, he wears her colours. That is the knot she
gave him last--last.... Oh God! When was
yesterday?

_Ferdinand_. Come in! Come in, my Lord.
There's a dew falling.

_The King_. He'll take no harm of it. I'll follow presently.....
He's all his mother's now and none of mine--
Her very face on the bride-pillow. Yet I tricked her.
But that was later--and she never guessed.
I do not think he sinned much--he's too young--
Much the same age as my Queen. God must not judge him
Too hardly for such slips as youth may fall in.
But I'll entreat that Throne.

(_Prays by the body._)

_Gow_. The Heavens hold up still. Earth opens
not and this dew's mere water. What shall a man
think of it all? _(To Gardener.)_ Not dead yet,
sirrah? I bade you follow the Prince. Despatch!

_Gardener_. Some kind soul pluck out the dagger.
Why did you slay me? I'd done no wrong. I'd ha'
kept it secret till my dying day. But not now--not
now! I'm dying. The Prince fell from the Queen's
chamber window. I saw it in the nut alley. He
was----

_Ferdinand_. But what made you in the nut alley
at that hour?

_Gardener_. No wrong. No more than another
man's wife. Jocasta of the still-room. She'd kissed
me good-night too; but that's over with the
rest.... I've stumbled on the Prince's beastly
loves, and I pay for all. Let me pass!

_Gow_. Count it your fortune, honest man. You
would have revealed it to your woman at the next
meeting. You fleshmongers are all one feather.
_(Plucks out the dagger.)_
Go in peace and lay your death to Fortune's door.
He's sped--thank Fortune!

_Ferdinand_. Who knows not Fortune, glutted on
easy thrones,
Stealing from feasts as rare to coney-catch
Privily in the hedgerows for a clown.
With that same cruel-lustful hand and eye,
Those nails and wedges, that one hammer and lead,
And the very gerb of long-stored lightning loosed.
Yesterday 'gainst some King.

_The King_. I have pursued with prayers where my heart warns me
My soul shall overtake--

_Enter the Queen_

_The King_. Look not! Wait till I tell you,
dearest.... Air!...
'Loosed to adventure early'
... I go late. _(Dies.)_

_Gow_. So! God hath cut off the Prince in his
pleasures. Gow, to save the King, hath silenced one
poor fool who knew how it befell, and now the
King's dead, needs only that the Queen should kill
Gow and all's safe for her this side o' the Judgment.
...Senor Ferdinand, the wind's easterly. I'm for
the road.

_Ferdinand_. My horse