Page:Keats - Poetical Works, DeWolfe, 1884.djvu/389

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I have intruded here thus suddenly,
Because I hold those base weeds, with tight hand,
Which now disfigure her fair growing stem,
Waiting but for your sign to pull them up
By the dark roots, and leave her palpable,
To all men's sight, a lady innocent.
The ignominy of that whisper'd tale
About a midnight gallant, seen to climb
A window to her chamber neighbor'd near,
I will from her turn off, and put the load
On the right shoulders; on that wretch's head,
Who, by close stratagems, did save herself,
Chiefly by shifting to this lady's room
A rope-ladder for false-witness.

 Ludolph.⁠Most atrocious!

 Otho. Ethelbert, proceed.

 Ethelbert.⁠With sad lips I shall:
For, in the healing of one wound, I fear
To make a greater. His young highness here
To-day was married.

 Ludolph.⁠Good.

 Ethelbert.⁠Would it were good!
Yet why do I delay to spread abroad
The names of those two vipers, from whose jaw
A deadly breath went forth to taint and blast
This guileless lady?

 Otho.⁠Abbot, speak their names.

 Ethelbert. A minute first. It cannot be—but may
I ask, great judge, if you to day have put
A letter by unread?

 Otho.⁠Does't end in this?

 Conrad. Out with their names!