derstand why you permit my hands to
touch you. Does not the flame from my hands burn you as they tremble
and hover nearer, nearer to your scorching loveliness? But I think you
are ivory, ivory dyed in hues of dawn and sunset.

DUCHESS

Ah, I wish you would not speak to me beautifully. I tell you beauty is
not so dear to me as ugliness. O, Gwymplane [_with a rather coarse
gesture nudging his arm_], O, Gwymplane, tell me of love as I want to
hear of it, and I will love you better than all the rest!

GWYMPLANE

The rest? [_he presses his hand to his temple_] There are no rest.
There was one--O God! I am lost! Nothing matters now [_in a shrill
voice_]. I--I have found out what I can be!

DUCHESS

[_Stretching herself and smiling upon him._]

How happy I am with you, my distorted lover! Only I wish you had not
taken the white paint from your face. I wish your lips were
fantastically scarlet as when you danced. I wish you were in your
clown's dress and that the circus dwarfs could be here, playing their
evil music while we talked. Kiss me.

GWYMPLANE

[_Drawing away and gazing at her in rapture._]

But my heart is here, underneath your slender foot. O, my heart has no
will of its own but is only a reckless fever leaping, shivering after
crumbs of your favour.

[_He is about to kiss her, when suddenly the DUCHESS turns
aside--an odd numbness creeping over her features._]

DUCHESS

Something is wrong--terribly wrong. You do not speak to me like a
clown. You are not like a clown. Who are you--what are you really?

GWYMPLANE

My love [_he turns to kiss her shoulder_], I am your lover. What does
any other reality matter tonight?

[_There is a knock at the door on stage left. GWYMPLANE starts to
his feet, flinging upon the DUCHESS a look of terror._]

DUCHESS [_biting her lip--calls out_]

Who dares to disturb my rest?

VOICE OF PRINCE CHARLES

It is I.

DUCHESS

Well?

CHARLES

Phedro told me he thought he heard you cry out a moment ago?

DUCHESS

Ah, so it is he--[_her face has grown dark and furious_] or does he
push in some accident to favour me.

GWYMPLANE [_in a low voice_]

Treachery--if I had not been so mad all evening I could have smelt it
on every gust of air.

JOSEPHINE

Hush, don't ruin us.

CHARLES

Did I hear you speak?

JOSEPHINE

No, Charles. I was merely muttering a few imprecations at you for
disturbing my rest.

CHARLES

You wa