The Doge's Apartment
The Doge and Attendants.
Att. My Lord, the deputation is in waiting;
But add, that if another hour would better
Accord with your will, they will make it theirs.
Doge. To me all hours are like. Let them approach.
[Exit Attendant.
An Officer. Prince! I have done your bidding.
DogeWhat command?
Offi. A melancholy one—to call the attendance
Of——
Doge.True—true—true: I crave your pardon. I
Begin to fail in apprehension, and
Wax very old—old almost as my years.
Till now I fought them off, but they begin
To overtake me.
Enter the Deputation, consisting of six of the Signory and the Chief of the Ten.
Noble men, your pleasure!
Chief of the Ten. In the first place, the Council doth condole
With the Doge on his late and private grief.
Doge. No more—no more of that.
Chief of the Ten.Will not the Duke
Accept the homage of respect?
Doge.I do
Accept it as 'tis given—proceed.
Chief of the Ten."The Ten,"
With a selected giunta from the Senate
Of twenty-five of the best born patricians,
Having deliberated on the state
Of the Republic, and the o'erwhelming cares
Which, at this moment, doubly must oppress
Your years, so long devoted to your Country,[183]
Have judged it fitting, with all reverence,
Now to solicit from your wisdom (which
Upon reflection must accord in this),
The resignation of the ducal ring,
Which you have worn so long and venerably:
And to prove that they are not ungrateful, nor
Cold to your years and services, they add
An appanage of twenty hundred golden
Ducats, to make retirement not less splendid
Than should become a Sovereign's retreat.
Doge. Did I hear rightly?
Chief of the Ten.Need I say again?
Doge. No.—Have you done?
Chief of the Ten.I have spoken. Twenty four[77]
Hours are accorded you to give an answer.
Doge. I shall not need so many seconds.
Chief of the Ten.We
Will now retire.
Doge.Stay! four and twenty hours
Will alter nothing which I have to say.
Chief of the Ten. Speak!
Doge.When I twice before reiterated
My wish to abdicate, it was refused me:
And not alone refused, but ye exacted
An oath from me that I would never more
Renew this instance. I have sworn to die
In full exertion of the functions, which
My Country called me here to exercise,
According to my honour and my conscience—
I cannot break my oath.
Chief of the Ten.Reduce us not
To the alternative of a decree,
Instead of your compliance.
Doge.Providence
Prolongs my days to prove and chasten me;
But ye have no right to reproach my length[184]
Of days, since every hour has been the Country's.
I am ready to lay down my life for her,
As I have laid down dearer things than life:
But for my dignity—I hold it of
The whole Republic: when the general will
Is manifest, then you shall all be answered.
Chief of the Ten. We grieve for such an answer; but it cannot
Avail you aught.
Doge.I can submit to all things,
But nothing will advance; no, not a moment.
What you decree—decree.
Chief of the Ten.With this, then, must we
Return to those who sent us?
Doge.You have heard me.
Chief of the Ten. With all due reverence we retire.
[Exeunt the Deputation, etc.
Enter an Attendant.
The Doge and Attendants.
Att. My Lord, the deputation is in waiting;
But add, that if another hour would better
Accord with your will, they will make it theirs.
Doge. To me all hours are like. Let them approach.
[Exit Attendant.
An Officer. Prince! I have done your bidding.
DogeWhat command?
Offi. A melancholy one—to call the attendance
Of——
Doge.True—true—true: I crave your pardon. I
Begin to fail in apprehension, and
Wax very old—old almost as my years.
Till now I fought them off, but they begin
To overtake me.
Enter the Deputation, consisting of six of the Signory and the Chief of the Ten.
Noble men, your pleasure!
Chief of the Ten. In the first place, the Council doth condole
With the Doge on his late and private grief.
Doge. No more—no more of that.
Chief of the Ten.Will not the Duke
Accept the homage of respect?
Doge.I do
Accept it as 'tis given—proceed.
Chief of the Ten."The Ten,"
With a selected giunta from the Senate
Of twenty-five of the best born patricians,
Having deliberated on the state
Of the Republic, and the o'erwhelming cares
Which, at this moment, doubly must oppress
Your years, so long devoted to your Country,[183]
Have judged it fitting, with all reverence,
Now to solicit from your wisdom (which
Upon reflection must accord in this),
The resignation of the ducal ring,
Which you have worn so long and venerably:
And to prove that they are not ungrateful, nor
Cold to your years and services, they add
An appanage of twenty hundred golden
Ducats, to make retirement not less splendid
Than should become a Sovereign's retreat.
Doge. Did I hear rightly?
Chief of the Ten.Need I say again?
Doge. No.—Have you done?
Chief of the Ten.I have spoken. Twenty four[77]
Hours are accorded you to give an answer.
Doge. I shall not need so many seconds.
Chief of the Ten.We
Will now retire.
Doge.Stay! four and twenty hours
Will alter nothing which I have to say.
Chief of the Ten. Speak!
Doge.When I twice before reiterated
My wish to abdicate, it was refused me:
And not alone refused, but ye exacted
An oath from me that I would never more
Renew this instance. I have sworn to die
In full exertion of the functions, which
My Country called me here to exercise,
According to my honour and my conscience—
I cannot break my oath.
Chief of the Ten.Reduce us not
To the alternative of a decree,
Instead of your compliance.
Doge.Providence
Prolongs my days to prove and chasten me;
But ye have no right to reproach my length[184]
Of days, since every hour has been the Country's.
I am ready to lay down my life for her,
As I have laid down dearer things than life:
But for my dignity—I hold it of
The whole Republic: when the general will
Is manifest, then you shall all be answered.
Chief of the Ten. We grieve for such an answer; but it cannot
Avail you aught.
Doge.I can submit to all things,
But nothing will advance; no, not a moment.
What you decree—decree.
Chief of the Ten.With this, then, must we
Return to those who sent us?
Doge.You have heard me.
Chief of the Ten. With all due reverence we retire.
[Exeunt the Deputation, etc.
Enter an Attendant.
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