he returned;
Then told his sudden fortune with the cards,
And bade her keep the jewels. That is all.

LARA. All? Is that all? 'T has only cracked my heart!
A heart, I know, of little, little worth--
An ill-cut ruby, scarred and scratched before,
But now quite broken! I have no heart, then;
Men should not have, when they are wronged like this.
Out of my sight, thou demon of bad news!

[_Exit_ LARA.

PAGE. I did not think 't would work on him like that.
How pale he grew! Alack! I fear some ill
Will come of this. I'll to the Countess now,
And warn her of his madness.
[_Exit_ PAGE.

ACT I, SCENE II

SCENE: Beatrice's chamber. Beatrice sits on a fauteuil in the
attitude of listening.

BEATRICE. Hist! that's his step. Miriam, place the lights
Farther away; keep you behind the screen,
Breathing no louder than a lily does;
For if you stir or laugh 'twill ruin all.

MIRIAM. Laugh! I am faint with terror.

BEATRICE. Then be still.
Move not for worlds until I touch the bell,
Then do the thing I told you. Hush! his step
Sounds in the corridor, and I'm asleep!

LARA _enters. He approaches within a few yards of_ BEATRICE, _pauses,
and looks at her._

LARA. Asleep!--and guilt can slumber! Guilt can lie
Down-lidded and soft-breathed like innocence!
Hath dreams as sweet as childhood's--who can tell?
Were I an artist, and did wish to paint
A devil to perfection, I'd not limn
A horned monster, with a leprous skin,
Red-hot from Pandemonium--not I.
But with my delicatest tints, I'd paint
A woman in the glamour of her youth,
All garmented with loveliness and mystery!
How fair she is! Her beauty glides between
Me and my purpose, like a pleading angel.

[BEATRICE _sighs_.

Her dream's broke, like a bubble, in a sigh.
She'll waken soon, and that--that must not be!
I could not kill her if she looked at me.
I loved her, loved her, by the saints, I did--
I trust