Ah , madonna .... It has not seemed brief to me . Yes , but I did not then know that each day spent apart from you , Madonna Graciosa , would be a century in passing . Yes , my search is desperate . Very certainly , since at my journey 's end I find Madonna Graciosa , the chief jewel of Tuscany . Ah , well , to balance that , you will presently find courtiers in Florence who will barter for you like merchants . May I descend ? Am I to be welcomed merely for the sake of my gems ? You were more gracious , you were more beautifully like your lovely name , on the fortunate day that I first encountered you ... only six weeks ago , and only yonder , where the path crosses the highway . But now that I esteem myself your friend , you greet me like a stranger . You do not even invite me into your garden . I much prefer the manner in which you told me the way to the inn when I was an unknown passer-by . And yet your pennant promised greeting . Now , there is the greeting I had hoped for ! But how do you escape your father 's watch so easily ? That “ Oh , yes , you ! ” is a very fitting reward for my devotion . For I find that nowadays I travel about the kingdom buying jewels less for my patrons at court than for the pleasure of having your eyes appraise them , and smile at me . That is wise , for the turquoise is a talisman . They say that the woman who wears a turquoise is thereby assured of marrying the person whom she prefers . In fact , they are handsome stones . Oh , with your lute ! Yes , to be sure ! with my jewels . There is again my gracious lady . Now , in reward for that , you shall feast your eyes . Oh , I did not mean to offer them to you to-day . No , this string is intended for the Duke 's favorite , Count Eglamore . For Count Eglamore . If it be taste to appreciate pearls , then the Duke 's chief officer has excellent taste . He seeks them far and wide . He will be very generous in paying for this string . Oh , the nobles complain of him , but we merchants have no quarrel with Eglamore . He buys too lavishly . It is a pursuit not limited to us who frankly live by sale and purchase . Count Eglamore , for example , knows that men may be bought as readily as merchandise . It is one reason why he is so hated — by the unbought . You pray too much , madonna . Even very pious people ought to be reasonable . The Marquis of Cibo conspired , or so the court judged — Yet you have never even seen him , I believe ? So I have gathered . They remain among the unbought . Ah , yes , I remember . I remember that also . Yes , the dog seemed to think so , I remember . Has my Lord Balthazar yet set a day for that presentation ? I wish to have this Eglamore 's accounts all settled by that date . In fact , a noble who is not rich cannot afford to continue supporting a daughter who is salable in marriage . Marvels . I think — yes , I am afraid that you will like them . Few courtiers have expressed dislike of him in my presence . Eh , madonna ! some day , when you have seen his jewels — Yes , he will show them to you , I think , without fail , for the Duke loves beauty in all its forms . So he will take pleasure in confronting the brightness of your eyes with the brightness of the four kinds of sapphires , of the twelve kinds of rubies , and of many extraordinary pearls — And you will see his famous emerald necklace , and all his diamonds , and his huge turquoises , which will make you ashamed of your poor talisman — He will show you the very finest of his gems , assuredly . And then , worse still , he will be making verses in your honor . It is a preposterous feature of Duke Alessandro 's character that he is always making songs about some beautiful thing or another . The songs of a reigning duke are always good . Tastes differ , of course — I have a portrait of the Duke . It does not , I think , unduly flatter him . Will you look at it ? Here is the likeness . Oh , it was a gift to me from his highness for a special service I did him , and as such must be treasured . If you do , I ask only that in noisy Florence you remember this quiet garden . You may see his arms on it , and on the back his inscription . You are astonished at his highness ’ coloring ? That he inherits from his mother . She was , you know , a blackamoor . Such observations are court etiquette . Seen him ! here ! riding past ! That was idle gossip , I fancy . The Duke rarely rides abroad without my —— without my lavish patron Eglamore , the friend of all honest merchants . True , madonna , true . I had forgotten you did not see them . Madonna ! but wise persons do not apply such adjectives to dukes . And wise persons do not criticize Count Eglamore 's appearance , either , now that Eglamore is indispensable to the all-powerful Duke of Florence . It is thanks to the Eglamore whom you hate that the Duke has ample leisure to indulge in recreations which are reputed to be — curious . That is perhaps quite as well .To be brief , madonna , business annoys the Duke . It interferes with the pursuit of all the beautiful