SCENE
A dungeon in the public prison of Padua; Guido lies asleep on a pallet (L.C.); a table with a goblet on it is set (L.C.); five soldiers are drinking and playing dice in the corner on a stone table; one of them has a lantern hung to his halbert; a torch is set in the wall over Guido's head. Two grated windows behind, one on each side of the door which is (C.), look out into the passage; the stage is rather dark.
FIRST SOLDIER
[throws dice]
Sixes again! good Pietro.
SECOND SOLDIER
I' faith, lieutenant, I will play with thee no more. I will lose everything.
THIRD SOLDIER
Except thy wits; thou art safe there!
SECOND SOLDIER
Ay, ay, he cannot take them from me.
THIRD SOLDIER
No; for thou hast no wits to give him.
THE SOLDIERS
[loudly]
Ha! ha! ha!
FIRST SOLDIER
Silence! You will wake the prisoner; he is asleep.
SECOND SOLDIER
What matter? He will get sleep enough when he is buried. I warrant he'd be glad if we could wake him when he's in the grave.
THIRD SOLDIER
Nay! for when he wakes there it will be judgment day.
SECOND SOLDIER
Ay, and he has done a grievous thing; for, look you, to murder one of us who are but flesh and blood is a sin, and to kill a Duke goes being near against the law.
FIRST SOLDIER
Well, well, he was a wicked Duke.
SECOND SOLDIER
And so he should not have touched him; if one meddles with wicked people, one is like to be tainted with their wickedness.
THIRD SOLDIER
Ay, that is true. How old is the prisoner?
SECOND SOLDIER
Old enough to do wrong, and not old enough to be wise.
FIRST SOLDIER
Why, then, he might be any age.
SECOND SOLDIER
They say the Duchess wanted to pardon him.
FIRST SOLDIER
Is that so?
SECOND SOLDIER
Ay, and did much entreat the Lord Justice, but he would not.
FIRST SOLDIER
I had thought, Pietro, that the Duchess was omnipotent.
SECOND SOLDIER
True, she is well-favoured; I know none so comely.
THE SOLDIERS
Ha! ha! ha!
FIRST SOLDIER
I meant I had thought our Duchess could do anything.
SECOND SOLDIER
Nay, for he is now given over to the Justices, and they will see that justice be done; they and stout Hugh the headsman; but when his head is off, why then the Duchess can pardon him if she likes; there is no law against that.
FIRST SOLDIER
I do not think that stout Hugh, as you call him, will do the business for him after all. This Guido is of gentle birth, and so by the law can drink poison first, if it so be his pleasure.
THIRD SOLDIER
And if he does not drink it?
FIRST SOLDIER
Why, then, they will kill him.
[Knocking comes at the door.]
FIRST SOLDIER
See who that is.
[Third Soldier goes over and looks through the wicket.]
THIRD SOLDIER
It is a woman, sir.
FIRST SOLDIER
Is she pretty?
THIRD SOLDIER
I can't tell. She is masked, lieutenant.
FIRST SOLDIER
It is only very ugly or very beautiful women who ever hide their faces. Let her in.
[Soldier opens the door, and the DUCHESS masked and cloaked enters.]
DUCHESS
[to Third Soldier]
Are you the officer on guard?
FIRST SOLDIER
[coming forward]
I am, madam.
DUCHESS
I must see the prisoner alone.
FIRST SOLDIER
I am afraid that is impossible. [The DUCHESS hands him a ring, he looks at and returns it to her with a bow and makes a sign to the Soldiers.] Stand without there. [Exeunt the Soldiers.]
DUCHESS
Officer, your men are somewhat rough.
FIRST SOLDIER
They mean no harm.
DUCHESS
I shall be going back in a few minutes. As I pass through the corridor do not let them try and lift my mask.
FIRST SOLDIER
You need not be afraid, madam.
DUCHESS
I have a particular reason for wishing my face not to be seen.
FIRST SOLDIER
Madam, with this ring you can go in and out as you please; it is the Duchess's own ring.
DUCHESS
Leave us. [The Soldier turns to go out.] A moment, sir. For what hour is . . .
FIRST SOLDIER
At twelve o'clock, madam, we have orders to lead him out; but I dare say he won't wait for us; he's more like to take a drink out of that poison yonder. Men are afraid of the headsman.
DUCHESS
Is that poison?
FIRST SOLDIER
Ay, madam, and very sure poison too.
DUCHESS
You may go, sir.
FIRST SOLDIER
By Saint James, a pretty hand! I wonder who she is. Some woman who loved him, perhaps. [Exit.]
DUCHESS
[taking her mark off] At last!
He can escape now in this cloak and vizard, We are of a height almost: they will not know him;
As for myself what matter?
So that he does not curse me as he goes, I care but little: I wonder will he curse me.
He has the right. It is eleven now;
They will not come till twelve.
[Goes over to the table.]
So this is poison.
Is it not strange that in this liquor here There lies the key to all philosophies?
[Takes the cup up.]
It smells of poppies. I remember well That, when I was a child in Sicily, I took the scarlet poppies from the corn, And made a little wreath, and my grave uncle, Don John of Naples, laughed: I did not know That they had power to stay the springs of life, To make the pulse cease beating, and to chill The blood in its own vessels, till men come And with a hook hale the poor body out, And throw it in a ditch: the body, ay, - What of the soul? that goes to heaven or hell.
Where will mine go?
[Takes the torch from the wall, and goes over to the bed.]
How peacefully here he sleeps, Like a young schoolboy tired out with play:
I would that I could sleep so peacefully, But I have dreams. [Bending over him.]
Poor boy: what if I kissed him?
No, no, my lips would burn him like a fire.
He has had enough of Love. Still that white neck Will 'scape the headsman: I have seen to that:
He will get hence from Padua to-night, And that is well. You are very wise, Lord Justices, And yet you are not half so wise as I am, And that is well.
O God! how I have loved you, And what a bloody flower did Love bear!
[Comes back to the table.]
What if I drank these juices, and so ceased?
Were it not better than to wait till Death Come to my bed with all his serving men, Remorse, disease, old age, and misery?
I wonder does one suffer much: I think That I am very young to die like this, But so it must be. Why, why should I die?
He will escape to-night, and so his blood Will not be on my head. No, I must die;
I have been guilty, therefore I must die;
He loves me not, and therefore I must die: