Knowledge house - Oscar Wilde - The Complete Works

End of Act III.

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·113· SCENE—The Court of Justice: the walls are hung with stamped grey velvet: above the hangings the wall is red, and gilt symbolical figures bear up the roof, which is made of red beams with grey soffits and moulding: a canopy of white satin flowered with gold is set for the Duchess: below it a long bench with red cloth for the Judges: below that a table for the clerks of the court. Two soldiers stand on each side of the canopy, and two soldiers guard the door; the citizens have some of them collected in the Court; others are coming in greeting one another; two tipstaffs in violet keep order with long white wands.

first citizen

Good morrow, neighbour Anthony.

second citizen

Good morrow, neighbour Dominick.

first citizen

This is a strange day for Padua, is it not?—the Duke being dead.

·114· second citizen

I tell you, neighbour Dominick, I have not known such a day since the last Duke died.

first citizen

They will try him first, and sentence him afterwards, will they not, neighbour Anthony?

second citizen

Nay, for he might ’scape his punishment then; but they will condemn him first so that he gets his deserts, and give him trial afterwards so that no injustice is done.

first citizen

Well, well, it will go hard with him I doubt not.

second citizen

Surely it is a grievous thing to shed a Duke’s blood.

third citizen

They say a Duke has blue blood.

second citizen

I think our Duke’s blood was black like his soul.

·115· first citizen

Have a watch, neighbour Anthony, the officer is looking at thee.

second citizen

I care not if he does but look at me; he cannot whip me with the lashes of his eye.

third citizen

What think you of this young man who stuck the knife into the Duke?

second citizen

Why, that he is a well-behaved, and a well-meaning, and a well-favoured 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, Master Tipstaff.

[ Enter the Lord Justice and the other Judges .]

second citizen

Who is he in scarlet? Is he the headsman?

third citizen

Nay, he is the Lord Justice.

[ Enter Guido guarded .]

second citizen

There be the prisoner surely.

third citizen

He looks honest.

first citizen

That be his villany: knaves nowadays do look ·122· so honest that honest folk are forced to look like knaves so as to be different.

[ Enter the Headsman, who takes his stand behind Guido .]

second citizen

Yon be the headsman then! O Lord! Is the axe sharp, think you?

first citizen

Ay! sharper than thy wits are; but the edge is not towards him, mark you.

second citizen [ scratching his neck ]

I’ faith, I like it not so near.

first citizen

Tut, thou need’st not be afraid; they never cut the heads off common folk: they do but hang us.

[ Trumpets outside .]

third citizen

What are the trumpets for? Is the trial over?

first citizen

Nay, ’tis for the Duchess.

[ Enter the Duchess in black velvet; her train of ·123· flowered black velvet is carried by two pages in violet; with her is the Cardinal in scarlet, and the gentlemen of the Court in black; she takes her seat on the throne above the Judges, who rise and take their caps off as she enters; the Cardinal sits next to her a little lower; the Courtiers group themselves about the throne .]

second citizen

O poor lady, how pale she is! Will she sit there?

first citizen

Ay! she is in the Duke’s place now.

second citizen

That is a good thing for Padua; the Duchess is a very kind and merciful Duchess; why, she cured my child of the ague once.

third citizen