(_Palicio gets up as before._)
_Sq._ Enough, enough! silence! Now were ye not
A set of loons ... make silence for the captain.
_Pal._ Hark, men: I bid you leave, each silently
And separately to his allotted task.
Gather your companies at tryst to-night; 1310
Acquaint them of our plans. Once, ere ye go,
Look on those tyrannous towers, and swear revenge.
Revenge on them that grind the people down!
That tax our bread and wine! To-morrow night
Hugo shall need no candles.
_Brigands._ Revenge, revenge. Huzzah! Death to Hugo!
Burn him!
_Pal._ Not him, the palace: ’tis to burn the palace.
Him we must take alive.
_Brigands._ Not kill him, no.
Treat him as he would us.
_Pal._ If ye love colour, 1320
His gold is ruddier than his coward blood.
_Brigands._ Ay, ay, his gold—a ransom. Bleed his bags.
_Pal._ Above all, none forget good Manuel’s kindness,
And what I have told you. If any meet with him
And hurt a hair of his head, ’tis ...
_Brigands._ Death.
_Pal._ ’Tis death.
Swear all, ’tis death.
_All._ We swear.
_Pal._ Now to your work.
_Brigands._ Huzzah!
_Pal._ Secretly, then. Farewell! To-morrow night
I’ll meet you all. God grant us a good meeting.
Farewell. [_Exit._
_Brigands._ Huzzah! 1330
_During following scene the brigands going, carrying off
things to cave._
_Sq._ Come, help clear off this gear to the cave.
_A brigand._ Any wine in yon skin, good Squarcia?
_Sq._ Ay, for the chewing.
_Brig._ Thank ye. I’m off. Good-day, lads. [_Exit._
_Sq._ Did I not well, I say?
_A brigand._ But how didst thou find him?—tell us.
_Sq._ Trust me. Not that ’twas a thing within the
bounds of mortal cleverness if a man should want
luck. But I’d buy the dog that would have run as
straight for him, as ’twere denoted by scent or instinct.
To climb the very wall, and in at the window,
and there to see him just face to face: on a fine
couch in a pleasant chamber enough, with his arm
bandaged ... 1344
_Brig._ Is his arm broke?
_Sq._ Ay, and where the nerve runs to the heart:
the lady told me a thousand times that ’twere mortal
to move it; and the surgeon who bound it said that
his balance hung by a thread.
_Brig._ The lady was with him, then. Didst thou
see her? 1351
_Sq._ It’s not all I see I’m bound to tell. But if she
was not there, how should she be here? And had
I not persuaded her, would she have let him come,
think you? And that a matter of disputation, an hour
and more.
_Brig._ How could she stay him?
_Sq._ Let alone wounds and surgeons, shall a lady
have nothing to say? And she’s hard hit, I take it.
A fine piece, and brings money with her. 1360
_Brig._ And what may spoil his fighting.
_Sq._ Wilt thou grudge the captain what he has fairly
won? Or must thou be served first?
_Brig._ Serve me soon, and serve me well. Yet I like
not the lady. [_Exit._
_Sq._ Nay, nor the coin neither, I’ll go bound. How
should he? Nay ... Wouldn’t old Beedo now have
liked to have been here?
_A brigand._ Well, he would.
_Another._ Why came he not? 1370
_Sq._ A bad reason, man, but a good excuse.
_Brig._ How mean you?
_Sq._ As if thou hadst never been on the wrong side
of four walls! tell not me. [_Exeunt._
_Enter Palicio and Margaret._
_Pal._ Now thou know’st all.
_MARGARET._
But is that all, Giovanni?
_Pal._ Saw’st thou them well from where thou wert?
_Mar._ Ay, tell me:
The man in the blue jacket, who is he?
_Pal._ That’s Squarcialupu: he’s my first lieutenant.
Did they not greet me?
_Mar._ I could count eighteen.
Are there no more?
_Pal._ The least of these can muster 1380
Twenty as brave.
_Mar._ That’s not six hundred men.
_Pal._ But with them I can raise the town.
_Mar._ ’Tis pity
The barons stand aloof.
_Pal._ They hold together
On certain claims that touch their own estate.
But in their hate of Hugo they will join us
At first report of our success; and that
I’ll make flame forth.
_Mar._ Alas! what canst thou do,
Having so little means?
_Pal._ To-morrow night
We shall surround the palace and capture Hugo. 1389
_Mar._ One regiment could drive all thy men away.
_Pal._ He dare not give the word.
_Mar._ How know’st thou that?
_Pal._ I have sprung a cranny in his council-board,
Thro’ which crumbs fall to me.
_Mar._ Nay, but you force him ...
The viceroy to yield up his power to a rebel!
Hugo, his person to your hated hands!
_Pal._ Well, he may fly; and then my word is, _Sack
And fire the palace_.
_Mar._ Giovanni, if he fight,
Thou wilt be killed or taken.
_Pal._ And what of that?
_Mar._ What, askest thou! ask what! Methinks the world
Holds but one treasure—thee: and thou dost wrong
Creation, staking all her store at once 1401
On such a sleight of fortune. It shall not be.
