His name, milord?
[Enter the DUKE OF PADUA with COUNT BARDI, MAFFIO, PETRUCCI, and other gentlemen of his Court.]
MORANZONE
[quickly]
The man to whom I kneel Is he who sold your father! mark me well.
GUIDO
[clutches. .h.i.t dagger]
The Duke!
MORANZONE
Leave off that fingering of thy knife.
Hast thou so soon forgotten?
[Kneels to the DUKE.]
My n.o.ble Lord.
DUKE
Welcome, Count Moranzone; "tis some time Since we have seen you here in Padua.
We hunted near your castle yesterday - Call you it castle? that bleak house of yours Wherein you sit a-mumbling o"er your beads, Telling your vices like a good old man.
[Catches sight of GUIDO and starts back.]
Who is that?
MORANZONE
My sister"s son, your Grace, Who being now of age to carry arms, Would for a season tarry at your Court
DUKE
[still looking at GUIDO]
What is his name?
MORANZONE
Guido Ferranti, sir.
DUKE
His city?
MORANZONE
He is Mantuan by birth.
DUKE
[advancing towards GUIDO]
You have the eyes of one I used to know, But he died childless. Are you honest, boy?
Then be not spendthrift of your honesty, But keep it to yourself; in Padua Men think that honesty is ostentatious, so It is not of the fashion. Look at these lords.
COUNT BARDI
[aside]
Here is some bitter arrow for us, sure.
DUKE
Why, every man among them has his price, Although, to do them justice, some of them Are quite expensive.
COUNT BARDI
[aside]
There it comes indeed.
DUKE
So be not honest; eccentricity Is not a thing should ever be encouraged, Although, in this dull stupid age of ours, The most eccentric thing a man can do Is to have brains, then the mob mocks at him; And for the mob, despise it as I do, I hold its bubble praise and windy favours In such account, that popularity Is the one insult I have never suffered.
MAFFIO
[aside]
He has enough of hate, if he needs that.
DUKE
Have prudence; in your dealings with the world Be not too hasty; act on the second thought, First impulses are generally good.
GUIDO
[aside]
Surely a toad sits on his lips, and spills its venom there.
DUKE
See thou hast enemies, Else will the world think very little of thee; It is its test of power; yet see thou show"st A smiling mask of friendship to all men, Until thou hast them safely in thy grip, Then thou canst crush them.
GUIDO
[aside]
O wise philosopher!
That for thyself dost dig so deep a grave.
MORANZONE