LAVINIA.
(her eyes dancing) How brave of you, Captain!
THE CAPTAIN.
You are right: it was silly thing to say. (In a lower tone, humane and urgent) Lavinia: do Christians know how to love?
LAVINIA.
(composedly) Yes, Captain: they love even their enemies.
THE CAPTAIN.
Is that easy?
LAVINIA.
Very easy, Captain, when their enemies are as handsome as you.
THE CAPTAIN.
Lavinia: you are laughing at me.
LAVINIA.
At you, Captain! Impossible.
THE CAPTAIN.
Then you are flirting with me, which is worse. Don’t be foolish.
LAVINIA.
But such a very handsome captain.
THE CAPTAIN.
Incorrigible! (Urgently) Listen to me. The men in that audience tomorrow will be the vilest of voluptuaries: men in whom the only passion excited by a beautiful woman is a lust to see her tortured and torn shrieking limb from limb. It is a crime to dignify that passion. It is offering yourself for violation by the whole rabble of the streets and the riff-raff of the court at the same time. Why will you not choose rather a kindly love and an honorable alliance?