The Duchess of Malfi

by Frank Kermode

  To those above us; by whose lights I vow

  Those blessèd fires64 that shot to see our sin,

  If thy hot soul had substance with thy blood,65

  I would kill that too; which, being past my steel,

  My tongue shall reach. Thou art a shameless villain;

  A thing out of the overcharge of nature,

  Sent, like a thick cloud, to disperse a plague

  Upon weak catching66 women; such a tyrant,

  That for his lust would sell away his subjects,

  Ay, all his heaven hereafter!

  KING. Hear, Evadne,

  Thou soul of sweetness, hear! I am thy King.

  EVAD. Thou art my shame! Lie still; there’s none about you,

  Within your cries; all promises of safety

  Are but deluding dreams. Thus, thus, thou foul man,

  Thus I begin my vengeance!

  [Stabs him]

  KING. Hold, Evadne!

  I do command thee hold!

  EVAD. I do not mean, sir,

  To part so fairly with you; we must change

  More of these love-tricks yet.

  KING. What bloody villain

  Provoked thee to this murder?

  EVAD. Thou, thou monster!

  KING. O!

  EVAD. Thou kept’st me brave67 at court, and whored me, King;

  Then married me to a young noble gentleman,

  And whored me still.

  KING. Evadne, pity me!

  EVAD. Hell take me, then! This for my lord Amintor.

  This for my noble brother! and this stroke

  For the most wronged of women!

  [Kills him]

  KING. O! I die.

  EVAD. Die all our faults together! I forgive thee.

  Exit

  Enter two of the Bedchamber

  1 GENT. Come, now she’s gone, let’s enter; the King expects it, and will be angry.

  2 GENT. ’Tis a fine wench; we’ll have a snap at her one of these nights, as she goes from him.

  1 GENT. Content. How quickly he had done with her! I see kings can do no more that way than other mortal people.

  2 GENT. How fast he is! I cannot hear him breathe.

  1 GENT. Either the tapers give a feeble light,

  Or he looks very pale.

  2 GENT. And so he does:

  Pray heaven he be well! let’s look.—Alas!

  He’s stiff, wounded, and dead! Treason, treason!

  1 GENT. Run forth and call.

  2 GENT. Treason, treason!

  Exit

  1 GENT. This will be laid on us: who can believe

  A woman could do this?

  Enter Cleon and Lysippus

  CLE. How now! where’s the traitor?

  1 GENT. Fled, fled away; but there her woeful act

  Lies still.

  CLE. Her act! a woman!

  LYS. Where’s the body?

  1 GENT. There.

  LYS. Farewell, thou worthy man! There were two bonds

  That tied our loves, a brother and a king,

  The least of which might fetch a flood of tears;

  But such the misery of greatness is,

  They have no time to mourn; then, pardon me!

  Enter Strato

  Sirs, which way went she?

  STRA. Never follow her;

  For she, alas! was but the instrument.

  News is now brought in, that Melantius

  Has got the fort, and stands upon the wall,

  And with a loud voice calls those few that pass

  At this dead time of night, delivering

  The innocence of this act.

  LYS. Gentlemen, I am your King.

  STRA. We do acknowledge it.

  LYS. I would I were not! Follow, all; for this

  Must have a sudden stop.

  Exeunt

  SCENE II

  Enter Melantius, Diphilus, and Calianax, on the wall

  MEL. If the dull people can believe I am armed,

  (Be constant, Diphilus,) now we have time

  Either to bring our banished honors home,

  Or create new ones in our ends.68

  DIPH. I fear not;

  My spirit lies not that way.—Courage, Calianax!

  CAL. Would I had any! you should quickly know it.

  MEL. Speak to the people; thou art eloquent.

  CAL. ’Tis a fine eloquence to come to the gallows:

  You were born to be my end; the devil take you!

  Now must I hang for company. ’Tis strange,

  I should be old, and neither wise nor valiant.

  Enter Lysippus, Diagoras, Cleon, Strato, and Guard

  LYS. See where he stands, as boldly confident

  As if he had his full command about him!

  STRA. He looks as if he had the better cause, sir;

  Under your gracious pardon, let me speak it.

  Though he be mighty-spirited, and forward

  To all great things, to all things of that danger

  Worse men shake at the telling of, yet certainly

  I do believe him noble, and this action

  Rather pulled on than sought: his mind was ever

  As worthy as his hand.

  LYS. ’Tis my fear too.

  Heaven forgive all!—Summon him, lord Cleon.

  CLE. Ho, from the walls there!

  MEL. Worthy Cleon, welcome:

  We could a wished you here, lord: you are honest.

  CAL. [Aside] Well, thou art as flattering a knave, though I dare not tell thee so—

  LYS. Melantius!

  MEL. Sir?

  LYS. I am sorry that we meet thus; our old love

  Never required such distance. Pray to heaven,

  You have not left yourself, and sought this safety

  More out of fear than honor! You have lost

  A noble master; which your faith, Melantius,

  Some think might have preserved: yet you know best.

  CAL. [Aside] When time was I was mad! Some that dares fight,

  I hope will pay this rascal.

