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Honour'd memorial amongst living men
Of him who was thy lord.—Good Lucia, aid me,
And gentle Servia too, and all of you!
(To the Ladies).
Cling round your mistress with your soothing love,
And say that in a foreign land you'll be
The faithful friends and soothers of her woe,
Where ev'ry virtuous heart will bear to her
The kindred ties of holiest sympathy.
Say ye will be with her in kindliest zeal:
Ye will not leave her?

LUCIA and the other Ladies.

No, we'll never leave her!

(Gathering round her affectionately.)
Most dear and royal mistress, whilst life holds,
In whate'er land, in whate'er state you are,
We'll never leave you.

VALERIA.

I know it well: thanks to your gen'rous love!

But yet forbear, nor thus beset me round.

(Putting them gently from her, and fixing her eyes upon Constantine.)

O, Paleologus! had thou for me

In fancy shap'd a world and an existence

Where thou art not? (Running to him and falling on his neck.)

Here is my world, my life, my land of refuge,

And to no other will I ever flee.
Here still is light and hope; turning from this,
All else is round me as a yawning tomb.