CHARLES: Stand! stand! Touch me not with
Your voice or eyes or being! They are soft
With perfidy, and stole me to believe
There's sweetness in a flower, light in air,
And beauty in the innocence of earth.
Bind him! Leucadia's just cliff awaits
All traitors--'tis the law, they must be flung
Out on the dizzy and supportless wind.
FULVIA: But this shall never be! No, though your looks
Heave out with hate upon me.
CHARLES (_convulsed, then coldly_): You are dead,
And speak to me. Once you were Fulvia--
No more! And once my friend, now but a ghost
Whom I must gaze upon forgetlessly.
Obey, at once! and at to-morrow's sunset!
(_ANTONIO is taken and led out._)
HELENA (_falling at CHARLES' feet_): You cannot, will not--O, he
is your son
And loves you much!
CHARLES: Touch me not! touch me not!
(_To HAEMON._) Lead her away--and quickly, quickly, quickly!
(_HAEMON goes with HELENA through the postern._
Friends--friends-- (_unsteadily_) I am--quite--friendless now--?
(_Clutching his wounded arm._) Ah--quite! (_He faints._)
FULVIA: Charles! Charles! my lord! return!--A numbness
Has barred the way of soothing to his breast!