SCENE I.--(_Rise outer Curtain._) _Enter two_ Soldiers.

_1st Sol._ Ho, without there!

_2nd Sol._ What news?

_1st Sol._ Arthur is back for England with all his forces, and the King hath sent an army to withstand his landing, and himself leaveth to-night to follow them.

_2nd Sol._ He be a rare King this Hunchback. He hath a marvellous power. His Knights be feared of him, but ’tis said he’s just.

_1st Sol._ He be not lawful got, ’tis said, but none can say his rule be foul.

_2nd Sol._ ’Tis said that the new Queen be a witch an’ hath holpen him wi’ her deviltries.

_1st Sol._ God save us if it be true! Yet it is safe to say; God save the King an’ Queen. ’Tis better to cry a witch Queen than to be split i’ the gullet.

_2nd Sol._ Yea wi’ plenty ale i’ the pewter and meat o’ the spit, no matter who queens or kings it, so says I. I’m for Mordred an’ the Witch.

_1st Sol._ So be I till the next change comes. [_Exit both._

(_Rise inner Curtain._) _Enter_ VIVIEN _as_ QUEEN _with many_ Ladies _and_ Pages--_takes her state_.

_Enter a_ Knight, _who kneels_.

_Vivien._ What news from France, Sir Bors?

_Knight._ Arthur cometh back, my Lady.

_Vivien._ Nay!

_Knight._ Yea, my Lady, the army be embarked.

_Vivien._ Oh short and bitter!

_Enter_ MORDRED.

_Mordred._ Well, Madam!

_Vivien._ (_To the_ Ladies.) Begone! [_Exit all._

(_To_ MORDRED.) Hast thou heard the news?

_Mordred._ ’Tis as I have long expected. He now cometh back.

_Vivien._ Art thou prepared?

_Mordred._ Yea, if ’tis death thou meanest. And ’twere better so. Thou art a Queen already! I had not thought thou wouldst so look the Queen.

_Vivien._ Mordred, would that thou mightst also see I wear a heart, a woman’s heart, beneath This queenly mask.

_Mordred._ A heart?

_Vivien._ That beats and breaks for thee.

_Mordred._ I’m not myself, I am a hunchback king, Who stole his father’s rule by subtlety. And keepeth it by power of being a devil. I know not love. Woman, thou art mad! Art thou not satisfied with what thou art? I made thee all that woman’s heart might crave. Revenge, ambition, these all can I grant, But love, a commodity not in Mordred’s giving. Use this thy power to surfeit while it lasts, Tomorrow it will topple. I’m o’er-weary Of all this sycophancy of creeping men, Who fear my power and sneer upon my back; A pageantry of lies where human worms, Who crawl to-day, tomorrow get a sting And use it on the hand that ’friended them. I cannot mould the face to popular form, And hide the thought behind the outward act. And make good ill, ill good by royal patent. Nay, I can scorn, and I can hate,--yea strike, When rules the mood, yea, I’m a very devil; But cheat myself and others to what I am, And be a popular dream, a fancied god, The victim of a world’s delusiveness, What manner I am, I were not made for this. Yea coming struggle I meet thee with a joy ’Twere scarce expected. Madam, I bid farewell. We worked this masque together, thou and I, And if it like thee little, blame not Mordred. I go to-night to meet my Sire in battle. Such fight will be this kingdom hath not known In all its sorrows. Britain’s darkest hours Are blacking on her, I feel I go to death. I leave some knights to guard thee. If thou desirest Thou canst withdraw unto some convent close, Till this blows over.

_Vivien._ Nay, Vivien flees not. She dies first! Woman or Queen She will be found where dangers threaten thee And menace thy kingliness, Oh Mordred, Thou knowest not the woman that I am. Take me with thee as thy heart’s true slave, Where thou diest, there would Vivien die, Or where thou goest, there would she wander too.

_Mordred._ Nay, nay, ’tis vain, I am a man apart. Thou knowest not the iron I am become. Mordred needs no shield of kindly help Other than what unkind nature gave him. Woman, thou dost unqueen thyself, I tell thee. Thou wastest thy words on Mordred.

_Vivien._ Oh brute, Oh cruel shape, not natural man, Hast thou no feeling?

_Mordred._ I go forth to-night. To wreck my father, stem his tide this way Unto his rightful kingdom. Speak me love! Rather tell the lamb skipping the mead, Go ask the wolf for suckle.

_Vivien._ Nay Mordred, slay me now and thou wilt know Vivien had blood full warm to flow for thee.

_Mordred._ Woman, I’m all iron and adamant And yet I pity thee for thou hast hell. I would not slay thee--rather fare thee well.

[_Exit_ MORDRED.

_Vivien._ Oh God! Mordred! Mordred! Is this all? And I have moulded him unto this iron I beat against. It is my punishment! Oh God! Oh God! Nay, I will go with him, And die with him if need be. Now my wits! But how? How? How?

_Enter a_ Page.

_Page._ Madam, the King?

_Vivien._ He hath just left--Stay, dost thou go with him?

_Page._ Yea, Madam.

_Vivien._ Doth see this jewel?

_Page._ Yea Madam, it be wondrous indeed.

_Vivien._ It will be thine--wilt thou stay, And let another go in thy stead.

_Page._ The King trusteth me.

_Vivien._ ’Tis the will of one who loveth the King far more than ever thou couldst. ’Tis my will. Thou must stay. Quick, this way. [_Exit both._

_Re-enter_ MORDRED _with his_ Knights.

_Trumpets without._

_Mordred._ Make haste! Make haste! Where tarrieth this Squire of mine? We must ride to Dover ere it darkens.

_A Knight._ He cometh now, Sire.

_Enter_ VIVIEN, _disguised as a_ Squire.

_Mordred._ Dost thou keep thy king? thou wert long in coming.

_Vivien._ I came with all speed, Sire.

_Mordred._ Thou seemest over pink and white for this work. Canst thou fight?

_Vivien._ Yea, Sire, I can use a dagger.

_Mordred._ Then follow--Ho, there without! Now for Mordred’s doom. [_Curtain._