Lor. Yet 'twas important. Doge.

If 'twas so, I can

Only repeat-I am ready.

It shall not be

I have and had a father.

Still.

But let him

Bar

Inter his son before we press upon him
This edict.

Lor. Let him call up into life
My sire and uncle-I consent.
Men may,
Even aged men, be, or appear to be,
Sires of a hundred sons, but cannot kindle
An atom of their ancestors from earth.
The victims are not equal; he has seen
His sons expire by natural deaths, and I
My sires by violent and mysterious maladies,
I used no poison, bribed no subtle master
Of the destructive art of healing, to
Shorten the path to the eternal cure.

His sons and he had four-are dead, without My dabbling in vile drugs.

Bar

He dealt in such?

Lor. Bar.

All openness.

Lor.

And art thou sure

Most sure.

And yet he seems

And so he seem'd not long

The attainted

Ago to Carmagnuola.

Bar.

And foreign traitor?

Lor.

Even so: when he,

He was the safeguard of the city. In early life its foe, but, in his manhood,

Its saviour first, then victim.

Bar.

Ah! that seems
The penalty of saving cities. He
Whom we now act against not only saved
Our own, but added others to our sway.

Lor. The Romans (and we ape them) gave a crown To him who took a city; and they gave

A crown to him who saved a citizen
In battle: the rewards are equal. Now,
If we should measure forth the cities taken

By the Doge Foscari, with citizens

Destroy'd by him, or through him, the account
Were fearfully against him, although narrow'd
To private havoc, such as between him

SCENE I.-The Doge's Apartment.

The Doge and Attendants.

Att. My lord, the deputation is in waiting; But add, that if another hour would better Accord with your will, they will make it theirs. Doge. To me all hours are alike. Let them ap. proach. [Exit Attendant.

An Officer. Prince! I have done your bidding. Doge. What command? Offi. A melancholy one-to call the attendance Of

Doge. True-true-true; I crave your pardon. I Begin to fail in apprehension, and

Wax very old-old almost as my years,

Till now I fought them off, but they begin
To overtake me.

Enter the Deputation, consisting of six of the Signory and the Chief of the Ten.

Noble men, your pleasure! Chief of the Ten. In the first place, the Council doth condole

With the Doge on his late and private grief.
Dege. No more-no more of that.
Chief of the Ten.

Accept the homage of respect?

Doge.
Accept it as 'tis given-proceed.
Chief of the Ten.

Will not the Duke

I do

'The Ten,'

With a selected Giunta from the senate
Of twenty-five of the best born patricians,
Having deliberated on the state
Of the republic, and the o'erwhelming cares
Which, at this moment, doubly must oppress
Your years, so long devoted to your country,
Have judged it fitting, with all reverence,
Now to solicit from your wisdom (which
Upon reflection must accord in this),

The resignation of the ducal ring,
Which you have worn so long and venerably:
And to prove that they are not ungrateful, nor
Cold to your years and services, they add
An appanage of twenty hundred golden
Ducats, to make retirement not less splendid
Than should become a sovereign's retreat.
Doge. Did I hear rightly?
Chief of the Ten.

Doge. No-Have you done?

Need I say again?

Chief of the Ten. I have spoken. Twenty-four Hours are accorded you to give an answer.

Doge. I shall net need so many seconds,

Prolongs my days to prove and chasten me;
But ye have no right to reproach my length

Of days, since every hour has been the country's.
I am ready to lay down my life for her,
As I have laid down dearer things than life:
But for my dignity-I hold it of

The whole republic: when the general will
Is manifest, then you shall all be answer'd.
Chief of the Ten. We grieve for such an answer;
Avail you aught.
[but it cannot
I can submit to all things,
But nothing will advance; no, not a moment.

Doge.

An hour ago I should have felt it.

Mar. Will you not now resent it?-Oh, for vengeance! But he, who, had he been enough protected, Might have repaid protection in this moment, Cannot assist his father.

And I, who would have given my blood for him,
Have nought to give but tears! But could I com
The retribution of his wrongs!-Well, well! [pass
I have sons, who shall be men.
Doge.
Your grief distracts you.
Mar. I thought I could have borne it, when I saw
him

Bow'd down by such oppression; yes, I thought
That I would rather look upon his corse
Than his prolong'd captivity :- I am punish'd
For that thought now. Would I were in his grave!
Doge. I must look on him once more.
Mar.

Come with me!

Doge. Is he

Mar.

Our bridal bed is now his bier.

Doge. And he is in his shroud!

Enter Marina.

Mar.

Come, come, old man!

My lord, if I intrude

[Exeunt the Doge and Marina.

Alone?

Perhaps you fain would be alone?

Doge.

'Enter Barbarigo and Loredano.

Bar. [To an Attendant.] Where is the Doge? Att. This instant retired hence, With the illustrious lady his son's widow.

Lor. Where?

Att.

To the chamber where the body lies. Bar. Let us return, then. Lor.

You forget, you cannot.
We have the implicit order of the Giunta
To await their coming here, and join them in
Their office: they'll be here soon after us.
Bar. And will they press their answer on the Doge!
Lor. 'Twas his own wish that all should be done
promptly.

He answer'd quickly, and must so be answer'l;
His dignity is look'd to, his estate

Cared for-what would he more?

Lor 'Twas fit that some one of such different thoughts

From ours should be a witness, lest false tongues
Should whisper that a harsh majority
Dreaded to have its acts beheld by others.

Bar. And not less, I must needs think, for the sake
Of humbling me for my vain opposition.
You are ingenious, Loredano, in
Your modes of vengeance, nay, poetical,
A very Ovid in the art of hating;
'Tis thus (although a secondary object,
Yet hate has microscopic eyes), to you
I owe by way of foil to the more zealous,
This undesired association in
Your Giunta's duties.

I am proud to say, would not enrich the treasury. Chief of the Ten. Your answer, Duke!

Lor.
Your answer, Francis Foscari!
Doge. If I could have foreseen that my old age
Was prejudicial to the state, the chief

Of the republic never would have shown
Himself so far ungrateful, as to place
His own high dignity before his country;
But this life having been so many years
Not useless to that country, I would fain
Have consecrated my last moments to her.
But the decree being render'd, I obey.

Chief of the Ten. If you would have the three days named extended,

We willingly will lengthen them to eight,
As sign of our esteem.

Doge.
Not eight hours, signor,
Nor even eight minutes-there's the ducal ring,
Taking off his ing and cap.
And there the ducal diadem. And so
The Adriatic's free to wed another.
Chief of the Ten. You go not forth so quickly.
Doge.
I am old, sir,
And even to move but slowly must begin
To move betimes. Methinks I see amongst you
A face I know not.-Senator! your name,
You, by your garb, Chief of the Forty!
Mem.

I am the son of Marco Memmo.

Signor,

Ah!

Chief of the Ten.

Doge.

You have heard it.

What!

My only answer.

Chief of the Ten. Hear you then the last decree, Definitive and absolute!

Doge.

To the point

To the point! I know of old the forms of office,
And gentle preludes to strong acts.-Go on!
Chief of the Ten. You are no longer Doge; you
are released

From your imperial oath as sovereign;
Your ducal robes must be put off; but for