The Duchess of Padua Part 4

His name, milord?

[Enter the DUKE OF PADUA with COUNT BARDI, MAFFIO, PETRUCCI, and other gentlemen of his Court.]

MORANZONE

[quickly]

The man to whom I kneel Is he who sold your father! mark me well.

GUIDO

[clutches. .h.i.t dagger]

The Duke!

MORANZONE

Leave off that fingering of thy knife.

Hast thou so soon forgotten?

[Kneels to the DUKE.]

My n.o.ble Lord.

DUKE

Welcome, Count Moranzone; 'tis some time Since we have seen you here in Padua.

We hunted near your castle yesterday - Call you it castle? that bleak house of yours Wherein you sit a-mumbling o'er your beads, Telling your vices like a good old man.

[Catches sight of GUIDO and starts back.]

Who is that?

MORANZONE

My sister's son, your Grace, Who being now of age to carry arms, Would for a season tarry at your Court

DUKE

[still looking at GUIDO]

What is his name?

MORANZONE

Guido Ferranti, sir.

DUKE

His city?

MORANZONE

He is Mantuan by birth.

DUKE

[advancing towards GUIDO]

You have the eyes of one I used to know, But he died childless. Are you honest, boy?

Then be not spendthrift of your honesty, But keep it to yourself; in Padua Men think that honesty is ostentatious, so It is not of the fas.h.i.+on. Look at these lords.

COUNT BARDI

[aside]

Here is some bitter arrow for us, sure.

DUKE

Why, every man among them has his price, Although, to do them justice, some of them Are quite expensive.

COUNT BARDI

[aside]

There it comes indeed.

DUKE

So be not honest; eccentricity Is not a thing should ever be encouraged, Although, in this dull stupid age of ours, The most eccentric thing a man can do Is to have brains, then the mob mocks at him; And for the mob, despise it as I do, I hold its bubble praise and windy favours In such account, that popularity Is the one insult I have never suffered.

MAFFIO

[aside]

He has enough of hate, if he needs that.

DUKE

Have prudence; in your dealings with the world Be not too hasty; act on the second thought, First impulses are generally good.

GUIDO

[aside]

Surely a toad sits on his lips, and spills its venom there.

DUKE

See thou hast enemies, Else will the world think very little of thee; It is its test of power; yet see thou show'st A smiling mask of friends.h.i.+p to all men, Until thou hast them safely in thy grip, Then thou canst crush them.

GUIDO

[aside]

O wise philosopher!

That for thyself dost dig so deep a grave.

MORANZONE