Part 7

CARDINAL. It may be, to make trial of your promise, When he 's asleep, myself will rise and feign Some of his mad tricks, and cry out for help, And feign myself in danger.

MALATESTI. If your throat were cutting, I 'd not come at you, now I have protested against it.

CARDINAL. Why, I thank you.

GRISOLAN. 'Twas a foul storm to-night.

RODERIGO. The Lord Ferdinand's chamber shook like an osier.

MALATESTI. 'Twas nothing put pure kindness in the devil To rock his own child. Exeunt [all except the CARDINAL].

CARDINAL. The reason why I would not suffer these About my brother, is, because at midnight I may with better privacy convey Julia's body to her own lodging. O, my conscience! I would pray now; but the devil takes away my heart For having any confidence in prayer. About this hour I appointed Bosola To fetch the body. When he hath serv'd my turn, He dies. Exit.

[Enter BOSOLA]

BOSOLA. Ha! 'twas the cardinal's voice; I heard him name Bosola and my death. Listen; I hear one's footing.

[Enter FERDINAND]

FERDINAND. Strangling is a very quiet death.

BOSOLA. [Aside.] Nay, then, I see I must stand upon my guard.

FERDINAND. What say to that? Whisper softly: do you agree to 't? So; it must be done i' th' dark; the cardinal would not for a thousand pounds the doctor should see it. Exit.

BOSOLA. My death is plotted; here 's the consequence of murder. We value not desert nor Christian breath, When we know black deeds must be cur'd with death.

[Enter ANTONIO and Servant]

SERVANT. Here stay, sir, and be confident, I pray; I 'll fetch you a dark lantern. Exit.

ANTONIO. Could I take him at his prayers, There were hope of pardon.

BOSOLA. Fall right, my sword!-- [Stabs him.] I 'll not give thee so much leisure as to pray.

ANTONIO. O, I am gone! Thou hast ended a long suit In a minute.

BOSOLA. What art thou?

ANTONIO. A most wretched thing, That only have thy benefit in death, To appear myself.

[Re-enter Servant with a lantern]

SERVANT. Where are you, sir?

ANTONIO. Very near my home.--Bosola!

SERVANT. O, misfortune!

BOSOLA. Smother thy pity, thou art dead else.--Antonio! The man I would have sav'd 'bove mine own life! We are merely the stars' tennis-balls, struck and banded Which way please them.--O good Antonio, I 'll whisper one thing in thy dying ear Shall make thy heart break quickly! Thy fair duchess And two sweet children----

ANTONIO. Their very names Kindle a little life in me.

BOSOLA. Are murder'd.

ANTONIO. Some men have wish'd to die At the hearing of sad tidings; I am glad That I shall do 't in sadness.[135] I would not now Wish my wounds balm'd nor heal'd, for I have no use To put my life to. In all our quest of greatness, Like wanton boys whose pastime is their care, We follow after bubbles blown in th' air. Pleasure of life, what is 't? Only the good hours Of an ague; merely a preparative to rest, To endure vexation. I do not ask The process of my death; only commend me To Delio.

BOSOLA. Break, heart!

ANTONIO. And let my son fly the courts to princes. [Dies.]

BOSOLA. Thou seem'st to have lov'd Antonio.

SERVANT. I brought him hither, To have reconcil'd him to the cardinal.

BOSOLA. I do not ask thee that. Take him up, if thou tender thine own life, And bear him where the lady Julia Was wont to lodge.--O, my fate moves swift! I have this cardinal in the forge already; Now I 'll bring him to th' hammer. O direful misprision![136] I will not imitate things glorious. No more than base; I 'll be mine own example.-- On, on, and look thou represent, for silence, The thing thou bear'st.[137] Exeunt.

## Scene V[138]

[Enter] CARDINAL, with a book

CARDINAL. I am puzzl'd in a question about hell; He says, in hell there 's one material fire, And yet it shall not burn all men alike. Lay him by. How tedious is a guilty conscience! When I look into the fish-ponds in my garden, Methinks I see a thing arm'd with a rake, That seems to strike at me. [Enter BOSOLA, and Servant bearing ANTONIO'S body] Now, art thou come? Thou look'st ghastly; There sits in thy face some great determination Mix'd with some fear.

BOSOLA. Thus it lightens into action: I am come to kill thee.

CARDINAL. Ha!--Help! our guard!

BOSOLA. Thou art deceiv'd; they are out of thy howling.

