_Ph._ Yes, ’tis I.
Constance.
_Con._ What wouldst thou?
_Ph._ (_kneeling_). I entreat a favour,
Which is to me the one boon in the world.
_Con._ Rise, sir, what is’t?
_Ph._ That I may speak, nor leave
Love’s wound unhealed.
_Con._ ’Twere well to seal forgiveness,
Companion of forgetfulness. Say, therefore.
The few words that are due.
_Ph._ Tho’ I repent,
Repentance cannot own forgetfulness.
It pleads forgiveness in the name of love.
_Con._ How in that name?
_Ph._ Constance, I love thee still.
_Con._ Sir!
_Ph._ Oh! ’tis true ... 920
Reproach me not, Constance: my evil life
I have quite renounced. I used it but to learn
The wisdom of that other. I come back
From folly and idleness and evil days.
Whate’er hath been, Constance, I have not left thee:
There hath been nothing near thee, nothing like thee,
Nothing but thee: and I return to find thee
More beautiful than ever ...
_Con._ Pray you, sir,
Remember.
_Ph._ Let me speak.
_Con._ When thou didst ask to speak,
I looked for that one word, which thou in honour
Wert, to amend thy silence, bound to speak. 931
’Twas in thy power to salve thy breach of faith
With full and free renouncement. Thine earlier ill
I had then forgiven: for if thou art not changed,
Philip, I am: then I was ignorant—
Maybe we both were—both mistook; but thou
Didst add an injury, and to-day thou addest
Another worse. Knowing me now betrothed,
How canst thou offer to renew thy love?
_Ph._ O, Constance, Manuel doth not, cannot, love thee 940
As I.
_Con._ I pray he doth not.
_Ph._ Hear me, Constance!
_Con._ Nay, sir; no more. [_Exit._
_Ph._ My passion hath aroused
Passion in her; and that must work for me.
Is it likely such a temper would sit down
And eat cold fare at Manuel’s feast of reason?
She will be mine. Ay, tho’ she said betrothed—
Once ’twas to me. So now to see her father;
He’s but a market where I rule with ease.
The papers! By heav’n, I had left them lying! [_Stoops._
Ha!
Blood! blood upon the floor! I have knelt in blood—
Here were an omen, were I superstitious.— 951
And scarcely dry. This city hath fallen accurst.
There is nothing spoke of ... Ah! but what if this
Should be the track they seek? Palicio
Took shelter here! Impossible. Even Blasco
Thought not so ill of Manuel. Yet the other
Under the wall, and this within the house ...
They tally. Peace! I will go search the garden.
[_Exit._