Gows Watch : Act V. scene 3

After the Battle. The PRINCESS by the Standard on the Ravelin.     Enter Gow, with the Crown of the Kingdom.     GOW. Heres earnest of the Queens submission.     This by her last herald, and in haste.     PRINCESS. Twas ours already. Where is the woman?     GOW. Fled with her horse. They broke at dawn.     Noon has not struck, and youre Queen questionless.     PRINCESS. By you, through you. How shall I honour you?     GOW. Me? But for what?     PRINCESS. For all, all, all,     Since the realm sunk beneath us! Hear him! For what?     Your body twixt my bosom and her knife,     Your lips on the cup she proffered for my death;     Your one cloak over me, that night in the snows     We held the Pass at Bargi. Every hour     New strengths, to this most unbelievable last.     Honour him? I will honour, will honour you, . . .     Tis at your choice.     GOW. Child, mine was long ago.     (Enter FERDINAND, as from horse.)     But heres one worthy honour. Welcome, Fox!     FERDINAND. And to you, Watchdog. This day clenches all.     Weve made it and seen it.     GOW. Is the city held?     FERDINAND. Loyally. Oh, theyre drunk with loyalty yonder.     A virtuous mood. Your bombards helped em to it . . .     But heres my word for you. The Lady Frances.     PRINCESS. I left her sick in the city. No harm, I pray.     FERDINAND. Nothing that she called harm. In truth, so little     That (to Gow) I am bidden tell you, shell be here     Almost as soon as I.     GOW. She says it?     FERDINAND. Writes.     This. (Gives him letter.) Yester eve. Twas given me by the priest,     He with her in her hour.     GOW. So? (Reads) So it is.     She will be here. (To Ferdinand) And all is safe in the city?     FERDINAND. As thy long sword and my lean wits can make it.     Youve naught to stay for. Is it the road again?     GOW. Ay. This time, not alone . . . She will be here.     PRINCESS. I am here. You have not looked at me awhile.     GOW. The rest is with you, Ferdinand . . .     Then free.     PRINCESS. And at my service more than ever. I claim,     (Our wars have taught me), being your Queen, now, claim     You wholly mine.     GOW. Then free . . . She will be here! A little while.     PRINCESS (to FERDINAND). He looks beyond, not at me.     FERDINAND. Weariness.     We are not so young as once was. Two days fight,     A worthy servitor, to be allowed     Some freedom.     PRINCESS. I have offered him all he would.     FERDINAND. He takes what he has taken.     (The Spirit of the LADY FRANCES appears to Gow.)     GOW. Frances     PRINCESS. Distraught!     FERDINAND. An old head-blow, maybe. He has dealt in them.     GOW (to the Spirit). What can the Grave against us, O my Heart,     Comfort and light and reason in all things     Visible and invisible, my one God?     Thou that wast I these barren unyoked years     Of triflings now at end! Frances!     PRINCESS. Shes old.     FERDINAND. True. By most reckonings old.     They must keep other count.     PRINCESS. He kisses his hand to the air!     FERDINAND. His ring, rather, he kisses. Yes, for sure, the ring.     GOW. Dear and most dear. And now, those very arms. (Dies.)     PRINCESS. Oh, look! He faints. Haste, you! Unhelm him! Help!     FERDINAND. Needless. No help     Avails against that poison. He is sped.     PRINCESS. By his own hand? This hour? When I had offered.     FERDINAND. He had made other choice, an old, old choice,     Neer swerved from, and now patently sealed in death.     PRINCESS. He called on, the Lady Frances was it? Wherefore?     FERDINAND. Because she was his life. Forgive, my friend, (covers Gows face)     Gods uttermost beyond me in all faith,     Service and passion, if I unveil at last     The secret. (To the Princess) Thought, dreamed you, it was for you     He poured himself, for you resoldered the Crown?     Struck here, held there, amended, broke, built up     His multiplied imaginings for you?     PRINCESS. I thought, I thought he.     FERDINAND. Looked beyond. Her wish     Was the sole Law he knew. She did not choose     Your House should perish. Therefore he bade it stand.     Enough for him when she had breathed a word     Twas his to make it iron, stone, or fire,     Driving our flesh and blood before his ways     As the wind straws. Her one face unregarded     Waiting you with your mantle or your glove,     That is the God whom he is gone to worship.     (Trumpets without. Enter the Princes Heralds.)     And heres the work of Kingship begun again.     These from the Prince of Bargi, to whose sword     You owe such help as may, he thinks, be paid . . .     Hes equal in blood, in fortune more than peer,     Young, most well favoured, with a heart to love,     And two States in the balance. Do you meet him?     PRINCESS. God and my Misery! I have seen Love at last.     What shall content me after?