Nay, for my sake it shall not. Dost thou love me?
_Pal._ Love thee? O, Margaret, when I look on thee,
And see the dazzling wealth, with which I hardly
Shall scrape to heaven, may God forgive me, love,
But I would be for ever pinched in hell,
Rather than miss thee.
_Mar._ To me art thou as precious:
Therefore be wise. Where is the list of names?
_Pal._ ’Tis here.
_Mar._ What read I here? These are thy captains,
Palicio: these thy rivals, Margaret! 1411
Why, ’mongst these names—nay, tho’ I here see names
Renowned for outrage—there is not one name
Of such respect, that I can think it possible
Its leadership can bid thee cast away
Thy life, my life, our love.
_Pal._ They are all brave men.
_Mar._ They are ignorant, desperate, and reckless men.
_Pal._ ’Tis by such recklessness I come at right.
_Mar._ ’Tis recklessness throughout. See, thou art wounded
And weak; a price upon thy head: think of it,—
And trust the people’s rights to Manuel; 1421
Leave them to the barons: we’ve a better task:
Sail o’er to Rome, there reassume thy rank;
Let us be married, and await the day
That Manuel finds thy pardon.
_Pal._ Tempt me not, Margaret.
_Mar._ Else are we lost.
_Pal._ Nay, fear not: there’s a traitor
In the enemy’s camp; from whom I’ll have such tidings
As will ensure success.
_Mar._ Who is it?
_Pal._ Blasco.
_Mar._ Blasco!
_Pal._ He hath your money; and for that price
Will tell how Hugo may be best surprised. 1430
That is my venture, Margaret ... If it fail ...
_Mar._ Thou wilt be slain.
_Pal._ Nay, I may still escape.
_Mar._ And then thou’lt come?
_Pal._ I will.
_Mar._ Promise but that:
That if this venture fail, and thou escape,
Thou wilt not risk again.
_Pal._ Ay, if I fail.
_Mar._ Promise.
_Pal._ I promise.
_Mar._ Thou wilt lose nothing, for my brother alone
Can do much more than thou with these base men,
Who stain the cause. One favour more.
_Pal._ What is it?
_Mar._ ’Tis that this evening, love, be spent together.
_Pal._ I mean it should. To-night our fellows meet
In various rendezvous, as you may see 1442
Upon the paper. There are ten in all
They will not need my presence till to-morrow,
When the bands join at sundown. O, Margaret:
I knew that thou wouldst come.
_Mar._ I think, Giovanni,
Thou shouldst have met me first thyself: thy men
Are rough.
_Pal._ Was any rude?
_Mar._ Nay, ’twas well meant,
But sounded strangely.
_Pal._ Say but who it was.
_Mar._ No, ’tis forgiven. 1450
_Pal._ (_going_). Kiss me.
_Mar._ Ah, now, Giovanni,
Where wilt thou go?
_Pal._ But for one hour, my dearest,
I must be absent. Then shall I be yours
For all the day.
_Mar._ Farewell. And prithee send
Lucia. I will await thee.
_Pal._ Farewell. [_Exit._
_Mar._ I have his promise,
If this scheme fail. ’Tis mine to make it fail.
O, ’tis too dangerous: to trust so far
That dollar-ballasted Iscariot,
The weather-trimming Blasco.—The paper! the list!
I’ll have their names. Where can I write them? Ah!
My prayer-book. I will send them straight to Hugo.
Poor Constance! Burn the palace! Ay, and thee,
For aught they care. Now, who comes first? Bendettu
Jacupu ... and your place?—within the cloister 1463
Of Santo Spirito. Next, Squarcialupu ...
Why, that’s the ruffian who would like a dozen
Wives such as I. He’ll find one were too many.
Go you to prison, sir, and cool your thoughts.
You burn the palace!—Messer Vincentiu
Lazaru ... at his peltry shed at Baido.
Now there’s two pages of them: the little prayers
Will hardly shrive them ... here’s one I cannot read.
B-o-n-o-Bononio, now I have him. 1472
Why who could trust such men? Set them in power
But for a day ... say this next villain here,
Fardello ... he’s a murderer—ay, for him
I write his death, maybe: but for the rest
I’ll take such care that Manuel’s voice shall ease
Their accusation. Now I have them all.
Lucia! Ho, Lucia!
_Enter Lucia._
See, take this book:
Return straight to Palermo: find some friend, 1480
Whom thou canst trust: commit it to her hands;
Tell her to give it secretly to Livio,
Bidding him read what is writ down in the margins;
And say ’twas given to her by one she knew not,
And with that message. All our happiness
Is staked on this. Begone. Haste for thy life.
_LUCIA._
Alas! what’s this?
_Mar._ Why, have I frighted thee?
Be brave: I tell thee on this single thread
My life is hanging.
_Lu._ Trust me, lady, I’d risk
Ten lives for that.
_Mar._ Hide it. I trust thee. Go. 1490
I have played a bold stroke here: but if it prosper,
For Constance, and Giovanni, and myself,
’Tis not ill done. [_Exeunt._