The Complete Poetical Works of Percy Bysshe Shelley Part 170

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 Shielded 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 worship.

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!