  MEL. Royal young man, those tears look lovely on thee:

  Had they been shed for a deserving one,

  They had been lasting monuments. Thy brother,

  Whilst he was good, I called him King, and served him

  With that strong faith, that most unwearied valor,

  Pulled people from the farthest sun to seek him,

  And beg his friendship. I was then his soldier.

  But since his hot pride drew him to disgrace me,

  And brand my noble actions with his lust,

  (That never-cured dishonor of my sister,

  Base stain of whore, and, which is worse,

  The joy to make it still so,) like myself,

  Thus I have flung him off with my allegiance;

  And stand here mine own justice, to revenge

  What I have suffered in him, and this old man

  Wronged almost to lunacy.

  CAL. Who, I?

  You would draw me in. I have had no wrong;

  I do disclaim ye all.

  MEL. The short is this.

  ’Tis no ambition to lift up myself

  Urgeth me thus; I do desire again

  To be a subject, so I may be free:

  If not, I know my strength, and will unbuild

  This goodly town. Be speedy, and be wise,

  In a reply.

  STRA. Be sudden, sir, to tie

  All up again. What’s done is past recall,

  And past you to revenge; and there are thousands

  That wait for such a troubled hour as this.

  Throw him the blank.69

  LYS. Melantius, write in that thy choice:

  My seal is at it.

  [Throws Melantius the paper]

  MEL. It was our honors drew us to this act,

  Not gain; and we will only work our pardons.

  CAL. Put my name in too.

 
DIPH. You disclaimed us all, but now, Calianax.

  CAL. That is all one;

  I’ll not be hanged hereafter by a trick:

  I’ll have it in.

  MEL. You shall, you shall.—

  Come to the back gate, and we’ll call you King,

  And give you up the fort.

  LYS. Away, away!

  Exeunt omnes

  SCENE III

  Enter Aspatia, in nun’s apparel and with artificial scars on her face

  ASP. This is my fatal hour. Heaven may forgive

  My rash attempt, that causelessly hath laid

  Griefs on me that will never let me rest,

  And put a woman’s heart into my breast.

  It is more honor for you that I die;

  For she that can endure the misery

  That I have on me, and be patient too,

  May live and laugh at all that you can do.

  Enter Servant

  God save you, sir!

  SER. And you, sir! What’s your business?

  ASP. With you, sir, now; to do me the fair office

  To help me to your lord.

  SER. What, would you serve him?

  ASP. I’ll do him any service; but, to haste,

  For my affairs are earnest, I desire

  To speak with him.

  SER. Sir, because you are in such haste, I would be loath

  Delay you longer: you can not.

  ASP. It shall become you, though, to tell your lord.

  SER. Sir, he will speak with nobody;

  But in particular, I have in charge,70

  About no weighty matters.

  ASP. This is most strange.

  Art thou gold-proof? there’s for thee; help me to him.

  [Gives money]

  SER. Pray be not angry, sir: I’ll do my best.

  Exit

  ASP. How stubbornly this fellow answered me!

  There is a vile dishonest trick in man,

  More than in woman. All the men I meet

  Appear thus to me, are harsh and rude,

  And have a subtilty in every thing,

  Which love could never know; but we fond71 women

  Harbor the easiest and the smoothest thoughts,

  And think all shall go so. It is unjust

  That men and women should be matched together.

  Enter Amintor and his Man

  AMIN. Where is he?

  SER. There, my lord.

  AMIN. What would you, sir?

  ASP. Please it your lordship to command your man

  Out of the room, I shall deliver things

  Worthy your hearing.

  AMIN. Leave us.

  Exit Servant

  ASP. [Aside] O, that that shape

  Should bury falsehood in it!—

  AMIN. Now your will, sir.

  ASP. When you know me, my lord, you needs must guess

  My business; and I am not hard to know;

  For, till the chance of war marked this smooth face

  With these few blemishes, people would call me

  My sister’s picture, and her mine. In short,

  I am brother to the wronged Aspatia.

  AMIN. The wronged Aspatia! would thou wert so too

  Unto the wronged Amintor! Let me kiss

  [Kisses her hand]

  That hand of thine, in honor that I bear

  Unto the wronged Aspatia. Here I stand

  That did it. Would he could not! Gentle youth,

  Leave me; for there is something in thy looks

  That calls my sins in a most hideous form

  Into my mind; and I have grief enough

  Without thy help.

  ASP. I would I could with credit!

  Since I was twelve years old, I had not seen

  My sister till this hour I now arrived:

  She sent for me to see her marriage;

  A woeful one! but they that are above

  Have ends in every thing. She used few words,

  But yet enough to make me understand

  The baseness of the injuries you did her.

  That little training I have had is war:

  I may behave myself rudely in peace;

  I would not, though. I shall not need to tell you,

  I am but young, and would be loath to lose

  Honor, that is not easily gained again.

  Fairly I mean to deal: the age is strict

  For72 single combats; and we shall be stopped,

  If it be published. If you like your sword,

  Use it; if mine appear a better to you,

  Change; for the ground is this, and this the time,

  To end our difference.

