The Mænad and the Bassarid;

And soft as lips that laugh and hide
The laughing leaves of the trees divide,
And screen from seeing and leave in sight
The god pursuing, the maiden hid.

life

Lest we be mock'd to death with a reprieve,

And so both die, being sham'd. What, shall I swear?

What, if I kiss you? must I pluck it out? You do not love me : no, nor honor.

Come,

I know you have it about you: give it me. Chast. I cannot yield you such a thing again;

Not as I had it.

Queen. A coward? what shift now? Do such men make such cravens ? Chast. Chide me not: Pity me that I cannot help my heart. Queen. Heaven mend mine eyes that took you for a man!

What, is it sewn into your flesh ? take heedNay, but for shame with it?

what have you done

God help me, sir!

Chast. Why, there it lies, torn up.
Queen.
Have you done this?

Chast. Yea, sweet; what should I do? Did I not know you to the bone, my sweet? God speed you well? you have a goodly lord.

Queen. My love, sweet love, you are more fair than he, Yea, fairer many times: I love you much, Sir, know you that?

I think I know that well. Chast. Sit here a little till I feel you through In all my breath and blood for some sweet while.

O gracious body that mine arms have had, grave eyes And hair my face has felt on it! And low thick lids that keep since years agone

In the blue sweet of each particular vein Some special print of me! I am right glad That I must never feel a bitterer thing Than your soft curl'd-up shoulder and

amorous arms

From this time forth; nothing can hap to

fair;

You are quite fair: to be quite fair is

best.

Why, two nights hence I dream'd that I could see

In through your bosom under the left flower,

And there was a round hollow, and at heart

A little red snake sitting, without spot, That bit like this, and suck'd up sweet like this,

And curl'd its lithe light body right and left, And quiver'd like a woman in act to love. Then there was some low flutter'd talk i' the lips,

Faint sound of soft fierce words caressing them

Like a fair woman's when her love gets

way.

Ah, your old kiss - I know the ways of it:
Take them off,
Let the lips cling a little.
And speak some word, or I go mad with
love.

Queen. Will you not have my chaplain
come to you?

Chast. Some better thing of yours

some handkerchief,

Some fringe of scarf to make confession

Most bitter fancies biting me like birds That tear each other. Suppose you need not die ?

Chast. You know I cannot live for two hours more.

Our fate was made thus ere our days were made:

Will you fight fortune for so small a grief?

But for one thing I were full fain of death. Queen. What thing is that?

Chast. None need to name the thing. Why, what can death do with me fit to fear?

For if I sleep I shall not weep awake;
Or if their saying be true of things to

And I shall feel your sorrow touching you,
A happy sorrow, though I may not touch:
I that would fain be turn'd to flesh again,
Fain get back life to give up life for you,
To shed my blood for help, that long ago
You shed and were not holpen and your
heart

Will ache for help and comfort, yea, for love,

And find less love than mine for I do think

You never will be lov'd thus in your life. Queen. It may be man will never love

For being in such poor eyes so beautiful
It must needs be as God is more than I
So much more love he hath of you than

mine;

Yea, God shall not be bitter with my love, Seeing she is so sweet.

Queen. Ah, my sweet fool, Think you when God will ruin me for sin My face of color shall prevail so much With him, so soften the tooth'd iron's edge To save my throat a scar? Nay, I am sure I shall die somehow sadly.

This is pure grief ;

Chast. The shadow of your pity for my death, Mere foolishness of pity: all sweet moods Throw out such little shadows of them

selves,

Leave such light fears behind. You, die like me?

Stretch your throat out that I may kiss all round

Where mine shall be cut through: suppose my mouth