The Duchess of Padua | Page 4

had been born to him, His noble face lit up beneath his helm Like a great fire seen far out at sea, And taking my two hands, he bade me, Guido, To rear you worthy of him; so I have reared you To revenge his death upon the friend who sold him.
GUIDO
Thou hast done well; I for my father thank thee. And now his name?
MORANZONE
How you remind me of him, You have each gesture that your father had.
GUIDO
The traitor's name?
MORANZONE
Thou wilt hear that anon; The Duke and other nobles at the Court Are coming hither.
GUIDO
What of that? his name?
MORANZONE
Do they not seem a valiant company Of honourable, honest gentlemen?
GUIDO
His name, milord?
[Enter the DUKE OF PADUA with COUNT BARDI, MAFFIO, PETRUCCI, and other gentlemen of his Court.]
MORANZONE
[quickly] The man to whom I kneel Is he who sold your father! mark me well.
GUIDO
[clutches hit dagger] The Duke!
MORANZONE
Leave off that fingering of thy knife. Hast thou so soon forgotten? [Kneels to the DUKE.] My noble Lord.
DUKE
Welcome, Count Moranzone; 'tis some time Since we have seen you here in Padua. We hunted near your castle yesterday - Call you it castle? that bleak house of yours Wherein you sit a-mumbling o'er your beads, Telling your vices like a good old man. [Catches sight of GUIDO and starts back.] Who is that?
MORANZONE
My sister's son, your Grace, Who being now of age to carry arms, Would for a season tarry at your Court
DUKE
[still looking at GUIDO] What is his name?
MORANZONE
Guido Ferranti, sir.
DUKE
His city?
MORANZONE
He is Mantuan by birth.
DUKE
[advancing towards GUIDO] You have the eyes of one I used to know, But he died childless. Are you honest, boy? Then be not spendthrift of your honesty, But keep it to yourself; in Padua Men think that honesty is ostentatious, so It is not of the fashion. Look at these lords.
COUNT BARDI
[aside] Here is some bitter arrow for us, sure.
DUKE
Why, every man among them has his price, Although, to do them justice, some of them Are quite expensive.
COUNT BARDI
[aside] There it comes indeed.
DUKE
So be not honest; eccentricity Is not a thing should ever be encouraged, Although, in this dull stupid age of ours, The most eccentric thing a man can do Is to have brains, then the mob mocks at him; And for the mob, despise it as I do, I hold its bubble praise and windy favours In such account, that popularity Is the one insult I have never suffered.
MAFFIO
[aside]
He has enough of hate, if he needs that.
DUKE
Have prudence; in your dealings with the world Be not too hasty; act on the second thought, First impulses are generally good.
GUIDO
[aside] Surely a toad sits on his lips, and spills its venom there.
DUKE
See thou hast enemies, Else will the world think very little of thee; It is its test of power; yet see thou show'st A smiling mask of friendship to all men, Until thou hast them safely in thy grip, Then thou canst crush them.
GUIDO
[aside] O wise philosopher! That for thyself dost dig so deep a grave.
MORANZONE
[to him] Dost thou mark his words?
GUIDO
Oh, be thou sure I do.
DUKE
And be not over-scrupulous; clean hands With nothing in them make a sorry show. If you would have the lion's share of life You must wear the fox's skin. Oh, it will fit you; It is a coat which fitteth every man.
GUIDO
Your Grace, I shall remember.
DUKE
That is well, boy, well. I would not have about me shallow fools, Who with mean scruples weigh the gold of life, And faltering, paltering, end by failure; failure, The only crime which I have not committed: I would have MEN about me. As for conscience, Conscience is but the name which cowardice Fleeing from battle scrawls upon its shield. You understand me, boy?
GUIDO
I do, your Grace, And will in all things carry out the creed Which you have taught me.
MAFFIO
I never heard your Grace So much in the vein for preaching; let the Cardinal Look to his laurels, sir.
DUKE
The Cardinal! Men follow my creed, and they gabble his. I do not think much of the Cardinal; Although he is a holy churchman, and I quite admit his dulness. Well, sir, from now We count you of our household [He holds out his hand for GUIDO to kiss. GUIDO starts back in horror, but at a gesture from COUNT MORANZONE, kneels and kisses it.] We will see That you are furnished with such equipage As doth befit your honour and our state.
GUIDO
I thank your Grace most heartily.
DUKE
Tell me again What is your name?
GUIDO
Guido Ferranti, sir.
DUKE
And you are Mantuan? Look to your wives, my lords, When such a gallant comes to Padua. Thou dost well to laugh, Count Bardi; I have noted How merry is that husband by whose hearth Sits an uncomely wife.
MAFFIO
May it please your Grace, The wives of Padua are above suspicion.
DUKE
What, are they so