128 LITERATURE AND DRAMA 



Gris. ' Griselda,' he said, looking strangely on me, * I have 

 learnt to-day your children are both dead.' I was dumb. I 

 could not think about my children for his eyes. They were the 

 eyes I saw when he had slain the bear, and again when he would 

 have killed me. I hardly heard his words. I only saw his 

 eyes. 



Filo. Said he no more ? 



Gris. t Did you not love your children, woman?' he said, 

 frowning; and I found no answer. Then he cried out loud, 

 1 1 think you are a stone, insensible ; do you love me ? ' I said, 

 ' Most truly ; ' and his anger waxed, as I think, because my 

 voice was cold. He went aside a little way, and suddenly 

 turning, said, ' I killed your children. Can you love me now ? J 

 I said, ' Yes, my lord.' ' You lie ! ' he cried. 



Filo. Was that no lie ? 



Gris. How could my heart change in a moment? His 

 words were mere air. I heard of death and children, and felt 

 mazed ; but he was there, before me, miserable. So when he 

 asked me if I loved him, my heart said Yes. Was I wicked ? 



Filo. Some minutes since I should have called you wicked. 

 Then he- -? 



Gris. He drew his sword, and when I saw the blade, and in 

 his hand, I cried, ' Ah ! yes ; ' for I thought I saw the way to my 

 children ; and I rose and threw myself upon him and kissed 

 him, and then trembled ; for the steel had not pierced my heart, 

 but he was kissing me, and his eyes were raining tears. He 

 put me softly down, and ran out into the darkness weeping. 



Filo. Strange ! 



Gris. That night in my chamber the devil tempted me. 

 Lady, you would die because you lack hope. Children are hope 

 made flesh, and they were both gone. Little Roland : he could 

 barely lisp, but his young soul shone with love of honour ; and 

 my baby girl born princess, with her father's eyes Dora 



Filo. My second name. 



Gris. They were gone. Their father said that he had killed 

 them. The devil lurked all night in my heart, whispering, 

 ' There is no God who lets such things be done ; there is no God 

 who lets such things be felt ; there are no men but only fiends, 

 since your man of men is but a fiend. Earth, heaven, and 



