SCENE III.--_A Room in the House of_ CAMILLO.

_Enter_ BRACHIANO, _with a_ Conjurer.

_Brach._ Now, sir, I claim your promise: 'tis dead midnight, The time prefixed to show me, by your art, How the intended murder of Camillo And our loathed duchess grow to action.

_Con._ You have won me by your bounty to a deed I do not often practise. Some there are Which by sophistic tricks aspire that name, Which I would gladly lose, of necromancer; As some that use to juggle upon cards, Seeming to conjure, when indeed they cheat; Others that raise up their confederate spirits 'Bout wind-mills, and endanger their own necks For making of a squib; and some there are Will keep a curtal[42] to show juggling tricks, And give out 'tis a spirit: besides these, Such a whole realm of almanac-makers, figure-flingers, Fellows, indeed, that only live by stealth, Since they do merely lie about stol'n goods, They'd make men think the devil were fast and loose, With speaking fustian Latin. Pray, sit down: Put on this night-cap, sir, 'tis charmed; and now I'll show you, by my strong commanding art, The circumstance that breaks your duchess' heart.

A DUMB SHOW.

_Enter suspiciously_ JULIO _and_ CHRISTOPHERO: _they draw a curtain where_ BRACHIANO'S _picture is, put on spectacles of glass, which cover their eyes and noses, and then burn perfumes before the picture, and wash the lips; that done, quenching the fire, and putting off their spectacles, they depart laughing._

_Enter_ ISABELLA _in her night-gown, as to bed-ward, with lights after her_, Count LODOVICO, GIOVANNI, GUIDANTONIO, _and others waiting on her: she kneels down as to prayers, then draws the curtain of the picture, does three reverences to it, and kisses it thrice; she faints, and will not suffer them to come near it; dies: sorrow expressed in_ GIOVANNI _and_ Count LODOVICO: _she is conveyed out solemnly._

_Brach._ Excellent! then she's dead.

_Con._ She's poisonèd By the fumed picture. 'Twas her custom nightly, Before she went to bed, to go and visit Your picture, and to feed her eyes and lips On the dead shadow. Doctor Julio, Observing this, infects it with an oil And other poisoned stuff, which presently Did suffocate her spirits.

_Brach._ Methought I saw Count Lodowick there.

_Con._ He was: and by my art I find he did most passionately dote Upon your duchess. Now turn another way, And view Camillo's far more politic fate. Strike louder, music, from this charmèd ground, To yield, as fits the act, a tragic sound!

_The second_ DUMB SHOW.

_Enter_ FLAMINEO, MARCELLO, CAMILLO, _with four others, as_ Captains; _they drink healths, and dance: a vaulting-horse is brought into the room:_ MARCELLO _and two others whispered out of the room, while_ FLAMINEO _and_ CAMILLO _strip themselves to their shirts, to vault; they compliment who shall begin: as_ CAMILLO _is about to vault_, FLAMINEO _pitcheth him upon his neck, and, with the help of the rest, writhes his neck about; seems to see if it be broke, and lays him folded double, as it were, under the horse; makes signs to call for help:_ MARCELLO _comes in, laments; sends for the_ Cardinal _and_ Duke, _who come forth with armed men; wonder at the act; command the body to be carried home; apprehend_ FLAMINEO, MARCELLO, _and the rest, and go, as it were, to apprehend_ VITTORIA.

_Brach._ 'Twas quaintly done; but yet each circumstance I taste not fully.

_Con._ O, 'twas most apparent: You saw them enter, charged with their deep healths To their boon voyage; and, to second that, Flamineo calls to have a vaulting-horse Maintain their sport; the virtuous Marcello Is innocently plotted forth the room; Whilst your eye saw the rest, and can inform you The engine of all.

_Brach._ It seems Marcello and Flamineo Are both committed.[43]

_Con._ Yes, you saw them guarded; And now they are come with purpose to apprehend Your mistress, fair Vittoria. We are now Beneath her roof: 'twere fit we instantly Make out by some back-postern.

_Brach._ Noble friend, You bind me ever to you: this shall stand As the firm seal annexèd to my hand; It shall enforce a payment.

_Con._ Sir, I thank you. [_Exit_ BRACHIANO. Both flowers and weeds spring when the sun is warm, And great men do great good or else great harm. [_Exit._