CARDINAL. Hold; and I will faithfully divide Revenues with thee.

BOSOLA. Thy prayers and proffers Are both unseasonable.

CARDINAL. Raise the watch! We are betray'd!

BOSOLA. I have confin'd your flight: I 'll suffer your retreat to Julia's chamber, But no further.

CARDINAL. Help! we are betray'd!

[Enter, above, PESCARA, MALATESTI, RODERIGO, and GRISOLAN]

MALATESTI. Listen.

CARDINAL. My dukedom for rescue!

RODERIGO. Fie upon his counterfeiting!

MALATESTI. Why, 'tis not the cardinal.

RODERIGO. Yes, yes, 'tis he: But, I 'll see him hang'd ere I 'll go down to him.

CARDINAL. Here 's a plot upon me; I am assaulted! I am lost, Unless some rescue!

GRISOLAN. He doth this pretty well; But it will not serve to laugh me out of mine honour.

CARDINAL. The sword's at my throat!

RODERIGO. You would not bawl so loud then.

MALATESTI. Come, come, let 's go to bed: he told us this much aforehand.

PESCARA. He wish'd you should not come at him; but, believe 't, The accent of the voice sounds not in jest: I 'll down to him, howsoever, and with engines Force ope the doors. [Exit above.]

RODERIGO. Let 's follow him aloof, And note how the cardinal will laugh at him. [Exeunt, above, MALATESTI, RODERIGO, and GRISOLAN.]

BOSOLA. There 's for you first, 'Cause you shall not unbarricade the door To let in rescue. Kills the Servant.

CARDINAL. What cause hast thou to pursue my life?

BOSOLA. Look there.

CARDINAL. Antonio!

BOSOLA. Slain by my hand unwittingly. Pray, and be sudden. When thou kill'd'st thy sister, Thou took'st from Justice her most equal balance, And left her naught but her sword.

CARDINAL. O, mercy!

BOSOLA. Now it seems thy greatness was only outward; For thou fall'st faster of thyself than calamity Can drive thee. I 'll not waste longer time; there! [Stabs him.]

CARDINAL. Thou hast hurt me.

BOSOLA. Again!

CARDINAL. Shall I die like a leveret, Without any resistance?--Help, help, help! I am slain!

[Enter FERDINAND]

FERDINAND. Th' alarum! Give me a fresh horse; Rally the vaunt-guard, or the day is lost, Yield, yield! I give you the honour of arms Shake my sword over you; will you yield?

CARDINAL. Help me; I am your brother!

FERDINAND. The devil! My brother fight upon the adverse party! He wounds the CARDINAL, and, in the scuffle, gives BOSOLA his death-wound. There flies your ransom.

CARDINAL. O justice! I suffer now for what hath former bin: Sorrow is held the eldest child of sin.

FERDINAND. Now you 're brave fellows. Caesar's fortune was harder than Pompey's; Caesar died in the arms of prosperity, Pompey at the feet of disgrace. You both died in the field. The pain 's nothing; pain many times is taken away with the apprehension of greater, as the tooth-ache with the sight of a barber that comes to pull it out. There 's philosophy for you.

BOSOLA. Now my revenge is perfect.--Sink, thou main cause Kills FERDINAND. Of my undoing!--The last part of my life Hath done me best service.

FERDINAND. Give me some wet hay; I am broken-winded. I do account this world but a dog-kennel: I will vault credit and affect high pleasures Beyond death.

BOSOLA. He seems to come to himself, Now he 's so near the bottom.

FERDINAND. My sister, O my sister! there 's the cause on 't. Whether we fall by ambition, blood, or lust, Like diamonds, we are cut with our own dust. [Dies.]

CARDINAL. Thou hast thy payment too.

BOSOLA. Yes, I hold my weary soul in my teeth; 'Tis ready to part from me. I do glory That thou, which stood'st like a huge pyramid Begun upon a large and ample base, Shalt end in a little point, a kind of nothing.

[Enter, below, PESCARA, MALATESTI, RODERIGO, and GRISOLAN]

PESCARA. How now, my lord!

MALATESTI. O sad disaster!

RODERIGO. How comes this?

BOSOLA. Revenge for the Duchess of Malfi murdered By the Arragonian brethren; for Antonio Slain by this hand; for lustful Julia Poison'd by this man; and lastly for myself, That was an actor in the main of all Much 'gainst mine own good nature, yet i' the end Neglected.

