5U
BYRON'S WORKS.
jlar. Come, come, old miu ?
[Exeunt the Doge and Marina.
Ear. (to an Attendant .) Where is the Doge ?Alt. This instant retired hence,
With the illustrious lady his son’s widow.
I,or. Where ?
Att , To the chamber where the body lies.Bar. Let us return, then.
Lor. You forget, you caunot.
We have the implicit order of the GiuntaTo rewait them coming here, and join them inTheir office : they’ll be here soon after us.
Bar. And will they press their answer on theDoge ?
Lor. 'Twas his own wish that all should bedone promptly.
He answer’d quickly, and mus t so be answer’d jHis dignity is look’d to, his estateCared for—what would he more ?
Bar. Die in his robes:
He could not have lived long ; but I have doneMy best to save his honours, and opposedThis proposition to the last, though vainly.
Why would the general vote compel me hither ?Lor. ’Twas fit that some one of such differentthoughts
From ours should be a witness, lest falsetongues
Should whisper that a harsh majorityDreaded to have its acts beheld by others.
Bar. And not less, I must needs think, for thesake
Of humbling me for iny vain opposition.
You are ingenious, Loredano, inYour modes of vengeance, nay, poetical,
A very Ovid in the art of hating;
'Tis thus (although a secondary object,
Yet hate has microscopic eyes), to youI owe by way of foil to the more zealous,
This undesired association inYour Giunta’s duties.
Lor. How l—my Giunta!
Bar. Yours!
They speak your language, watch your nod, ap-prove
Your plans, and do your work. Are they notyours ?
Lor. You talk unwarily. ’Twere best they hearnot
This from you.
Bar. Oh! they’ll hear as much one day
From louder tongues than mine: they have gonebeyond
Even their exorbitance of power: and whenThis happens in the most contemn’d and abjectStates, stung humanity will rise to check it.
Lor. You talk but idly.
Ear. That remains for proof.
Here come our colleagues.
Enter the DEPUTATION as before.
Chief of the Ten. Is the Duke awaro
We seek his presence ?
[Exit Attendant.
Bay. The Duke is with his son.
Chief of the Ten. If it he so,
We will remit him till the rites are over.
Let us return, 'Tis time euougli to-morrow.
Lor . (aside to Bar). Now the rich man’s heil-iire upon your tongue,
Unquench’d, unquenchable ! I'll have it tornFrom its vile babbling roots, till you shall utterNothing but sobs through blood, for this! Sagesignors,
I pray ye be not hasty. [Aloud to the others.Bar. But be human !
Lor. See, the Duke comes l
Enter the DOGE.
Doge. I have obey’d your summons.
Chief of the Ten. We come once more to urgeour past request.
Doge. And I to answer.
Chief of the Ten. What ?
Doge. My only answer.
You have heard it.
Chief of the Ten. Hear you then the last decree,Definitive and absolute!
Doge. To the point—
To the point! I know of old the forms of office,And gentle preludes to strong acts.—Go on!
Chief of the Ten. You are no longer Doge; youare released
From your imperial oath as sovereign ;
Your ducal robes must be put off ; but forYour services, the state allots the appanageAlready mention’d in our former congress.
Three days are left you to remove from hence,Under the penalty to see confiscatedAll your own private fortune.
Doge. That last clause,
I am proud to say, would not enrich the trea-sury.
Chief of the Ten. Your answer, Duke !
Lor. Your answer, Francis Foscari!
Doge. If I could have foreseen that my old ageWas prejudicial to the state, the chiefOf the republic never would have shownHimself so far ungrateful, as to placeHis own high dignity before his country]
But this lije having been so many yearsNot useless to that country, I would fainHave consecrated my last moments to her.
But the decree being render’d, I obey.
Chief of the Ten. If you would have the threedays named extended,
We willingly will lengthen them to eight,
As sign of our esteem.
Doge. Not eight hours, signor,
Not even eight minutes—there’s the ducal ring,[Taking off his ring and cap.And there the ducal diadem. And soThe Adriatic’s free to wed another.
Chief of the Ten. Yet go not forth so quickly.Doge. I am old, sir,
And even to move but slowly must beginTo move betimes. Methinks I see amongst youA face I know not.—Senator ! your name,
You, by your garb, Chief of the Forty !
Mem. Signor,
I am the son of Marco Memmo.
Doge. Ah 1
Your father was my friend. — But song andfathers!—
What, ho! my servants there!
Akten. My prince!
Doge. No prince—
There are the princes of the prince! [Pointing tothe Ten’s Deputation.'] —PrepareTo part from hence upon the instant.