GRISELDA 109 



shall give us eyes ; we have known what to hate you shall 

 teach us what to love ; and we will worship the divinity of 

 womanhood in you. In us you shall have many sons, and our 

 one strife shall be to make the whole world call you blessed. 



Gris. You have thought this of me, planned this for me ! 

 I have known a strange happiness. I am childless, yet I see in 

 you the ever-budding youth of the world, and hear from your lips 

 the praise a noble son might render a good mother. In a sad 

 hour, sir, you have brought me a great joy. But I cannot follow 

 you. 



Tanc. Why not ? 



Gris. I would not grant your prayer even if I could. You 

 think I have lived nobly ; if that be so, the faith which I have 

 kindled in you is that help you claim from me ; that other help 

 you ask is not mine to give. I am no oracle ready to solve 

 every tangled riddle set by men's lives, nor would a single man 

 among you take an answer from my lips. You made a goddess 

 of me at a distance ; but now I am before you, you see only the 

 woman, and it is you who would command me, not I you. Oh, 

 it is so. Even now, I tell you that to me it seems right that I 

 should obey my lord, go to Saluce, and serve his bride ; but you 

 will not believe me. 



Tanc. None can be judge in their own cause. I fear you are 

 in love with suffering, and would choose whatever lot gave you 

 most pain. Surely it is better to lead good men seeking guid- 

 ance, than as a willing victim to let a bad man make sport of you. 



Gris. I think your goodness pains me more than that badness 

 you speak of. I cannot argue. Let me be, I pray you. 



Tanc. If you are right, why do I not recognise your present 

 will as good ? 



Gris. Because it thwarts your plans, and men are ever 

 masterful, even the best. 



Tanc. In a good cause I would not spare my life ; no, nor 

 my friend's not yours ! But this obedience serves no purpose. 

 To obey a villain wilfully is wrong, unholy. 



Gris. You speak as a man. Man can strive. Man should 

 believe no evil to be without a remedy ; this he must win at the 

 sword's point if no less will serve. But a woman cannot battle 

 with hard hearts and hard hands. If submission, if endurance 



