MORANZONE: Enough, enough,
I know you did not kill him; had it been you,
Your father’s dagger, not this woman’s toy,
Had done the business: see how she glares at us!
By heaven, I will tear off that marble mask,
And tax her with this murder before all.

GUIDO: You shall not do it.

MORANZONE: Nay, be sure I shall.

GUIDO: My lord, you must not dare to speak.

MORANZONE: Why not?
If she is innocent she can prove it so;
If guilty, let her die.

GUIDO: What shall I do?

MORANZONE: Or thou or I shall tell the truth in Court.

GUIDO: The truth is that I did it.

MORANZONE: Sayest thou so?

Well, I will see what the good Duchess says.

GUIDO: No, no, I’ll tell the tale.

MORANZONE: That is well, Guido.
Her sins be on her head and not on thine.
Did she not give you to the guard?

GUIDO: She did.

MORANZONE: Then upon her revenge thy father’s death: She was the wife of Judas.

GUIDO: Ay, she was.

MORANZONE: I think you need no prompting now to do it,
Though you were weak and like a boy last night.

GUIDO: Weak like a boy, was I indeed last night?
Be sure I will not be like that to-day.

LORD JUSTICE: Doth he confess?

GUIDO: My lord, I do confess.
That foul unnatural murder has been done.

FIRST CITIZEN: Why, look at that: he has a pitiful heart, and does not like murder; they will let him go for that.

LORD JUSTICE: Say you no more?

GUIDO: My lord, I say this also, That to spill human blood is deadly sin.

SECOND CITIZEN: Marry, he should tell that to the headsman: ‘tis a good sentiment.

GUIDO: Lastly, my lord, I do entreat the Court
To give me leave to utter openly
The dreadful secret of this mystery,
And to point out the very guilty one
Who with this dagger last night slew the Duke.

LORD JUSTICE: Thou hast leave to speak.

DUCHESS (rising): I say he shall not speak:
What need have we of further evidence?
Was he not taken in the house at night
In Guilt’s own bloody livery.

LORD JUSTICE (showing her the statute): Your Grace Can read the law.

DUCHESS (waiving book aside): Bethink you, my Lord Justice,
Is it not very like that such a one
May, in the presence of the people here,
Utter some slanderous word against my Lord,
Against the city, or the city’s honour,
Perchance against myself.

LORD JUSTICE: My liege, the law.

DUCHESS: He shall not speak, but, with gags in his mouth,
Shall climb the ladder to the bloody block.

LORD JUSTICE: The law, my liege.

DUCHESS: We are not bound by law,
But with it we bind others.

MORANZONE: My Lord Justice,
Thou wilt not suffer this injustice here.