[The PAGE lounges down to the bench on the left under gallery. The SWISS meanwhile has withdrawn again, and closed the doors. The CAPTAINS have broken into conversation, as they saunter across to the right, towards the window.
[The COURTIERS are clustering down left about the table.
RAMIREZ: Fifteen sieges have I conducted successfully in my day; but may I be damned if ever I had to reduce such a place as this.
CORELLA: You haven’t reduced it yet, and by your present methods I’ll be damned if you ever will.
RAMIREZ (snorting): Oho! And why not, if you pleas; Micheletto?
CORELLA: Because, they are of no avail.
RAMIREZ (truculent): Who says so?
CORELLA: I say so, and his highness says so.
RAMIREZ: That you should say so, Micheletto, and that his highness should say are two totally different things.
CORELLA: In this case, we both say the same thing.
RAMIREZ (sneering): Of course you do. You may be depended upon to say what his highness says.
CORELLA: On the contrary; it was I who drew the attention of his highness to this state of things.
RAMIREZ: When was that?
CORELLA: Last night. I told his highness...
RAMIREZ: Oh! You told his highness, did you?
[The AMBASSADORS return along the gallery from the left accompanied by AGABITO. The latter, Cesare Borgia’s secretary, is dressed in black, and has almost the air of a cleric. His face is round and shaven and pale; he is rather paunchy, and oily in his manner; a man of between forty and fifty, with thin grey hair, kept short.
[RAMIREZ goes truculently on.
RAMIREZ: And pray what did you tell him?
CORELLA: Why, that if we are not to sit here for ever, some other plan of operations will have to be devised.
RAMIREZ: Oh! And what was the plan you advised?
CORELLA: I have made no suggestions yet.
RAMIREZ: Ah! That is wise of you.
SCIPIONE: Now what do you mean by that, Ramirez?
RAMIREZ (exploding): Mean? Lord of Heaven! I mean that I’m a Spaniard — that’s what I mean; and that what a Spaniard doesn’t know about the art of war, no Italian pimp in the world can teach him. (In a towering rage.) That’s what I mean! Do I make myself plain?
[SCIPIONE and CORELLA laugh at his rage.
SCIPIONE: Ho, ho, ho! A Spaniard, eh, Micheletto?
CORELLA: It’s lucky for you the duke can’t hear you.
RAMIREZ: The duke! If the duke is the greatest soldier in Italy that’s because he’s half a Spaniard. And I say it again, and who contradicts me is a liar. The Spaniard is the first soldier in the world.
SCIPIONE (tauntingly, through laughter): Next to the Italian, Ramirez. Next to the Italian.
[He and Corella go off into laughter again. RAMIREZ: What’s to laugh at?
SCIPIONE: You, you Spanish Rhodomont. Ho, ho, ho!
RAMIREZ (laying a hand on his hilt): Rhodomont! I take that from no man; from no man in all this world.
CORELLA (suddenly grave): RamireZ! Be quiet, you fool!
RAMIREZ: He called me Rhodomont.
CORELLA: And now you’re proving that he’s right.
RAMIREZ: What’s that? (He bares his sword.) You miserable Italian capons!
[There is a roar from SCIPIONE and CORELLA and counter-roars from RAMIREZ and from FERRANTE, who sides with him. SCIPIONE and CORELLA fling themselves upon RAMIREZ to disarm him. There are screams from the ladies, whilst the gallants, to increase the uproar and confusion, rush noisily in to separate the disputants. There is a seething, roaring mob to the right of the steps, and the two PACES hover gleefully on the skirts of it, enjoying the fun.
[The AMBASSADORS, grouped left, watch the turmoil in alarm. Down stage, PANTHASILEA is soothing GIULIA, who has loosed a scream or two. Through the incoherent vociferations are heard intermittently the phrases:
RAMIREZ: Teach me the art of war!
CORELLA: You Spanish buffoon!
RAMIREZ: You Italian dogs!
SCIPIONE: Let me come at you!
