Scene 4[A room at Lagoverde. Bianca lying in bed, ill to death. The childrenclinging to the bed, their nurse trying to draw them away, Giuliettaa maid, in the background. Possibly other attendants about.]LITTLE ROSE-RED. Tell us a story, mother!NURSE. Come away, now!LITTLE SNOW-WHITE. Tell us a story!BIA. Do you go away with nurseA little while. You will bring them back to meLater?NURSE. [Weeping.] Ay, madam.[She goes out with the children.]BIA. Later—not much later,I think.—Hear you no sound of horses yet,Giulietta, galloping this way?GIU. Nay, not yet.BIA. [To herself.] I will not go until she comes. I will not.Still,—if I should—Giulietta!GIU. [Coming quickly to the bed.] Ay, my mistress!BIA. She will come, I tell you!GIU. Ay, I doubt it not.BIA. Ay, she will come. But if she should come late,And I no longer be here to receive her,Show her all courtesy, I conjure you.She will be weary, and mightily distraught.Make her take wine,—and bring the children to her.And tell her, they are hers now. She is their mother.[Giulietta starts to go back to the window.]And say to her—wait!—I have a message for her.Say to her this, Giulietta: The foot stumbles,The hand hath its own awkward way; the tongueMoves foolishly in the mouth; but in the heartThe truth lies,—and all's well 'twixt her and me.Can you remember that?GIU. Ay, madam, I think so.If not the words, at least the gist of it.BIA. Forget it all, my good child, but forget not:All's well 'twixt her and me.GIU. Nay, that I have.BIA. I will sleep now a little. Do you leave me.But go not far. [She lies still for a moment, then starts up.]I hear the sound of hoof-beats!GIU. Nay, madam.BIA. Ay, I tell you! I can hear them!My face upon the pillow brings my earNearer the ground! She is coming! Open the door![She kneels up in bed and holds out her arms towards the door,maintaining this position till Beatrice comes. Giulietta, weeping,opens the door, and stands in it, shaking her head sadly.]GIU. [Suddenly lifting her head and listening.] Nay, it is so! I hear itnow myself!Ay, there's a horse upon the bridge!BIA. She's coming!Stand back! Stand out of the doorway! [Pause.]SERVANT. [Entering.] Majesty,The Queen is here.Ay, ay! Stand out of the doorway! [Pause.]GIU. She is here! She is in the court! She has leapt from horse!Madam, Oh, God be praised! This way!BIA. Sister![Beatrice enters in her riding clothes, leaps to the bed, Biancathrows her arms about her neck, and dies.]BEA. [After a moment, looking down at her.]Snow-White! Oh, no! Oh, no! Snow-White! [She screams.] Ah-h! Help me!She is dying![Attendants and nurses rush in, also the children.]LITTLE SNOW-WHITE. Mother, wake up!LITTLE ROSE-RED. Come out of doors!BEA. Take them away. Snow-White! [Leaning over the bed.]NURSE. Nay, it is over,Madam.BEA. Leave me. Leave me alone with her.[Exeunt all but Beatrice. She kneels beside the bed.]
Scene 5[A room at Lagoverde, The next day. Beatrice alone.]BEA. In sooth, I do not feel the earth so firmUnder my feet as yesterday it was.All that I loved are gone to a far land,And left me here alone, save for two childrenAnd twenty thousand enemies, and the thingOf horror that's in store for me. AlmostI feel my feet uprooted from the earth,There's such a tugging at me to be gone.Save for your children, [Looking off stage towards Bianca's room.]'twould be simple enoughTo lay me down beside you in your bed,And call on Death, who is not yet out of hearing,To take me, too. [Enter Fidelio.]FID. Mistress I have news for you.Guido is dead!BEA. Is dead?FID. Ay, he is dead,Dead of a dagger i' the back,—and dead enoughFor twenty. Scarce were you gone an hour's timeWe came upon him cold. And in a poolNearby, the Lady Francesca floating drowned,Who last was seen a-listening like a ghostAt the door of the dungeon, 'Tis a marvelous thing!But that's not all!BEA. Why, what more can there be?FID. Mistress, in the night the people of FioriRose like a wind and swept the Duke's men downLike leaves! Your throne is empty,—and awaits you![Enter Giulietta,]GIU. Madam.BEA. Ay, Giulietta.GIU. Madam, last night,Before you came, she bade me tell you something,And not forget. 'Tis this: That the foot stumbles,The hand doth awkward things, and the foolish tongueSays what it would not say,—but in the heartTruth lies,—and all is well 'twixt her and you.[She starts to go out, and turns back at the door.]She bade me above all things to forget notThe last: that all is well 'twixt her and you. [Exit.]BEA. [Slowly and with great content.]She is not gone from me. Oh, there be placesFarther away than Death! She is returnedFrom her long silence, and rings out above meLike a silver bell!—Let us go back, Fidelio,And gather up the fallen stones, and build usAnother tower.