in no grave,I saw his dust strewn on the air, his ashes
Whirled through the windy streets like common straws
To plague a beggar’s eyesight, and his head,
That gentle head, set on the prison spike,
For the vile rabble in their insolence
To shoot their tongues at.
GUIDO
Was it so indeed?
Then by my father’s spotless memory,
And by the shameful manner of his death,
And by the base betrayal by his friend,
For these at least remain, by these I swear
I will not lay my hand upon his life
Until you bid me, then - God help his soul,
For he shall die as never dog died yet.
And now, the sign, what is it?
MORANZONE
This dagger, boy;
It was your father’s.
GUIDO
Oh, let me look at it!
I do remember now my reputed uncle,
That good old husbandman I left at home,
Told me a cloak wrapped round me when a babe
Bare too such yellow leopards wrought in gold;
I like them best in steel, as they are here,
They suit my purpose better. Tell me, sir,
Have you no message from my father to me?
MORANZONE
Poor boy, you never saw that noble father,
For when by his false friend he had been sold,
Alone of all his gentlemen I escaped
To bear the news to Parma to the Duchess.
GUIDO Speak to me of my mother.
MORANZONE
When thy mother
Heard my black news, she fell into a swoon,
And, being with untimely travail seized -
Bare thee into the world before thy time,
And then her soul went heavenward, to wait
Thy father, at the gates of Paradise.
GUIDO
A mother dead, a father sold and bartered!
I seem to stand on some beleaguered wall,
And messenger comes after messenger
With a new tale of terror; give me breath,
Mine ears are tired.
MORANZONE
When thy mother died,
Fearing our enemies, I gave it out
Thou wert dead also, and then privily
Conveyed thee to an ancient servitor,
Who by Perugia lived; the rest thou knowest.
GUIDO Saw you my father afterwards?
MORANZONE
Ay! once;
In mean attire, like a vineyard dresser,
I stole to Rimini.
GUIDO [taking his hand]
O generous heart!
MORANZONE
One can buy everything in Rimini,
And so I bought the gaolers! when your father
Heard that a man child 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.
