ACT II.

SCENE I.—Ante-chamber of Pope Boniface VIII. in Rome.

Enter CORSO DONATI, DINO BRUNINI, and followers.

Dino. Solve me this riddle: Is His Holiness
The spider-we lost flies in mesh of web :
Within, charmed centre where the papal palate
Must pampered be till gorged? or art thou spider
Stealing into the sacred flies' domains,

To fatten on old Rome's discomfiture?

Corso. Keep thy dry nuts of wit home-teeth to jar. 'Tis business grave that calls me to the Pope.

Dino. Thou'lt urge the pontiff plead the Neri's cause With Charles de Valois, him whom Philip sends *

To overthrow Sicilian Ghibellines;

Once let this Charles of France turn arms 'gainst Florence,

Then may the miscreant Bianchi weep their fill.

Corso. And laugh the Neri till sides split with joy. Dino. Thus full of plans thou layest pleading hand On papal skirt-war, power, revenge thy theme.

*

Philip the Fair, brother of Charles de Valois.

But pleasure is my only business here,

So riddles roll off tongue as rings slip off
Wet finger-jests and pranks my bill-o'-fare.

Corso. Dish thy dull dinner, then, these walls without; Here tread we far too close to holy toes.

[Withdraws up stage, conversing with followers. Dino. May Church's padding keep kicks off the [With mock brow.

corns !

The Baron angered! Body o' Bacchus ! Ser,
Thou art but quicksand of false pride, pitfall
Of seething passions, prickly hedge of tempers!
How warring spirits love to shave their souls,
Till not one hair of conscience bristles still
To show they might once boast of being man!

Enter CARDINAL, attended.

Card. Messer Corso, the Holy Church salutes thee ! Corso. May I salute the Church's Holy Father? Card. Anon, my son, anon. His Holiness

Hath weighty matter to digest to-day.

An embassy from Florence reaches Rome

This morn, with Dante as its delegate.

Corso. The Vale so sends unto the Seven Hills,

*

The Forest to the Altar.* Let us pray

Each stick be Isaac bound for sacrifice

Of its sweet self, a savoury offering

Unto the God of Justice

Card.

But a ram

In the pontific thicket might be caught.

* Vide Appendix.

Corso. Please heaven that I prove not the scape-goat,

then.

Card. Nay, Ser, how could the cause exist without
The Baron-flower of chivalry, whose deeds

Of prowess, golden speech combined, create
A new St. Chrysostom, second St. George?

Corso. Thy courteous words, Lord Cardinal, portend A favourable granting of my suit.

Card. The Holy Father truly favours thee, But 'twixt these rival factions wishes peace. Corso. Let Charles's sword the reconciler be.

Enter Page.

Page. His Holiness desires Ser Corso come.
Card. Good fortune wait on thee.

Corso.

Thanks for the wish.

[Exeunt.

Dino. Will my Lord Cardinal deign me a word?
Card. One of Donati's followers?

Dino.

I follow none, but am a foe to none.

Card. Thy business here?

Dino.

Not so.

With well-filled purse I roam,

Tasting the cream of joy each town affords.

Card. Taste to the full, then, from our Roman dairies,

And kindly welcome earn while purse is heavy.

Dino. A proper Cardinal. Such jocund Churchmen.

[Withdraws up stage.

Commend me to
Varlet! here, take this,

[Gives paper to boy.

And hie thee to the Dona Mira's house.

Haste back with answer. (Exit boy.) Maids and dames

are same

In Rome as Florence--pester me with looks
And too good suppers, upshot of possessing
A well-turned leg, fair face, and winning tongue!

Enter DANTE and followers.

A fol. And here the Cardinal awaits thee.
Dante (aside).

Guarding the lion's den. Now for the truth.

Fox!

(Advancing) Lord Cardinal, we greet thee from fair

Florence.

Card. Most welcome, noble Dante.

Rome embraces

Illustrious guests. The Holy Father gladly
Desires thy presence, Ser.

Dante.

Card.

The granting of my suit as gladly?

Does he desire

Surely,

But Mother Church ignores

He seeks to reconcile contending feuds.

Dante. That's difficult.

Card.

It's difficult.

Dante. Unto the Church I bow, Trusting her keener judgment will spy out Solution where my poorer sight has failed; For we Bianchi dread the Neri's claims, And need the papal strong authority.

Card. Be thou assured all justice will be done,

And Neri well uprooted should they prove

Obnoxious to the welfare of the State.
First thy credentials let me bear within,
Anon I'll summon thee unto the Pope.

DANTE gives papers to the CARDINAL, who goes into
Boniface's room.

Dino. Good morrow! (DANTE does not notice him.)
Well, has speech those pages followed

Into that ravenous maw, the proud priest's pocket?
Good-morrow, neighbour! Shall I send for leech
To cure thy deafness, loose thy tongue?

Good e'en !

(Louder)

Dante. I marked thy whining, but it scarce did stir The atmosphere about-so light thy words,

So weighty all my thoughts.

Dino.

Come, come, I'll share them.

Ay, in a shower.

Dante. Thou share them! Can toads fly?

Dino.

Dante. Then witchcraft only launched them through

the air

To pitch them back into their proper puddles.

No wing bore such from earth. Can thy thoughts fly? Dino. Ay, to my dinner.

Dante.

Fly, then, with thy thoughts.

[Retires up stage.

Dino. What gentle wit, what dainty courtesy !

I love that man-to canonizing him!