Thismockeryismostcruelmostcruelindeed！
　　_Politian_。Weepnot！oh，sobnotthus！thybittertearsWillmaddenme。Oh，mournnot，Lalage
　　Becomforted！IknowIknowitall，And_still_Ispeakoflove。Lookatme，brightestAndbeautifulLalage！turnherethineeyes！
　　ThouaskestmeifIcouldspeakoflove，KnowingwhatIknow，andseeingwhatIhaveseen。
　　ThouaskestmethatandthusIanswerthee
　　ThusonmybendedkneeIanswerthee。_kneeling。_
　　SweetLalage，_Ilovethee__lovethee__lovethee_；
　　Thro’goodandillthro’wealandwoI_lovethee_。
　　Notmother，withherfirst-bornonherknee，ThrillswithintenserlovethanIforthee。
　　NotonGod’saltar，inanytimeorclime，BurnedthereaholierfirethanburnethnowWithinmyspiritfor_thee_。AnddoIlove？_arising。_
　　EvenforthywoesIlovethee-evenforthywoes-
　　Thybeautyandthywoes。
　　_Lal_。Alas，proudEarl，Thoudostforgetthyself，rememberingme！
　　How，inthyfather’shalls，amongthemaidensPureandreproachlessofthyprincelyline，CouldthedishonoredLalageabide？
　　Thywife，andwithataintedmemory-
　　MYsearedandblightedname，howwouldittallyWiththeancestralhonorsofthyhouse，Andwiththyglory？
　　_Pol_。Speaknottomeofglory！
　　Ihate-Iloathethename；IdoabhorTheunsatisfactoryandidealthing。
　　ArtthounotLalageandIPolitian？
　　DoInotlove-artthounotbeautiful-
　　Whatneedwemore？Ha！glory！-nowspeaknotofit。
　　ByallIholdmostsacredandmostsolemn-
　　Byallmywishesnow-myfearshereafter-
　　ByallIscornonearthandhopeinheaven-
　　ThereisnodeedIwouldmoregloryin，ThaninthycausetoscoffatthissamegloryAndtrampleitunderfoot。Whatmattersit-
　　Whatmattersit，myfairest，andmybest，ThatwegodownunhonoredandforgottenIntothedust-sowedescendtogether。
　　Descendtogether-andthen-andthen，perchance-
　　_Lal_。Whydostthoupause，Politian？
　　_Pol_。Andthen，perchanceArisetogether，Lalage，androamThestarryandquietdwellingsoftheblest，Andstill-
　　_Lal_。Whydostthoupause，Politian？
　　_Pol_。Andstilltogether-together。
　　_Lal_。NowEarlofLeicester！
　　Thoulovestme，andinmyheartofheartsIfeelthoulovestmetruly。
　　_Pol_。Oh，Lalage！
　　_throwinghimselfuponhisknee。_
　　Andlovestthoume？
　　_Lal_。Hist！hush！withinthegloomOfyondertreesmethoughtafigurepassed-
　　Aspectralfigure，solemn，andslow，andnoiseless-
　　LikethegrimshadowConscience，solemnandnoiseless。
　　_walksacrossandreturns。_
　　Iwasmistaken’twasbutagiantboughStirredbytheautumnwind。Politian！
　　_Pol_。MyLalagemylove！whyartthoumoved？
　　Whydostthouturnsopale？NotConscience’self，Farlessashadowwhichthoulikenesttoit，Shouldshakethefirmspiritthus。ButthenightwindIschillyandthesemelancholyboughsThrowoverallthingsagloom。
　　_Lal_。Politian！
　　Thouspeakesttomeoflove。KnowestthouthelandWithwhichalltonguesarebusyalandnewfound
　　MiraculouslyfoundbyoneofGenoa
　　Athousandleagueswithinthegoldenwest？
