Act 2 — [Scene II.][4374]

Car. I shall perform a visit daily, madam, In th’ absence of my nephew, and be happy If you accept my care. Duch. You have honour’d me; And if your entertainment have not been Worthy your grace’s person, ’t is because5 Nothing can reach it in my power; but where There is no want of zeal, other defect Is only a fault to exercise your mercy. Car. You are bounteous in all. I take my leave, My fair niece, shortly, when Columbo has10 Purchas’d more honours to prefer his name And value to your noble thoughts; meantime, Be confident you have a friend, whose office And favour with the king shall be effectual To serve your grace. Duch. Your own good deeds reward you,15 Till mine rise equal to deserve their benefit.— Exit Cardinal. Leave me awhile.— Exit Placentia. Do not I walk upon the teeth of serpents, And, as I had a charm against their poison, Play with their stings? The Cardinal is subtle, Whom ’t is not wisdom to incense, till I21 Hear to what destiny Columbo leaves me. May be the greatness of his soul will scorn To own what comes with murmur;—if he can Interpret me so happily.—Art come?25

Ant. His excellence salutes your grace. Duch. Thou hast A melancholy brow. How did he take my letter? Ant. As he would take a blow; with so much sense Of anger, his whole soul boil’d in his face; And such prodigious flame in both his eyes,30 As they ’d been th’ only seat of fire, and at Each look a salamander leaping forth, Not able to endure the furnace. Duch. Ha! thou dost Describe him with some horror. Ant. Soon as he Had read again, and understood your meaning,35 His rage had shot me with a pistol, had not I us’d some soft and penitential language, To charm the bullet. Duch. Wait at some more distance.— My soul doth bathe itself in a cold dew; Imagine I am opening of a tomb;40 [Opens the letter.] Thus I throw off the marble, to discover What antic posture death presents in this Pale monument to fright me.—Ha! Reads. My heart, that call’d my blood and spirits to Defend it from the invasion of my fears,45 Must keep a guard about it still, lest this Strange and too mighty joy crush it to nothing.— Antonio. Ant. Madam. Duch. Bid my steward give thee Two thousand ducats. Art sure I am awake? Ant. I shall be able to resolve you, madam,50 When he has paid the money. Duch. Columbo now is noble. Exit. Ant. This is better Than I expected,—if my lady be Not mad, and live to justify her bounty. Exit.