Beatrice of Swabia
SCENE II
Beatrice in prison with Fatmey her Moorish nurse
Far. My lady and princess! my jessamine flower!
How long shall thy poor slave sigh for thy voice,
For just one word?
Beat. Dear nurse, I thought to make
Some newness in our life by laying by
The old, old talk till it grew fresh again.
Far. You have been sad and silent these three hours,
Sweet lady mine!
Bear. I have been wondering, nurse.
Yes, a new thought is breaking on my mind.
I grow to doubt of all things, and I thought
I should believe once more when hours and hours,
And days and days, had passed in silent thought;
And then once more the wonderful lost life
Came back; I dreamed it all, along with this.
Then when I slowly waked and saw the walls
Of this dim room break through the golden glow
I conjured round me, I would ask once more,
Can it be true that I was a king's daughter?
Why, as I sit
And look on yonder little patch of blue
Through yon high grated window, there comes sudden,
How long shall thy poor slave sigh for thy voice,
For just one word?
Beat. Dear nurse, I thought to make
Some newness in our life by laying by
The old, old talk till it grew fresh again.
Far. You have been sad and silent these three hours,
Sweet lady mine!
Bear. I have been wondering, nurse.
Yes, a new thought is breaking on my mind.
I grow to doubt of all things, and I thought
I should believe once more when hours and hours,
And days and days, had passed in silent thought;
And then once more the wonderful lost life
Came back; I dreamed it all, along with this.
Then when I slowly waked and saw the walls
Of this dim room break through the golden glow
I conjured round me, I would ask once more,
Can it be true that I was a king's daughter?
Why, as I sit
And look on yonder little patch of blue
Through yon high grated window, there comes sudden,
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