Nor  known  the  heart  I  prize  above  all

treasures,
This  fate  had  still  been  mine.     It  must

be  mine.
Whether   you   share  and  sweeten   it

to  me.
Or  let  me  bear  my  burden  all  alone.
The   thing    that   I  must  do  to  keep

my  place
I    could   not    do,    except   with    self-
contempt,
And  open-eyed  dishonour,  and  the  loss
Of  all  in  life  that  makes  it  worth  the

living ;
And  yet  I  have  been  fooled  into  a

promise
To  do  this  very  thing.
Ina.
You  frighten  me.
I  do  not  understand.     What  have  you

done  ?
'Tis  sin  to  break  a  promise;  yet  it

may  be
A  greater  sin  to  keep  it ;  and  between
The  choice  of  sins,  'tis  hard  to  pick
one's  way.
Sir  Diarmid.
Ay,  truly  it  is  but  a  choice  of  wrongs.
I  made  a  promise  that  was  false  to  love.
And  break  it  that  I  may  be  true  again :
Caught  in   the  snare  which  I  myself

had  laid,
I  must  break  from  it,  though  I  break

my  troth,


454


Kildrostan


For  only  being  false,  can  I  be  true.
Oh,  I  am  humbled  and  ashamed,  as  well
I  may  be.     But  you  do  forgive  me,  Ina?

Itia.
Yes,  I  forgive  you.     But  I  am  per-
plexed.
What  is  it  all  about  ?

Enter  Doris.
Doris.
Oh,  Ina  dear.
Why  do  you  keep  a  dragon  like  that

Morag,
Who  cannot  even  nicely  tell  a  lie
To  visitors,  but  sends  them  from  your

door.
Gruff  as   a  bear?    (Starting.)       Ah!

You  here,  Diarmid,  are  you  ?
Well,  you  are  favoured,  Ina.     Only

think ;
That  both  of  us  should  turn  at  once

to  you
To  be  the  first  to  hear  the  happy  news  !
Of  course,  he  has  been  telling  you.
Ina.
