Sylvan. Let's have a better tale. You followed me.
Katrina. Sylvan, how dare you make me out so vile?
Sylvan.
How dare you mean to make this body of mine
A thing with no thought in it but your beauty?
Katrina.
You shall not speak so wickedly. You've had
The half of my truth only: here's the whole.
It was from you I fled! I hoped to make
My grannam's lonely cottage something safe
From you and what I hated in you.
Sylvan. Love?— Ah, so it's all useless.
Katrina.
I feared to know
You wanted me,—horribly I feared it.
And now you've found me out.
Sylvan. Is this the truth?— No help for it, then.
Katrina.
O, I'm a liar to you!
Sylvan.
Strange how we grudge to be ruled! rather than be
Divinely driven to happiness, we push back
And fiercely try for wilful misery.—
Dearest, forgive me being cruel to you,
You who are in life like a heavenly dream
In the evil sleep of a sinner.
Katrina.
No, you hate me.