Her stains off in the fierce renewing fire-
But do not plunge me into other guilt!

Oh, guilt enough! I cannot tell his name.

Tresh. Then judge yourself! How should I act?

Pronounce !

Mil. Oh, Thorold, you must never tempt me thus !
To die here in this chamber by that sword

Would seem like punishment—so should I glide,
Like an arch-cheat, into extremest bliss!
'Twere easily arranged for me! but you-
What would become of you?

Tresh.

And what will now

Become of me? I'll hide your shame and mine
From every eye; the dead must heave their hearts
Under the marble of our chapel-floor;

They cannot rise and blast you! You may wed
Your paramour above our mother's tomb;
Our mother cannot move from 'neath your foot.
We two will somehow wear this one day out:
But with to-morrow hastens here-the Earl!
The youth without suspicion that faces come
From Heaven, and hearts from . . . whence proceed
such hearts?

I have despatched last night at your command
A missive bidding him present himself
To-morrow here-thus much is said-the rest

Is understood as if 'twere written down

"His suit finds favor in your eyes,"-now dictate
This morning's letter that shall countermand
Last night's-do dictate that!

GUENDOLEN and AUSTIN enter.

And, Austin, you are welcome too! Look there!

The woman there!

Aus. & Guen.

Tresh.

How? Mildred ?

Mildred once!

Now the receiver night by night, when sleep

Blesses the inmates of her father's house,

-I say,

the soft sly wanton that receives

Her guilt's accomplice 'neath this roof which holds
You, Guendolen, you, Austin, and has held

A thousand Treshams-never one like her!
No lighter of the signal lamp her quick
Foul breath near quenches in hot eagerness
To mix with breath as foul! no loosener
Of the lattice, practised in the stealthy tread,
The low voice and the noiseless come-and-go!
Not one composer of the Bacchant's mien
Into what you thought Mildred's, in a word!
Know her!

Guen. Oh, Mildred look to me, at least!
Thorold—she's dead, I'd say, but that she stands
Rigid as stone and whiter!

Tresh.

You have heard...

Guen. Too much! you must proceed no further!
Mil.

Proceed-All's truth! Go from me!

Tresh.

Yes

All is truth,

She tells you! Well, you know, or ought to know,

All this I would forgive in her. I'd con

Each precept the harsh world enjoins, I'd take
Our ancestors' stern verdicts one by one,

I'd bind myself before them to exact

The prescribed vengeance-and one word of hers,
The sight of her, the bare least memory

Of Mildred, my one sister, my heart's pride
Above all prides, my all in all so long,

Had scattered every trace of my resolve!
What were it silently to waste away

And see her waste away from this day forth,
Two scathed things with leisure to repent,
And grow acquainted with the grave, and die,
Tired out if not at peace, and be forgotten?

It were not so impossible to bear!

But this that, fresh from last night's pledge renewed Of love with the successful gallant there,

She'll calmly bid me help her to entice,

Inveigle an unconscious trusting youth

Who thinks her all that's chaste, and good, and pure, -Invite me to betray him. . who so fit

As honour's self to cover shame's arch-deed?

-That she'll receive Lord Mertoun-(her own phrase)— This, who could bear? Why, you have heard of thieves,

Stabbers, the earth's disgrace-who yet have laughed,

-I'll betray

"Talk not of tortures to me—

"No comrade I've pledged faith too!"-you have heard Of wretched women-all but Mildreds-tied

By wild illicit ties to losels vile

heart

You'd tempt them to forsake; and they'll reply
"Gold, friends, repute, I left for him, I have
"In him, why should I leave him then for gold,
"Repute, or friends ?”.
"-and you have felt your
Respond to such poor outcasts of the world
As to so many friends; bad as you please,
You've felt they were God's men and women still,
So not to be disowned by you! but she,
That stands there calmly gives her lover up
As means to wed the Earl that she may hide
Their intercourse the surelier! and, for this,
I curse her to her face before you all!

Shame hunt her from the earth! Then Heaven do right
To both! It hears me now-shall judge her then!

We?

[AS MILDRED faints and falls, TRESHAM rushes out. Aus. Stay, Tresham, we 'll accompany you! Guen. What, and leave Mildred? We? why, where 's my place But by her side, and where 's yours but by mine? Mildred-one word-only look at me, then!

Aus. No, Guendolen ! I echo Thorold's voice!

She is unworthy to behold. .

Guen.

If

Us two?

you spoke on reflection, and if I

Approved your speech-if you (to put the thing
At lowest) you, the soldier, bound to make

The King's cause yours, and fight for it, and throw
Regard to others of its right or wrong,
-If with a death-white woman you can help,
Let alone sister, let alone a Mildred,

You left her-or if I, her cousin, friend

This morning, playfellow but yesterday,

Who've said, or thought at least a thousand times, "I'd serve you if I could," should now face round And say "Ah, that's to only signify

"I'd serve you while you 're fit to serve yourself— "So long as fifty eyes await the turn

"Of yours to forestall its yet half-formed wish, "I'll proffer my assistance you'll not need— "When every tongue is praising you, I'll join "The praisers' chorus-when you're hemmed about "With lives between you and detraction-lives "To be laid down if a rude voice, rash eye,

66

Rough hand should violate the sacred ring

"Their worship throws about you, then indeed,
"Who'll stand up for you stout as I?" If so
We said and so we did,-not Mildred there
Would be unworthy to behold us both,
But we should be unworthy, both of us,
To be beheld by-by-your meanest dog,
Which, if that sword were broken in your face
Before a crowd, that badge torn off your breast,
And you cast out with hootings and contempt,