SCENE III

_A room in the Palace of Santa Maria in Porticu belonging to_ DONNA LUCREZIA BORGIA D’ARAGON. DONNA LUCREZIA _sits at the head of a couch_; DUKE CESARE DE VALENTINOIS _lies along it_. _They are both dressed in white satin, embroidered with gold and pearls._

LUCREZIA.

You have seen the little mother?

CESARE.

To what end? My mother?--No, Lucrezia.

LUCREZIA.

Then some farewell message That I may comfort her. You start for France, Cesare, and you leave us for a bride.

CESARE.

What of our mother In my alliance? Dead forgetfulness! O Beauty, we are passing on our ways Of policy; we must pass eagle-eyed, For we have thrones to conquer. Curse your Naples! I would be wedded there.

LUCREZIA.

[_Stroking his eye-brows._] There I am wedded; Therefore no curse.

CESARE.

[_Suddenly turning and resting his elbow on her knee._

Lucrece, do you like this boy We call your husband? Will he move your love; Will you forget your godhead?

LUCREZIA.

Do not forget that you yourself have chosen My husband for me.

CESARE.

’Tis but for a season. We keep the paces of the gods, and all Our actions are as theirs irrelevant Beside ourselves, as we conceive ourselves. Lucrezia, do but feel how thick my hair Is brushing up beside the little tonsure! There springs the Cesar. You have seen me amble Beside Giovanni’s stallion on my mule.... And I am tempered through and through for war. While others all day long were waging battle, I have gone out to chase--oh, think of it!-- That I might follow some mean animal, And catch the sound of Mars across the lake. ... Your fingers press me ... Why is their touch less soft?

LUCREZIA.

You so desired What now you have.

CESARE.

Giovanni....

LUCREZIA.

Yes? [_She waits but he says nothing._ Poor Giovanni! We have enemies.

CESARE.

We have. I silence yours. Are you all tears?

LUCREZIA.

You start for France-- Give me some charge. We part so suddenly.... His Holiness....

CESARE.

Be gamesome to our father While I am absent, for he has a trick Of dwindling down as Tiber on his bed, Parched Tiber on his bed, when I withdraw. We are his twin divinities, his Pollux,-- Since Castor is by chance thrust out--his Pollux, And his most gracious Helen.... The rare smile, The cypher smile! Your spells are on again. Our father loves the dance--dance to fatigue.

LUCREZIA.

_Pas seul_; I cannot!

CESARE.

Then....

[_Springing up, he lightly takes her hand, and, looking into each other’s eyes, they dance a slow measure._

[_As they break off._] This is the perfect spectacle, I own; This swells the veins upon the father’s brow. But thou canst dance, Lucrezia, to thyself as airily As any creature of the air: dance thus.

LUCREZIA.

[_Laughing._] Oh, I will dance to giddiness, and yet So slow it is the dance within a jewel, And infinite movement in a prisoned spark-- The poets say. I heed them not.

CESARE.

How wisely!

LUCREZIA.

To you I dance.

CESARE.

Oh, when you speak From the bosom of your silence.... Little, fair One, But you are dull; I want you To feel how great are the fresh lusts that haunt me, And with complaisance take their part and smile.

[_Lifting her hand to his breast and keeping it there._

Once and for ever--and you falter now!

LUCREZIA.

[_Closing her eyes._] You are no more a priest....

CESARE.

O little, fair One, That deadly languor Of being a priest, cut off! You draw a cry, An anguish from me. When I am a king You are my counterpart, for evermore A place beside me vacant, or your throne. When I am Emperor, still I have chosen you My counterpart. We played, a little flock, Luis, Giovanni, Joffré--you and I Were sole to one another.

LUCREZIA.

[_Standing apart._] We are sole.

[CESARE _scrutinises her a long time, then says suddenly_.

CESARE.

Come, little Venus, Come with me, see the cramoisie, the jewels For Cesar’s wedding triumph, for the Duke Of Valentinois’ progress. All my trappings Are gold--_d’or frizé_: thirty thousand ducats Lie in the damasks of my equipage. I will put on my doublets--and you too Shall try them on.

LUCREZIA.

Fie, fie! [_She hastily takes a veil and mask._

CESARE.

[_Leading her to the door._] What readiness!-- Answering, as a woman should, with answer So even to my pleasure. [_A knock._ Ah, is that your husband? Who is it knocks? [_He moves away and masks._

LUCREZIA.

But enter!

[_The_ LORD ALEXANDER VI. _stands at the door_.

CESARE.

[_With a short laugh, unmasking._] Oh, my father!

LUCREZIA.

But enter, enter, Holiness.

ALEXANDER.

[_To_ CESARE, _as he embraces_ LUCREZIA.] My heart, Where do you draw the sweetheart? Cesare, Stay--let her breathe the morning to me. Where Would Cesare conduct you?

LUCREZIA.

Blessèd Father, To show me all his jewelled taffetas And cloth of gold, brocades and silver damasks.

ALEXANDER.

His! He will look a Phœbus That rose and clomb in gold. But for my daughter-- Her eyes shall rest on veils enmeshed of light, Darting their gems of parti-coloured flash On stuffs dark-grained enough to set them free, Or of a tissue white to blandish them. You need not view his gauds, Lucrece. It is immoment For her to learn your worldly splendour, boy, She, who is treasure. Sweet, yet we will chuckle At all the benefices in his stars Of gems, his satins. Lead on, Cesare; For we will go together, laugh together.