SCENE I

_An apartment of the Vatican: at the further end the door of the Treasury by which the_ LORD CARDINAL CASANOVA _is seated_.

_The_ LORD ALEXANDER VI. _and an_ ENVOY _from Naples_.

_The_ POPE _is seated; from time to time he plunges his hands into a coffer of pearls, letting the pearls stream through his fingers_.

ALEXANDER.

All are for her! Each an epitome Of her--the very skin of them her own, Our Pearl above all others. So your monarch Will mate his nephew with her?

ENVOY.

He consents, Holiness, Having o’erlooked the letter Giovanni, lord of Pesaro, has written In affirmation of her virgin state-- The fault being his.

ALEXANDER.

This sorry Milanese! He raves with spite and proves himself a man By foul detraction of her family. We chuckle at the weakling. He may hoot! Your Don Alfonso is a noble lad, A girl’s new phœnix....

But your master pauses To give his only daughter to my son?

ENVOY.

A cardinal!

ALEXANDER.

A cardinal, we cannot yet release him From vows--your ear!--he holds detestable. My second son, where were his livelihood Without the Church’s revenue? All prudence Must hold him to the priesthood for a while. Betroth him to the daughter of your king-- Your king and I, at leisure, will provide Some principality for Cesare To match his sees and yielded cardinalate.

ENVOY.

Make it God’s law your Cardinal may wed, And then, his scarlet hat within his hand, My lord the king would take him as a son. Now, the proposals of your Holiness Are but--poetic.

ALEXANDER.

No, no! The royal princess Carlotta--is her bent our way?

ENVOY.

She flat refuses the lord Cardinal.

ALEXANDER.

She has not seen him, blond and beautiful. A churchman! You may look with candlelight To find his tonsure. Even my dear Giovanni Is only half a prince, his brother by, Although a rare one in his splendid right. And as for mode and elegance all know Our youthful Cardinal is just a gallant Most Frenchified in form. Well, well, well! I am dreaming: Poetry, you call my dreams.... This pleasant marriage Of Don Alfonso and my Donna Lucrece Will make us jaunty in the Vatican. My pearls!-- You watch them through my fingers--lucent lumps; This pear-shaped ovule heavy with its light; The pearls and pearlets dropping With patters loud and soft together--listen! My daughter will have more and lovelier pearls Than any woman in the greedy world. Would you have sight of one large coffer filled, This emulates? [_Rising_]. There is the treasury door, There the Lord Casanova, full of winks At voices from the cave.

_Enter_ MONSIGNORE GASPARE POTO.

POTO.

Your Holiness, I sought his Excellence the Duke Giovanni In his apartments, but he is not there.

ALEXANDER.

[_To the_ ENVOY.] So strange! My son the Duke of Gandia, fails me To-day with greeting, and to-day we fix The hour when I review his armaments Under our blessèd gonfalon. ’Tis strange. [_To_ POTO.] Go to Madonna de’ Catanei’s house: His mother made a supper, I was told, For him and for his brother. [_Exit_ POTO. [_To the_ ENVOY.] You conduct Don Cesare when, next month, as our Legate, He goes to crown your king?

ENVOY.

My hope!

ALEXANDER.

And now the pearls! Open, Lord Casanova.

[_The treasurer unfolds the door and discovers_ DONNA GIULIA FARNESE _and_ DONNA LUCREZIA BORGIA _in Neapolitan dressing-gowns of white silk, their golden hair untressed, choosing jewels for their nets_.

Indiscreet? Laugh, ladies--do not blush. A pair of swans!

[_Taking_ GIULIA’S _wrist_.] No, no, Madonna--no, My Giulia--not the ruby! You must match Your lovely eyelets with the diamond.

GIULIA.

Always The diamond, Holiness.

ALEXANDER.

You shine, you shine! Lucrece, my softer radiance--what, my Pearl? [_He kisses her._ Draw out the heavy coffer, Lord Casanova. Open it! The sight Grows slippery on these burnished domes! There, there--ah, there Is patrimony....

ENVOY.

Wondrous!

ALEXANDER.

Tell your master.

[_His arm round his daughter._] Lucrece, the King of Naples sends his nephew To cheer your maiden widowhood. Next month You will be bride and wife.

LUCREZIA.

So soon!

ALEXANDER.

Santi! she quarrels In maidenwise with time! You shall not leave me, As when you wept at Pesaro. Your Prince Consents! Alfonso is of lusty frame-- Good face and eyes.... I speak him as he is?

ENVOY.

The handsomest youth of Naples.

ALEXANDER.

There, my girl! So end your troubles! ’Tis a swelling shoot,-- This bridegroom.

LUCREZIA.

May Madonna prosper me!

ALEXANDER.

[_Crossing himself._] The glorious Virgin--to that prayer, Amen!

[_To the_ ENVOY.] Our daughter bent obedient to our will Her idle marriage should be set aside, By mercy flawless and canonical, With modesty’s reluctance: she will bless Our older wisdom in Alfonso’s arms. No clouding, Pearl! We can but laugh exultantly to open Our treasury and find, as in a case, Two perfect jewels of Pandora’s kind.

LUCREZIA.

[_In a whisper to the_ POPE.] The orator will disesteem me thus, In spreading hair and _schiavonetto_.

ALEXANDER.

Never Will any man but worship loveliness Wrapt loosely and dishevelled. Charm, my fair ones, charm Is simple in ascendency.

_Re-enter_ MONSIGNORE GASPARE POTO.

POTO.

Madonna Vanozza de’ Catanei bids me say His Excellence the Duke of Gandia left her At nightfall, riding with Don Cesare, After a merry supper. Shall we search, Holiness, His lordship’s haunts?

ALEXANDER.

O Poto, Poto, search His haunts! The malice of these chamberlains! Madonna Giulia, Monsignore Poto Would search the place where Don Giovanni hides. Have mercy on my son!

GIULIA.

Monsignore finds Your Holiness so jovial he is conquered

LUCREZIA.

Excuse him!

ALEXANDER.

Even our ladies, Poto, Plead for the Duke’s seclusion. Without doubt He waits for sundown to forsake the place Where he was sociable.

LUCREZIA.

Then is Giovanni So wary in his fancies?

ALEXANDER.

Oh, for my sake-- But you forget it--for his father’s sake ... To-night he will be with us--we have patience: Though not to fix when we review his troops, That is a fault and we must chide our Captain. Well, my Lord Casanova, close Your treasury: we would not lose such jewels!