Act I

SCENE.--An Italian Cottage. Castle and Mountains seen through Window.

Elisabetta discovered seated on stool in window darning. The Count with Falcon on his hand comes down through the door at back. A withered wreath on the wall.

ELISABETTA. So, my lord, the Lady Giovanna, who hath been away so long, came back last night with her son to the castle.

COUNT. Hear that, my bird! Art thou not jealous of her? My princess of the cloud, my plumed purveyor, My far-eyed queen of the winds--thou that canst soar Beyond the morning lark, and howsoe'er Thy quarry wind and wheel, swoop down upon him Eagle-like, lightning-like--strike, make his feathers Glance in mid heaven. [Crosses to chair. I would thou hadst a mate! Thy breed will die with thee, and mine with me: I am as lone and loveless as thyself. [Sits in chair. Giovanna here! Ay, ruffle thyself--be jealous! Thou should'st be jealous of her. Tho' I bred thee The full-train'd marvel of all falconry, And love thee and thou me, yet if Giovanna Be here again--No, no! Buss me, my bird! The stately widow has no heart for me. Thou art the last friend left me upon earth-- No, no again to that. [Rises and turns. My good old nurse, I had forgotten thou wast sitting there.

ELISABETTA. Ay, and forgotten thy foster-brother too.

COUNT. Bird-babble for my falcon! Let it pass. What art thou doing there?

ELISABETTA. Darning your lordship. We cannot flaunt it in new feathers now: Nay, if we will buy diamond necklaces To please our lady, we must darn, my lord. This old thing here (points to necklace round her neck), they are but blue beads--my Piero, God rest his honest soul, he bought 'em for me, Ay, but he knew I meant to marry him. How couldst thou do it, my son? How couldst thou do it?

COUNT. She saw it at a dance, upon a neck Less lovely than her own, and long'd for it.

ELISABETTA. She told thee as much?

COUNT. No, no--a friend of hers.

ELISABETTA. Shame on her that she took it at thy hands, She rich enough to have bought it for herself!

COUNT. She would have robb'd me then of a great pleasure.

ELISABETTA. But hath she yet return'd thy love?

COUNT. Not yet!

ELISABETTA. She should return thy necklace then.

COUNT. Ay, if She knew the giver; but I bound the seller To silence, and I left it privily At Florence, in her palace.

ELISABETTA. And sold thine own To buy it for her. She not know? She knows There's none such other----

COUNT. Madman anywhere. Speak freely, tho' to call a madman mad Will hardly help to make him sane again.

Enter FILIPPO.

FILIPPO. Ah, the women, the women! Ah, Monna Giovanna, you here again! you that have the face of an angel and the heart of a--that's too positive! You that have a score of lovers and have not a heart for any of them-- that's positive-negative: you that have not the head of a