Within an hour, Guido, They will be here, and drag you from the cell, And bind your hands behind your back, and bid you Kneel at the block: I am before them there; Here is the signet ring of Padua, ’Twill bring you safely through the men on guard; There is my cloak and vizard; they have orders Not to be curious: when you pass the gate Turn to the left, and at the second bridge You will find horses waiting: by to-morrow You will be at Venice, safe. [A pause.] Do you not speak? Will you not even curse me ere you go? - You have the right. [A pause.] You do not understand There lies between you and the headsman’s axe Hardly so much sand in the hour-glass As a child’s palm could carry: here is the ring: I have washed my hand: there is no blood upon it: You need not fear. Will you not take the ring?

GUIDO

[takes ring and kisses it] Ay! gladly, Madam.

DUCHESS

And leave Padua.

GUIDO

Leave Padua.

DUCHESS

But it must be to-night.

GUIDO

To-night it shall be.

DUCHESS

Oh, thank God for that!

GUIDO

So I can live; life never seemed so sweet As at this moment.

DUCHESS

Do not tarry, Guido, There is my cloak: the horse is at the bridge, The second bridge below the ferry house: Why do you tarry? Can your ears not hear This dreadful bell, whose every ringing stroke Robs one brief minute from your boyish life. Go quickly.

GUIDO

Ay! he will come soon enough.

DUCHESS

Who?

GUIDO

[calmly] Why, the headsman.

DUCHESS

No, no.

GUIDO

Only he Can bring me out of Padua.

DUCHESS

You dare not! You dare not burden my o’erburdened soul With two dead men! I think one is enough. For when I stand before God, face to face, I would not have you, with a scarlet thread Around your white throat, coming up behind To say I did it.

GUIDO

Madam, I wait.

DUCHESS

No, no, you cannot: you do not understand, I have less power in Padua to-night Than any common woman; they will kill you. I saw the scaffold as I crossed the square, Already the low rabble throng about it With fearful jests, and horrid merriment, As though it were a morris-dancer’s platform, And not Death’s sable throne. O Guido, Guido, You must escape!

GUIDO

Madam, I tarry here.

DUCHESS

Guido, you shall not: it would be a thing So terrible that the amazed stars Would fall from heaven, and the palsied moon Be in her sphere eclipsed, and the great sun Refuse to shine upon the unjust earth Which saw thee die.

GUIDO

Be sure I shall not stir.

DUCHESS

[wringing her hands] Is one sin not enough, but must it breed A second sin more horrible again Than was the one that bare it? O God, God, Seal up sin’s teeming womb, and make it barren, I will not have more blood upon my hand Than I have now.

GUIDO

[seizing her hand] What! am I fallen so low That I may not have leave to die for you?

DUCHESS

[tearing her hand away] Die for me? - no, my life is a vile thing, Thrown to the miry highways of this world; You shall not die for me, you shall not, Guido; I am a guilty woman.

GUIDO

Guilty? - let those Who know what a thing temptation is, Let those who have not walked as we have done, In the red fire of passion, those whose lives Are dull and colourless, in a word let those, If any such there be, who have not loved, Cast stones against you.