PESCARA. How now, my lord!

CARDINAL. Look to my brother: He gave us these large wounds, as we were struggling Here i' th' rushes. And now, I pray, let me Be laid by and never thought of. [Dies.]

PESCARA. How fatally, it seems, he did withstand His own rescue!

MALATESTI. Thou wretched thing of blood, How came Antonio by his death?

BOSOLA. In a mist; I know not how: Such a mistake as I have often seen In a play. O, I am gone! We are only like dead walls or vaulted graves, That, ruin'd, yield no echo. Fare you well. It may be pain, but no harm, to me to die In so good a quarrel. O, this gloomy world! In what a shadow, or deep pit of darkness, Doth womanish and fearful mankind live! Let worthy minds ne'er stagger in distrust To suffer death or shame for what is just: Mine is another voyage. [Dies.]

PESCARA. The noble Delio, as I came to th' palace, Told me of Antonio's being here, and show'd me A pretty gentleman, his son and heir.

[Enter DELIO, and ANTONIO'S Son]

MALATESTI. O sir, you come too late!

DELIO. I heard so, and Was arm'd for 't, ere I came. Let us make noble use Of this great ruin; and join all our force To establish this young hopeful gentleman In 's mother's right. These wretched eminent things Leave no more fame behind 'em, than should one Fall in a frost, and leave his print in snow; As soon as the sun shines, it ever melts, Both form and matter. I have ever thought Nature doth nothing so great for great men As when she 's pleas'd to make them lords of truth: Integrity of life is fame's best friend, Which nobly, beyond death, shall crown the end. Exeunt.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 1: Malfi. The presence-chamber in the palace of the Duchess.]

[Footnote 2: Prevent.]

[Footnote 3: The same.]

[Footnote 4: The reference is to the knightly sport of riding at the ring.]

[Footnote 5: At the expense of.]

[Footnote 6: Rolls of lint used to dress wounds.]

[Footnote 7: Surgeons.]

[Footnote 8: A small horse.]

[Footnote 9: Ballasted.]

[Footnote 10: A lively dance.]

[Footnote 11: Throws into the shade.]

[Footnote 12: At the point of.]

[Footnote 13: Coaches.]

[Footnote 14: Spy.]

[Footnote 15: Cheats.]

[Footnote 16: Spy.]

[Footnote 17: Malfi. Gallery in the Duchess' palace.]

[Footnote 18: Lustful.]

[Footnote 19: Genesis xxxi., 31-42.]

[Footnote 20: The net in which he caught Venus and Mars.]

[Footnote 21: Housekeepers.]

[Footnote 22: Produced.]

[Footnote 23: Qq. read STRANGE.]

[Footnote 24: Guess.]

[Footnote 25: The phrase used to indicate that accounts had been examined and found correct.]

[Footnote 26: Using words of present time; i.e., "I take," not "I will take."]

[Footnote 27: Knot.]

[Footnote 28: More firmly.]

[Footnote 29: Of difficult disposition.]

[Footnote 30: Malfi. An apartment in the palace of the Duchess.]

[Footnote 31: Chief part.]

[Footnote 32: Bullies (Hazlitt); lawyers (Vaughan).]

[Footnote 33: Royal journey.]

[Footnote 34: Turning a boat on its side for repairs.]

[Footnote 35: Scabbed.]

[Footnote 36: Empty.]

[Footnote 37: Face-modeling (Sampson). "There's a plain statement of your practises."]

[Footnote 38: Blue like those of a woman with child.]

[Footnote 39: Scurf.]

[Footnote 40: Person of highest influence.]

[Footnote 41: Hysteria.]

[Footnote 42: This year.]

[Footnote 43: Clearly.]

[Footnote 44: Youngster.]

[Footnote 45: A hall in the same palace.]

[Footnote 46: Crossness.]

[Footnote 47: Always.]

[Footnote 48: The meaner servants.]

[Footnote 49: At once.]

[Footnote 50: Cast his horoscope.]

[Footnote 51: The court of the same palace.]

[Footnote 52: Making an astrological calculation.]

[Footnote 53: Going to the root of the matter.]

[Footnote 54: Write.]

[Footnote 55: i.e., on his handkerchief.]

[Footnote 56: Addressing the lantern.]

[Footnote 57: "The rest not considered."]

[Footnote 58: A piece of news.]

