SCENE III.--_A Corridor in the Palace.

_Enter_ VENDICE, _still disguised, and_ HIPPOLITO.

_Hip._ Brother, how goes the world? I would know news of you. But I have news to tell you.

_Ven._ What, in the name of knavery?

_Hip._ Knavery, faith; This vicious old duke's worthily abused; The pen of his bastard writes him cuckold?

_Ven._ His bastard?

_Hip._ Pray, believe it; he and the duchess By night meet in their linen;[209] they have been seen By stair-foot panders.

_Ven._ O, sin foul and deep! Great faults are winked at when the duke's asleep. See, see, here comes the Spurio.

_Hip._ Monstrous luxur!

_Ven._ Unbraced! two of his valiant bawds with him! O, there's a wicked whisper; hell's in his ear. Stay, let's observe his passage--

_Enter_ SPURIO _and_ Servants.

_Spu._ O, but are you sure on't?

_1st Ser._ My lord, most sure on't; for 'twas spoke by one, That is most inward with the duke's son's lust, That he intends within this hour to steal Unto Hippolito's sister, whose chaste life The mother has corrupted for his use.

_Spu._ Sweet word! sweet occasion! faith, then, brother, I'll disinherit you in as short time As I was when I was begot in haste. I'll damn you at your pleasure: precious deed! After your lust, O, 'twill be fine to bleed. Come, let our passing out be soft and wary. [_Exeunt_ SPURIO _and_ Servants.

_Ven._ Mark! there; there; that step; now to the duchess! This their second meeting writes the duke cuckold With new additions--his horns newly revived. Night! thou that look'st like funeral heralds' fees, Torn down betimes i' the morning, thou hang'st fitly To grace those sins that have no grace at all. Now 'tis full sea abed over the world: There's juggling of all sides; some that were maids E'en at sunset, are now perhaps i' the toll-book.[210] This woman in immodest thin apparel Lets in her friend by water; here a dame Cunning nails leather hinges to a door, To avoid proclamation. Now cuckolds are coining, apace, apace, apace, apace! And careful sisters spin that thread i' the night, That does maintain them and their bawds i' the day.

_Hip._ You flow well, brother.

_Ven._ Pooh! I'm shallow yet; Too sparing and too modest; shall I tell thee? If every trick were told that's dealt by night, There are few here that would not blush outright.

_Hip._ I am of that belief too. Who's this comes?

_Ven._ The duke's son up so late? Brother, fall back, And you shall learn some mischief. My good lord!

_Enter_ LUSSURIOSO.

_Lus._ Piato! why, the man I wished for! Come, I do embrace this season for the fittest To taste of that young lady.

_Ven._ Heart and hell. [_Aside._

_Hip._ Damned villain! [_Aside._

_Ven._ I have no way now to cross it, but to kill him. [_Aside._

_Lus._ Come, only thou and I.

_Ven._ My lord! my lord!

_Lus._ Why dost thou start us?

_Ven._ I'd almost forgot--the bastard!

_Lus._ What of him?

_Ven._ This night, this hour, this minute, now--

_Lus._ What? what?

_Ven._ Shadows the duchess--

_Lus._ Horrible word!

_Ven._ And (like strong poison) eats Into the duke your father's forehead.

_Lus._ O!

_Ven._ He makes horn-royal.

_Lus._ Most ignoble slave!

_Ven._ This is the fruit of two beds.

_Lus._ I am mad.

_Ven._ That passage he trod warily.

_Lus._ He did?

_Ven._ And hushed his villains every step he took.

_Lus._ His villains! I'll confound them.

_Ven._ Take 'em finely--finely, now.

_Lus._ The duchess' chamber-door shall not control me. [_Exeunt_ LUSSURIOSO _and_ VENDICE.

_Hip._ Good, happy, swift: there's gunpowder i' the court, Wildfire at midnight. In this heedless fury He may show violence to cross himself. I'll follow the event. [_Exit._