LORD JUSTICE: Thou art not ignorant
What dreadful charge men lay against thee here,
Namely, the treacherous murder of thy Lord,
Simone Gesso, Duke of Padua;
What dost thou say in answer?

GUIDO: I say nothing.

LORD JUSTICE: Dost thou admit this accusation, then?

GUIDO: I admit naught, and yet I naught deny.
I pray thee, my Lord Justice, be as brief
As the Court’s custom and the laws allow.
I will not speak.

LORD JUSTICE: Why, then, it cannot be
That of this murder thou art innocent,
But rather that thy stony obstinate heart
Hath shut its doors against the voice of justice.
Think not thy silence will avail thee aught,
‘Twill rather aggravate thy desperate guilt,
Of which indeed we are most well assured;
Again I bid thee speak.

GUIDO: I will say nothing.

LORD JUSTICE: Then naught remains for me but to pronounce Upon thy head the sentence of swift Death.

GUIDO: I pray thee give thy message speedily.
Thou couldst not bring me anything more dear.

LORD JUSTICE (rising): Guido Ferranti –

MORANZONE (stepping from the crowd): Tarry, my Lord Justice.

LORD JUSTICE: Who art thou that bid’st justice tarry, sir?

MORANZONE: So be it justice it can go its way;
But if it be not justice –

LORD JUSTICE: Who is this?

COUNT BARDI: A very noble gentleman, and well known To the late Duke.

LORD JUSTICE: Sir, thou art come in time
To see the murder of the Duke avenged.
There stands the man who did this heinous thing.

MORANZONE: Has merely blind suspicion fixed on him,
Or have ye any proof he did the deed?

LORD JUSTICE: Thrice has the Court entreated him to speak,
But surely guilt weighs heavy on the tongue,
For he says nothing in defence, nor tries
To purge himself of this most dread account,
Which innocence would surely do.

MORANZONE: My lord,
I ask again what proof have ye?

LORD JUSTICE (holding up the dagger): This dagger,
Which from his blood-stained hands, itself all blood,
Last night the soldiers seized: what further proof
Need we indeed?

MORANZONE (takes the dagger and approaches the DUCHESS): Saw I not such a dagger
Hang from your Grace’s girdle yesterday?

The DUCHESS shudders and makes no answer.

Ah! my Lord Justice, may I speak a moment
With this young man, who in such peril stands?

LORD JUSTICE: Ay, willingly, my lord, and may you turn him
To make a full avowal of his guilt.

LORD MORANZONE goes over to GUIDO, who stands R. and clutches him by the hand.

MORANZONE (in a low voice): She did it! Nay, I saw it in her eyes.
Boy, dost thou think I’ll let thy father’s son
Be by this woman butchered to his death?
Her husband sold your father, and the wife
Would sell the son in turn.

GUIDO: Lord Moranzone,
I alone did this thing: be satisfied,
My father is avenged.