The Duchess (of Malfi)

by Zinnie Harris

Cariola they sent you water

  Duchess you don’t have to stay with me

  Cariola I heard Isabella –

  Duchess that was his game

  Cariola no, she is near. That is what they say, in the palace somewhere.

  Duchess here?

  Cariola I think so, yes

  Duchess and alive?

  A bell rings.

  The video plays again.

  Duchess STOP!

  She stands up. The video stops.

  A bell rings.

  Ferdinand say you see your mistake. That you were poisoned by the devil

  Duchess I wasn’t though, I loved him

  A bell rings.

  The Duchess walks up and down wringing her hands.

  She goes to sit again. The video starts up once more.

  A bell rings.

  Duchess I LOVED HIM

  A bell rings.

  Cariola madam you’re distressed

  Duchess every time I sit down, look

  She goes to sit, it starts up.

  days without end he has kept this up.

  The images start.

  A bell rings.

  Duchess I can’t sit, I can’t sleep

  he wants to torture me.

  Cariola but if you don’t rest, you’ll die –

  Duchess no, not death but madness like him.

  Is that it, brother? Have I worked you out?

  A bell rings.

  Duchess how mad do you think I will be by the end?

  Then another tune plays.

  Then another.

  A bell rings.

  Duchess I thought death would be bad, but Cariola madness scares me.

  Then other people start singing it. Rowdy and frightening.

  Until they are all singing on top of each other.

  A bell rings.

  Cardinal is it done?

  Ferdinand nearly, she’s nearly there

  A bell rings.

  Duchess I WON’T BREAK, FERDINAND

  I WILL NEVER BREAK

  A bell rings.

  Cardinal but is it over?

  Ferdinand what do you mean, over?

  Cardinal I mean over over over

  A single guitar note is heard.

  Duchess can you hear that?

  The Duchess steps out of her cell.

  Cariola hang on to sanity, madam

  Duchess do you think we shall know one another in the other world?

  Cariola who are you talking to?

  Duchess I believed I met the dead all around me

  Cariola there is no one there

  Duchess not in this world but I hear their footsteps

  women

  I almost see their shape

  look, they sit or –

  Cariola what do they sing?

  Duchess I can’t tell, but it seems a song of sorrow

  can’t you see them?

  Cariola no nowhere

  Duchess but all around

  Cariola ghosts?

  Duchess they sing songs of how they came to be free

  Cariola how is that?

  you said they were dead?

  Duchess perhaps not from the past but from tomorrow then

  Cariola you are fevered

  Duchess yes

  I am and in sorrow like I never knew but

  will we know when we are dead too?

  Bosola comes in, also standing out of the box.

  Bosola I come to build your tomb

  Duchess so I am right, I am to die?

  Bosola you know you are.

  Duchess do you know me –

  Bosola yes

  Duchess who am I then?

  Bosola to the tomb-maker you are worm seed, at best a box of medicine. A little curdled milk, fantastical puff-paste. Feet worn, body weak

  Duchess who am I to you?

  Bosola some great woman, sure, for there is turmoil on the forehead, lots of grey hairs, and dying twenty years sooner than she should

  Duchess you said you knew me –

  Bosola only as a prison bird

  everything I knew before I forgot

  Duchess I am the Duchess of Malfi

  you can’t forget that

  Bosola forgive me, you don’t shine like you used to

  Duchess you speak very plainly

  Bosola I prefer not to flatter the dead

  I am a tomb-maker.

  Duchess today. Today you are

  a while ago you were my horseman

  Bosola what do you want on your tomb?

  Duchess that I died twenty years from now, with my daughter around me

  Bosola the executioners are early then

  Duchess shush, did you say that to frighten me, the executioners are here?

  Bosola I am the common bellman

  that usually is sent to condemn people the night before they suffer

  Duchess you said you were the tomb-maker?

  Bosola that was to break it to you gently.

  Duchess so it is now – my time

  Bosola I am the bellman, to summons you to death

  Duchess and soon the undertaker?

  Bosola yes, that too

  Duchess you know I know you well

  this game is no defence

  you were my servant, a friend I thought

  Bosola I was never your servant, I always worked for your brother –

  Duchess how easily you remove yourself of choice

  Bosola choice, what choice has a man like me?

  I am the bellman now only, madam, and here’s the bell

  A bell rings, they snap back to reality.

  Cariola villains, tyrants, murderers! Help! What will you do with my lady? Call for help

  Duchess what’s the point – no one will hear.

  Bosola remove the maid

  Cariola I won’t go

  Duchess no, go, Cariola –

  Cariola I’ll stay, I’ll die with her

  Duchess find Isabella and look after her –

  Cariola I’ll let her be wild and free.

  She is forced out by the two executioners.

