[Jane cowers against the altar in terror and gazes at The Queen with stupefaction and dread.
The Queen [after standing motionless and silent at the front of the stage, pale and with eyes fixed on vacancy, as if lost in gloomy thoughts. At last, she heaves a profound sigh.]Oh! the people!
[She looks about, with an anxious expression, and her eyes fall upon Jane.
Some one here!—Is it you, girl—you, Lady Jane? I terrify you. Go to! fear nought. Æneas the turnkey betrayed us, you know. But have no fear. As I have already told you, you have nought to fear from me, child. The thing that caused your ruin a month since, effects your salvation to-day. You love Fabiano. You and I alone under Heaven are made so; you and I alone love him. We are sisters.
Jane.Your Majesty—
The Queen.Yes, you and I, two women—we are all that that man has on his side. Against him, everybody else: a whole city, a whole nation, a whole world! Unequal struggle of love against hate! Love for Fabiano is sad, terrified, despairing; it has your pale brow, my weeping eyes; it hides behind a funeral altar, it prays by your lips, it curses by mine. Hatred for Fabiani is proud, radiant, triumphant; it is armed and victorious; it has the court, it has the mob, it has streets overflowing with men in crowds; it vomits at once death-cries and cries of joy; it is superb and arrogant and all-powerful; it illuminates a whole city about a scaffold! Love is here—two women, in mourning garb, in a tomb. Hatred is there!
