Page:Victor Hugo's Works (Guernsey Edition) v14.djvu/109

DELL' AQUILA.

True, true! what aid?
Ha, there's the Duchess!

BERTUCCIO (shrieks).

I had forgotten her!
[Drawing Dell' Aquila to him and whispering hoarsely.
Man, she has drugged their wine; the bony Death
Plays cupbearer to them: if she drinks, she dies!
[Enter a Page with wine, L.
Look! look! Perchance that is the very wine!
[He runs between the Page and the door, and assumes the Fool's manner.
Halt there! for the fool's toll. No wine goes in
But pays the fool's toll.

PAGE.

Out knave! Stand aside!

[Bertuccio snatches the flagons from the salver.

BERTUCCIO.

'T is forfeit by the law!

[The Page tries to recover the wine; in the struggle Bertuccio pretends to upset the flagons by accident, and the wine is poured out on the stage.

PAGE.

Thy back shall bleed
To make it up. Now must I go fetch more,—
And brook the cellarer's chiding for thy folly.

[Enter Torelli, L.

BERTUCCIO (to Dell' Aquila).

If he goes in—could we but enter with him!
A word of mine might save her from the poison.

[Bertuccio gets between him and the door.