  The Duchess is left with Bosola.

  Duchess how am I to die?

  Bosola I told you this business is not my doing

  Duchess it is your doing, if you are doing it

  Bosola not my design then

  Duchess how am I to die?

  Bosola that is up to you, if you mean serene –

  Duchess serene, how can this be serene?

  Bosola quick and easy, no struggle

  Duchess I think if we are to honour being alive we should make it hard

  Bosola hard then

  Duchess no, easy please

  oh hell, I’m frightened now

  Executioners we’re ready

  Duchess might I have a last moment with my daughter if she is here?

  no, I know the answer. Tell her I died bravely then –

  I am the Duchess of Malfi still.

  I am the Duchess of Malfi still.

  I will die like a hero

  is this the way you mean to do it?

  Bosola yes

  Duchess alright, yes, I see, a rope.

  She backs away. Bosola gets her.

  I am not frightened, don’t think I’m frightened

  tell my brothers I wasn’t

  I am the Duchess of Malfi still

  but why does the rope scare me so much?

  to be strangled, is it worse than any other way?

  what did I expect, my throat to be opened with diamonds?

  death is death, however it is delivered.

  tell my brothers, that I was in sound mind,

  this death is the best gift they can give me and that I can take.

  Executioners shall we do it, sir?

  Duchess give my body to my women, after, will you?

  Bosola yes

  Duchess yes. I see, the chord goes around my neck

  pull and pull strongly
, for your strength must pull heaven down

  come, violent death

  serve as a potion to make me sleep

  I am the Duchess of Malfi still

  but I die as I was born, Giovanna.

  but wait, wait, one more moment of life –

  They start to strangle her.

  She struggles.

  And struggles.

  Bosola can’t you pull tighter?

  Executioners we are

  Bosola tighter still

  Executioners she has a strong spirit

  Bosola fools, you don’t know your art.

  Bosola picks her up.

  He takes her to a trough of water, and drowns her.

  She sags.

  Silence.

  He wipes the water about himself.

  Looks at the blood on his hands.

  Notices the blood on the floor.

  And the blood on the Duchess.

  He looks at the Executioners.

  why did she bleed?

  this was a bloodless death

  Executioners she hasn’t

  Bosola looks at the Executioners.

  Bosola I see blood, clear it up

  A guitar string beats.

  He looks over.

  did you hear that?

  Executioners no

  Bosola well, where is the waiting woman?

  somebody else needs to strangle the daughter

  Cariola is brought in.

  Cariola you are damned perpetually for this –

  why should I die?

  Bosola I am glad you accept that you have to

  Cariola I do not accept, I won’t die

  Bosola come, dispatch her

  Cariola I’ve done nothing wrong

  Bosola you kept her secret that’s what you did

  Cariola as you keep one for your masters

  Bosola but bad luck, you will die for it –

  Cariola you won’t kill me, I know you won’t

  Bosola then why am I here holding this rope?

  He shows her the noose of rope.

  Cariola let me speak to them then, if they want to accuse me –

  Bosola they won’t like delay, throttle her

  Executioner she bites and scratches

  She clutches Bosola.

  Cariola please, sir

  there is a good man in there, I know there is

  Bosola don’t clutch at me like this

  Cariola who else can I clutch at?

  if you loved me, even for a second –

  He breaks her neck gently.

  Both the Duchess and Cariola are dead and at his feet.

  Bosola aye.

  He looks at Cariola.

  He looks at the Duchess.

  Bosola she bleeds too.

  Executioner no?

  Bosola can’t you see it?

  Executioner perhaps there was something of the witch about them after all.

  Bosola no witches.

  Bosola looks around.

  Executioner the daughter, sir, is dead too as you asked.

  A small child is brought in and put beside her mother.

  The walls are starting to bleed. The blood pools around their feet.

  Bosola why is there so much blood?

  even my own clothes are bleeding –

  He speaks to the Executioner.

  you’ve done your bit, away

  Ferdinand comes in.

  He comes over and looks at the Duchess.

  Ferdinand cover her face, my eyes are dazzled. It’s too bright in here.

  Bosola covers up her face.

  she and I were twins, but now I will always be older.

  He takes the cloth away.

  He holds the Duchess.

  Ferdinand by what authority did you execute her?

  Bosola what?

  Ferdinand I just asked by what authority you executed her.

  Bosola by yours.

  Ferdinand mine, and was I her judge?

  Bosola yes, sir.

  Ferdinand but did any form of actual law condemn her to death? You need a judge and jury for an execution. Did a judge and jury convict her?

  Bosola now wait –

  Ferdinand because if not, you bloody fool, you’ve murdered her –

  Bosola at your bidding

  Ferdinand you’ll die for it –

  Bosola you want to tell a court what has happened here?

