_The pavilion in the Gardens. Enter Ferdinand and the King_
_Ferdinand_. Your tiercel's too long at hack. Sir.
He's no eyass
But a passage-hawk that footed ere we caught him.
Dangerously free o' the air. Faith, were he mine
(As mine's the glove he binds to for his tirings)
I'd fly him with a make-hawk. He's in yarak
Plumed to the very point. So manned, so weathered!
Give him the firmament God made him for.
And what shall take the air of him?
_The King_. A young wing yet.
Bold--overbold on the perch, but, think you,
Ferdinand,
He can endure the tall skies yonder? Cozen
Advantage out of the teeth of the hurricane?
Choose his own mate against the lammer-geier?
Ride out a night-long tempest, hold his pitch
Between the lightning and the cloud it leaps from,
Never too pressed to kill?
_Ferdinand_. I'll answer for him.
Bating all parable, I know the Prince.
There's a bleak devil in the young, my Lord;
God put it there to save 'em from their elders
And break their father's heart, but bear them scatheless
Through mire and thorns and blood if need be.
Think
What our prime saw! Such glory, such achievements
As now our children, wondering at, examine
Themselves to see if they shall hardly equal.
But what cared we while we wrought the wonders?
Nothing!
The rampant deed contented.
_The King_. Little enough, God knows! But afterwards? After--
There comes the reckoning. I would save him that.
_Ferdinand_. Save him dry scars that ache of winter-nights.
Worn out self-pity and as much of knowledge
As makes old men fear judgment? Then loose him--loose him,
A' God's name loose him to adventure early!
And trust some random pike, or half-backed horse,
Besides what's caught in Italy, to save him.
_The King_. I know. I know. And yet
... What stirs in the garden?
_Enter Gow and a Gardener bearing the Prince's body_
_Ferdinand_.(Gods give me patience!) Gow and a gardener
Bearing some load along in the dusk to the dunghill.
Nay--a dead branch--But as I said, the Prince----
_The King. _They've set it down. Strange that
they work so late.
_Gow (setting down the body)_. Heark, you unsanctified
fool, while I set out our story. We found it, this side
the North park wall which it had climbed to pluck
nectarines from the alley. Heark again! There
was a nectarine in its hand when we found it, and
the naughty brick that slipped from the coping
beneath its foot and so caused its death, lies now
under the wall for the King to see.
_The King (above)_. The King to see! Why should
he? Who's the man?
_Gow_. That is your tale. Swerve from it by so
much as the breadth of my dagger and here's your
instant reward. You heard not, saw not, and by the
Horns of ninefold-cuckolded Jupiter you thought not
nor dreamed not anything more or other!
_The King_. Ninefold-cuckolded Jupiter. That's a
rare oath! Shall we look closer?
_Ferdinand_. Not yet, my Lord! (I cannot hear him
breathe.)
_Gardener_. The North park wall? It was so.
Plucking nectarines. It shall be. But how shall
I say if any ask why our Lady the Queen--
_Gow (stabs him)_. Thus! Hie after the Prince
and tell him y'are the first fruits of his nectarine
tree. Bleed there behind the laurels.
_The King_. Why did Gow buffet the clown?
What said he? I'll go look.
_Ferdinand (above)_. Save yourself! It is the
King!
_Enter the King and Ferdinand to Gow_
_Gow_. God save you! This was the Prince!
_The King_. The Prince! Not a dead branch?
(_Uncovers the face_.)
My flesh and blood! My son! my son! my son!
_Ferdinand_ (_to Gow_). I had feared something of
this. And that fool yonder?
_Gow_. Dead, or as good. He cannot speak.
_Ferdinand_. Better so.
_The King_. 'Loosed to adventure early!' Tell
the tale.
_Gow_. Saddest truth alack! I came upon him
not a half hour since, fallen from the North park
wall over against the Deerpark side--dead--dead!--a
nectarine in his hand that the dear lad must have
climbed for, and plucked the very instant, look you,
that a brick slipped on the coping. 'Tis there now.
So I lifted him, but his neck was as you see--and
already cold.
_The King_. Oh, very cold. But why should he
have troubled to climb? He was free of all the
fruit in my garden, God knows!... What, Gow?
_Gow_. Surely, God knows!
_The King_. A lad's trick. But I love him the
better for it.... True, he's past loving.... And
now we must tell our Queen. What a coil at the
day's end! She'll grieve for him. Not as I shall;
Ferdinand, but as youth for youth. They were
much of the same age. Playmate for playmate.
See, he wears her colours. That is the knot she
gave him last--last.... Oh God! When was
yesterday?
_Ferdinand_. Come in! Come in, my Lord.
There's a dew falling.
_The King_. He'll take no harm of it. I'll follow presently.....
He's all his mother's now and none of mine--
Her very face on the bride-pillow. Yet I tricked her.
But that was later--and she never guessed.
I do not think he sinned much--he's too young--
Much the same age as my Queen. God must not judge him
Too hardly for such slips as youth may fall in.
But I'll entreat that Throne.
(_Prays by the body._)
_Gow_. The Heavens hold up still. Earth opens
not and this dew's mere water. What shall a man
think of it all? _(To Gardener.)_ Not dead yet,
sirrah? I bade you follow the Prince. Despatch!
_Gardener_. Some kind soul pluck out the dagger.
Why did you slay me? I'd done no wrong. I'd ha'
kept it secret till my dying day. But not now--not
now! I'm dying. The Prince fell from the Queen's
chamber window. I saw it in the nut alley. He
was----
_Ferdinand_. But what made you in the nut alley
at that hour?
_Gardener_. No wrong. No more than another
man's wife. Jocasta of the still-room. She'd kissed
me good-night too; but that's over with the
rest.... I've stumbled on the Prince's beastly
loves, and I pay for all. Let me pass!
_Gow_. Count it your fortune, honest man. You
would have revealed it to your woman at the next
meeting. You fleshmongers are all one feather.
_(Plucks out the dagger.)_
Go in peace and lay your death to Fortune's door.
He's sped--thank Fortune!
_Ferdinand_. Who knows not Fortune, glutted on
easy thrones,
Stealing from feasts as rare to coney-catch
Privily in the hedgerows for a clown.
With that same cruel-lustful hand and eye,
Those nails and wedges, that one hammer and lead,
And the very gerb of long-stored lightning loosed.
Yesterday 'gainst some King.
_The King_. I have pursued with prayers where my heart warns me
My soul shall overtake--
_Enter the Queen_
_The King_. Look not! Wait till I tell you,
dearest.... Air!...
'Loosed to adventure early'
... I go late. _(Dies.)_
_Gow_. So! God hath cut off the Prince in his
pleasures. Gow, to save the King, hath silenced one
poor fool who knew how it befell, and now the
King's dead, needs only that the Queen should kill
Gow and all's safe for her this side o' the Judgment.
...Senor Ferdinand, the wind's easterly. I'm for
the road.
_Ferdinand_. My horse is at the gate. God speed
you. Whither?
_Gow_. To the Duke, if the Queen does not lay
hands on me before. However it goes, I charge you
bear witness, Senor Ferdinand, I served the old
King faithfully. To the death, Senor Ferdinand--to
the death!