Muffled to whisper curses to the night; Thou herdest not with such: 'tis true, of late With honest mates, and bear a cheerful What hath come to thee? in thy hollow eye war To waste thee. Bertram. Rather shame and sorrow light This is not thy old language, nor own Some wretch has made thee drunk with But thou must not be lost so; thou wert good What is it thou and thine are bound to do, son Of him who was a friend unto thy father, Like a sick girl? 1 am not worthy to be singled out Bertram. Venice, and all that she inher- Divided like a house against itself, Or thou, or I, or both, it may be, are more Glorious to save than slay, and slay i' the Fie, Bertram! that was not a craft for thee! Borne by thy hand before the shuddering And such may be my doom; for here I swear, And thou art lost!-thou! my sole bene- The only being who was constant to me Let me save thee-but spare my honour! Can lie the honour in a league of murder? Bertram. Nay, question me no further: In honest hearts when words must stand I must be gone. Lioni. And I be murder'd!—say, Bertram. Who talks of murder? what Tis false! I did not utter such a word. Lioni. Thou didst not; but from out thy wolfish eye, So changed from what I knew it, there The gladiator. If my life's thine object, taskwork. Bertram. Sooner than spill thy blood, Sooner than harm a hair of thine, I place for law; And in my mind, there is no traitor like Bertram. Not I; I could have wound my soul up to all things how dear Thy life is, when I risk so many lives, once more I do adjure thee, pass not o'er thy threshold! Lioni. It is in vain-this moment I go forth. Bertram. Then perish Venice rather than I will disclose ensnare betray-destroy- Lioni. Say, rather thy friend's saviour | SCENE 11.-The Ducal Palace-the Doge's and the state's!— Apartment. Speak—pause not—all rewards, all pledges The Dock and his nephew BERTUCCIO FALiero, for Thy safety and thy welfare; wealth such as The state accords her worthiest servants; nay, Nobility itself I guarantee thee, Thou knowest it--that I stand here is the proof, Not least though last; but having done my duty By thee, I now must do it by my country! Farewell!- -we meet no more in life! farewell! A sudden swelling of our retinue Lioni. What, ho! Antonio-Pedro- to Had waked suspicion; and, though fierce and trusty, The vassals of that district are too rude Doge. True; but when once the signal These are the men for such an enterprise: Serfs of my county of Val di Marino, They are not used to start at those vain [Exeunt. I had o'ermaster'd the weak false remorse Timoleon immortal, than to face Subdue the furies which so wrung you ere Doge. It was ever thus With me; the hour of agitation came To the subduing power which I preserved Oft do a public right with private wrong, And justify their deeds unto themselves.Methinks the day breaks - is it not so? look, Thine eyes are clear with youth; - the air puts on A morning-freshness, and, at least to me, The sea looks grayer through the lattice. B. Fal. True, The morn is dappling in the sky. Doge. Away, then! See that they strike without delay, and with The first toll from St. Mark's, march on the palace With all our house's strength! here I will meet you The Sixteen and their companies will move In separate columns at the self-same mo ment Be sure you post yourself by the great gate, I would not trust "The Ten" except to usThe rest, the rabble of patricians, may Glut the more careless swords of those leagued with us. Remember that the cry is still “Saint Mark! The Genoese are come-ho! to the rescue! Saint Mark and liberty!"-Now-now to action! B. Fal. Farewell then, noble uncle! we will meet In freedom and true sovereignty, or never! Doge. Come hither, my Bertuccio-one embrace Speed, for the day grows broader-Send me soon A messenger to tell me how all goes The storm-bell from Saint Mark's! And for a moment poised in middle air, That slowly walk'st the waters! march- I would not smite i' the dark, but rather see sea-waves! I have seen you dyed ere now, and deeply too, With Genoese, Saracen, and Hunnish gore, While that of Venice flow'd too, but victorious: My nephew, brave Bertuccio's messenger.- But friend or foe will roll in civic slaughter. Into the air, and cries from tens of thousands sped ? They here!all's lost-yet will I make an effort. Enter a SIGNOr of the Night, with Guards. Sign. of the Night. Doge, I arrest thee of high treason! Doge. Me! Thy prince, of treason?-Who are they that dare Cloak their own treason under such an order? Sign. of the Night (showing his order). Behold my order from the assembled Ten. Doge. And where are they, and why assembled? no Such council can be lawful, till the prince Preside there, and that duty 's mine: on thine And fame and length of days-to see this day? I charge thee, give me way, or marshal me Doge. You dare to disobey me then? The state, and needs must serve it faithfully; Doge. And till that warrant has my to reply, but act — I am placed here as guard upon thy person, Doge (aside). I must gain time-So that Our fate is trembling in the balance, and Woe to the vanquish'd! be they prince and people, Or slaves and senate [The great bell of Saint Mark's tolls. Lo! it sounds-it tolls! Doge (aloud). Hark, Signor of the Night! and you, ye hirelings, Who wield your mercenary staves in fear, It is your knell --Swell on, thou lusty peal! Now, knaves, what ransom for your lives? Sign. of the Night. Confusion! Stand to your arms, and guard the doorall's lost Unless that fearful bell be silenced soon. [Exit a part of the Guard. Doge. Wretch! if thou wouldst have thy vile life, implore it; It is not now a lease of sixty seconds. Sign. of the Night. So let it be! Than thou and thy base myrmidons, live on, So thon provok'st not peril by resistance, And learn (if souls so much obscured can bear To gaze upon the sunbeams) to be free. Sign. of the Night. And learn thouR to be captive-It hath ceased, [The bell ceases to toll. The traitorous signal, which was to have set The bloodhound - mob on their patrician But thou wert sent to watch, and not to prate, And yet how near success! I would have fallen, And proudly, in the hour of triumph, but Enter other SIGNORS OF THE NIGHT with First Signor. Are all the passes Second Signor. They are- besides, it matters not; the chiefs Are all in chains, and some even now on trial Their followers are dispersed, and many taken. B. Fal. Uncle! Doge. It is in vain to war with Fortune; The glory hath departed from our house. B. Fal. Who would have deem'd it?Ah! one moment sooner! Doge. That moment would have changed the face of ages; This gives us to eternity-We'll meet it As men whose triumph is not in success, But who can make their own minds all in all, Equal to every fortune. Droop not, 'tis But a brief passage—I would go alone, Yet if they send us, as 'tis like, together, Let us go worthy of our sires and selves. B. Fal. I shall not shame you, uncle. First Signor. Lords, our orders Are to keep guard on both in separate chambers, Until the council call ye to your trial. Doge. Our trial! will they keep their mockery up Even to the last? but let them deal upon us, As we had dealt on them, but with less pomp. 'Tis but a game of mutual homicides, Who have cast lots for the first death, and they Have won with false dice.-Who hath been our Judas? First Signor. I am not warranted to answer that. B. Fal. I'll answer for thee-'tis a certain |