  Ferdinand oh I’ll tell you how the crime shall be revealed.

  wolves shall find her, yes packs of them that smell out all butchered corpses, will find her grave and will dig her up not to eat her body, but to tell all that this was MURDER

  Bosola that you asked for –

  Ferdinand MURDER MURDER

  Bosola sir, that you ordered

  Ferdinand leave me

  can we turn the lights down please?

  Bosola I cannot leave without my payment

  Ferdinand payment? The only payment you will get is not to be sent to the gallows yourself

  Bosola but I need no pardon

  Ferdinand you’re a villain

  Bosola when your ingratitude is the judge, I am a villain but others will call me a servant

  Ferdinand your only obedience is to the devil.

  Bosola if that is what you call yourself, then yes.

  you have a grave rather than a heart, and your brother is the same.

  Ferdinand is this a man with no heart? Crying for his sister?

  Bosola I feel like I am just waking up out of a dream.

  a nightmare

  oh God, what have I done?

  get away from here

  Ferdinand no you get away from here

  He starts to pick up the body of his sister.

  Bosola leave her

  Ferdinand she is my sister

  Bosola no brother asks for this. Away from her

  Ferdinand you don’t scare me

  Bosola well I should – get out.

  Ferdinand looks frightened for a second. He leaves.

  Bosola sits with the Duchess’s corpse.

  Beat.

  this is sorrow then

  He finds the emotion uncomfortable.

  remorse.

  I did this.

  not them, they asked for it but

  me.

  me.

  me.

  dear Duchess. I see what I am. I won’t hide.

  jesus, I won’t hide. fucking hell.

  scorch me. sun. wind, moon. what have i been?

  oh God, hang on, did you –

  what, you moved?

  come back –

  you are warm, still breathing.

  Duchess? Take my life, swap with me.

  is anyone there? we need some water, something for her to drink

  anything I can do to reverse this I’ll do –

  The Duchess stirs.

  Duchess Antonio?

  Bosola yes, he’s alive

  and your son –

  Duchess they were shot

  Bosola no, the images were made falsely to put pressure on you.

  your husband is alive, and your boy

  Duchess they’re alive?

  Bosola yes, in hiding, we think

  Duchess tell them I love them

  Bosola stay with me, lady, we’ll find them together

  Duchess will you tell them?

  Bosola no, tell them yourself

  no, don’t close your eyes

  I’ll take you there –

  madam

  your son and husband –

  live for them –

  please, madam. no.

  help

  I need help

  madam? Can anyone hear

  He tries to resuscitate her.

  please live –

  He tries again.

  She is dead. He holds her.

  no. no no.

  The Woman with the guitar starts to sing.

  Woman (singing)

&
nbsp; hark now, everything is still

  the screech-owl and the whistler shrill

  call upon our dame aloud

  and bid her quickly don her shroud

  strew your hair with powders sweet

  don clean linen, bathe your feet

  and the foul fiend more to check

  a crucifix let bless your neck

  ’tis now full tide between night and day

  end your groan and come away.

  She comes over to the Duchess and cleans off the blood from her.

  She gives her something warm to wear and dries the water.

  She does the same to Cariola.

  And the little girl. The Duchess sits with her

  Antonio comes on.

  Antonio Delio? Friend, are you here?

  He looks about, can’t see anyone.

  Delio –

  I said are you here?

  Duchess here

  Antonio where?

  Duchess where?

  Antonio that doesn’t sound like you, it sounds like –

  Duchess sounds like

  Antonio Giovanna?

  Duchess Giovanna

  Antonio are you there?

  Duchess there

  Antonio which way do I hear you?

  Duchess you

  Antonio you’re like an echo

  Duchess echo

  Antonio but an echo is a dead thing

  it sounds like life but has none

  Duchess has none

  The Duchess comes very close to Antonio.

  He feels her.

  She breathes on him.

  Antonio oh God, you are dead.

  She undoes his shirt and puts her hand inside.

  Duchess dead

  He moans with the touch.

  Antonio I saw your face a few days ago, on a clear night presented with sorrow

  Duchess sorrow

  Antonio how come you can talk to me?

  Duchess talk to me

  Antonio all these months I have feared it, hearing your death

  Duchess death

  Antonio make love to me

  Duchess love

  Antonio you’re so cold

  Duchess cold

  Antonio Giovanna

  Beat.

  don’t go.

  I’ll kill the bastards that did this to you.

  the fiends.

  Beat.

  no echo there

  is that because we agree?

  Duchess we agree.

  we agree.

  Delio comes on.

  Delio sorry I gor held up –

  Antonio doesn’t matter –

  Delio what do you need?

  Antonio I have to go tonight, find the Cardinal

  Delio tonight?

  Antonio she’ll help me

  Delio who?