_Enter_ Angelo, _with his mash in his hand_.
Be ready, my lord. She will be here directly.
So, so. But he must have had some suspicions, for he was not quite unprepared.
There! Take that for thy compassion (_gives him a purse_).
And our poor Nicolo too, he has shared the same luck.
Yes. I could cry for the honest lad's fate; though I come in for another quarter of this purse by it; for I am his heir, since I avenged him. This is a law among us, and as good a law, methinks, as ever was made for the support of friendship and fidelity. This Nicolo, my lord----
Zounds! The Count finished him, and I finished the Count. He fell, and though he might be alive when they put him into the coach, I'll answer for it that he will never come alive out of it.
I'll forfeit your custom, if it be not true. Have you any further commands? For I have a long journey. We must be across the frontier before sunset.
Should anything else occur in my way, you know where to inquire for me. What any other can venture to do will be no magic for me, and my terms are lower than any other's. (_Exit_.)
'Tis well--yet not so well as it might have been. Shame on thee, Angelo, to be such a niggard! Surely the Count was worthy of a second shot. Now, he may die in agony; poor Count! Shame, Angelo! It was a cruel and bungling piece of work. The Prince must not know what has happened. He himself must discover how advantageous this death is to him. Death! What would I not give to be certain of it!
Here she comes up the avenue. She flies before the servants. Fear gives wings to her feet. She must not suspect our design. She thinks she is escaping from robbers. How long will her mistake last?
But will not her mother come in search of her? Will not the Count follow her? What can we do then? How can I keep her from them?
To all this I confess I can make no reply. But we must see. Compose yourself, Prince. This first step was, at all events, necessary.
But perhaps we need not. There are a thousand things on which we may make further steps. Have you forgotten the chief one?
How can I have forgotten that of which I never thought? What mean you by the chief one?
The art of pleasing and persuading--which in a prince who loves can never fail.