The Duchess of Malfi. Webster John
Twins?
ANTONIO. In quality.
He speaks with others' tongues, and hears men's suits
With others' ears; will seem to sleep o' the bench
Only to entrap offenders in their answers;
Dooms men to death by information;
Rewards by hearsay.
DELIO. Then the law to him
Is like a foul, black cobweb to a spider, —
He makes it his dwelling and a prison
To entangle those shall feed him.
ANTONIO. Most true:
He never pays debts unless they be shrewd turns,
And those he will confess that he doth owe.
Last, for this brother there, the cardinal,
They that do flatter him most say oracles
Hang at his lips; and verily I believe them,
For the devil speaks in them.
But for their sister, the right noble duchess,
You never fix'd your eye on three fair medals
Cast in one figure, of so different temper.
For her discourse, it is so full of rapture,
You only will begin then to be sorry
When she doth end her speech, and wish, in wonder,
She held it less vain-glory to talk much,
Than your penance to hear her. Whilst she speaks,
She throws upon a man so sweet a look
That it were able to raise one to a galliard.10
That lay in a dead palsy, and to dote
On that sweet countenance; but in that look
There speaketh so divine a continence
As cuts off all lascivious and vain hope.
Her days are practis'd in such noble virtue,
That sure her nights, nay, more, her very sleeps,
Are more in heaven than other ladies' shrifts.
Let all sweet ladies break their flatt'ring glasses,
And dress themselves in her.
DELIO. Fie, Antonio,
You play the wire-drawer with her commendations.
ANTONIO. I 'll case the picture up: only thus much;
All her particular worth grows to this sum, —
She stains11 the time past, lights the time to come.
CARIOLA. You must attend my lady in the gallery,
Some half and hour hence.
ANTONIO. I shall.
[Exeunt ANTONIO and DELIO.]
FERDINAND. Sister, I have a suit to you.
DUCHESS. To me, sir?
FERDINAND. A gentleman here, Daniel de Bosola,
One that was in the galleys —
DUCHESS. Yes, I know him.
FERDINAND. A worthy fellow he is: pray, let me entreat for
The provisorship of your horse.
DUCHESS. Your knowledge of him
Commends him and prefers him.
FERDINAND. Call him hither.
[Exit Attendant.]
We [are] now upon12 parting. Good Lord Silvio,
Do us commend to all our noble friends
At the leaguer.
SILVIO. Sir, I shall.
[DUCHESS.] You are for Milan?
SILVIO. I am.
DUCHESS. Bring the caroches.13– We 'll bring you down
To the haven.
[Exeunt DUCHESS, SILVIO, CASTRUCCIO, RODERIGO, GRISOLAN, CARIOLA, JULIA, and Attendants.]
CARDINAL. Be sure you entertain that Bosola
For your intelligence.14 I would not be seen in 't;
And therefore many times I have slighted him
When he did court our furtherance, as this morning.
FERDINAND. Antonio, the great-master of her household,
Had been far fitter.
CARDINAL. You are deceiv'd in him.
His nature is too honest for such business. —
He comes: I 'll leave you.
[Exit.]
[Re-enter BOSOLA]
BOSOLA. I was lur'd to you.
FERDINAND. My brother, here, the cardinal, could never
Abide you.
BOSOLA. Never since he was in my debt.
FERDINAND. May be some oblique character in your face
Made him suspect you.
BOSOLA. Doth he study physiognomy?
There 's no more credit to be given to the face
Than to a sick man's urine, which some call
The physician's whore, because she cozens15 him.
He did suspect me wrongfully.
FERDINAND. For that
You must give great men leave to take their times.
Distrust doth cause us seldom be deceiv'd.
You see the oft shaking of the cedar-tree
Fastens it more at root.
BOSOLA. Yet take heed;
For to suspect a friend unworthily
Instructs him the next way to suspect you,
And prompts him to deceive you.
FERDINAND. There 's gold.
BOSOLA.
A lively dance.
Throws into the shade.
At the point of.
Coaches.
Spy.
Cheats.