CORELLA: Quiet, you fool!
RAMIREZ: I’ll carve your livers into ribbons!
[The uproar and clamour have reached their height when suddenly, abruptly, as if a door had been shut, all is quiet. The seething mass disintegrates, and its members land cowed and stricken, suddenly conscious of a presence.
[At the head of the steps VALENTINOIS stands looking down upon them, cold, severe, inscrutable.
[He is a young man of twenty-five, tall, elegant, virile. His face is pale, his eyes large and glowing. His auburn hair is bushed out behind into a clump, held by a fine network of gold. His paler auburn beard is delicately pointed. He wears on his head the scarlet cap of the gonfalonier, on his breast the collar of the order of St. Michael. He is dressed in a long surcoat of deep wine-coloured velvet that reaches almost to his feet, caught about his middle by a jewelled girdle, from which a dagger hangs on his hip. This surcoat is reversed with ermine. Under it he wears a doublet of cloth of gold, a wedge of which is seen at the breast, and the sleeves of which are revealed to the elbow, whence his arms emerge from the wide escalloped sleeves of the outer garment.
[After a pause in which he surveys the occupants of the antechamber, his cold, level, utterly dispassionate voice cuts sharply upon the silence.
VALENTINOIS: Is this an antechamber, a tavern, or a stable?
[The FOUR CAPTAINS stand hang-dog.
PANTHASILEA (to GIULIA, breathlessly): Who is that?
GIULIA: The Duke of Valentinois.
PANTHASILEA (incredulously): That? Oh, impossible!
VALENTINOIS: Am I become of no account? Are there not ladies present? (Without raising his voice.) That sword, Diego? Why is it bare? Did you draw it in my service? (More sharply.) Answer me!
RAMIREZ (faltering): Magnificent, I...we...had a...a difference...
VALENTINOIS: Oh, you had a difference. Stand forth there.
[RAMIREZ shuffles forward to the foot of the steps. VALENTINOIS turns to the CHAMBERLAIN.
VALENTINOIS: The guard.
[The CHAMBERLAIN signs to the SWISS at the main entrance, who in his turn signs to someone else off right. A second SWISS advances, and together they come forward. VALENTINOIS comes down to the lowest step.
VALENTINOIS: Give me that sword.
[RAMIREZ surrenders it, but exclaims on a pleading note.
RAMIREZ: Magnificent!
VALENTINOIS (severely): In Urbino your turbulence was a source of infinite trouble to me, and It provided scandalmongers with filth to cast upon my name. You were warned then. And now — this. You dog!
[RAMIREZ recoils as if struck, exclaiming indignantly:
RAMIREZ: Highness! I am a soldier — a captain in...
VALENTINOIS: Captain of mine no longer.
[To the SWISS:
Take him away.
[The SWISS swing RAMIREZ about.
RAMIREZ (between anger and fear): Highness! Oh — h!
[He is dragged off by his guards. VALENTINOIS looks sternly at the other captains.
VALENTINOIS: Let this be a warning to you to adjust your differences in the future elsewhere than on my threshold.
[He comes down left, towards the AMBASSADORS. PANTHASILEA looks on wide-eyed, a little bewildered.
VALENTINOIS addresses the AMBASSADOR OF FERRARA.
VALENTINOIS: Messer Mariano, we have the congratulatory letters from our noble cousin of Ferrara. Our love and duty to him. We hope to see him soon in Rome.
[MARIANO bows. VALENTINOIS passes on.
VALENTINOIS: My lord prince — and Messer Capello. Faith! Venice is well-represented here.
SINIBALDI: The Serene Republic, magnificent, desires to give proofs of her respect and wonder.
VALENTINOIS: Ambassadorially she honours me beyond my poor deserts. And what, Messer Capello, is the newest gossip from the Mistress of the Adriatic? What do they say of us in Venice now? Whom have we recen
tly murdered or betrayed? What Cardinals has our father poisoned lately? What new lover has our sister taken to her bed?
