Britain ... - Blue-Lite

Scene III.] THE DEVOTED ONE. 235
Or gleam of happy sunlight.
I mark well
Thy deep contrition, and forgive thee ay,
Forgive thee freely ; for 'tis meet, since I
Shall never more on earth thy face behold,
That we part not in anger.
GODWIN.
At thy feet
Thus low I fall, overwhelmed with shame and grief;
For I a vile apostate from the faith
I owe to thee have been, while thy forgiveness,
Which I could neither ask nor hope to win,
Sinks me far deeper in my own contempt
Than could thy proudest scorn. O, if thine eye
Might on me with its former brightness shine
But I have sinned against all hope that thou
Canst love me yet again.
EDITH.
Take, the last time,
This hand, as an assurance of my pardon.
Light lie reproach hereafter on thee, Godwin,
For thy disdain of me. Speak not of love :
My love hath perished like an early flower
Beneath the breath of winter ; from its grave
It cannot spring again.
And yet the hour
Is come, in which I must be made a bride
And wear a crown, but not of earthly gems.
GODWIN.
Be who he may that shall this hand receive,
Which, were I worthy, I would not again
For kingdoms barter, may he ever love
As I did love thee in my better days,
Ere curst Ambition o'er my virtue cowered,
Like a dark giant incubus of hell,