SCENE II

SCENE II

A narrow street opening on the Tiber

Enter Michelotto and Assassins

MICHELOTTO

Ye know the lordlier harlot’s house—there?

FIRST ASSASSIN

         Ay,
Surely.

MICHELOTTO

   The first whose foot comes forth is he.

SECOND ASSASSIN

How know we this?

MICHELOTTO

      I know it.  Ye need but slay.

[Exit.

Enter Francesco

FRANCESCO (singing)

Love and night are life and light;
   Sleep and wine and song
Speed and slay the halting day
   Ere it live too long.

FIRST ASSASSIN

That shalt not thou.  Sing, whosoe’er thou be,
Thy next of songs to Satan.

[They stab him.

FRANCESCO

      Dogs!  Ye dare?
God!  Pity me!  God!

[Dies.

SECOND ASSASSIN

      God receive his soul!
This was a Christian: many a man I have slain
Died with all hell between his lips.

FIRST ASSASSIN

         Be thine
Dumb.  Lift his feet as I the head.

SECOND ASSASSIN

         A boy!
And fair of face as angels

FIRST ASSASSIN

         If the nets
Snare not this fish betimes ere others feed,
None that shall heave it airward for the sun
To mock and mar shall say so.  Bring him down.
Tiber hath fed on choicer fare than we
May think to feed his throat with ere we die.

[Exeunt with the body.