I do not come to ask your pardon now,
Seeing I know I stand beyond all pardon,
A very guilty, very wicked woman;
Enough of that: I have already, sir,
Confessed my sin to the Lords Justices;
They would not listen to me: and some said
I did invent a tale to save your life,
You having trafficked with me; others said
That women played with pity as with men;
Others that grief for my slain Lord and husband
Had robbed me of my wits: they would not hear me,
And, when I sware it on the holy book,
They bade the doctor cure me. They are ten,
Ten against one, and they possess your life.
They call me Duchess here in Padua.
I do not know, sir; if I be the Duchess,
I wrote your pardon, and they would not take it;
They call it treason, say I taught them that;
Maybe I did. Within an hour, Guido,
They will be here, and drag you from the cell,
And bind your hands behind your back, and bid you
Kneel at the block: I am before them there;
Here is the signet ring of Padua,
‘Twill bring you safely through the men on guard,
There is my cloak and vizard; they have orders
Not to be curious; when you pass the gate
Turn to the left, and at the second bridge
You will find horses waiting: by to-morrow
You will be at Venice, safe.

A pause.

Do you not speak?
Will you not even curse me ere you go? –
You have the right.

A pause.

You do not understand
There lies between you and the headsman’s axe
Hardly so much sand in the hour-glass
As a child’s palm could carry: here is the ring:
I have washed my hand: there is no blood upon it:
You need not fear. Will you not take the ring?

GUIDO (takes ring and kisses it): Ay! gladly, Madam.

DUCHESS: And leave Padua.

GUIDO: Leave Padua.

DUCHESS: But it must be to-night.

GUIDO: To-night it shall be.

DUCHESS: Oh, thank God for that!

GUIDO: So I can live; life never seemed so sweet As at this moment.

DUCHESS: Do not tarry, Guido,
There is my cloak: the horse is at the bridge,
The second bridge below the ferry house:
Why do you tarry? Can your ears not hear
This dreadful bell, whose every ringing stroke
Robs one brief minute from your boyish life.
Go quickly.

GUIDO: Ay! He will come soon enough.

DUCHESS: Who?

GUIDO (calmly): Why, the headsman.

DUCHESS: No, no.

GUIDO: Only he
Can bring me out of Padua.

DUCHESS: You dare not!
You dare not burden my o’erburdened soul
With two dead men! I think one is enough.
For when I stand before God, face to face,
I would not have you, with a scarlet thread
Around your white throat, coming up behind
To say I did it: Why, the very devils
Who howl away in hell would pity me:
You will not be more cruel than the devils
Who are shut out from God.