Act 5 — SCENE IV
Reading edition
The Palace at Ferrara.
The Duchess Lucrezia Borgia d’Este, dressed in mourning, in a small room. She is feeding birds.
LUCREZIA.
My doves, My little, gladsome ones.... Rodrigo!... My little Roman dove, my young, a softness Still to my bosom.... And this father— His love to me, and all the streams of pearls! They have not honourably buried him; They are not sorry. [She weeps. I have prayed so long: I have been angry. In my dreams I prayed; And then he broke it, for he came to me, His lips bulged out for kisses: “Dance, Lucrece, Dance to me, child; it is that grace prevails!”
[After a pause—to the doves.
There, there! Fly out! There! Flutter on my shoulder, And let me catch you. Father, do you mark, I am not weeping?—See, how they all settle About me, on my head, and on my bosom— See, how I rise and flutter them!
[She rises and the doves disperse from her in troops.
How lightsome They come back to their roost! Dear Blessèdness, And this will give you peace....
[Suddenly she bows her golden head; the doves flutter down on it in a halo.