SENTINELS AT THE GATE (calling out). Who goes there?

SCENE IV.

The former, four of the a.s.sERATO family.

a.s.sERATO (entering). A friend of FIESCO.

ZIBO. They are the four a.s.serati.

ZENTURIONE. Good evening, friends!

a.s.sERATO. We are going to the play.

ZIBO. A pleasant journey to you!

a.s.sERATO. Are you not going also?

ZENTURIONE. Walk on. We"ll just take a breath of air first.

a.s.sERATO. "Twill soon begin. Come. (Going.)

SENTINEL. Back!

a.s.sERATO. What can this mean?

ZENTURIONE (laughing). To keep you from the palace.

a.s.sERATO. Here"s some mistake----

ZIBO. That"s plain enough. (Music is heard in the right wing.)

a.s.sERATO. Do you hear the symphony? The comedy is going to begin.

ZENTURIONE. I think it has begun, and we are acting our parts as fools.

ZIBO. I"m not over warm--I"ll return home.

a.s.sERATO. Arms here, too?

ZIBO. Poh! Mere play-house articles.

ZENTURIONE. Shall we stand waiting, like ghosts upon the banks of Acheron? Come, let us to a tavern! (All six go towards the gate.)

SENTINELS (calling loudly). Back! Back!

ZENTURIONE. Death and the devil! We are caught.

ZIBO. My sword shall open a pa.s.sage!

a.s.sERATO. Put it up! The count"s a man of honor.

ZIBO. We are sold! betrayed! The comedy was a bait, and we"re caught in a trap.

a.s.sERATO. Heaven forbid! And yet I tremble for the event.

SCENE V.

The former--VERRINA, SACCO, and n.o.bLES.

SENTINELS. Who goes there?

VERRINA. Friends of the house. (Seven n.o.bLES enter with him.)

ZIBO. These are his confidants. Now all will be explained.

SACCO (in conversation with VERRINA). "Tis as I told you; Lascaro is on guard at the St. Thomas" gate, the best officer of Doria, and blindly devoted to him.

VERRINA. I"m glad of it.

ZIBO (to VERRINA). Verrina, you come opportunely to clear up the mystery.

VERRINA. How so? What mean you?

ZENTURIONE. We are invited to a comedy.

VERRINA. Then we are going the same way.

ZENTURIONE (impatiently). Yes--the way of all flesh. You see--the doors are guarded. Why guard the doors?

ZIBO. Why these sentinels?

ZENTURIONE. We stand here like criminals beneath the gallows.

VERRINA. The count will come himself.

ZENTURIONE. "Twere well if he came a little faster. My patience begins to fail. (All the n.o.bLES walk up and down in the background.)

BOURGOGNINO (coming out of the palace, to VERRINA). How goes it in the harbor?

VERRINA. They"re all safe on board.

BOURGOGNINO. The palace is full of soldiers.

VERRINA. "Tis almost nine.