ing slave. Maria,
'T is thou, 't is thou alone! 'T is that I love thee,
And exile hence is death!
[A pause. He kneels at her feet. She looks at him kindly but
makes no reply.]
At thy dear feet
I lay my life with its most loyal service,
The subject of thy pleasure.

MARIA (tenderly).
You are too humble.

LORENZO.
Too humble! Do you seek mine utter ruin,
With words whose very tone is a caress?
I say all. I love you!--you have known it.
Why should I tell you? Yet, to-day you seem
Other than you have been. A milder light
Beams from your eyes--a gentler grace is throned
Upon your brow--your words fall soft as dew
To melt my fixed resolve.

MARIA.
You find me, signor,
In an unguarded mood. I would be true
To you; and to myself; yet, know no answer.
Anon, I will be calm; pray you withdraw.

LORENZO.
Till when? Remember what mad hopes and fears
Meantime will riot in my brain.

MARIA.
To-morrow--
Farewell, farewell.

LORENZO (kisses her hand).
Farewell.
[Exit.]

MARIA.
A faithful heart,
A name untainted, a fair home--yea, these
Are what I need. Oh, lily soul in heaven,
Who wast on earth my mother, guide thy child!

While MARIA sits rapt in thought, enter from behind her, ANNICCA,
who bends over her and kisses her brow.

ANNICCA.
What, sister! lost in dreams by daylight? Fie!
Who is the monarch of thy thoughts?

MARIA (starting).
Annicca!
My thoughts are bounden to no master yet;
They fly from earth to heaven in a breath.
Now are they all of earth. Hast heard the tidings?

ANNICCA.
Yea--of the Prince's ball? We go together.
Braid in thy hair our mother's pearls, and wear
The amulet ingemmed with eastern stones;
'T will bring good fortune.

MARIA.
Tell me, ere we go,
What manner of man is John of Austria?

ANNICCA.
Scarce man at all--a madcap, charming boy;
Well-favored--you have seen him--exquisite
In courtly compliment, of simple manners;
You may not hear a merrier laugh than his
From any boatman on the bay; well-versed
In all such arts as most become his station;
Light