　　Afairylandofflowers，andfruit，andsunshine，Andcrystallakes，andover-archingforests，Andmountains，aroundwhosetoweringsummitsthewindsOfHeavenuntrammelledflowwhichairtobreatheIsHappinessnow，andwillbeFreedomhereafterIndaysthataretocome？
　　_Pol_。O，wiltthouwiltthouFlytothatParadisemyLalage，wiltthouFlythitherwithme？ThereCareshallbeforgotten，AndSorrowshallbenomore，andErosbeall。
　　Andlifeshallthenbemine，forIwillliveForthee，andinthineeyesandthoushaltbeNomoreamournerbuttheradiantJoysShallwaituponthee，andtheangelHopeAttendtheeever；andIwillkneeltotheeAndworshipthee，andcalltheemybeloved，Myown，mybeautiful，mylove，mywife，Myall；oh，wiltthouwiltthou，Lalage，Flythitherwithme？
　　_Lal_。Adeedistobedone
　　Castiglionelives！
　　_Pol_。Andheshalldie！_exit_
　　_Lal_。_afterapause。_And-he-shall-die！-alas！
　　Castiglionedie？Whospokethewords？
　　WhereamI？-whatwasithesaid？-Politian！
　　Thouartnotgone-thouarenotgone，Politian！
　　Ifeelthouartnotgone-yetdarenotlook，LestIbeholdtheenot；thoucouldstnotgoWiththosewordsuponthylips-O，speaktome！
　　Andletmehearthyvoice-oneword-oneword，Tosaythouartnotgone，-onelittlesentence，Tosayhowthoudostscorn-howthoudosthateMywomanlyweakness。Ha！ha！thouartnotgone-
　　Ospeaktome！Iknewthouwouldstnotgo！
　　Iknewthouwouldstnot，couldstnot，durstnotgo。
　　Villain，thouartnotgone-thoumockestme！
　　AndthusIclutchthee-thus！-Heisgone，heisgoneGone-gone。WhereamI？-’tiswell-’tisverywell！
　　Sothatthebladebekeen-theblowbesure，’Tiswell，’tisverywell-alas！alas！
　　V。
　　Thesuburbs。Politianalone。
　　_Politian_。Thisweaknessgrowsuponme。Iamfaint，AndmuchIfearmeill-itwillnotdoTodieereIhavelived！-Stay，staythyhand，OAzrael，yetawhile！-PrinceofthePowersOfDarknessandtheTomb，Opityme！
　　Opityme！letmenotperishnow，InthebuddingofmyParadisalHope！
　　Givemetoliveyet-yetalittlewhile：
　　’TisIwhoprayforlife-IwhosolateDemandedbuttodie！-whatsayeththeCount？
　　_EnterBaldazzar。_
　　_Baldazzar_。ThatknowingnocauseofquarreloroffeudBetweentheEarlPolitianandhimself。
　　Hedothdeclineyourcartel。
　　_Pol_。Whatdidstthousay？
　　Whatanswerwasityoubroughtme，goodBaldazzar？
　　WithwhatexcessivefragrancethezephyrcomesLadenfromyonderbowers！-afairerday，OronemoreworthyItaly，methinksNomortaleyeshaveseen！-whatsaidtheCount？
　　_Bal_。Thathe，Castiglione’notbeingawareOfanyfeudexisting，oranycauseOfquarrelbetweenyourlordshipandhimself，Cannotacceptthechallenge。
　　_Pol_。Itismosttrue
　　Allthisisverytrue。Whensawyou，sir，Whensawyounow，Baldazzar，inthefrigidUngenialBritainwhichweleftsolately，Aheavensocalmasthis-soutterlyfreeFromtheeviltaintofclouds？-andhedidsay？
　　_Bal_。Nomore，mylord，thanIhavetoldyou，sir：
　　TheCountCastiglionewillnotfight，Havingnocauseforquarrel。
　　_Pol_。Nowthisistrue-
　　Allverytrue。Thouartmyfriend，Baldazzar，AndIhavenotforgottenit-thou’ltdomeApieceofservice；wiltthougobackandsayUntothisman，thatI，theEarlofLeicester，Holdhimavillain？-thusmuch，Iprythee，sayUntotheCount-itisexceedingjustHeshouldhavecauseforquarrel。
