Ethelbert. You again, Duke? Justice, most noble Otho! You-go to your sister there and plot again, A quick plot, swift as thought to save your heads; The world is all agape to see dragg'd forth Ethelbert. Wife! so soon! Ay, Satan! does that yerk ye? Ay, wife! Oh, impudence! Thou bitter mischief! Venomous bad priest ! Ludolph. Thou shalt have 't! Thine arms from forth a pulpit of hot fire Shall sprawl distracted! O that that dull cow! Were some most sensitive portion of thy life, Otho. Peace, my son ; You far outstrip my spleen in this affair. Otho. Conrad, see all depart not wanted here. [Exeunt, Knights, Ladies, &c. Ludolph, be calm. Ethelbert, peace awhile. Of a just judge, and that will Otho be. Ludolph. Why has he time to breathe another word? To beard us for no cause; he's not the man To cry himself up an ambassador Without credentials. Ludolph. I'll chain up myself. Otho. Old abbot, stand here forth. Lady Erminia, Hard penalties against thee, if 't be found The cause for which you have disturb'd us here, Otho! thou father of the people call'd, Is her life nothing? Her fair honor nothing? Nothing? Her burst heart nothing? Emperor! Who veils its snowy wings and grows all pale, Is she nothing? Otho. What more to the purpose, abbot? Ludolph. Whither is he winding? Conrad. No clue yet! Ethelbert. You have heard, my Liege, and so, no doubt, all here, Foul, poisonous, malignant whisperings; Nay open speech, rude mockery grown common, Of the princess Erminia, your niece. I have intruded here thus suddenly, Because I hold those base weeds, with tight hand, A rope-ladder for false witness. Ludolph. Otho. Ethelbert, proceed. Ethelbert. Most atrocious! With sad lips I shall: For, in the healing of one wound, I fear To make a greater. His young highness here To-day was married. Ludolph. Ethelbert. Good. Would it were good! Yet why do I delay to spread abroad The names of those two vipers, from whose jaw This guileless lady? Otho. Abbot, speak their names. Ethelbert. A minute first. It cannot be but may I ask, great judge, if you to-day have put Ethelbert. My evidence cannot be far away; And, though it never come, be on my head The crime of passing an attaint upon The slanderers of this virgin. Ludolph. Speak aloud! Something of quick dispatch, for should she hear, What swift death wilt thou die? As to the lady, Ethelbert. Illustrious Otho, stay! Choke not the granary of thy noble mind But an old man's is narrow, tenantless Even as a miser balances his coin; And, in the name of mercy, give command A noon-day proof of bad Auranthe's guilt. Ludolph. [Exit one of the Nobles. Impossible! I cannot doubt-I will not-no-to doubt Is to be ashes!-wither'd up to death! Otho. My gentle Ludolph, harbor not a fear; You do yourself much wrong. Ludolph. O, wretched dolt! Now, when my foot is almost on thy neck, Wilt thou infuriate me? Proof! Thou fool! With such a thick-skull'd persevering suit? Monster of folly! Ghost of a turn'd brain! Enter ALBERT, and the Nobleman. Here, Albert, this old phantom wants a proof! Whose words once utter'd pass like current gold; To this brief tempest. Do you stand possess'd Of Lady Auranthe, our new-spoused daughter? Albert. You chill me with astonishment. How's this? My liege, what proof should I have 'gainst a fame Impossible to slur? [OTHO rises. |