My love, we must not lose hope, for if hope is lost,
then I fear we too will be lost forever.
If your father the Duke has forbidden you to see me publicly,
then let us meet under starlight
at the windmill upon the mountain.
There, late at night, the wood owls make their gothicmusic.
We shall talk together, embrace one another,
and at least have two hourseach night
before the early dawn light.
And I still hope if we wait for a few months longer,
his mind might be persuadedto receive a poor man like me
into your genteel family.
How can we let our love be sacrificed
to the will of such an unkindman?
I know I cannot, and I hope that you cannot,
for if you leave me, I shall never recover