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POLY。
No； trust to Holy Cross！ That Cross my own！
FELIX。
The steep ascent； my son； I too would climb；
Yes； I would Christian be；butgive me time；
By Jove！ I'll tread thy path！ This my desire。
Else at thy hand the judge may me require！
POLY。
Nay； laugh not； Felix！ He thy Judge will be；
No refuge there for impious blasphemy！
Nor kings nor clowns can 'scape His righteous ire；
His slaughtered Saints of thee will He require！
FELIX。
I'll slay no more；by Hercules I swear！
So I a Christian crown perchance may wear；
I will protect the flock！
POLY。
Nay； rather be
A goad； a scourge； for their felicity！
Let suffering purify each Christian soul；
Cross； rack； and flame but lead them to their goal；
What here they losein Heaven an hundredfold they find。
Be cruel；persecute！and so alone be kind！
My words thou canst not read； thine eyes are blinded here；
Wait the unveiling /There/！ Then understand and fear！
FELIX。
Nay； nay； in truth I would a Christian be！
POLY。
In thy hard heart alone a bar I see。
FELIX （whispering）。
This Roman knight
POLY （aloud）。
Severus； thou wouldst say。
FELIX。
Once let him sail； I will no more delay；
For this I anger feign；let him depart！
POLY。
'Tis thus thou wouldst reveal a Christian heart？
To idols dumbto Pagans blind； thy sugared poison bear；
Christ's servants quaff another cup； sure refuge from despair。
FELIX。
What is this deadly draught that thou wouldst drain？
I'll drink thy wine。Till then； from death refrain！
POLY。
To swine no more my holy pearls I cast；
Faith；/faith/not reason； shall see light at last；
Soonwhen I see my Godyes； face to face；
I will implore that Felix may find grace。
FELIX。
O dearest son； thy loss were death to me！
POLY。
This loss can be repairedthe remedy
Find in Severus； he will take my place；
By Decius honoured he will not disgrace
Thy house： my death will an advantage win
For thee； for her； for me。The work begin！
FELIX。
Such my reward！ Yes； insult is the child
Of injury。 The grace I grant； reviled；
Shall turn to swift revenge。 The gods defied
May do their will and speed the suicide！
POLY。
I thought the gods were dead； but they revive
With human passion； Felix； do not strive
Against thy nature； lay aside thy ruth；
Who loves a lie can never follow truth。
FELIX。
I humoured madness； but the mood is o'er；
I am myself again； I did implore；
'Twas vain； the dark abyss that yawns for thee
May hold thee now； tomb to thy constancy。
The hope I cherishedfondlednow is flown
Severus will be king； and I o'erthrown；
Shall I the gods by incense pacify？
Or by thy death？ for thou； at last； must die！
POLY。
Incense might but incense； I cannot tell：
（Enter Pauline）
Pauline！
PAUL。
That word broke from thee like a knell；
Who seeks my doom to…day？ Thouor my sire？
Who fires the brand？ Who lights the funeral pyre？
My father should； by nature； be my friend；
And lover's heart to love an ear should lend。
Who here is mine ally； and who my foe？
Who has a heart to feel？this would I know。
FELIX。
Nay； to thy lord appeal。
（Pauline turns to Polyeucte）
POLY。
Severus wed！
PAUL。
Ah； this is outrage！ Rather strike me dead！
POLY。
Oh； dearer than myself to me thy weal！
My love would never wound； it seeks to heal。
I see thee wrestle with thy deep distress
Aloneunless Severus bring redress；
His merit； that once gained thy maiden heart；
Hath still that worth when I from thee must part；
Once lovedand loving stillhis honour grows。
PAUL。
Thy wife's true heart another treatment owes：
O base reproach！ For this I crushed for thee
My former love： that I disdained might be？
This my reward for dearest victory won；
I did that love undoto be myself undone！
Resolve； faith； abnegation； all were vain；
For thy return is outrage heaped on pain。
Oh； sunk in tomb of shame； most vile； most mean；
Come back to lifeto honourto Pauline！
（Holds out her arms。）
To learn from her that loyalty and faith
Religion are：and all beside but death！
Once more Alcestis wrestles with the tomb；
Arise； arise from thy enthralling doom！
And if my invocation feeble be；
Regard the tearsthe sighs；shedbreathed for thee！
Love is too weak a wordI thee adore！
POLY。
Once have I saidyet now I say once more
'Live with Severus； orwith Polyeucte die！'
Thy tears are mine； and thy pure constancy
I share： ButI am soldier of the Cross！
Take up thine own； and count all gain but loss！
Paulineno more！
（To FELIX。）
Thy slumbering wrath rewake！
Thy fates and furies wait！ Their vengeance slake！
PAUL。
His life is saved！ These fetters all undo！
For justice never yet a madman slew；
And he is mad；but； father； thou art sane；
And thou； his father； must his friend remain。
A father cannot less than father be；
Oh； be to him what thou hast been to me！
But cast upon thy child a kinder eye；
Slay him？Then know that I am doomed to die！
But even if justly done to death were he；
The sentence wrong that； with him； slayeth me。
For double death would double wrong present；
And slay the guilty with the innocent。
'Twas thou didst link us closely hand in hand；
'To live in bliss together' thy command。
Oh； shall the will that both our lives did bless
Doom both these lives to deathto nothingness？
When lips are sealed to lips； and heart to heart；
'Tis tyranny； not law； such love to part。
Oh； not a tyrant； but a father be；
Forgive；give backrestore my love to me！
FELIX。
Dear child； thy father is thy father still；
Nothing hath parted us； and nothing will。
My heart is tender； and it beats for thee：
Against this madman let us joined be。
O wretched man； hast thou no eyes to see； no heart to feel？
Thy guilt； thy crime； I would efface； thy pardon I would seal；
/For/ thee my daughter cannot diesay； must she die /with/ thee？
A victim to the only sin which ne'er can pardoned be。
O sight most strange！ Here at thy knees as suppliant I sue！
（Felix kneels。）
The evil that thyself hast wroughtthat ill thyself undo！
POLY。
Arise； old man； from knees unused to bend；
Or to another ear petition send！
This artifice befits nor me nor thee；
To beg of one twice threatened！Mockery！
First； by thy hand Nearchus felt the flame；
Then love； forsooth； thy plea（profaned name！）
The path of Christian neophyte hast thou trod；
And； in God's name； hast mocked Almighty God！
Earth； heaven； and hell in turn have been thy tool；
And him thou hast traduced thou wouldst befool！
Go；bully…flattererliar！Every part
Thou playest； while delay doth break my heart！
Enough of dallying！ While thou dost dissolve
Thy feeble soul in doubt； hear my resolve：
The God who made meHim will I adore；
He holds my plighted faith；and evermore
He works salvation for his ransomed race
Who gave His Son to death that we might life embrace；
And t