LANCIOTTO.  I know it.

FRANCESCA. [Rising.] Help!—­O! murder!—­help, help, help!
[She totters towards them, and falls.

LANCIOTTO.  Our honour, boy. [Stabs PAOLO; he falls.

FRANCESCA.  Paolo!

PAOLO.  Hark! she calls. 
I pray thee, brother, help me to her side.

[LANCIOTTO helps him to FRANCESCA.

LANCIOTTO.  Why, there!

PAOLO.  God bless thee!

LANCIOTTO.  Have I not done well? 
What were the honour of the Malatesti,
With such a living slander fixed to it? 
Cripple! that’s something—­cuckold! that is damned! 
You blame me?

  PAOLO.  No.

  LANCIOTTO.  You, lady?

  FRANCESCA.  No, my lord.

LANCIOTTO.  May God forgive you!  We are even now: 
Your blood has cleared my honour, and our name
Shines to the world as ever.

  PAOLO.  O!—­O!—­

FRANCESCA.  Love,
Art suffering?

  PAOLO.  But for thee.

FRANCESCA.  Here, rest thy head
Upon my bosom.  Fie upon my blood! 
It stains thy ringlets.  Ha! he dies!  Kind saints,
I was first struck, why cannot I die first? 
Paolo, wake!—­God’s mercy! wilt thou go
Alone—­without me?  Prithee, strike again! 
Nay, I am better—­love—­now—­O! [Dies.

  LANCIOTTO. [Sinks upon his knees.] Great heaven!

  MALATESTA. [Without.] This way, I heard the cries.

Enter with GUIDO, ATTENDANTS, etc.

GUIDO.  O! horrible!

MALATESTA.  O! bloody spectacle!  Where is thy brother?

  LANCIOTTO.  So Cain was asked.  Come here, old men!  You shrink

From two dead bodies and a pool of blood—­ You soldiers, too!  Come here!
                                  [Drags MALATESTA and GUIDO forward.

MALATESTA.  O!—­O!—­

LANCIOTTO.  You groan! 
What must I do, then?  Father, here it is,—­
The blood of Guido mingled with our own,
As my old nurse predicted.  And the spot
Of her infernal baptism burns my brain
Till reason shudders!  Down, upon your knees! 
Ay, shake them harder, and perchance they’ll wake. 
Keep still!  Kneel, kneel!  You fear them?  I shall prowl
About these bodies till the day of doom.

  MALATESTA.  What hast thou done?

  GUIDO.  Francesca!—­O! my child!