Io
[He smiles with deep tenderness ; suddenly a pang
catches him; he strikes at his throat, and
cries sharply :|
Ah!
[Shsvers with terrible emotion.]
Maurya. Criosda, ever the same! The old world
runs
On wheels of laughter for us little ones ;
To you, whose shoulders strain, the chariot seems
A poised fiend flogging you to hell.
CRIOSDA. These thoughts,
Maurya,—Maurya ! they become you not.
Child, to see sorrow is to taste it.
Maurya. No;
For such a sorrow is its own calm joy.
But—share me now your pain.
Criospa. [Jn agony.| No! no! not that!
Maurya. [Smiling.| The priest has secrets from the
goddess ?
CRIOSDA.
[With a cry as of physical pain, deadly sharp.|
Stop !
No jesting there.
Maurya. I did not mean to jest.
As brother to sister ?
CRIOSDA. Ah! that hurts, that hurts.
Maurya. lam heavy?
CRrIOsDA. Heavy as my own heart’s fear.