Collected Poems Volume II Part 33

Ah?

Your future son-in-law?

FITZWALTER

Never on earth!

He is outlawed--

MARIAN

Outlawed!

FITZWALTER

And I wash my hands Of Huntingdon. His shadow shall not darken My doors again!

JOHN

That's vehement! Ha! ha!

And what does Lady Marian say?

MARIAN

My father Speaks hastily. I am not so unworthy.

FITZWALTER

Unworthy?

MARIAN

Yes, unworthy as to desert him Because he is in trouble--the bravest man In England since the days of Hereward.

You know why he is outlawed!

FITZWALTER

[_To PRINCE JOHN._]

Sir, she speaks As the spoilt child of her old father's dotage.

Give her no heed. She shall not meet with him On earth again, and till she promise this, She'll sun herself within the castle garden And never cross the draw-bridge.

MARIAN

Then I'll swim The moat!

FRIAR TUCK

Ha! ha! well spoken.

MARIAN

Oh, you forget, Father, you quite forget there is a King; And, when the King comes home from the Crusade, Will you forget Prince John and change once more?

[_Murmurs of a.s.sent from the FORESTERS._]

JOHN

Enough of this.

Though I be prince, I am vice-gerent too!

Fitzwalter, I would have some private talk With you and Lady Marian. Bid your guests Remove a little--

FITZWALTER

I'll lead them all within!

And let them make what cheer they may. Come, friends.

[_He leads them up the stairs to the inner room._]

My lord, I shall return immediately!

[_Exeunt FITZWALTER and the guests._]

JOHN

Marian!

MARIAN

My lord!

JOHN

[_Drawing close to her._]

I have come to urge a plea On your behalf as well as on my own!

Listen, you may not know it--I must tell you.

I have watched your beauty growing like a flower, With--why should I not say it--wors.h.i.+p; yes, Marian, I will not hide it.

MARIAN

Sir, you are mad!

Sir, and your bride, your bride, not three months wedded!

You cannot mean ...

JOHN

Listen to me! Ah, Marian, You'd be more merciful if you knew all!

D'you think that princes wed to please themselves?

MARIAN