>Act
II
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Dialogue following No. 12a
ETHAIS has entered unperceived from the bower. He is very pale and weak, and his arm is in a sling.
| Ethais. | Selene, I am weak; give me thine hand. [She goes to him. | |||
| Selene. | My love, thou shouldst no yet have
left thy couch. Come, thou hast need of rest. |
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| Ethais. | No, let me stay. | |||
| The air revives me; I am strong again. And so thou trustest me? |
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| Selene. | In truth I do. | |||
| Although I cannot tell thee whence
proceeds This strange, irrational belief in thee - Thee, whom I hardly know! |
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| Ethais. | I see no marvel! | |||
| Selene. | Nay, my love - reflect: | |||
| I am a woman, and thou art a man. Well, thou art comely - so, in truth, am I. We meet and love each other - that's to say, I am prepared to give up all I have, My home, my very fairyhood for thee - Thou to surrender riches, honour, life, To please the fleeting fancies of my will. And why? Because I see in thee, or thou in me, Astounding virtue, brilliant intellect, Great self-denial, or shining godliness? No! Because, forsooth, we're comely specimens, Not of our own, but Nature's industry! |
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Page modified 13 August 2011