按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
And you？
NARDI。
Jacopo Nardi。
IPPOLITO。
You are welcome
I was expecting you。 Philippo Strozzi
Had told me of your coming。
NARDI。
'T was his son
That brought me to your door。
IPPOLITO。
Pray you； be seated。
You seem astonished at the garb I wear；
But at my time of life； and with my habits；
The petticoats of a Cardinal would be
Troublesome； I could neither ride nor walk；
Nor do a thousand things； if I were dressed
Like an old dowager。 It were putting wine
Young as the young Astyanax into goblets
As old as Priam。
NARDI。
Oh； your Eminence
Knows best what you should wear。
IPPOLITO。
Dear Messer Nardi；
You are no stranger to me。 I have read
Your excellent translation of the books
Of Titus Livius； the historian
Of Rome； and model of all historians
That shall come after him。 It does you honor；
But greater honor still the love you bear
To Florence； our dear country； and whose annals
I hope your hand will write； in happier days
Than we now see。
NARDI。
Your Eminence will pardon
The lateness of the hour。
IPPOLITO。
The hours I count not
As a sun…dial； but am like a clock；
That tells the time as well by night as day。
So no excuse。 I know what brings you here。
You come to speak of Florence。
NARDI。
And her woes。
IPPOLITO。
The Duke； my cousin； the black Alessandro；
Whose mother was a Moorish slave； that fed
The sheep upon Lorenzo's farm； still lives
And reigns。
NARDI。
Alas； that such a scourge
Should fall on such a city！
IPPOLITO。
When he dies；
The Wild Boar in the gardens of Lorenzo；
The beast obscene； should be the monument
Of this bad man。
NARDI。
He walks the streets at night
With revellers； insulting honest men。
No house is sacred from his lusts。 The convents
Are turned by him to brothels； and the honor
Of women and all ancient pious customs
Are quite forgotten now。 The offices
Of the Priori and Gonfalonieri
Have been abolished。 All the magistrates
Are now his creatures。 Liberty is dead。
The very memory of all honest living
Is wiped away； and even our Tuscan tongue
Corrupted to a Lombard dialect。
IPPOLITO。
And worst of all his impious hand has broken
The Martinella；our great battle bell；
That； sounding through three centuries； has led
The Florentines to victory；lest its voice
Should waken in their souls some memory
Of far…off times of glory。
NARDI。
What a change
Ten little years have made！ We all remember
Those better days； when Niccola Capponi；
The Gonfaloniere； from the windows
Of the Old Palace； with the blast of trumpets；
Proclaimed to the inhabitants that Christ
Was chosen King of Florence； and already
Christ is dethroned； and slain； and in his stead
Reigns Lucifer！ Alas； alas； for Florence！
IPPOLITO。
Lilies with lilies； said Savonarola；
Florence and France！ But I say Florence only；
Or only with the Emperor's hand to help us
In sweeping out the rubbish。
NARDI。
Little hope
Of help is there from him。 He has betrothed
His daughter Margaret to this shameless Duke。
What hope have we from such an Emperor？
IPPOLITO。
Baccio Valori and Philippo Strozzi；
Once the Duke's friends and intimates are with us；
And Cardinals Salvati and Ridolfi。
We shall soon see； then； as Valori says；
Whether the Duke can best spare honest men；
Or honest men the Duke。
NARDI。
We have determined
To send ambassadors to Spain； and lay
Our griefs before the Emperor； though I fear
More than I hope。
IPPOLITO。
The Emperor is busy
With this new war against the Algerines；
And has no time to listen to complaints
From our ambassadors； nor will I trust them；
But go myself。 All is in readiness
For my departure； and to…morrow morning
I shall go down to Itri； where I meet
Dante da Castiglione and some others；
Republicans and fugitives from Florence；
And then take ship at Gaeta； and go
To join the Emperor in his new crusade
Against the Turk。 I shall have time enough
And opportunity to plead our cause。
NARDI； rising。
It is an inspiration； and I hail it
As of good omen。 May the power that sends it
Bless our beloved country； and restore
Its banished citizens。 The soul of Florence
Is now outside its gates。 What lies within
Is but a corpse； corrupted and corrupting。
Heaven help us all； I will not tarry longer；
For you have need of rest。 Good…night。
IPPOLITO。
Good…night。
Enter FRA SEBASTIANO； Turkish attendants。
IPPOLITO。
Fra Bastiano； how your portly presence
Contrasts with that of the spare Florentine
Who has just left me！
FRA SEBASTIANO。
As we passed each other；
I saw that he was weeping。
IPPOLITO。
Poor old man！
FRA SEBASTIANO。
Who is he？
IPPOLITO。
Jacopo Nardi。 A brave soul；
One of the Fuoruseiti； and the best
And noblest of them all； but he has made me
Sad with his sadness。 As I look on you
My heart grows lighter。 I behold a man
Who lives in an ideal world； apart
From all the rude collisions of our life；
In a calm atmosphere。
FRA SEBASTIANO。
Your Eminence
Is surely jesting。 If you knew the life
Of artists as I know it； you might think
Far otherwise。
IPPOLITO。
But wherefore should I jest？
The world of art is an ideal world；
The world I love； and that I fain would live in；
So speak to me of artists and of art；
Of all the painters； sculptors； and musicians
That now illustrate Rome。
FRA SEBASTIANO。
Of the musicians；
I know but Goudimel； the brave maestro
And chapel…master of his Holiness；
Who trains the Papal choir。
IPPOLITO。
In church this morning；
I listened to a mass of Goudimel；
Divinely chanted。 In the Incarnatus；
In lieu of Latin words； the tenor sang
With infinite tenderness； in plain Italian；
A Neapolitan love…song。
FRA SEBASTIANO。
You amaze me。
Was it a wanton song？
IPPOLITO。
Not a divine one。
I am not over…scrupulous； as you know；
In word or deed； yet such a song as that。
Sung by the tenor of the Papal choir；
And in a Papal mass； seemed out of place；
There's something wrong in it。
FRA SEBASTIANO。
There's something wrong
In everything。 We cannot make the world
Go right。 'T is not my business to reform
The Papal choir。
IPPOLITO。
Nor mine； thank Heaven。
Then tell me of the artists。
FRA SEBASTIANO。
Naming one
I name t