returned. I feared--

ROBIN

No more, dear heart, you must away to Sherwood!
Shadow-of-a-Leaf is waiting by the orchard
With your white palfrey. Away, or the new king
Will hunt us down. I'll try to gain you time.
Go--quickly!

MARIAN

Robin, your face is white, you are wounded!
What's this--there's blood upon your doublet!
Robin!

ROBIN

Nothing! Go, quickly!

MARIAN

Robin, I cannot leave you.

ROBIN

Go, Marian. If you ever loved me, go.

MARIAN

You'll follow?

ROBIN

Oh, with my last breath I will,
God helping me; but I must gain you time!
Quickly! Here comes the King!

MARIAN

Oh, follow soon!

[_Exit._]

[_ROBIN sits down again, steadying himself against the pillar.
JOHN appears at the doors of the palace, above the terrace, a
scroll in his hand._]

JOHN

My friends, the King is dead!

MASKERS

[_Taking off their masks, with a cry._]

Long live King John!

JOHN

[_Coming down amongst them._]

Our masque is ended by this grievous news;
But where's my Lady Marian? I had some word
To speak with her! Not here! Why--

ROBIN

[_Still masked, rises and confronts the King, who stares at him and
shrinks back a little._]

All the masks
Are off, sire! No, perhaps they wear them still.

JOHN

Who is this?

ROBIN

One that was dead and lives. You say
Your brother, the great King, is dead. Oh, sire,
If that be so, you'll hear a dead man speak,
For your dead brother's sake. You say the King
Is dead; but you are king. So the King lives!
You are King of England now from sea to sea,
Is it not so? Shout, maskers, once again,
Long live the King!

MASKERS

Long live the King!

ROBIN

You see
What power is yours! Your smile is life, your frown
Death. At a word from you the solid earth
Would shake with tramp of armies. You can call
Thousands to throw away their lives like straws
Upon your side, if any foreign king
Dare to affront you.

[_He draws nearer to JOHN, who still shrinks a little, as if in fear._]