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SCENE XII
Enter Hieronimo, with a poniard in one hand and a rope in the other.
Hier. Now, sir, perhaps I come and see the king;
The king sees me, and fain would hear my suit:
Why, is not this a strange and seld-seen thing,
That standers-by with toys should strike me mute?—
Go to, I see their shifts, and say no more.
Hieronimo, 'tis time for thee to trudge:
Down by the dale that flows with purple gore,
Standeth a fiery tower; there sits a judge
Upon a seat of steel and molten brass,
And 'twixt his teeth he holds a fire-brand,
That leads onto the lake where hell doth stand.
Away, Hieronimo! to him be gone:
He'll do thee justice for Horatio's death.
Turn down this path: thou shalt be with him straight;
Or this, and then thou need'st not take thy breath:
This way or that way!—Soft and fair, not so:
For if I hang or kill myself, let's know
Who will revenge Horatio's murther then?
No, no! fie, no! pardon me, I'll none of that.
[He flings away the dagger and halter.
This way I'll take, and this way comes the king:
[He takes them up again.
And here I'll have a fling at him, that's flat;
And, Balthazar, I'll be with thee to bring,
And thee, Lorenzo! Here's the king—nay, stay;
And here, ay here—there goes the hare away.
Enter King, Ambassador, Castile, and Lorenzo.
King. Now show, ambassador, what our viceroy saith:
Hath he receiv'd the articles we sent?
Hier. Justice, O, justice to Hieronimo.
Lor. Back! see'st thou not the king is busy?
Hier. O, is he so?
King. Who is he that interrupts our business?
Hier. Not I. Hieronimo, beware! go by, go by!
Amb. Renownèd King, he hath received and read
Thy kingly proffers, and thy promis'd league;
And, as a man extremely over-joy'd
To hear his son so princely entertained,
Whose death he had so solemnly bewail'd,
This for thy further satisfaction,
And kingly love, he kindly lets thee know
First, for the marriage of his princely son
With Bellimperia, thy belovèd niece,
The news are more delightful to his soul,
Than myrrh or incense to the offended heavens.
In person, therefore, will he come himself,
To see the marriage rites solemnized,
And, in the presence of the court of Spain,
To knit a sure inextricable band
Of kingly love and everlasting league
Betwixt the crowns of Spain and Portingal.
There will he give his crown to Balthazar,
And make a queen of Bellimperia.
King. Brother, how like you this our viceroy's love?
Cast. No doubt, my lord, it is an argument
Of honourable care to keep his friend,
And wondrous zeal to Balthazar his son;
Nor am I least indebted to his grace,
That bends his liking to my daughter thus.
Amb. Now last, dread lord, here hath his highness sent
(Although he send not that his son return)
His ransom due to Don Horatio.
Hier. Horatio! who calls Horatio?
King. And well remember'd: thank his majesty.
Here, see it given to Horatio.
Hier. Justice, O, justice, justice, gentle king!
King. Who is that? Hieronimo?
Hier. Justice, O, justice! O my son, my son!
My son, whom naught can ransom or redeem!
Lor. Hieronimo, you are not well-advis'd.
Hier. Away, Lorenzo, hinder me no more;
For thou hast made me bankrupt of my bliss.
Give me my son! you shall not ransom him!
Away! I'll rip the bowels of the earth,
[He diggeth with his dagger.
And ferry over to th' Elysian plains,
And bring my son to show his deadly wounds.
Stand from about me!
I'll make a pickaxe of my poniard,
And here surrender up my marshalship;
For I'll go marshal up the fiends in hell,
To be avengèd on you all for this.
King. What means this outrage?
Will none of you restrain his fury?
Hier. Nay, soft and fair! you shall not need to strive:
For needs must he go that the devils drive.
King. What accident hath happ'd Hieronimo?
I have not seen him to demean him so.
Lor. My gracious lord, he is with extreme pride,
Conceiv'd of young Horatio his son—
And covetous of having to himself
The ransom of the young prince Balthazar—
Distract, and in a manner lunatic.
King. Believe me, nephew, we are sorry for 't:
This is the love that fathers bear their sons.
But, gentle brother, go give to him this gold,
The prince's ransom; let him have his due.
For what he hath, Horatio shall not want;
Haply Hieronimo hath need thereof.
Lor. But if he be thus helplessly distract,
'Tis requisite his office be resign'd,
And giv'n to one of more discretion.
King. We shall increase his melancholy so.
'Tis best that we see further in it first,
Till when ourself will hold exempt the place.
And, brother, now bring in the ambassador,
That he may be a witness of the match
'Twixt Balthazar and Bellimperia,
And that we may prefix a certain time,
Wherein the marriage shall be solemniz'd,
That we may have thy lord, the viceroy, here.
Amb. Therein your highness highly shall content
His majesty, that longs to hear from hence.
King. On, then, and hear you, lord ambassador—
[Exeunt.
