doing. In the old fairy tales there is a ring that makes its wearer invisible. I would give my crown for that ring. I imagine incessantly that you go to see the fair young women in the city. Ah! you must not deceive me, you see!
Fabiani.Pray banish such thoughts from your mind, Madame. I, deceive you, my lady, my queen, my generous mistress! Why, I must needs be the vilest and most ungrateful of men to do that! But I have given you no reason to think that I am the vilest and most ungrateful of men! And I love you, Mary; I adore you! I could not even look at another woman! I love you, I say! but do you not read it in my eyes? Surely there is an accent of truth which must convince. See—look at me: have I the aspect of a man who is false to you? When a man betrays a woman, it is visible at once. Women are seldom deceived in that. And what a moment you choose to say such things to me, Mary! the moment when in all my life, maphap, I love you most dearly. It is true that it seems to me that I have never loved you as I love you to-day. I am not speaking to the Queen. Egad! I snap my fingers at the Queen! What can the Queen do to me? She can order my head cut off, but what is that? You, Mary, can break my heart. 'Tis not your Majesty that I love, but you. 'Tis your lovely soft white hand that I kiss and adore, and not your sceptre, Madame!
The Queen.Thanks, my Fabiano, Adieu.—Ah! my dear lord, how young you are! Such beautiful black hair and such a charming face! Return an hour hence.
Fabiani.What you call an hour, I call a century.
[Exit.—As soon as he has disappeared, the Queen
