Complete Plays. Оскар Уайльд

      ACT V

       Table of Contents

      SCENE

      A dungeon in the public prison of Padua; Guido lies asleep on a pallet (L.C.); a table with a goblet on it is set (L.C.); five soldiers are drinking and playing dice in the corner on a stone table; one of them has a lantern hung to his halbert; a torch is set in the wall over Guido’s head. Two grated windows behind, one on each side of the door which is (C.), look out into the passage; the stage is rather dark.

      FIRST SOLDIER

       [throws dice]

       Sixes again! good Pietro.

      SECOND SOLDIER I’ faith, lieutenant, I will play with thee no more. I will lose everything.

      THIRD SOLDIER

       Except thy wits; thou art safe there!

      SECOND SOLDIER

       Ay, ay, he cannot take them from me.

      THIRD SOLDIER

       No; for thou hast no wits to give him.

      THE SOLDIERS

       [loudly]

       Ha! ha! ha!

      FIRST SOLDIER

       Silence! You will wake the prisoner; he is asleep.

      SECOND SOLDIER What matter? He will get sleep enough when he is buried. I warrant he’d be glad if we could wake him when he’s in the grave.

      THIRD SOLDIER Nay! for when he wakes there it will be judgment day.

      SECOND SOLDIER Ay, and he has done a grievous thing; for, look you, to murder one of us who are but flesh and blood is a sin, and to kill a Duke goes being near against the law.

      FIRST SOLDIER Well, well, he was a wicked Duke.

      SECOND SOLDIER And so he should not have touched him; if one meddles with wicked people, one is like to be tainted with their wickedness.

      THIRD SOLDIER Ay, that is true. How old is the prisoner?

      SECOND SOLDIER Old enough to do wrong, and not old enough to be wise.

      FIRST SOLDIER Why, then, he might be any age.

      SECOND SOLDIER They say the Duchess wanted to pardon him.

      FIRST SOLDIER Is that so?

      SECOND SOLDIER Ay, and did much entreat the Lord Justice, but he would not.

      FIRST SOLDIER I had thought, Pietro, that the Duchess was omnipotent.

      SECOND SOLDIER True, she is well-favoured; I know none so comely.

      THE SOLDIERS Ha! ha! ha!

      FIRST SOLDIER I meant I had thought our Duchess could do anything.

      SECOND SOLDIER Nay, for he is now given over to the Justices, and they will see that justice be done; they and stout Hugh the headsman; but when his head is off, why then the Duchess can pardon him if she likes; there is no law against that.

      FIRST SOLDIER I do not think that stout Hugh, as you call him, will do the business for him after all. This Guido is of gentle birth, and so by the law can drink poison first, if it so be his pleasure.

      THIRD SOLDIER And if he does not drink it?

      FIRST SOLDIER

       Why, then, they will kill him.

       [Knocking comes at the door.]

      FIRST SOLDIER

       See who that is.

       [Third Soldier goes over and looks through the wicket.]

      THIRD SOLDIER It is a woman, sir.

      FIRST SOLDIER Is she pretty?

      THIRD SOLDIER I can’t tell. She is masked, lieutenant.

      FIRST SOLDIER It is only very ugly or very beautiful women who ever hide their faces. Let her in.

       [Soldier opens the door, and the DUCHESS masked and cloaked enters.]

      DUCHESS

       [to Third Soldier]

       Are you the officer on guard?

      FIRST SOLDIER

       [coming forward]

       I am, madam.

      DUCHESS

       I must see the prisoner alone.

      FIRST SOLDIER I am afraid that is impossible. [The DUCHESS hands him a ring, he looks at and returns it to her with a bow and makes a sign to the Soldiers.] Stand without there. [Exeunt the Soldiers.]

      DUCHESS Officer, your men are somewhat rough.

      FIRST SOLDIER They mean no harm.

      DUCHESS I shall be going back in a few minutes. As I pass through the corridor do not let them try and lift my mask.

      FIRST SOLDIER You need not be afraid, madam.

      DUCHESS I have a particular reason for wishing my face not to be seen.

      FIRST SOLDIER Madam, with this ring you can go in and out as you please; it is the Duchess’s own ring.

      DUCHESS Leave us. [The Soldier turns to go out.] A moment, sir. For what hour is …

      FIRST SOLDIER At twelve o’clock, madam, we have orders to lead him out; but I dare say he won’t wait for us; he’s more like to take a drink out of that poison yonder. Men are afraid of the headsman.

      DUCHESS Is that poison?

      FIRST SOLDIER Ay, madam, and very sure poison too.

      DUCHESS

       You may go, sir.

      FIRST SOLDIER By Saint James, a pretty hand! I wonder who she is. Some woman who loved him, perhaps. [Exit.]

      DUCHESS

       [taking her mark off] At last!

       He can escape now in this cloak and vizard,

       We are of a height almost: they will not know him;

       As for myself what matter?

       So that he does not curse me as he goes,

       I care but little: I wonder will he curse me.

       He has the right. It is eleven now;