University of Virginia Library

Scene XII.

Lysander and Justina; Lelius, within.
Lysander.
My Justina.

Justina
(aside).
Woe is me!
Ah, if here before Lysander
Lelius from that room comes forth!

Lysander.
My misfortunes, my disasters
Fly to be consoled by thee.

Justina.
What can be the grief, the sadness,
That your face betrays so plainly?

Lysander.
And no wonder, when the pallor
Springs even from the heart. This sobbing
Stops my weak words in their passage.

[Lelius appears at the door of the apartment.
Lelius
(aside).
I begin now to believe,
Since he is not in this chamber,
Jealousy can cause these spectres.
He, the man I saw, has vanished,
How I know not.

Justina
(aside to Lelius).
Come not forth,
Lelius, here before my father.

Lelius.
Convalescent in my sickness
I will wait till he is absent.

[Retires.
Justina.
Why this weeping? why this sighing?
What, sir, moves thee, what unmans thee?

Lysander.
I am moved by a misfortune,
I'm unmanned by a disaster,
Greater far than tender pity
Ever wept,—the dread example
Cruelty has sworn to make
In the innocent blood of martyrs.
To the Governor of this city
Decius Cæsar a strict mandate
Has despatched ... I can speak no more.

Justina
(aside).
What position e'er was harder?
Moved with pity for the Christians
Hither comes to me Lysander
The sad news to tell, not knowing
Lelius to his words may hearken,—
Lelius, the Governor's son.

Lysander.
So, Justina ...

Justina.
Sir, no farther,
Since you feel it so acutely,
Speak upon this painful matter.

Lysander.
Let me, for I'll feel some solace
When to thee it is imparted.
In it he commands ...

Justina.
Proceed not
Further now, when you should rather
Cheat your years with more repose.

Lysander.
How? when I, to make you partner
In those lively fears whose bodings
Are sufficient to despatch me,
Would inform you of the edict,
The most cruel that the margin
Of the Tiber ever saw
Writ in blood to stain its waters,
Do you stop me? Ah, Justina,
You were wont in another manner
Once to listen to me.

Justina.
Sir,
Different were the circumstances.

Lelius
(at the door, aside).
I can hear but indistinctly
Half-formed words and broken accents.