Page:Victor Hugo's Works (Guernsey Edition) v14.djvu/47

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My common dream.

'T is natural,—dreams go by contraries.

And you, Ascolti, dream of telling truth;

And, Ordelaffi, that you've grown wise.

And you, that your back's straight, your legs a match.

And your tongue tipped with honey.

Come, my lords;

Leave him to spit his venom at the moon,

As they say toads do!

Take my curse among you,

Fair, false, big, brainless, outside shows of men;

For once your gibes and jeers fall pointless from me.

My great revenge is nigh, and drowns all sense,

I am straight and fair and well-shaped as yourselves;

Vengeance swells out my veins, and lifts my head,

And makes me terrible! Come, sweet to-morrow,

And put my enemy's heart into my hand

That I may gnaw it!