The Vigil of Venus and Other Poems | Page 6

him
wistfully, and turns to
the Captain of the
Guard._
Cesario,
What are the suits?
Cesario. They are but three to-day,
Madonna. First, a scoundrel here
in irons
For having struck the Guard.
_Regent (eying the culprit)._ His name, I think, Is Donatello Crocco.
Hey? You improve,
Good man. The last time 'twas your wife you
basted.
At this rate, in another year or two
You'll bang the Turk. Do
you confess the assault?
Prisoner. I do.
Regent. Upon a promise we dismiss you.
Your tavern, as it comes
into our mind,
Is the 'Three Cups.' So many, and no more,
You'll
drink to-day--have we your word? Three cups,
And each a Viva for
the Duke's return.
Prisoner. Your Highness, I'll not take it at the price
Of my good

manners. I'm a gallant man:
And who in Adria calls. 'Three cheers for
the Duke!'
But adds a fourth for the Duchess? Lady, nay;
Grant me
that fourth, or back I go to the cells!
[_The Regent laughs and nods to the Guard to release
him._
Regent. What next?
_An Old Woman (very rapidly)._ Your Highness will not know
me--Zia Agnese, Giovannucci's wife that was;
And feed a two-three
cows, as a widow may,
On the marshes where the grass is salt and
sweet
As your Highness knows--and always true to pail
Until this
Nicolo--
Nicolo. Lies! lies, your Highness!
Old Woman. Having a quarrel, puts the evil eye
On Serafina. She's
my best of cows,
In stall with calf but ten days weaned.
Nicolo. Lies! lies!
Old Woman. I would your Highness saw her! When that thief Hangs
upon Lazarus' bosom, he'll be bidding
A ducat for each drop of milk
he's cost me,
To cool his tongue.
Regent. Ay--ay, the cow is sick,
I think; and mind me, being
country-bred,
Of a cure for such: which is, to buy a comb
And
comb the sufferer's tail at feeding-time.
If Zia Agnese do but this,
she'll counter
The Evil Eye, and maybe with her own
Detect who
thieves her Serafina's hay.
Old Woman. God bless your Highness!
Nicolo. God bless your Highness!
_Regent (taking up a fresh suit).Why, what's here? "Costanza, Wife of
Giuseppe Boni, citeth him
And sueth to live separate, for neglect


And divers beatings, as to wit----_" H'm, h'm--
_Likewise to keep the
child Geronimo,
Begotten of his body._ You defend
The suit,
Giuseppe?
_A Young Peasant (shrugs his shoulders)._ As the woman will! I'll not
deny I beat her.
Regent. But neglect!
How came you to neglect her? Look on her--

The handsome, frowsy slut, that, by appearance,
Hath never washed
her body since she wed.
A beating we might pass. But how neglect

To take her by the neck unto the pump
And hold her till her wet and
furious face
Were once again worth kissing? Well--well--well!

Neglect is proven. She shall have deserts:
_(To a Clerk)_ But--write,
"Defendant keeps his lawful child."
Young Peasant. My lady--
Wife. Nay, my lady--
Regent. Eh? What's this?
Wife._ The poor _bambino! Nay, 'twas not the suit!
How should
Giuseppe, being a fool, a man--
Young Peasant. Aye, aye: that's sense. I love him: still, you see--
Regent. An if my judgment suit you not, go home,
The pair. _(As
they are going she calls the woman back.)_
Costanza! hath your husband erred
With other woman?
Young Peasant. Never!
Wife. I'll not charge him
With that.
Regent. But, yes, you may. This man hath held
Another woman to his
breast.

Wife. Her name?
That I may tear her eyes!
Regent. Her name's Costanza.
The same Costanza that, with body
washed,
With ribbon in her hair, light in her eyes,
Arrayed a cottage
to allure his heart.
Go home, poor fools, and find her!...
Heigh! No others? [Heaves a sigh.
Captain, dismiss the Guard. The
watch, aloft--
Set him elsewhere. We would not be o'erlooked.
You
only, Lucio--you, Lucetta--stay;
You for a while, Cesario.
[Exeunt Courtiers, Guard, Crowd, etc.
Heigh! that's over--
The last Court of the Regent; and the books

Accounts of stewardship, my seven years all,
Closed here for audit.
Nay, there's one thing more--
Brother, erewhile I spoke you sisterly,

You turned away, and still you bite your lip:
Signs that may short
my preface. It concerns
The Countess Fulvia.
Lucio. Ha!
Regent. Go, bring her, Captain.
[Exit Cesario.
List to me, Lucio: listen, brother dear,
First playmate-child, tending
whose innocence
Myself learned motherhood. Shall I deny
Youth
to be loved and follow after love?
There is a love breaks like a
morning beam
On the husht novice kneeling by his arms;
And
worse there is, whose kisses strangle love,
Whose feet take hold of
hell. My Lucio,
Follow not that!
Lucio. Why, who--who hath maligned

The Countess?
Regent Not maligned. Lucetta, here--
Lucio. Lucetta! Curse Lucetta and her tongue!
Am I a child, to be nagged by waiting-maids?
Regent. No, but a man, and shall weigh evidence.
Lucio. But I'll not hear it! If her viper tongue
Can kill, why kill it must. But send me a man,
And I will smite his
mouth--ay, slit his tongue--
That dares defame the Countess!
Regent. Stay: she comes.
[Enter the Countess Fulvia, Cesario attending.
Madam, the reason wherefore you are summoned
No doubt you guess,