  [Draws]

  AMIN. Charitable youth,

  If thou be’st such, think not I will maintain

  So strange a wrong: and, for thy sister’s sake,

  Know, that I could not think that desperate thing

  I durst not do; yet, to enjoy this world,

  I would not see her; for, beholding thee,

  I am I know not what. If I have aught

  That may content thee, take it, and begone,

  For death is not so terrible as thou;

  Thine eyes shoot guilt into me.

  ASP. Thus, she swore,

  Thou wouldst behave thyself, and give me words

  That would fetch tears into mine eyes; and so

  Thou dost indeed. But yet she bade me watch,

  Lest I were cozened, and be sure to fight

  Ere I returned.

  AMIN. That must not be with me.

  For her I’ll die directly; but against her

  Will never hazard it.

  ASP. You must be urged:

  I do not deal uncivilly with those

  That dare to fight; but such a one as you

  Must be used thus.

  [She strikes him]

  AMIN. I prithee, youth, take heed.

  Thy sister is a thing to me so much

  Above mine honor, that I can endure

  All this—Good gods! a blow I can endure;

  But stay not, lest thou draw a timeless death

  Upon thyself.

  ASP. Thou art some prating fellow;

  One that hath studied out a trick to talk,

  And move soft-hearted people; to be kicked,

  [She kicks him]

  Thus to be kicked.—[Aside] Why should he be so slow

  In giving me my death?

  AMIN. A man can bear

  No more, and keep his flesh. Forgive me, then?

  I would endure yet, if I could. Now show

  [Draws]

  The spirit thou pretendest, and understand

  Thou hast no hour to live.

  [They fight, Aspatia is wounded]

  What dost thou mean?

  Thou canst not fight: the blows thou mak’st at me

  Are quite besides; and those I offer at thee,

  Thou spread’st thine arms, and tak’st upon thy breast,

  Alas, defenceless!

  ASP. I have got enough,

  And my desire. There is no place so fit

  For me to die as here.

  [Falls]

  Enter Evadne, her hands bloody, with a knife

  EVAD. Amintor, I am loaden with events,

  That fly to make thee happy; I have joys,

  That in a moment can call back thy wrongs,

  And settle thee in thy free state again.

  It is Evadne still that follows thee,

  But not her mischiefs.

  AMIN. Thou canst not fool me to believe again;

  But thou hast looks and things so full of news,

  That I am stayed.

  EVAD. Noble Amintor, put off thy amaze;

  Let thine eyes loose, and speak. Am I not fair?

  Looks not Evadne beauteous with these rites now?

  Were those hours half so lovely in thine eyes

  When our hands met before the holy man?

&
nbsp; I was too foul within to look fair then:

  Since I knew ill, I was not free till now.

  AMIN. There is presage of some important thing

  About thee, which, it seems, thy tongue hath lost:

  Thy hands are bloody, and thou hast a knife.

  EVAD. In this consists thy happiness and mine:

  Joy to Amintor! for the King is dead.

  AMIN. Those have most power to hurt us, that we love;

  We lay our sleeping lives within their arms.

  Why, thou hast raised up mischief to his height,

  And found one to out-name73 thy other faults;

  Thou hast no intermission of thy sins

  But all thy life is a continued ill:

  Black is thy color now, disease thy nature.

  “Joy to Amintor!” Thou hast touched a life,

  The very name of which had power to chain

  Up all my rage, and calm my wildest wrongs.

  EVAD. ’Tis done; and, since I could not find a way

  To meet thy love so clear as through this life,

  I cannot now repent it.

  AMIN. Couldst thou procure the gods to speak to me,

  To bid me love this woman and forgive,

  I think I should fall out with them. Behold,

  Here lies a youth whose wounds bleed in my breast,

  Sent by a violent fate to fetch his death

  From my slow hand! And, to augment my woe,

  You now are present, stained with a king’s blood

  Violently shed. This keeps night here,

  And throws an unknown wilderness about me.

  ASP. O, O, O!

  AMIN. No more; pursue me not.

  EVAD. Forgive me, then,

  And take me to thy bed: we may not part.

  AMIN. Forbear, be wise, and let my rage go this way.

  EVAD. ’Tis you that I would stay, not it.

  AMIN. Take heed;

  It will return with me.

  EVAD. If it must be,

  I shall not fear to meet it: take me home.

  AMIN. Thou monster of cruelty, forbear!

  EVAD. For heaven’s sake, look more calm: thine eyes are sharper

  Than thou canst make thy sword.

  [Kneels]

  AMIN. Away, away!

  Thy knees are more to me than violence;

  I am worse than sick to see knees follow me

  For that I must not grant. For heaven’s sake, stand.

  EVAD. Receive me, then.

  AMIN. I dare not stay thy language:

  In midst of all my anger and my grief,

  Thou dost awake something that troubles me,

  And says, I loved thee once. I dare not stay;

  There is no end of woman’s reasoning.

  [Leaves her]

  EVAD. [Rising] Amintor, thou shalt love me now again:

  Go; I am calm. Farewell, and peace for ever!

  Evadne, whom thou hatest, will die for thee.