________________________________________________
_ ACT II - SCENE II
[Court-yard of the palace at Fiori. Entire court assembled.
A band of strolling players, with a little stage
on wheels, are doing a Harlequinade pantomime to amuse
the young King Mario, the guest of honor. Beatrice sits
beside him. In this scene the two people who are oblivious
to the pantomime are Guido and Octavia. Guido is
apparently brooding over something. From time to time
he looks at Beatrice and Mario. Once, having gazed for
some moments at the pair, he looks at Octavia and sees
that she, too, is looking at them, which seems to satisfy
him. The Queen does not take her eyes from the two during
the entire scene. Beatrice and Mario do not conduct
themselves precisely as lovers, but they are very gay and
happy to be in each other's company, apparently. Lorenzo
watches the show with a benign, almost childish
interest.]
[Pantomime begins.]
GIO.
You, Pierrot, are you not a little thick
For such a sorrowful fellow?
PIERROT.
Nay, indeed!
Sorrow may come to all. And 'tis amazing
How much a man may live through and keep fat.
[Pantomime continues]
CAR.
Ho! Now he stumbles! Look you, Pantaloon,
If you were not so learned i' the head
You might know better where to put your feet!
LAU.
[To Carlotta.]
'Tis curious how it addles a man's bones
To think too much.
CAR.
Nay, truth. Wise men were ever
Awkward in the legs.
[Pantomime continues.]
RAFFAELE.
Have at him, Polichinello.
GIO.
Lay on! Lay on!
ANS.
Leave not a nail of him!
GIO.
Dog! Would you have him write a book about you?
LUIG.
Spit him i' the liver! It is his only organ!
BEA.
[To Mario.]
Nay, it is cruel. I cannot look at it.
MAR.
It is but play.
BEA.
Ay, but 'tis cruel play.
To be so mocked at!--Come, take heart, good Doctor!
'Tis a noisy fellow, but light withal!--Blow at him!
GIO.
[To Guido.]
She has the softest heart that ever
I saw
In a hard woman. It may be, seeing she has pity
For one rogue, she has pity for another!
Mark you, my Guido, there is hope yet!
GUI.
Nay,
There's not. I have opened up my mind to her,
And she will none of me.
GIO.
[Jestingly.]
That was the last thing
You should have done!--Speak,--did she give for answer
She loves the King?
GUI.
Not she. She gave for answer
She does not love the Duke.
[Pantomime continues.]
ANS.
[To Colombine.]
Ah, pretty lady!
CAR.
La, she is fickle! How she turns from one face
To another face,--and smiles into them all!
FRAN.
Oh, ay, but' tis the Pierrot that she loves.
[Pantomime continues and comes to a close.]
[All applaud.]
LUIGI.
Well done!
ANS.
Bravo!
GIO.
A monstrous lively play!
BEA.
Oh, is it over?--I would it were not over!
MAR.
And yet it pleased you not!
BEA.
When it pleased me not,
I looked at you.
MAR.
And when I pleased you not--?
BEA.
I looked at Harlequin. However, I saw him
But fleetingly. Pray, was he dark or fair?
LUIGI.
Laura!
LAU.
Who calls? La, it is only Luigi!
LUIGI.
Laura, there'll be a moon tonight.
LAU.
I' faith,
There was a moon last night. [She sighs.]
LUIGI.
At ten o'clock,
Were I by a certain gate, would you be there?
What say you?
LAU.
Ay,--if weariness overtook me,
And I could not get further!
CAR.
La, 'tis sun-down!
[In the meantime the crowd has been breaking up and dispersing. The curtain falls on the disappearing spectators and on Pierrot and his troupe packing up their wagon to go to the next town.] _
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