lad, and yet wicked in that he killed the Duke.
third citizen
’Twas the first time he did it: may be the law will not be hard on him, as he did not do it before.
second citizen
True.
tipstaff
Silence, knave.
·116· second citizen
Am I thy looking-glass, Master Tipstaff, that thou callest me knave?
first citizen
Here be one of the household coming. Well, Dame Lucy, thou art of the Court, how does thy poor mistress the Duchess, with her sweet face?
mistress lucy
O well-a-day! O miserable day! O day! O misery! Why it is just nineteen years last June, at Michaelmas, since I was married to my husband, and it is August now, and here is the Duke murdered; there is a coincidence for you!
second citizen
Why, if it is a coincidence, they may not kill the young man: there is no law against coincidences.
first citizen
But how does the Duchess?
mistress lucy
Well well, I knew some harm would happen ·117· to the house: six weeks ago the cakes were all burned on one side, and last Saint Martin even as ever was, there flew into the candle a big moth that had wings, and a’most scared me.
first citizen
But come to the Duchess, good gossip: what of her?
mistress lucy
Marry, it is time you should ask after her, poor lady; she is distraught almost. Why, she has not slept, but paced the chamber all night long. I prayed her to have a posset, or some aqua-vitae, and to get to bed and sleep a little for her health’s sake, but she answered me she was afraid she might dream. That was a strange answer, was it not?
second citizen
These great folk have not much sense, so Providence makes it up to them in fine clothes.
mistress lucy
Well, well, God keep murder from us, I say, as long as we are alive.
[Enter Lord Moranzone hurriedly.]
·118· moranzone
Is the Duke dead?
second citizen
He has a knife in his heart, which they say is not healthy for any man.
moranzone
Who is accused of having killed him?
second citizen
Why, the prisoner, sir.
moranzone
But who is the prisoner?
second citizen
Why, he that is accused of the Duke’s murder.
moranzone
I mean, what is his name?
second citizen
Faith, the same which his godfathers gave him: what else should it be?
tipstaff
Guido Ferranti is his name, my lord.
·119· moranzone
I almost knew thine answer ere you gave it.
[Aside.]
Yet it is strange he should have killed the Duke,
Seeing he left me in such different mood.
It is most likely when he saw the man,
This devil who had sold his father’s life,
That passion from their seat within his heart
Thrust all his boyish theories of love,
And in their place set vengeance; yet I marvel
That he escaped not.
[Turning again to the crowd.]
How was he taken? Tell me.
third citizen
Marry, sir, he was taken by the heels.
moranzone
But who seized him?
third citizen
Why, those that did lay hold of him.
moranzone
How was the alarm given?
·120· third citizen
That I cannot tell you, sir.
mistress lucy
It was the Duchess herself who pointed him out.
moranzone [aside]
The Duchess! There is something strange in this.
mistress lucy
Ay! And the dagger was in his hand—the Duchess’s own dagger.
moranzone
What did you say?
mistress lucy
Why, marry, that it was with the Duchess’s dagger that the Duke was killed.
moranzone [aside]
There is some mystery about this: I cannot understand it.
second citizen
They be very long a-coming.
·121· first citizen
I warrant they will come soon enough for the prisoner.
tipstaff
Silence in the Court!
first citizen
Thou dost break silence in bidding us keep it,
