Collected Poems - LightNovelsOnl.com
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Ah?
Your future son-in-law?
FITZWALTER
Never on earth!
He is outlawed--
MARIAN
Outlawed!
FITZWALTER
And I wash my hands Of Huntingdon. His shadow shall not darken My doors again!
JOHN
That's vehement! Ha! ha!
And what does Lady Marian say?
MARIAN
My father Speaks hastily. I am not so unworthy.
FITZWALTER
Unworthy?
MARIAN
Yes, unworthy as to desert him Because he is in trouble--the bravest man In England since the days of Hereward.
You know why he is outlawed!
FITZWALTER
[_To PRINCE JOHN._]
Sir, she speaks As the spoilt child of her old father's dotage.
Give her no heed. She shall not meet with him On earth again, and till she promise this, She'll sun herself within the castle garden And never cross the draw-bridge.
MARIAN
Then I'll swim The moat!
FRIAR TUCK
Ha! ha! well spoken.
MARIAN
Oh, you forget, Father, you quite forget there is a King; And, when the King comes home from the Crusade, Will you forget Prince John and change once more?
[_Murmurs of a.s.sent from the FORESTERS._]
JOHN
Enough of this.
Though I be prince, I am vice-gerent too!
Fitzwalter, I would have some private talk With you and Lady Marian. Bid your guests Remove a little--
FITZWALTER
I'll lead them all within!
And let them make what cheer they may. Come, friends.
[_He leads them up the stairs to the inner room._]
My lord, I shall return immediately!
[_Exeunt FITZWALTER and the guests._]
JOHN
Marian!
MARIAN
My lord!
JOHN
[_Drawing close to her._]
I have come to urge a plea On your behalf as well as on my own!
Listen, you may not know it--I must tell you.
I have watched your beauty growing like a flower, With--why should I not say it--wors.h.i.+p; yes, Marian, I will not hide it.
MARIAN
Sir, you are mad!
Sir, and your bride, your bride, not three months wedded!
You cannot mean ...
JOHN
Listen to me! Ah, Marian, You'd be more merciful if you knew all!
D'you think that princes wed to please themselves?
MARIAN
