Scene: The Same. Princess and Nurse.
Nurse: Cheer up now, my honey bird, and
don't be fretting.
Princess: It is not easy to quit fretting, and
the terrible story you are after telling me of all
that is before and all that is behind me.
Nurse: They had no right at all to go make
you aware of it. The Queen has too much talk.
An unlucky stepmother she is to you!
Princess: It is well for me she is here. It is
well I am told the truth, where the whole of you
were treating me like a child without sense, so
giddy I was and contrary, and petted and humoured
by the whole of you. What memory would there
be left of me and my little life gone by, but of a
headstrong, unruly child with no thought but
for myself.
Nurse: No, but the best in the world, you
are; there is no one seeing you pass by but would
love you.
Princess: That is not so. I was wild and taking
my own way, mocking and humbugging.
Nurse: I never will give in that there is no
way to save you from that Dragon that is foretold
to be your destruction. I would give the
four divisions of the world, and Ireland along
with them, if I could see you pelting your ball
in at the window the same as an hour ago!
Princess: Maybe you will, so long as it will hurt
nobody.
Nurse: Ah, sure it's no wonder there to be the
tracks of tears upon your face, and that great terror
before you.