of self…revenge on those
Who lay on him what they deserve。 And I；
Who taunted Heaven a little while ago
With pouring all its wrath upon my head
Alas！ like him who caught the cast…off husk
Of what another bragg'd of feeding on；
Here's one that from the refuse of my sorrows
Could gather all the banquet he desires！
Poor soul； poor soul！
FIFE。
Speak lowerhe will hear you。
ROS。
And if he should； what then？ Why； if he would；
He could not harm meNay； and if he could；
Methinks I'd venture something of a life
I care so little for
SEG。
Who's that？ Clotaldo？ Who are you； I say；
That； venturing in these forbidden rocks；
Have lighted on my miserable life；
And your own death？
ROS。
You would not hurt me； surely？
SEG。
Not I； but those that； iron as the chain
In which they slay me with a lingering death；
Will slay you with a suddenWho are you？
ROS。
A stranger from across the mountain there；
Who； having lost his way in this strange land
And coming night； drew hither to what seem'd
A human dwelling hidden in these rocks；
And where the voice of human sorrow soon
Told him it was so。
SEG。
Ay？ But nearernearer
That by this smoky supplement of day
But for a moment I may see who speaks
So pitifully sweet。
FIFE。
Take care！ take care！
ROS。
Alas； poor man； that I； myself so helpless；
Could better help you than by barren pity；
And my poor presence
SEG。
Oh； might that be all！
But thata few poor momentsand； alas！
The very bliss of having； and the dread
Of losing； under such a penalty
As every moment's having runs more near；
Stifles the very utterance and resource
They cry for quickest； till from sheer despair
Of holding thee； methinks myself would tear
To pieces
FIFE。
There； his word's enough for it。
SEG。
Oh； think； if you who move about at will；
And live in sweet communion with your kind；
After an hour lost in these lonely rocks
Hunger and thirst after some human voice
To drink； and human face to feed upon；
What must one do where all is mute； or harsh；
And ev'n the naked face of cruelty
Were better than the mask it works beneath？
Across the mountain then！ Across the mountain！
What if the next world which they tell one of
Be only next across the mountain then；
Though I must never see it till I die；
And you one of its angels？
ROS。
Alas； alas！
No angel！ And the face you think so fair；
'Tis but the dismal frame…work of these rocks
That makes it seem so； and the world I come from
Alas； alas； too many faces there
Are but fair vizors to black hearts below；
Or only serve to bring the wearer woe！
But to yourselfIf haply the redress
That I am here upon may help to yours。
I heard you tax the heavens with ordering；
And men for executing； what； alas！
I now behold。 But why； and who they are
Who do； and you who suffer
SEG。 （pointing upwards）。
Ask of them；
Whom； as to…night； I have so often ask'd；
And ask'd in vain。
ROS。
But surely； surely
SEG。
Hark！
The trumpet of the watch to shut us in。
Oh； should they find you！Quick！ Behind the rocks！
To…morrowif to…morrow
ROS。 （flinging her sword toward him）。
Take my sword！
（Rosaura and Fife hide in the rocks； Enter Clotaldo）
CLOTALDO。
These stormy days you like to see the last of
Are but ill opiates； Segismund； I think；
For night to follow： and to…night you seem
More than your wont disorder'd。 What！ A sword？
Within there！
（Enter Soldiers with black vizors and torches）
FIFE。
Here's a pleasant masquerade！
CLO。
Whosever watch this was
Will have to pay head…reckoning。 Meanwhile；
This weapon had a wearer。 Bring him here；
Alive or dead。
SEG。
Clotaldo！ good Clotaldo！
CLO。 （to Soldiers who enclose Segismund； others searching the rocks）。
You know your duty。
SOLDIERS （bringing in Rosaura and Fife）。
Here are two of them；
Whoever more to follow
CLO。
Who are you；
That in defiance of known proclamation
Are found； at night…fall too； about this place？
FIFE。
Oh； my Lord； sheI mean he
ROS。
Silence； Fife；
And let me speak for both。Two foreign men；
To whom your country and its proclamations
Are equally unknown； and had we known；
Ourselves not masters of our lawless beasts
That； terrified by the storm among your rocks；
Flung us upon them to our cost。
FIFE。
My mule
CLO。
Foreigners？ Of what country？
ROS。
Muscovy。
CLO。
And whither bound？
ROS。
Hitherif this be Poland；
But with no ill design on her； and therefore
Taking it ill that we should thus be stopt
Upon her threshold so uncivilly。
CLO。
Whither in Poland？