who loves his King so
overmuch that no perfidy on the King's part can make his resolution to
serve him waver for an instant.

_+Lady+ CARLISLE enters._

You here, child?

_Lady Carlisle._ Hush--
I know it all: hush, Strafford!

_Strafford._ Ah? you know?
Well. I shall make a sorry soldier, Lucy!
All knights begin their enterprise, we read,
Under the best of auspices; 'tis morn,
The Lady girds his sword upon the Youth
(He's always very young)--the trumpets sound,
Cups pledge him, and, why, the King blesses him--
You need not turn a page of the romance
To learn the Dreadful Giant's fate. Indeed,
We've the fair Lady here; but she apart,--
A poor man, rarely having handled lance,
And rather old, weary, and far from sure
His Squires are not the Giant's friends. All's one:
Let us go forth!

_Lady Carlisle._ Go forth?

_Strafford._ What matters it?
We shall die gloriously--as the book says.

_Lady Carlisle._ To Scotland? Not to Scotland?

_Strafford._ Am I sick
Like your good brother, brave Northumberland?
Beside, these walls seem falling on me.

_Lady Carlisle._ Strafford,
The wind that saps these walls can undermine
Your camp in Scotland, too. Whence creeps the wind?
Have you no eyes except for Pym? Look here!
A breed of silken creatures lurk and thrive
In your contempt. You'll vanquish Pym? Old Vane
Can vanquish you. And Vane you think to fly?
Rush on the Scots! Do nobly! Vane's slight sneer
Shall test success, adjust the praise, suggest
The faint result: Vane's sneer shall reach you there.
--You do not listen!

_Strafford._ Oh,--I give that up!
There's fate in it: I give all here quite up.
Care not what old Vane does or Holland does
Against me! 'Tis so idle to withstand!
In no case tell me what they do!

_Lady Carlisle._ But, Strafford....

_Strafford._ I want a little strife, beside; real strife;
This petty palace-warfare does me harm:
I shall feel better, fairly out of it.

_Lady Carlisle._ Why do you smile?

_Strafford._ I got to fear them, child!
I could have torn his throat at first, old Vane's,
As he leered at me on his stealthy way
To the Queen's closet. Lord, one loses heart!
I often found it on