LORD ORM.

Hear me, then, too:  I have seen robbers rule,
And thieves go clad in gold—­age after age—­
Because, though sordid, ragged, rude, and mean,
They saw, like gods, no law above their heads. 
But when they fell—­then for this cause they fell,
This last mean cobweb of the fairy tales
Of good and ill:  that they must stand and fight
When a man bade, though they had chose to stand
And fight not.  I am stronger than the world.

[Folds his arms.]

REDFEATHER [lifts his hand].

If in your body be the blood of man,

[Strikes him.]

Now let it rush to the face—­
        God!  Have you sunk
Lower than anger?

LORD ORM.

How I triumph now.

REDFEATHER [stamps wildly].

Damned, whimpering dog! vile, snivelling, sick poltroon! 
Are you alive?

LORD ORM.

Evil, be thou my good;
Let the sun blacken and the moon be blood: 
I have said the words.

REDFEATHER [studying him].

And if I struck you dead,
You would turn to daisies!

LORD ORM.

And you do not strike.

REDFEATHER [dreamily].

Indeed, poor soul, such magic would be kind
And full of pity as a fairy-tale: 
One touch of this bright wand [Lifts his sword]
    and down would drop
The dark abortive blunder that is you. 
And you would change, forgiven, into flowers.

LORD ORM.

And yet—­and yet you do not strike me dead. 
I do not draw:  the sword is in your hand—­
Drive the blade through me where I stand.

REDFEATHER.

Lord Orm,
You asked the Lady Olive (I can speak
As to a toad to you, my lord)—­you asked
Olive to be your paramour:  and she—­

LORD ORM.

Refused.

REDFEATHER.

And yet her father was at stake,
And she is soft and kind.  Now look at me,
Ragged and ruined, soaked in bestial sins: 
My lord, I too have my virginity—­
Turn the thing round, my lord, and topside down,
You cannot spell it.  Be the fact enough,
I use no sword upon a swordless man.

LORD ORM.

For her?

REDFEATHER.

I too have my virginity.

LORD ORM.

Now look on me:  I am the lord of earth,
For I have broken the last bond of man. 
I stand erect, crowned with the stars—­and why? 
Because I stand a coward—­because you
Have mercy—­on a coward.  Do I win?

REDFEATHER.

Though there you stand with moving mouth and eyes,
I think, my lord, you are not possible—­
God keep you from my dreams.

[Goes out.]

LORD ORM.