The Complete Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley - LightNovelsOnl.com
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NOTE: _89 me miserable]miserable me editions 1839.
[ENTER DAEMON.]
DAEMON: Follow, and I will lead thee where he is.
JUSTINA: And who art thou, who hast found entrance hither, Into my chamber through the doors and locks?
Art thou a monstrous shadow which my madness Has formed in the idle air?
DAEMON: No. I am one _105 Called by the Thought which tyrannizes thee From his eternal dwelling; who this day Is pledged to bear thee unto Cyprian.
JUSTINA: So shall thy promise fail. This agony Of pa.s.sion which afflicts my heart and soul _110 May sweep imagination in its storm; The will is firm.
DAEMON: Already half is done In the imagination of an act.
The sin incurred, the pleasure then remains; Let not the will stop half-way on the road. _115
JUSTINA: I will not be discouraged, nor despair, Although I thought it, and although 'tis true That thought is but a prelude to the deed:-- Thought is not in my power, but action is: I will not move my foot to follow thee. _120
DAEMON: But a far mightier wisdom than thine own Exerts itself within thee, with such power Compelling thee to that which it inclines That it shall force thy step; how wilt thou then Resist, Justina?
NOTE: _123 inclines]inclines to cj. Rossetti.
JUSTINA: By my free-will.
DAEMON: I _125 Must force thy will.
JUSTINA: It is invincible; It were not free if thou hadst power upon it.
[HE DRAWS, BUT CANNOT MOVE HER.]
DAEMON: Come, where a pleasure waits thee.
JUSTINA: It were bought Too dear.
DAEMON: 'Twill soothe thy heart to softest peace.
JUSTINA: 'Tis dread captivity.
DAEMON: 'Tis joy, 'tis glory. _130
JUSTINA: 'Tis shame, 'tis torment, 'tis despair.
DAEMON: But how Canst thou defend thyself from that or me, If my power drags thee onward?
JUSTINA: My defence Consists in G.o.d.
[HE VAINLY ENDEAVOURS TO FORCE HER, AND AT LAST RELEASES HER.]
DAEMON: Woman, thou hast subdued me, Only by not owning thyself subdued. _135 But since thou thus findest defence in G.o.d, I will a.s.sume a feigned form, and thus Make thee a victim of my baffled rage.
For I will mask a spirit in thy form Who will betray thy name to infamy, _140 And doubly shall I triumph in thy loss, First by dishonouring thee, and then by turning False pleasure to true ignominy.
[EXIT.]
JUSTINA: I Appeal to Heaven against thee; so that Heaven May scatter thy delusions, and the blot _145 Upon my fame vanish in idle thought, Even as flame dies in the envious air, And as the floweret wanes at morning frost; And thou shouldst never--But, alas! to whom Do I still speak?--Did not a man but now _150 Stand here before me?--No, I am alone, And yet I saw him. Is he gone so quickly?
Or can the heated mind engender shapes From its own fear? Some terrible and strange Peril is near. Lisander! father! lord! _155 Livia!--
[ENTER LISANDER AND LIVIA.]
LISANDER: Oh, my daughter! What?
LIVIA: What!
JUSTINA: Saw you A man go forth from my apartment now?-- I scarce contain myself!
LISANDER: A man here!
JUSTINA: Have you not seen him?
LIVIA: No, Lady.
JUSTINA: I saw him.
LISANDER: 'Tis impossible; the doors _160 Which led to this apartment were all locked.
LIVIA [ASIDE]: I daresay it was Moscon whom she saw, For he was locked up in my room.
LISANDER: It must Have been some image of thy fantasy.
Such melancholy as thou feedest is _165 Skilful in forming such in the vain air Out of the motes and atoms of the day.
LIVIA: My master's in the right.
JUSTINA: Oh, would it were Delusion; but I fear some greater ill.
I feel as if out of my bleeding bosom _170 My heart was torn in fragments; ay, Some mortal spell is wrought against my frame; So potent was the charm that, had not G.o.d s.h.i.+elded my humble innocence from wrong, I should have sought my sorrow and my shame _175 With willing steps.--Livia, quick, bring my cloak, For I must seek refuge from these extremes Even in the temple of the highest G.o.d Where secretly the faithful wors.h.i.+p.
LIVIA: Here.
NOTE: _179 Where Rossetti; Which 1824.
JUSTINA [PUTTING ON HER CLOAK]: In this, as in a shroud of snow, may I _180 Quench the consuming fire in which I burn, Wasting away!
LISANDER: And I will go with thee.
LIVIA: When I once see them safe out of the house I shall breathe freely.
JUSTINA: So do I confide In thy just favour, Heaven!
LISANDER: Let us go. _185
JUSTINA: Thine is the cause, great G.o.d! turn for my sake, And for Thine own, mercifully to me!
