PAOLO.  It is false! 
If you received my dagger from his hand,
He stole it.

LANCIOTTO.  There, sweet heaven, I knew!  And now
You will deny the rest?  You see, my friends,
How easy of belief I have become!—­
How easy ’twere to cheat me!

PAOLO.  No; enough! 
I will not load my groaning spirit more;
A lie would crush it.

LANCIOTTO.  Brother, once you gave
Life to this wretched piece of workmanship,
When my own hand resolved its overthrow. 
Revoke the gift. [Offers to stab himself.

  PAOLO. [Preventing him.] Hold, homicide!

LANCIOTTO.  But think,
You and Francesca may live happily,
After my death, as only lovers can.

  PAOLO.  Live happily, after a deed like this!

LANCIOTTO.  Now, look ye! there is not one hour of life
Among us three.  Paolo, you are armed—­
You have a sword, I but a dagger:  see! 
I mean to kill you.

  FRANCESCA. [Whispers to PAOLO.] Give thy sword to me.

PAOLO.  Away! thou’rt frantic.  I will never lift
This wicked hand against thee.

LANCIOTTO.  Coward, slave! 
Art thou so faint?  Does Malatesta’s blood
Run in thy puny veins?  Take that! [Strikes him.

PAOLO.  And more: 
Thou canst not offer more than I will bear.

LANCIOTTO.  Paolo, what a craven has thy guilt
Transformed thee to!  Why, I have seen the time
When thou’dst have struck at heaven for such a thing! 
Art thou afraid?

  PAOLO.  I am.

  LANCIOTTO.  O! infamy! 

Can man sink lower?  I will wake thee, though:—­
Thou shalt not die a coward.  See! look here!
          
                                              [Stabs FRANCESCA.

FRANCESCA.  O!—­O!—­ [Falls.

PAOLO.  Remorseless man, dare you do this,
And hope to live?  Die, murderer!
[Draws, rushes at him, but pauses.

LANCIOTTO.  Strike, strike! 
Ere thy heart fail.

PAOLO.  I cannot. [Throws away his sword.

LANCIOTTO.  Dost thou see
Yon bloated spider—­hideous as myself—­
Climbing aloft, to reach that wavering twig? 
When he has touched it, one of us must die. 
Here is the dagger.—­Look at me, I say! 
Keep your eyes from that woman!  Look, think, choose!—­
Turn here to me:  thou shalt not look at her!

PAOLO.  O, heaven!

LANCIOTTO.  ’Tis done!

PAOLO. [Struggling with him.] O!  Lanciotto, hold! 
Hold, for thy sake!  Thou wilt repent this deed.