CAPELLO (aghast): These are jests, highness!
VALENTINOIS: They are. The jests of Venice — a city of jesters, clearly; a little morbid perhaps in her pleasantries, a little dull in her invention. Still, when I need a fool I’ll seek one in Venice.
[SINIBALDI and CAPELLO mask their rage in mechanical smiles, exchanging looks eloquent of their common hate as VALENTINOIS passes on.
VALENTINOIS: Messer Gasparo, you will inform your beautiful and accomplished Lady Isabella of Este of my delight in the masks she has had the sweet thought to send me. You shall tell her of their joyous use at a supper to which you are bidden for to-night. We deserve, I think, a little revelry after our latest labour of Hercules — the cleaning of the Augean Stable of the Romagna.
Meanwhile, and concerned with this, there is a spectacle of another sort preparing in the market-place here at Assisi.
The Orsini traitors — the Duke of Gravina and his brother — will be strangled there at noon precisely.
[There is a general movement followed by a rather awe-stricken stillness.
VALENTINOIS: Letters from Rome bring me word of the arrest of Cardinal Orsini and the Archbishop of Florence. So that...(he dismisses the matter with a wave and a sigh). You will be impatient, sirs, to send that news to your governments. You have leave to go. We look to see you at our table to-night.
[The AMBASSADORS bow, and make shift to withdraw. VALENTINOIS detains MACCHIAVELLI, placing a hand on the Florentine’s arm.
VALENTINOIS: You will oblige me by remaining, Ser Niccolo. The dispatches from the Signory are inconclusive. We must talk — you and I.
MACCHIAVELLI: Your highness is very gracious.
[VALENTINOIS crosses R. to the COURTIERS, whilst the AMBASSADOR and SINIBALDI go towards the main doors.
VALENTINOIS: Ladies, I would that my quarters here were worthier your gracing, and that my affairs gave me leisure to enjoy your presence. But we trust that fortune will make amends to-night if you will ennoble by your attendance the masque we are preparing. Till then, ladies, and you, my lords, you have our reluctant leave.
[He bows, including PANTHASILEA in invitation and dismissal. The men return his bow, the ladies curtsy.
[The CHAMBERLAIN throws open the main doors, and all troop out, save PANTHASILEA and GIULIA, who remain downstage left, MACCHIAVELLI near the table, with AGABITO and the CAPTAINS Up right. VALENTINOIS turns to these, addressing CORELLA.
VALENTINOIS: Well, Micheletto? Solignola is the only important Romagna State that still holds out. How long is it to continue to do so?
[PANTHASILEA stiffens into attention.
CORELLA: The devil knows, highness. There’s never another stronghold like it in Italy. If your magnificence would come and view the siege works...
VALENTINOIS: I’ve been. I rode out early this morning. The dispositions are elementary. We must do better if we are to make a speedy end.
CORELLA: The dispositions were RamireZ’, my lord. If your highness will show us how...
VALENTINOIS: It is done. My secretary will show you. (He calls over his shoulder.) Agabito!
AGABITO (advancing): Highness.
VALENTINOIS: Take Captain da Corella, and show him the map I have prepared. Explain my notes to him. When you’ve studied it, Micheletto, I’ll make clear anything that may remain in doubt. Go with him, Ferrante. You, Scipione, may remain.
[AGABITO leads CORELLA and FERRANTE up and out through door at back. VALENTINOIS turns from them to MACCHIAVELLI, smiling.
VALENTINOIS: And now, my wily, slippery Florentine eel...
[Seeing PANTHASILEA as he turns, he checks, and stands at gaze a moment. Then he distantly inclines his head.
VALENTINOIS: Madonna, why do you wait? I gave leave to all awhile ago.
PANTHASILEA (conquering the nervousness that besets her under his glance): I...I came, my lord, for a special purpose.
VALENTINOIS (smiling ironically): But for special purposes, madonna, there are the special people I have appointed to my service.
