The Duke of Gandia | Page 3

thrust behind with scarce a
smile The mother?
ALEXANDER
Thrust not out thy thorns at heaven, Rose.
LUCREZIA
But what ailed her? And she will not say.
CAESAR
Sister, I sinned--sin must be mine. A word Fell out askance between us,
and she wept Because our father chid us.
LUCREZIA
How should strife Find here a tongue to hiss with? Are not we,
Brothers and sire and sister, sealed of God Lovers--made one in love?
ALEXANDER
Deride not God, Lucrezia.
LUCREZIA
Father, dost thou fear him, then?
ALEXANDER
I say not and I know not if I fear.
FRANCESCO
Thou canst not. Father, were he terrible, How long wouldst thou
live--thou, his mask on earth?
ALEXANDER
Boy, art thou all a child? What knew they more, The men that loved
and feared and died for God, Than I and thou who know him not? We
know This life is ours, and sweet, if shame and fear Make us not less
than man: and less were they Who crawled and writhed and cowered
and called on God To save them from him. Here I stand as he, God, or
God's very figure wrought in flesh, More godlike than was Jesus. Dare
I fear Whipping and hanging? Thou, my cardinal, Canst think not to be
scourged and crucified - Ha?
CAESAR
Nay: there lurks no God in me. And thou, Father, dost thou fear?
ALEXANDER
I? Nought less than God. But if we take him lightly on our lips Too
light his name will sound in all men's ears Till earth and air, when man
says God, respond Laughter. Forbear him.

CAESAR
Wisdom lives in thee, And cries not out along the streets as when None
of God's folk that heard regarded her, As all that hear thy word
regard--or die, Being not outside God's eyeshot. Dost thou sleep Here
in his special keeping--here--to-night, Brother?
FRANCESCO
What bids thee care to know?
CAESAR
They say These holy streets of heaven's most holiest choice Lie
dangerous now in darkness if a man Walk not on holiest errands. Thou,
they say, Wert scarce a Christlike sacrifice if slain. Too many dead
flow down the Tiber's flow Nightly. They say it.
FRANCESCO
I never called thee yet Fool.
CAESAR
Ah, my lord and brother, didst thou now, Were this not thankless?
God--our father's God - Guide thee! [Exit FRANCESCO. He goes, and
thanks me not. Our sire, What says the God that lives upon thy lips And
withers in thy silence?
LUCREZIA
Vex him not, Caesar. Thou seest he is weary.
ALEXANDER
Yea. Come ye With me. Bethink thee, Caesar. Vex me not.
Exeunt ALEXANDER, VANNOZZA, and LUCREZIA.
CAESAR
Thou wilt not bid me this, I think, again, Father.
Enter MICHELOTTO
Thou art swift of speed at need. I bade thee Abide my bidding.
MICHELOTTO
Till my lord were left Alone.
CAESAR
Thou knewest it?
MICHELOTTO
Where my lord may be And what beseems his thrall to know of him I
were not worthy, knew I not, to know.
CAESAR
I do not ask thee where my brother sleeps. And where to-morrow sees

him yet asleep -
MICHELOTTO
Ask of the fishers' nets on Tiber.
CAESAR
Nay - Not I but Rome shall ask it. Pass in peace. The benediction of my
sire be thine. [Exeunt.

SCENE II

A narrow street opening on the Tiber
Enter MICHELOTTO and ASSASSINS
MICHELOTTO
Ye know the lordlier harlot's house--there?
FIRST ASSASSIN
Ay, Surely.
MICHELOTTO
The first whose foot comes forth is he.
SECOND ASSASSIN
How know we this?
MICHELOTTO
I know it. Ye need but slay. [Exit.
Enter FRANCESCO
FRANCESCO (singing)
Love and night are life and light; Sleep and wine and song Speed and
slay the halting day Ere it live too long.
FIRST ASSASSIN
That shalt not thou. Sing, whosoe'er thou be, Thy next of songs to Satan.
[They stab him.
FRANCESCO
Dogs! Ye dare? God! Pity me! God! [Dies.
SECOND ASSASSIN
God receive his soul! This was a Christian: many a man I have slain
Died with all hell between his lips.
FIRST ASSASSIN
Be thine Dumb. Lift his feet as I the head.
SECOND ASSASSIN
A boy! And fair of face as angels

FIRST ASSASSIN
If the nets Snare not this fish betimes ere others feed, None that shall
heave it airward for the sun To mock and mar shall say so. Bring him
down. Tiber hath fed on choicer fare than we May think to feed his
throat with ere we die. [Exeunt with the body.

SCENE III

The Vatican
ALEXANDER and LUCREZIA
ALEXANDER
The day burns high. Thou hast not seen them--thou?
LUCREZIA
My brethren, sire? Nay, not since yesternight.
ALEXANDER
The night is newly dead. Since yestereven?
LUCREZIA
Nor then. I saw them when we parted here Last.
ALEXANDER
I