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| JOAN. |
'Look yon — 'tis she! my little Laine! |
| LAINE. |
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Mother! Mother! |
| SIMON. |
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The flood is out, the night is wild! |
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How came you through the blinding rain? |
| JOAN. |
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'Tis Heaven hath sent us back our child! |
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Then weep — then weep not, weep not, thou art home again! |
| LAINE. |
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Mother! Mother! |
| JOAN. |
Hush! think no more of what is past
Enough that thou art safe at last, art safe at last!! |
| LAINE. |
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Not safe, not safe! I may not rest |
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The while this stone
Doth tear and chafe |
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My wounded breast! |
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O! would 'twere gone! Yea that were best! |
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Mother! Mother! |
| LAINE. |
JOAN and SIMON. |
| Then let me cast |
Stay, stay! hold fast |
| Away this snare |
To what is there! |
| That made my lord |
Though this false lord |
| To use me ill, |
Hath used thee ill, |
| For all the past |
That now is past |
| Still lingers there; |
Still thou art fair; |
| Allthe past |
That now is past |
| Still lingers there; |
Still thou art fair; |
| My heart is scored |
And life's reward |
| And aching still! |
Awaits thee still! |
| My heart is aching still, |
Life's reward awaits thee still, |
| Is aching still, |
Awaits thee still, |
| Is aching still. |
Awaits thee still. |
| JOAN. |
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Aye, truly all are not as he;
Thy beauty yet remains to thee! |
| LAINE. |
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Beauty! ah, let that beauty go!
'Twas Beauty brought lord Philip low, |
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Whose spirit once had soared so high; |
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'Tis Beauty wrought my woe! |
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Dear Mother Mary, hear my cry! — |
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Take it away, away! |
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It breeds not joy, but sorrow, |
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Though seeming fair to-day, |
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'Tis false to-morrow. |
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'Twas Death, not Life, that came |
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When Beauty first was born! |
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It brings not love, but shame, |
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And hate, and scorn! |
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Once more I fain would be |
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Crooked, as when the day |
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I knelt and prayed to thee! |
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Once more, once more I fain would be |
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Crooked, as when the day |
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I knelt and prayed to thee! |
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Ah! take this thing away! |
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Away! away! |
She tears open her dress, removes the stone from about her neck, and casts it
upon the ground at their feet; then, covering her face with her hands, she rushes away into her bed-chamber.
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Page modified 2 October 2011