PANTHASILEA: Your patience, highness, but this is a matter upon which I could have little hope from any but yourself.
VALENTINOIS: Why so?
PANTHASILEA: Because it is said of you that you are the soul of justice.
VALENTINOIS: Is it? Of me? Where is that said? Whence are you, madonna?
PANTHASILEA: From Spoleto, magnificent.
VALENTINOIS: And they say that of me in Spoleto, do they? What ails them in Spoleto that they should speak the truth?
PANTHASILEA: They have no cause to do otherwise, highness.
VALENTINOIS: They have no cause elsewhere in Italy. Nevertheless, you’ll find that everywhere they speak — Italian. What is your name, madonna?
PANTHASILEA: I am called Bianca Bracci, highness.
VALENTINOIS: Bracci! An honourable name. And what may have brought you from the veracious city of Spoleto to this Assisi where the truth has probably not been heard since St. Francis died?
PANTHASILEA: Family reasons, magnificent. I came a week ago — on the very day of your highness’s arrival.
VALENTINOIS: Undeterred by it?
PANTHASILEA: Encouraged by it, my lord.
VALENTINOIS: Ah?
PANTHASILEA: It was not unnatural that I should desire to see for myself the most illustrious of the Gonfaloniers of Holy Church, the matchless soldier who has restored the Romagna fiefs to the patrimony of St. Peter, the mirror of chivalry whom the King of France honours himself in honouring.
VALENTINOIS (conning her with narrowed eyes): Flattery, madonna, may be the shortest cut to most men’s confidence. It is the longest way to mine.
PANTHASILEA (scandalized): Flattery? I spoke from my heart.
VALENTINOIS: A courtier’s heart by the ring of your words.
PANTHASILEA: No courtier, highness. I am country-bred. Nor have I said that you are all this. But merely that I had heard it said so.
VALENTINOIS: In Spoleto?
PANTHASILEA: In Spoleto.
VALENTINOIS: Decidedly I must go to Spoleto. But you said, I think, that a special reason detains you here.
PANTHASILEA (suddenly grave): They say of your highness that you are of a justice that is terrible but always just.
VALENTINOIS (suspiciously): Is it justice you require of me?
PANTHASILEA: I had with me a young waiting-woman-a mere child, who was good and pious, and beautiful — to her undoing perhaps, though I still pray that it may not be so. This child, Francesca Lidana is her name, has disappeared. She vanished yesterday afternoon.
[VALENTINOIS stares at her in astonishment; then he speaks with some indignation in his voice.
VALENTINOIS: And you come to me! You break in on me, who am engaged upon matters that may set nations tottering, with such a trumpery affair as this?
PANTHASILEA (heatedly): Trumpery? Is brutal violence, perhaps the murder of one who is your subject, maybe the ruin of a soul, a trumpery affair? (With a half-sneer.) They told me you were justice incarnate.
VALENTINOIS: I have established courts, madonna, to see that the public peace is kept and to protect persons and property. There is my CaptaIn of JustIce here In Assisi.
PANTHASILEA: I have appealed to him without satisfaction.
VALENTINOIS: What?
PANTHASILEA: I understand that such a court should hesitate to move against your soldiers — against your officers, perhaps.
VALENTINOIS: Why else have I established it? Or do you think that I govern like the Baglioni, the Malatesta, the Speranzoni, and all these other brigands who have preyed upon this unfortunate Romagna?
[PANTHASILEA quivers at the mention of her own name; but instantly recovers.
PANTHASILEA: It is because I do not that I have come to you.
VALENTINOIS (after a moment’s pause, as if irresolute): Let me understand this thing. You spoke of violence and
murder — hinting that it was the work of my men. What is the full tale of this woman’s disappearance?
PANTHASILEA: I sent her on an errand. The streets were full of soldiers at the time. Myself I saw a group of men in your liveries — with the Bull escutcheon on their breasts — lounging before my house when she went forth.
Collected Works of Rafael Sabatini Page 575
