While sneering nobles, in more polish'd guise,
Whisper'd the tale, and smiled upon the lie

Which made me look like them- —a courteous wittol,
Patient-ay, proud, it may be, of dishonour.

BERTUCCIO FALIERO.

But still it was a lie-you knew it false,

And so did all men.

DOGE.

Nephew, the high Roman

Said, "Cæsar's wife must not even be suspected,"

And put her from him.

BERTUCCIO FALIERO.

True-but in those days

DOGE.

What is it that a Roman would not suffer,

That a Venetian prince must bear? Old Dandolo

Refused the diadem of all the Cæsars,

And wore the ducal cap I trample on,
Because 'tis now degraded.

BERTUCCIO FALIERO.

"Tis even so.

DOGE.

It is-it is:-I did not visit on

The innocent creature thus most vilely slander'd
Because she took an old man for her lord,
For that he had been long her father's friend
And patron of her house, as if there were
No love in woman's heart but lust of youth
And beardless faces;-I did not for this

Visit the villain's infamy on her,

But craved my country's justice on his head,
The justice due unto the humblest being
Who hath a wife whose faith is sweet to him,
Who hath a home whose hearth is dear to him,
Who hath a name whose honour's all to him,
When these are tainted by the accursing breath
Of calumny and scorn.

BERTUCCIO FALIERO.

And what redress

Did you expect as his fit punishment?

Death!

DOGE.

Was I not the sovereign of the state-
Insulted on his very throne, and made
A mockery to the men who should obey me?
Was I not injured as a husband? scorn'd
As man? reviled, degraded, as a prince?
Was not offence like his a complication
Of insult and of treason?-and he lives!
Had he instead of on the Doge's throne
Stampt the same brand upon a peasant's stool,
His blood had gilt the threshold; for the carle
Had stabb'd him on the instant.

BERTUCCIO FALIERO.

Do not doubt it,

He shall not live till sunset-leave to me

The means, and calm yourself.

DOGE.

Hold, nephew: this

Would have sufficed but yesterday; at present
I have no further wrath against this man.

BERTUCCIO FALIERO.

What mean you? is not the offence redoubled
By this most rank-I will not say-acquittal ;
For it is worse, being full acknowledgment
Of the offence, and leaving it unpunish'd?

DOGE.

It is redoubled, but not now by him:

The Forty hath decreed a month's arrest—
We must obey the Forty.

BERTUCCIO FALIERO.

Obey them!

Who have forgot their duty to the sovereign?

DOGE.

Why, yes;-boy, you perceive it then at last:
Whether as fellow citizen who sues
For justice, or as sovereign who commands it,
They have defrauded me of both my rights
(For here the sovereign is a citizen);
But, notwithstanding, harm not thou a hair
Of Steno's head-he shall not wear it long.

BERTUCCIO FALIERO.

Not twelve hours longer, had you left to me
The mode and means: if you had calmly heard me,

I never meant this miscreant should escape,

But wish'd you to repress such gusts of passion,

That we more surely might devise together

His taking off.

DOGE.

No, nephew, he must live;

At least, just now-a life so vile as his

Were nothing at this hour; in th' olden time
Some sacrifices ask'd a single victim,

Great expiations had a hecatomb.

BERTUCCIO FALIERO.

law; and yet I fain

Your wishes are my

Would prove to you

how near unto

my heart

The honour of our house must ever be.

DOGE.

Fear not; you shall have time and place of proof:

But be not thou too rash, as I have been.

I am ashamed of my own anger now;

I

pray you, pardon me.

BERTUCCIO FALIERO.

Why that's my uncle!

The leader, and the statesman, and the chief
Of commonwealths, and sovereign of himself!
I wonder❜d to perceive you so forget

All prudence in your fury at these years,
Although the cause-

Forget it not:-When you lie down to rest,

Let it be black among your dreams; and when
The morn returns, so let it stand between

The sun and you, as an ill omen'd cloud

Upon a summer-day of festival:

So will it stand to me;-but speak not, stir not,

Leave all to me;—we shall have much to do, And you shall have a part.-But now retire, "Tis fit I were alone.

I

BERTUCCIO FALIERO,

(taking up and placing the ducal bonnet on the table) Ere I depart,

pray you to resume what you have spurn'd,

Till you can change it haply for a crown.

And now I take my leave, imploring you
In all things to rely upon my duty

As doth become your near and faithful kinsman,
And not less loyal citizen and subject.

[Exit BERTUCCIO FALIERO.

DOGE (solus.)

Adieu, my worthy nephew.-Hollow bauble!

[Taking up the ducal cap.

Beset with all the thorns that line a crown,
Without investing the insulted brow
With the all-swaying majesty of kings ;
Thou idle, gilded, and degraded toy,
Let me resume thee as I would a vizor.
How my brain aches beneath thee! and my temples
Throb feverish under thy dishonest weight.

[Puts it on.

Could I not turn thee to a diadem?
Could I not shatter the Briarean sceptre
Which in this hundred-handed senate rules,
Making the people nothing, and the prince
A pageant? In my life I have achieved
Tasks not less difficult-achieved for them,
Who thus repay me!-Can I not requite them?