The Noble Spanish Soldier Part 11

BALTHAZAR Well, farewell.

Exit Balthazar.

VALASCO The fellow is not dead, but wounded sir.

QUEEN After him Malateste. In our lodging Stay that rough fellow, he's the man shall do't.

Haste or my hopes are lost.

Exit Malateste.

Why are you sad, sir?

KING For thee, Paulina, swell my troubled thoughts Like billows beaten by two warring winds.

QUEEN Be you ruled but ruled by me, I'll make a calm Smooth as the breast of heaven.

KING Instruct me how.

QUEEN You, as your fortunes tie you, are inclined To have the blow given.

KING Where's the instrument?

QUEEN 'Tis found in Balthazar.

KING He's banished.

QUEEN True But stayed by me for this.

KING His spirit is hot And rugged, but so honest that his soul Will never turn devil to do it.

QUEEN Put it to trial.

Retire a little, hither I'll send for him, Offer repeal and favours if he do it.

But if he deny, you have no finger in't, And then his doom of banishment stands good.

KING Be happy in thy workings, I obey.

Exit King

QUEEN Stay Lopez.

LOPEZ Madam.

QUEEN Step to our lodging, Lopez And instantly bid Malateste bring The banished Balthazar to us.

LOPEZ I shall.

Exit Lopez.

QUEEN Thrive my black plots, the mischiefs I have set Must not so die. Ills must new ills beget.

Enter Malateste and Balthazar.

BALTHAZAR Now! What hot poisoned custard must I put my spoon into now?

QUEEN None, for mine honour is now thy protection.

MALATESTE Which, n.o.ble soldier, she will p.a.w.n for thee But never forfeit.

BALTHAZAR 'Tis a fair gage <31>, keep it.

QUEEN Oh Balthazar! I am thy friend, and marked thee.

When the King sentenced thee to banishment Fire sparkled from thine eyes of rage and grief.

Rage to be doomed so for a groom so base, And grief to lose thy Country. Thou hast killed none, The milk-sop is but wounded, thou are not banished.

BALTHAZAR If I were, I lose nothing, I can make any country mine. I have a private coat for Italian Stilettos, I can be treacherous with the Walloon, drunk with the Dutch, a chimney-sweeper with the Irish, a gentleman with the Welsh and true arrant thief with the English. What then is my country to me?

QUEEN The King, who rap'd with fury, banished thee, Shall give thee favours, yield but to destroy What him distempers.

BALTHAZAR So. And what is the dish I must dress?

QUEEN Only the cutting off a pair of lives.

BALTHAZAR I love no red-wine healths.

QUEEN The King commands it, you are but executioner.

BALTHAZAR The hang-man? An office that will hold so long as hemp lasts. Why do not you beg the office, Sir?

QUEEN Thy victories in field never did crown thee As this one Act shall.

BALTHAZAR Prove but that, 'tis done.

QUEEN Follow him close, he's yielding.

MALATESTE Thou shalt be called thy Country's Patriot, For quenching out a fire now newly kindling In factious bosoms, and shalt thereby save More n.o.ble Spaniards lives, than thou slew Moors.

QUEEN Art thou yet converted?

BALTHAZAR No point.

QUEEN Read me then: Medina's niece, by a contract from the King, Lays claim to all that's mine, my crown, my bed.

A son she has by him must fill the throne, If her great faction can but work that wonder.

Now hear me...

BALTHAZAR I do with gaping ears.

QUEEN I swell with hopeful issue to the King.