JUSTINA [aside]. What position e'er was harder?
Moved with pity for the Christians
Hither comes to me Lysander
The sad news to tell, not knowing
Lelius to his words may hearken,--
Lelius, the Governor's son.
LYSANDER. So Justina . . .
JUSTINA. Sir, no farther,
Since you feel it so acutely,
Speak upon this painful matter.
LYSANDER. Let me, for I'll feel some solace
When to thee it is imparted.
In it he commands . . .
JUSTINA. Proceed not
Further now, when you should rather
Cheat your years with more repose.
LYSANDER. How? when I, to make you partner
In those lively fears whose bodings
Are sufficient to despatch me,
Would inform you of the edict,
The most cruel that the margin
Of the Tiber ever saw
Writ in blood to stain its waters,
Do you stop me? Ah, Justina,
You were wont in another manner
Once to listen to me.
JUSTINA. Sir,
Different were the circumstances.
LELIUS [at the door, aside]. I can hear but indistinctly
Half-formed words and broken accents.
* * * * *
SCENE XIII.
FLORUS enters. -- JUSTINA and LYSANDER; LELIUS, peeping at the door
of the inner room.
FLORUS [aside]. Licence has a jealous lover,
Who but enters to unmask here
A pretended purity,
To forego politer manners.
I come here with that intention .
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