Here flock the Wrongs, follow the Remedies,
Chapter and verse, One, Two, A, B, and C—
Perhaps you'd enter, make a reverence,

And launch these "miseries" from first to last?

Val. How should they let me pause or turn aside? Gau. [to VALENCE.] My worthy sir, one question : you've come straight

From Cleves, you tell us : heard you any talk

At Cleves about our lady?

Val.

Gau.

Much.

And what?

Val. Her wish was to redress all wrongs she knew. Gau. That, you believed?

Val.

Gau.

You see me, sir!

-Nor stopped

Upon the road from Cleves to Juliers here,

For any rumours you might find afloat?

Val. I had my townsmen's wrongs to busy me. Gau. This is the Lady's birthday, do you know? -Her day of pleasure?

Val.

-I know that the Great,

For Pleasure born, should still be on the watch

To exclude Pleasure when a Duty offers:
Even as, the Lowly too, for Duty born,

May ever snatch a pleasure if in reach :

Both will have plenty of their birthright, sir!

Gau. [Aside to GUIBERT.] Sir Guibert, here's your man! No scruples now

You'll never find his like! Time presses hard.

I've seen your drift and Adolf's too, this while, But you can't keep the hour of audience back Much longer, and at noon the Prince arrives. [Pointing to VALENCE.] Entrust him with it-fool no chance away!

Gui. Him?

Gau.

man to her?

-With the missive! What's the

Gui. No bad thought!-Yet, 'tis yours-who ever

played

The tempting serpent-else, 'twere no bad thought!
I should-and do-mistrust it for your sake,

Or else...

Enter an Official who communicates with ADOLF.
Adolf. The Duchess will receive the Court!
Gui. Give us a moment, Adolf! Valence, friend,
I'll help you: we of the service, you're to mark,
Have special entry, while the herd... the folks
Outside, get access through our help alone
-Well, it is so, was so, and I suppose
So ever will be-your natural lot is, therefore,
To wait your turn and opportunity,
And probably miss both. Now, I engage
To set you, here and in a minute's space,
Before the lady with full leave to plead
Chapter and verse, and A, and B, and C,
To heart's content.

Val.

I grieve that I must ask,

This being, yourself admit, the custom here,
To what the price of such a favour mounts?

Gui. Just so! You're not without a courtier's tact! Little at court, as your quick instinct prompts,

Do such as we without a recompense.

Val. Yours is?—

Gui.

A trifle here's a document

'Tis some one's duty to present her Grace

I

say, not mine—these say, not theirs-such points Have weight at court. Will you relieve us all And take it? Just say, "I am bidden lay "This paper at the Duchess' feet."

Val.

I thank you, sir!

Adolf.

No more?

Her Grace receives the Court!

Gui. [Aside.] Now, sursum corda, quoth the mass

priest! Do

Whoever's my kind saint, do let alone

These pushings to and fro, and pullings back;
Peaceably let me hang o'the devil's arm
The downward path, if you can't pluck me off
Completely! Let me live quite his, or yours!

[The Courtiers begin to range themselves, and move towards
the door.

After me, Valence! So our famous Cleves
Lacks bread? Yet don't we gallants buy their lace?
And dear enough—it beggars me, I know,

To keep my very gloves fringed properly!

This, Valence, is our Great State Hall you cross :

Yon gray urn's veritable marcasite,

The Pope's gift; and those salvers testify
The Emperor. Presently you'll set your foot
But you don't speak, friend Valence!
Val.

I shali speak.

Gau. [Aside to GUIBERT.] Guibert-it were no such ungraceful thing

If you and I, at first, seemed horrorstruck

With the bad news. Look here, what you shall do !
Suppose you, first, clap hand to sword and cry
"Yield strangers our allegiance? First I'll perish
"Beside your Grace!"—and so give me the cue
To...

Gui. Clap your hand to note-book and jot down
That to regale the Prince with? I conceive!
[To VALENCE.] Do, Valence, speak, or I shall half suspect
You're plotting to supplant us, me the first,

I' the Lady's favour: is't the grand harangue
You mean to make, that thus engrosses you?
-Which of her virtues you'll apostrophize?
Or is't the fashion you aspire to start,

Of that close-curled, not unbecoming hair?
-Or what else ponder you ?

Val.

My townsmen's wrongs!

ACT II.

Noon. SCENE.-The Presence-chamber.

The DUCHESS and SABYNE.

The D. Announce that I am ready for the Court!
Sab. 'Tis scarcely audience-hour, I think—your Grace

May best consult your own relief, no doubt,

And shun the crowd; but few can have arrived. .

The D. Let those not yet arrived, then, keep away 'Twas me, this day, last year at Ravestein,

You hurried.

This half-hour.

Sab.

It has been full time, beside,

Do you hesitate?

Forgive me!

The D. Stay, Sabyne; let me hasten to make sure

Of one true thanker: here with you begins

My audience, claim you first its privilege!
It is my birth's event they celebrate-

You need not wish me more such happy days,
But-ask some favour! Have you none to ask?
Has Adolf none, then? this was far from least
Of much I waited for impatiently,
Assure yourself! It seemed so natural
Your gift, beside this bunch of river-bells,
Should be the power and leave of doing good
To you, and greater pleasure to myself:
You ask my leave to-day to marry Adolf?
The rest is my concern.