Paternal Love

[LE ROI S'AMUSE, Act II] My child! oh, only blessing Heaven allows me! Others have parents, brothers, kinsmen, friends, A wife, a husband, vassals, followers, Ancestors, and allies, or many children. I have but thee, thee only. Some are rich; Thou art my treasure, thou art all my riches. And some believe in angels; I believe In nothing but thy soul. Others have youth, And woman's love, and pride, and grace, and health; Others are beautiful; thou art my beauty, Thou art my home, my country and my kin, My wife, my mother, sister, friend--my child! My bliss, my wealth, my worship, and my law, My Universe! Oh, by all other things My soul is tortured. If I should ever lose thee-- Horrible thought! I cannot utter it. Smile, for thy smile is like thy mother's smiling. She, too, was fair; you have a trick like her, Of passing oft your hand athwart your brow As though to clear it. Innocence still loves A brow unclouded and an azure eye. To me thou seem'st clothed in a holy halo, My soul beholds thy soul through thy fair body; E'en when my eyes are shut, I see thee still; Thou art my daylight, and sometimes I wish That Heaven had made me blind that thou might'st be The sun that lighted up the world for me.