　　_Bal_。Mylord！-myfriend！-
　　_Pol_。_aside。_’Tishe！-hecomeshimself？aloudThoureasonestwell。
　　Iknowwhatthouwouldstsay-notsendthemessage-
　　Well！-Iwillthinkofit-Iwillnotsendit。
　　Nowprythee，leaveme-hitherdothcomeapersonWithwhomaffairsofamostprivatenatureIwouldadjust。
　　_Bal_。Igo-to-morrowwemeet，Dowenot？-attheVatican。
　　_Pol_。AttheVatican。_exitBal_。
　　_EnterCastigilone。_
　　_Cas_。TheEarlofLeicesterhere！
　　_Pol_。IamtheEarlofLeicester，andthouseest，Dostthounot？thatIamhere。
　　_Cas_。Mylord，somestrange，Somesingularmistakemisunderstanding
　　Hathwithoutdoubtarisen：thouhastbeenurgedThereby，inheatofanger，toaddressSomewordsmostunaccountable，inwriting，Tome，Castiglione；thebearerbeingBaldazzar，DukeofSurrey。IamawareOfnothingwhichmightwarranttheeinthisthing，Havinggiventheenooffence。Ha！-amIright？
　　’Twasamistake？undoubtedlyweallDoerrattimes。
　　_Pol_。Draw，villain，andpratenomore！
　　_Cas。_Ha！draw？andvillain？haveattheethenatonce，ProudEarl！_draws。_
　　_Pol_。_drawing。_Thustotheexpiatorytomb，Untimelysepulchre，IdodevotetheeInthenameofLalage！
　　_Cas。__lettingfallhisswordandrecoilingtotheextremityofthestage_
　　OfLalage！
　　Holdoffthysacredhand！avaunt，Isay！
　　AvauntIwillnotfighttheeindeedIdarenot。
　　_Pol_。Thouwiltnotfightwithmedidstsay，SirCount？
　　ShallIbebaffledthus？nowthisiswell；
　　Didstsaythoudarestnot？Ha！
　　_Cas。_Idarenotdarenot
　　HoldoffthyhandwiththatbelovednameSofreshuponthylipsIwillnotfightthee
　　Icannotdarenot。
　　_Pol_。NowbymyhalidomIdobelievethee！coward，Idobelievethee！
　　_Cas。_Ha！coward！thismaynotbe！
　　_clutcheshisswordandstaggerstowardsPOLITIAN，buthispurposeischangedbeforereachinghim，andhefallsuponhiskneeatthefeetoftheEarl_
　　Alas！mylord，Itisitismosttrue。InsuchacauseIamtheveriestcoward。Opityme！
　　_Pol_。_greatlysoftened。_Alas！-Ido-indeedIpitythee。
　　_Cas。_AndLalage-
　　_Pol_。Scoundrel！-ariseanddie！
　　_Cas。_ItneedethnotbethusthusOletmedieThusonmybendedknee。ItweremostfittingThatinthisdeephumiliationIperish。
　　ForinthefightIwillnotraiseahandAgainstthee，EarlofLeicester。Strikethouhome
　　_baringhisbosom。_
　　Hereisnoletorhindrancetothyweapon-
　　Strikehome。I_willnot_fightthee。
　　_Pol_。Now，s’DeathandHell！
　　AmInot-amInotsorely-grievouslytemptedTotaketheeatthyword？Butmarkme，sir，Thinknottoflymethus。DothouprepareForpublicinsultinthestreetsbeforeTheeyesofthecitizens。I’llfollowtheeLikeanavengingspiritI’llfollowtheeEvenuntodeath。Beforethosewhomthoulovest-
　　BeforeallRomeI’lltauntthee，villain，I’lltauntthee，Dosthear？with_cowardice_thou_wiltnot_fightme？
　　Thouliest！thou_shalt！__exit_。
　　_Cas。_Nowthisindeedisjust！
　　Mostrighteous，andmostjust，avengingHeaven！