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I stilled my grief that I might soothe my lord！
They say that love has wings； and all they say is true；
For all thy love has flown； yet can I ne'er undo
The vows I made； the troth I plighted binds me still！
Thou fain wouldst quit thy wife； and thou shalt have thy will。
Oh； but to leave my side with rapture； ecstasy；
No jealous Christ can will： why grudge me one poor sigh？
This joy； this transport fierce； endeavour to conceal。
I do not share thy creed； but I； at least； can feel！
Why gloat o'er heavenly gain； crowns； palms； I know not what
Where Polyeucte is blest； but where Pauline is not？
Soul； body； spirit； I am thy true wife； to own
That I am but a bar to happiness unknown！
POLY。
Alas！
PAUL。
O！ that 'Alas！'so faint； so tame！
Yet； if repentant from thy heart it came；
'Twould waken hope； still brief； and banish fears：
I wait the birth of thy reluctant tears。
POLY。
These tears I shed！ O； might the Spirit pour
Through them the light； the light that I adore
Then were my only grief all swept away；
For thou wouldst join me in the realms of day！
Else Heaven itself would have its bitterness；
Should I look down to witness thy distress！
O God； who lov'st the dust on which Thy breath
Hath stamped Thine image truesave her from death！
The only death that kills； and let my love
From Heaven woo her to the realms above！
Lord； hear my call！ My inmost heart now see；
Who lives a Christian life must Christian be！
Her nature god…like； stamped from print divine；
She must be sealed Thine own； yes； only Thine！
Say； must she burn； condemned to depths of hell？
Thy Will be doneWho doest all things well！
PAUL。
O wretch； what words are these？ Thou dost desire
POLY。
To snatch thee from a never…ending fire。
PAUL。
Or else？
POLY。
O God； I trust to Thy control；
Who when we think not； canst illume the soul！
The whenthe howis Hishere am I dumb；
I waitI waitThat blessed hour will come！
PAUL。
Oh； leave illusions！ Love me！
POLY。
Thee I love
Far more than self； but less than God above！
PAUL。
For love's dear sake； ah； listen to my prayer！
POLY。
For love's dear sakeawait the answer /there/！
PAUL。
To leave me here is naught！ Thou wouldst seduce my soul！
POLY。
Heaven is scarce Heaven for me； if thou reach not the goal。
PAUL。
O fancy…fooled！
POLY。
Nay； led by heavenly light！
PAUL。
Thy faith is blindness！
POLY。
Faith is more than sight！
PAUL。
Ah； death； strange rival to a wife's pure love！
POLY。
This world our rival with the joys above！
PAUL。
Go； monster！ woo thy death！ Thou lov'dst me never！
POLY。
Go； seek the world！ and yet I love thee ever！
PAUL。
Yes； I will goif absence bring relief
（Enter Severus； Fabian and Guards）
Who comes to invade； ah； not to cure my grief？
Severus！ Who could guess that thou wouldst show
Revenge unworthy o'er a prostrate foe？
POLY。
Unworthy thee the thought； Pauline； for I
Severus called； and he hath heard my cry。
My importunity he will excuse；
My prayer I know that he will not refuse。
Severusthisthe treasure that was mine
To thy most tender care I now resign：
To thee； as noblest man that I have known；
Since earthly ties and joys I must disown。
The gift is worthy thee；I know thy worth
Is great； but she no equal hath on earth。
My life； the bar；my death the link shall be；
Oh； grudge me not my dear brief ecstasy！
Oh； ease the heart that once was hers；and guide
Her doubting footsteps to the Crucified！
This my last benison！ All else is poor！
Await the promised light！ Believe！ Endure！
But words are vain！
（Polyeucte signs to Guards to conduct him back to prison。 Exeunt
Polyeucte and Guards。）
SEV。
Most vain！ No word have I
Such blindness must amaze！ must stupefy！
Nay； this is frenzy！ I cannot conceive
A mind so strange！ Mine ears cannot believe
That one who loved theeyet； who would not love
A face that must the great immortals move？
Blessed by thy heart！Thy sweetest lips to taste！
Then leave； refuse； spurnyield with clamorous haste；
To yield a girl so dearso pureso fair！
And of that gift to make thy rival heir
This beggars madness！ Or the Christian bliss
Beyond man's soul to grasp！ To spurn thy kiss！
We treasure barter for a just exchange；
But to buy pain for thee！ Pauline； 'tis strange！
Not thus； ye Gods！ Severus had been blind
To perfect blisshad Fortune been more kind
The only heaven for me is in thine eyes；
These are my kings； these my divinities！
To mefor theewere death with torture dear；
But to renounce thee！
PAUL。
Nay； I must not hear！
Thy words bring back the dear； the bygone days；
When I； a maid； might listen to thy praise：
Severus； thou must know my inmost heart；
I hear the knell bids Polyeucte depart。
He dies；the victim of thine Emperor's laws；
And thou； though innocent； art yet the cause。
Oh； if thy soul； to thy desires a slave；
See hope emerging from my husband's grave
Then will I wed with paindespair embrace；
But wed Severus？ Never！ 'Twere disgrace！
To light fresh torch from that pale； flickering fire
Oh； bliss too monstrous！ Thrice abhorred desire！
Back； hope！ Back； happiness！ The mate for me
When Polyeucte leaves my sideis Constancy！
Were this my will； were this； ye Gods； my fate
To shame would memory turn； as love must yield to hate！
But generous art thoumost generous be！
His pardon will my father grant to thee。
He fears thee： more； if Polyeucte's life he take；
For thee he slays himyes； 'tis for thy sake。
Christ died for manlet pagan virtue dim
His fame： plead for thy foe！ so rival him！
No easy boon I ask； there needs a soul most rare；
But when the fight is fiercethen is the victory fair。
To help a man to be what thou wouldst be
Is triumph that belongs alone to thee！
Let this suffice thee： she； whom thou hast loved；
She； who by thy great love was not unmoved；
Of thee； and of no other dares to crave
That thou； Severus； shouldst my husband save！
Farewell！ of this thy labour gauge the scope：
If thou art less than I yet dare to hope；
Then tell me not！ all else Pauline can bear！
（Exit Pauline。）
SEV。
Where am I； Fabian？ Has the crack of doom
Turned heaven to hell？ made life a living tomb？
Nearer and dearer everbut to go！
The prize within my grasp must I o'erthrow？
ThisFortune's brimming cup； with poison filled；
She bids me drain；so new…born hope is killed。
Before I proffer aught； I am refused；
Thus sad； amazed； ashamed； in doubt； abused；
I see the ghost I laid； to life revive；
The more seductive still the more I strive。
Ah！ must a woman； sunk in deep despair；
Teach me that shame is base； and honour fair？
And while I madly shriek； 'O love； be kind！'
Pauline； death…stricken； keeps an equal mind！
O generous； but stern！ Must these dear eyes；
Because I love them； o'er love tyrannise？
'Tis not enough to lose th