The Collected Works of Oscar Wilde: 250+ Titles in One Edition. Оскар Уайльд

gets his deserts, and give him trial afterwards so that no injustice is done.

      FIRST CITIZEN

       Well, well, it will go hard with him I doubt not.

      SECOND CITIZEN

       Surely it is a grievous thing to shed a Duke’s blood.

      THIRD CITIZEN

       They say a Duke has blue blood.

      SECOND CITIZEN

       I think our Duke’s blood was black like his soul.

      FIRST CITIZEN

       Have a watch, neighbour Anthony, the officer is looking at thee.

      SECOND CITIZEN

       I care not if he does but look at me; he cannot whip me with the lashes of his eye.

      THIRD CITIZEN

       What think you of this young man who stuck the knife into the Duke?

      SECOND CITIZEN

       Why, that he is a well-behaved, and a well-meaning, and a well-favoured lad, and yet wicked in that he killed the Duke.

      THIRD CITIZEN

       ‘Twas the first time he did it: may be the law will not be hard on him, as he did not do it before.

      SECOND CITIZEN

       True.

      TIPSTAFF

       Silence, knave.

      SECOND CITIZEN

       Am I thy looking-glass, Master Tipstaff, that thou callest me knave?

      FIRST CITIZEN

       Here be one of the household coming. Well, Dame Lucy, thou art of the Court, how does thy poor mistress the Duchess, with her sweet face?

      MISTRESS LUCY

       O well-a-day! O miserable day! O day! O misery! Why it is just nineteen years last June, at Michaelmas, since I was married to my husband, and it is August now, and here is the Duke murdered; there is a coincidence for you!

      SECOND CITIZEN

       Why, if it is a coincidence, they may not kill the young man: there is no law against coincidences.

      FIRST CITIZEN

       But how does the Duchess?

      MISTRESS LUCY

       Well well, I knew some harm would happen to the house: six weeks ago the cakes were all burned on one side, and last Saint Martin even as ever was, there flew into the candle a big moth that had wings, and a’most scared me.

      FIRST CITIZEN

       But come to the Duchess, good gossip: what of her?

      MISTRESS LUCY

       Marry, it is time you should ask after her, poor lady; she is distraught almost. Why, she has not slept, but paced the chamber all night long. I prayed her to have a posset, or some aqua-vitae, and to get to bed and sleep a little for her health’s sake, but she answered me she was afraid she might dream. That was a strange answer, was it not?

      SECOND CITIZEN

       These great folk have not much sense, so Providence makes it up to them in fine clothes.

      MISTRESS LUCY

       Well, well, God keep murder from us, I say, as long as we are alive.

      [Enter LORD MORANZONE hurriedly.]

      MORANZONE

       Is the Duke dead?

      SECOND CITIZEN

       He has a knife in his heart, which they say is not healthy for any man.

      MORANZONE

       Who is accused of having killed him?

      SECOND CITIZEN

       Why, the prisoner, sir.

      MORANZONE

       But who is the prisoner?

      SECOND CITIZEN

       Why, he that is accused of the Duke’s murder.

      MORANZONE

       I mean, what is his name?

      SECOND CITIZEN

       Faith, the same which his godfathers gave him: what else should it be?

      TIPSTAFF

       Guido Ferranti is his name, my lord.

      MORANZONE

       I almost knew thine answer ere you gave it.

       [Aside.]

       Yet it is strange he should have killed the Duke,

       Seeing he left me in such different mood.

       It is most likely when he saw the man,

       This devil who had sold his father’s life,

       That passion from their seat within his heart

       Thrust all his boyish theories of love,

       And in their place set vengeance; yet I marvel

       That he escaped not.

       [Turning again to the crowd.]

       How was he taken? Tell me.

      THIRD CITIZEN

       Marry, sir, he was taken by the heels.

      MORANZONE

       But who seized him?

      THIRD CITIZEN

       Why, those that did lay hold of him.

      MORANZONE

       How was the alarm given?

      THIRD CITIZEN

       That I cannot tell you, sir.

      MISTRESS LUCY

       It was the Duchess herself who pointed him out.

      MORANZONE

       [aside]

       The Duchess! There is something strange in this.

      MISTRESS LUCY

       Ay! And the dagger was in his hand - the Duchess’s own dagger.

      MORANZONE

       What did you say?

      MISTRESS LUCY

       Why, marry, that it was with the Duchess’s dagger that the Duke was killed.

      MORANZONE

       [aside]

       There is some mystery about this: I cannot understand it.

      SECOND CITIZEN

       They be very long a-coming,

      FIRST CITIZEN

       I warrant they will come soon enough for the prisoner.

      TIPSTAFF

       Silence in the Court!

      FIRST CITIZEN

       Thou dost break silence in bidding us keep it, Master Tipstaff.

       [Enter the LORD JUSTICE and the other Judges.]

      SECOND CITIZEN

       Who is he in scarlet? Is he the headsman?

      THIRD CITIZEN

       Nay, he is the Lord Justice.

       [Enter GUIDO guarded.]

      SECOND CITIZEN

       There be the prisoner surely.

      THIRD CITIZEN

       He looks honest.

      FIRST CITIZEN That be his villany: knaves nowadays do look so honest that honest folk are forced to look like knaves so as to be different.

       [Enter the Headman, who takes his stand behind