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SCENE III.
A Room in the Palace of the Duke of Suffolk. Enter Duke of Norfolk, Duke of Suffolk, and Marquis of Exeter.Suffolk.
Where 's Arundel, Lord Exeter?
Exeter.
Poor man!
His over boldness in once joining us
Has scared him from a second wish of it:
One valiant thought has terrified the rest.
He bade me mention that some strict affairs
Drew him away. When we have won the game,
I pledge my faith, we'll have him bickering hot,
And bold as Mars to share the dangerous spoils.
Norfolk.
We can well spare him. Since his majesty
Has shown such favor to our enterprise,
They who at first turned from us, virtue-sick,
Deem it a blesséd thing to be enrolled.
(Enter Earl of Arundel.)
Welcome, my lord!
Arundel.
A dear salute to me.
I rode four horses dead, to keep my faith,
And only reached you as the fifth fell lame.
Good Lord! good Lord! they say his majesty—
I had this from a sure but private source—
Has gained intelligence of our design,
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When I have blown a while, I'll tell you more.
Suf.
Nay, spare your wind.—
Nor.
Poh! poh! don't anger him.
[Apart to Suffolk.]
Arun.
Ha! you know all?
Nor.
Yes, every tittle of it.
Arun.
Then, sirs, to counsel.
Ex.
Now he is head assassin.
[Aside.]
Nor.
His majesty is much perplexed with doubts;
Nor knows he, better than ourselves, a plan
To rid the state of his ambitious queen.
She has committed no so gross excess
As may subject her to the common law:
A faithful wife, untainted in her fame—
Ex.
And so was Katharine.
Suf.
Come, come, be blunt:
We must destroy her, by fair means or foul.
(Enter a Servant.)
Servant.
Your grace's servant, Master Loney, waits.
Suf.
Let him wait, fellow—I am much engaged.
Ser.
I told him so. He said his business was
About the matter you have now in hand.
Suf.
Ha! said he so? Admit him then. (Exit Servant.)
My lords,
Be not provoked by his familiar bearing.
He is my jackal, a most useful one,
But one who hates his trade.
(Enter Ralph Loney.)
Loney.
My speech is short.
I met a youthful schoolfellow of mine,
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The man 's a fool, and boasted of the love
His mistress bore him. He would go still further,
To gratify his itching vanity,
And criminate the queen.
Suf.
Go make him drunk;
Take witnesses, fit men, and pump him dry.
Lon.
I will obey, sir.—'T is but one man more.
[Exit.]
Suf.
You'll scarce believe, at times that fellow laughs;
But never when about my secret work;
Then he is ever sullen.
Arun.
A strange knave.
Suf.
But faithful.
Ex.
Something grave may come of this.
Suf.
Ay, something which, by us interpreted,
May compromise the virtue of the queen.
Nor.
Perhaps. O find me but some little charge,
Less weighty than the air-drawn gossamer—
Some dim tradition, gathered in a dream
Seen by the blearing vision of a drunkard—
Some hearsay mumbled by a maniac's lips,
With fever scorched upon his dying bed—
Some words the roaring tongues of angry blasts,
Or zephyrs, lisping through the sluggish trees,
Hummed in the ears of musing fantasy—
Find one of these, to frame a charge upon,
And I will warrant trial expedite,
And sure conviction, though an angel plead.
Suf.
I'll answer, Loney's craft unearths a charge
As horrible as death.
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What mean you, sirs,
To bring a deadly fault against the guiltless?
Arun.
Ay, prove it too.
Ex.
This is flat villany!
'T is now too late to shape my course anew;
And England's weal outweighs a woman's life.
[Aside.]
Nor.
Should this affair fulfil its promises,
We'll meet anon.
Arun.
If 't would assist you, sirs,
Pray use my house.
Ex.
Yon fellow glows with zeal;
He 'd stab she-Cæsar in the capitol.
[Aside.]
[Exeunt severally.]
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