[Footnote 59: Cleverly contrived.]

[Footnote 60: Rome. An apartment in the palace of the Cardinal.]

[Footnote 61: Religious recluse.]

[Footnote 62: Experienced.]

[Footnote 63: Sick.]

[Footnote 64: Medicinal.]

[Footnote 65: Strong broth.]

[Footnote 66: Another apartment in the same palace.]

[Footnote 67: The mandrake was supposed to give forth shrieks when uprooted, which drove the hearer mad.]

[Footnote 68: Unchaste.]

[Footnote 69: Supposed to be a sign of folly.]

[Footnote 70: Throw the hammer.]

[Footnote 71: Boil to shreds. (Dyce.) Qq, TO BOIL.]

[Footnote 72: Malfi. An apartment in the palace of the Duchess.]

[Footnote 73: Wealth.]

[Footnote 74: Lampoons.]

[Footnote 75: Plowshares.]

[Footnote 76: Spying.]

[Footnote 77: Deceptions.]

[Footnote 78: Soothing.]

[Footnote 79: The bed-chamber of the Duchess in the same.]

[Footnote 80: Qq. read SLIGHT.]

[Footnote 81: Powder of orris-root.]

[Footnote 82: Wheels of craft.]

[Footnote 83: Certificate that the books were found correct.]

[Footnote 84: The badge of a steward.]

[Footnote 85: Spies.]

[Footnote 86: Lot.]

[Footnote 87: For Plutus.]

[Footnote 88: Quick steps.]

[Footnote 89: Miss.]

[Footnote 90: Remains.]

[Footnote 91: Profession.]

[Footnote 92: An apartment in the Cardinal's palace at Rome.]

[Footnote 93: A decorated horse-cloth, used only when the court is traveling.]

[Footnote 94: The first quarto has in the margin: "The Author disclaims this Ditty to be his."]

[Footnote 95: Near Loretto.]

[Footnote 96: Small birds.]

[Footnote 97: His vizard.]

[Footnote 98: Malfi. An apartment in the palace of the Duchess.]

[Footnote 99: Curtain.]

[Footnote 100: The wife of Brutus, who died by swallowing fire.]

[Footnote 101: By artificial means.]

[Footnote 102: Profession.]

[Footnote 103: Spying.]

[Footnote 104: Another room in the lodging of the Duchess.]

[Footnote 105: Band.]

[Footnote 106: Bands.]

[Footnote 107: Boil.]

[Footnote 108: Punning on the two senses of "dye" and "corn."]

[Footnote 109: From exporting his grain.]

[Footnote 110: Optical glass.]

[Footnote 111: The Geneva Bible.]

[Footnote 112: Petticoat.]

[Footnote 113: Coach.]

[Footnote 114: A warm drink containing milk, wine, etc.]

[Footnote 115: Receptacle.]

[Footnote 116: A drug supposed to ooze from embalmed bodies.]

[Footnote 117: Curdled.]

[Footnote 118: Trial.]

[Footnote 119: An exclamation of impatience.]

[Footnote 120: Milan. A public place.]

[Footnote 121: In escheat; here, in fee.]

[Footnote 122: Disbeliever.]

[Footnote 123: Fraught.]

[Footnote 124: A gallery in the residence of the Cardinal and Ferdinand.]

[Footnote 125: A dog which worries sheep.]

[Footnote 126: A fabulous serpent that killed by its glance.]

[Footnote 127: Cut a caper.]

[Footnote 128: Broth.]

[Footnote 129: Skeletons.]

[Footnote 130: So Dyce. Qq. BROUGHT.]

[Footnote 131: Perfumed sweetmeats for the breath.]

[Footnote 132: Smoke.]

[Footnote 133: A fortification.]

[Footnote 134: Milan. An apartment in the residence of the Cardinal and Ferdinand.]

[Footnote 135: Reality.]

[Footnote 136: Mistake.]

[Footnote 137: i.e., the dead body.]

[Footnote 138: Another apartment in the same.

END OF PLAY

Transcriber's Note:

Comments on the preparation of this e-text:

All of the footnotes have been re-numbered, in the form [xxx].

A few punctuation marks have been added. These are always set off by angle brackets. Eg. [?]

The names of the characters have been spelled out in full. Eg. CARDINAL was CARD.

Leading blanks are reproduced from the printed text. Eg.:

FERDINAND. Sister, I have a suit to you. DUCHESS. To me, sir?