Act 2 — SCENE II.—The Louvre.

Enter Guise, attended with his Family; Marmoutiere meeting him new drest, attended, &c.

Gui. Furies! she keeps her word, and I am lost; Yet let not my ambition shew it to her; For, after all, she does it but to try me, And foil my vowed design.—Madam, I see You're come to court; the robes you wear become you; Your air, your mien, your charms, your every grace, Will kill at least your thousand in a day.

Mar. What, a whole day, and kill but one poor thousand! An hour you mean, and in that hour ten thousand. Yes, I would make with every glance a murder.— 043 Mend me this curl.

Gui. Woman![Aside.

Mar. You see, my lord, I have my followers, like you. I swear, The court's a heavenly place; but—O, my heart! I know not why that sigh should come uncalled; Perhaps, 'twas for your going; yet I swear, I never was so moved, O Guise, as now, Just as you entered, when from yonder window I saw the king.

Gui. Woman, all over woman![Aside. The world confesses, madam, Henry's form Is noble and majestic.

Mar. O you grudge The extorted praise, and speak him but by halves.

Gui. Priest, Corso, devils! how she carries it!

Mar. I see, my lord, you're come to take your leave; And were it not to give the court suspicion, I would oblige you, sir, before you go, To lead me to the king.

Gui. Death and the devil!

Mar. But since that cannot be, I'll take my leave Of you, my lord; heaven grant your journey safe! Farewell, once more. [Offers her hand.] Not stir! does this become you,— Does your ambition swell into your eyes?— Jealousy by this light; nay then, proud Guise, I tell you, you're not worthy of the grace; But I will carry't, sir, to those that are, And leave you to the curse of bosom-war.[Exit.

May. Is this the heavenly—

Gui. Devil, devil, as they are all. 'Tis true, at first she caught the heavenly form, But now ambition sets her on her head, By hell, I see the cloven mark upon her. Ha! Grillon here! some new court-trick upon me.

044 Enter Grillon.

Gril. Sir, I have business for your ear.

Gui. Retire.[Exeunt his Followers.

Gril. The king, my lord, commanded me to wait you, And bid you welcome to the court.

Gui. The king Still loads me with new honours; but none greater Than this, the last.

Gril. There is one greater yet, Your high commission 'gainst the Huguenots; I and my family shall shortly wait you, And 'twill be glorious work.

Gui. If you are there, There must be action.

Gril. O, your pardon, sir; I'm but a stripling in the trade of war: But you, whose life is one continued broil, What will not your triumphant arms accomplish! You, that were formed for mastery in war. That, with a start, cried to your brother Mayenne,— "To horse!" and slaughtered forty thousand Germans[9].

Gui. Let me beseech you, colonel, no more.

Gril. But, sir, since I must make at least a figure 045 In this great business, let me understand What 'tis you mean, and why you force the king Upon so dangerous an expedition.

Gui. Sir, I intend the greatness of the king; The greatness of all France, whom it imports To make their arms their business, aim, and glory; And where so proper as upon those rebels, That covered all the state with blood and death?

Gril. Stored arsenals and armouries, fields of horse, Ordnance, munition, and the nerve of war, Sound infantry, not harassed and diseased, To meet the fierce Navarre, should first be thought on.

Gui. I find, my lord, the argument grows warm, Therefore, thus much, and I have done: I go To join the Holy League in this great war, In which no place of office, or command, Not of the greatest, shall be bought or sold; Whereas too often honours are conferred On soldiers, and no soldiers: This man knighted, Because he charged a troop before his dinner, And sculked behind a hedge i'the afternoon: I will have strict examination made Betwixt the meritorious and the base.

Gril. You have mouthed it bravely, and there is no doubt Your deeds would answer well your haughty words; Yet let me tell you, sir, there is a man, (Curse on the hearts that hate him!) that would better, Better than you, or all your puffy race, That better would become the great battalion; That when he shines in arms, and suns the field, Moves, speaks, and fights, and is himself a war.

Gui. Your idol, sir; you mean the great Navarre: But yet—

Gril. No yet, my lord of Guise, no yet; By arms, I bar you that; I swear, no yet; For never was his like, nor shall again. 046 Though voted from his right by your cursed League.

Gui. Judge not too rashly of the Holy League, But look at home.

Gril. Ha! darest thou justify Those villains?

Gui. I'll not justify a villain, More than yourself; but if you thus proceed, If every heated breath can puff away, On each surmise, the lives of free-born people, What need that awful general convocation, The assembly of the states?—nay, let me urge,— If thus they vilify the Holy League, What may their heads expect?

Gril. What, if I could, They should be certain of,—whole piles of fire.

Gui. Colonel, 'tis very well I know your mind, Which, without fear, or flattery to your person, I'll tell the king; and then, with his permission, Proclaim it for a warning to our people.

Gril. Come, you're a murderer yourself within, A traitor.

Gui. Thou a —— hot old hair-brained fool.

Gril. You were complotter with the cursed League, The black abettor of our Harry's death.

Gui. 'Tis false.

Gril. 'Tis true, as thou art double-hearted: Thou double traitor, to conspire so basely; And when found out, more basely to deny't.

Gui. O gracious Harry, let me sound thy name, Lest this old rust of war, this knotty trifler, Should raise me to extremes.

Gril. If thou'rt a man, That didst refuse the challenge of Navarre, Come forth[10].

047 Gui. Go on; since thou'rt resolved on death, I'll follow thee, and rid thy shaking soul.

Enter King, Queen-Mother, Alphonso, Abbot, &c.

But see, the king: I scorn to ruin thee, Therefore go tell him, tell him thy own story.

King. Ha, colonel, is this your friendly visit? Tell me the truth, how happened this disorder? Those ruffled hands, red looks, and port of fury?

Gril. I told him, sir, since you will have it so, He was the author of the rebel-league; Therefore, a traitor and a murderer.

King. Is't possible?

Gui. No matter, sir, no matter; A few hot words, no more, upon my life; The old man roused, and shook himself a little: So, if your majesty will do me honour, I do beseech you, let the business die.

King. Grillon, submit yourself, and ask his pardon.

Gril. Pardon me, I cannot do't.

King. Where are the guards!

Gui. Hold, sir;—come, colonel, I'll ask pardon for you; This soldierly embrace makes up the breach; We will be sorry, sir, for one another.

Gril. My lord, I know not what to answer you; I'm friends,—and I am not,—and so farewell.[Exit.

King. You have your orders; yet before you go, 048 Take this embrace: I court you for my friend, Though Grillon would not.

Gui. I thank you on my knees; And still, while life shall last, will take strict care To justify my loyalty to your person.[Exit.

Qu. M. Excellent loyalty, to lock you up!

King. I see even to the bottom of his soul; And, madam, I must say the Guise has beauties, But they are set in night, and foul design: He was my friend when young, and might be still.

Ab. Marked you his hollow accents at the parting?

Qu. M. Graves in his smiles.

King. Death in his bloodless hands.— O Marmoutiere! now I will haste to meet thee: The face of beauty, on this rising horror, Looks like the midnight moon upon a murder; It gilds the dark design that stays for fate, And drives the shades, that thicken, from the state.[Exuent.