GUIDO: I confess
That with the purport of a just revenge,
A most just vengeance on a man of blood,
I entered the Duke’s household, served his will,
Sat at his board, drank of his wine, and was
His intimate: so much I will confess,
And this too, that I waited till he grew
To give the fondest secrets of his life
Into my keeping, till he fawned on me,
And trusted me in every private matter
Even as my noble father trusted him;
That for this thing I waited. (To the Headsman.)

Thou man of blood!
Turn not thine axe on me before the time:
Who knows if it be time for me to die?
Is there no other neck in court but mine?

LORD JUSTICE: The sand within the time-glass flows apace.
Come quickly to the murder of the Duke.

GUIDO: I will be brief: Last night at twelve o’ the clock,
By a strong rope I scaled the palace wall,
With purport to revenge my father’s murder –
Ay! With that purport I confess, my lord.
This much I will acknowledge, and this also,
That as with stealthy feet I climbed the stair
Which led unto the chamber of the Duke,
And reached my hand out for the scarlet cloth
Which shook and shivered in the gusty door,
Lo! The white moon that sailed in the great heaven
Flooded with silver light the darkened room,
Night lit her candles for me, and I saw
The man I hated, cursing in his sleep,
And thinking of a most dear father murdered,
Sold to the scaffold, bartered to the block,
I smote the treacherous villain to the heart
With this same dagger, which by chance I found
Within the chamber.

DUCHESS (rising from her seat): Oh!

GUIDO (hurriedly): I killed the Duke.
Now, my Lord Justice, if I may crave a boon,
Suffer me not to see another sun
Light up the misery of this loathsome world.

LORD JUSTICE: Thy boon is granted, thou shalt die to-night.
Lead him away: Come, Madam.

GUIDO is led off; as he goes the DUCHESS stretches out her arms and rushes down the stage.

DUCHESS: Guido! Guido! (Faints.)

TABLEAU

ACT DROP

ACT FIVE

SCENE: A dungeon in the public prison of Padua; Guido lies asleep on a pallet (L.C.); a table with a goblet on it is set (L.C.); five soldiers are drinking and playing dice in the corner on a stone table; one of them has a lantern hung to his halbert; a torch is set in the wall over Guido’s head. Two grated windows behind, one on each side of the door which is (C.), look out into a passage; the stage is rather dark.

FIRST SOLDIER (throws dice): Sixes again! Good Pietro.

SECOND SOLDIER: I’ faith, lieutenant, I will play with thee no more. I will lose everything.

THIRD SOLDIER: Except thy wits; thou art safe there!

SECOND SOLDIER: Ay, ay, he cannot take them from me.

THIRD SOLDIER: No; for thou hast no wits to give him.