JUSTINA: 
I will not be discouraged, nor despair,
Although I thought it, and although ’tis true
That thought is but a prelude to the deed:—­
Thought is not in my power, but action is: 
I will not move my foot to follow thee. 120

DAEMON: 
But a far mightier wisdom than thine own
Exerts itself within thee, with such power
Compelling thee to that which it inclines
That it shall force thy step; how wilt thou then
Resist, Justina?

NOTE: 
123 inclines]inclines to cj.  Rossetti.

JUSTINA: 
By my free-will.

DAEMON: 
I 125
Must force thy will.

JUSTINA: 
It is invincible;
It were not free if thou hadst power upon it.

[HE DRAWS, BUT CANNOT MOVE HER.]

DAEMON: 
Come, where a pleasure waits thee.

JUSTINA: 
It were bought
Too dear.

DAEMON: 
’Twill soothe thy heart to softest peace.

JUSTINA: 
’Tis dread captivity.

DAEMON: 
’Tis joy, ’tis glory. 130

JUSTINA: 
’Tis shame, ’tis torment, ’tis despair.

DAEMON: 
But how
Canst thou defend thyself from that or me,
If my power drags thee onward?

JUSTINA: 
My defence
Consists in God.

[HE VAINLY ENDEAVOURS TO FORCE HER, AND AT LAST RELEASES HER.]

DAEMON: 
Woman, thou hast subdued me,
Only by not owning thyself subdued. 135
But since thou thus findest defence in God,
I will assume a feigned form, and thus
Make thee a victim of my baffled rage. 
For I will mask a spirit in thy form
Who will betray thy name to infamy, 140
And doubly shall I triumph in thy loss,
First by dishonouring thee, and then by turning
False pleasure to true ignominy.

[EXIT.]

JUSTINA:  I
Appeal to Heaven against thee; so that Heaven
May scatter thy delusions, and the blot 145
Upon my fame vanish in idle thought,
Even as flame dies in the envious air,
And as the floweret wanes at morning frost;
And thou shouldst never—­But, alas! to whom
Do I still speak?—­Did not a man but now 150
Stand here before me?—­No, I am alone,
And yet I saw him.  Is he gone so quickly? 
Or can the heated mind engender shapes
From its own fear?  Some terrible and strange
Peril is near.  Lisander! father! lord! 155
Livia!—­

[ENTER LISANDER AND LIVIA.]

LISANDER: 
Oh, my daughter!  What?

LIVIA: 
What!

JUSTINA: 
Saw you
A man go forth from my apartment now?—­
I scarce contain myself!