Page. It shall be done, my lord. [Page retires.
Gov. Eternal maid of honour, whose chaste body
Lies here, like virtue's close and hidden seed,
To spring forth glorious to eternity
At the everlasting harvest!
A Voice Within. I am not here.
Gov. What's that? who is not here? I'm forc'd to question it,
Some idle sounds the beaten vaults send forth.
[On a sudden, in a kind of noise like a wind, the
doors clattering, the tombstone flies open,
and a great light appears in the midst of
the tomb; his lady as[471] went out, standing
before him all in white, stuck with jewels,
and a great crucifix on her breast.[472]
Gov. Mercy, look to me! Faith, I fly to thee!
Keep a strong watch about me! (now thy friendship!)
O, never came astonishment and fear
So pleasing to mankind! I take delight
To have my breast shake, and my hair stand stiff.
If this be sorrow, let it never die!
Came all the pains of hell in that shape to me,
I should endure them smiling! keep me still
In terror, I beseech thee! I'd not change
This fever for felicity of man,
Or all the pleasures of ten thousand ages.
Ghost. Dear lord, I come to tell you all my wrongs.
Gov. Welcome! Who wrongs the spirit of my love?
Thou art above the injuries of blood,
They cannot reach thee now; what dares offend thee?
No life that has the weight of flesh upon't,
And treads as I do, can now wrong my mistress.
Ghost. The, peace that death allows me is not mine,
The monument is robb'd. Behold! I'm gone,
My body taken up.
Gov. [Lifts the stone.] 'Tis gone, indeed,
What villain dares so fearfully run in debt
To black eternity?