things he asks for in that song . Eglamore is an industrious person who affixes seals , and signs treaties , and musters armies , and collects revenues , upon the whole , quite as efficiently as Alessandro would be capable of doing these things . And otherwise amuses himself as his inclinations prompt , while Eglamore rules Tuscany — and the Tuscans are none the worse off on account of it .But is not that a horseman ? I confess I wish to run no risk of being found here , by your respected father or by your ingenious cousins and uncles . A prince has means to overcome all obstacles . What would you do ? In which you would be very ravishingly beautiful . His tone has become rather ardent , and he is now standing nearer to her than the size of the garden necessitates . So GRACIOSA demurely steps down from the bench , and sits at the far end . I ? What would I do if I were a great lord instead of a tradesman !I think you know the answer , madonna . And is it not a serious matter that a pedler of crystals should have dared to love a nobleman 's daughter ? But you are perfectly right . It is not a serious matter . That I worship you is an affair which does not seriously concern any person save me in any way whatsoever . Yet I think that knowledge of the fact would put your father to the trouble of sharpening his dagger . Indeed , I am not certain that I do worship you ; for in order to adore whole-heartedly the idolater must believe his idol to be perfect .Now your nails are of an ugly shape , like that of little fans . Your nose is nothing to boast of . And your mouth is too large . I do not admire these faults , for faults they are undoubtedly — No .... Then , too , I know that you are vain and self-seeking , and look forward contentedly to the time when your father will transfer his ownership of your physical attractions to that nobleman who offers the highest price for them . That is true , and nobody disputes it . Still , you participate in a monstrous bargain , and I would prefer to have you exhibit distaste for it . Bending forward , GUIDO draws from his jewel pack the string of pearls , and this he moodily contemplates , in order to evince his complete disinterestedness . The pose has its effect . GRACIOSA looks at him for a moment , rises , draws a deep breath , and speaks with a sort of humility . I am afraid that men do not always love according to the strict laws of logic .I desire your happiness above all things , yet to see you so abysmally untroubled by anything which troubles me is — another matter . No ? You know that I love you . Madonna is candid this morning . Would I incur such risks without caring ? Your highness was never lacking in penetration . It happens that not a moment ago we were admiring your highness ’ portrait . I gave orders for the Marquis of Cibo 's execution , as was the duty of my office . I did not devise the manner of his punishment . The punishment for Cibo 's crime was long ago fixed by our laws . All who attack the Duke 's person must die thus . Graciosa ... you shame me — God , God ! The DUKE looks with delight at GRACIOSA , who stands bewildered and childlike . Highness —! She is a child — Highness , I love this child — No ! No , I will not have it . I have never been too nice to profit by your vices . I have taken my thrifty toll of abomination . I have stood by contentedly , not urging you on , yet never trying to stay you as you waded deeper and ever deeper into the filth of your debaucheries , because meanwhile you left me so much power . It was not altogether I who made of you a brainsick beast . But what you are is in part my handiwork . Nevertheless , you shall not harm this child . I know this means my ruin . That is nothing to me . At court you are the master . At your court in Florence I have seen many mothers raise the veil from their daughters ’ faces because you were passing . But here upon this hill-top I can see only the woman I love and the man who has insulted her . By killing you , your highness . I think this knife will serve me , highness , to make earth a cleaner place . You risk your life , for very certainly I mean to kill you . Ah ! He catches up the fallen dagger , and attacks the DUKE , this time with utter disregard of the rules of fence and his own safety . GUIDO drives the DUKE back . GUIDO is careless of defence , and desirous only to kill . The DUKE is wounded , and falls with a cry at the foot of the shrine . GUIDO utters a sort of strangled growl . He raises his dagger , intending to hack at and mutilate his antagonist , who is now unconscious . As GUIDO stoops , GRACIOSA , from behind him , catches his arm . Madonna , the Duke is not yet dead . That wound is nothing serious . It is impossible to let him live . I think so , too , but I know that all this madman 's whims are ruthless . Power ! I , who have attacked the Duke 's person ! I , who have done what your dead cousin merely planned to do ! Living , this brain-sick beast will make of you his plaything — and , a little later , his broken , soiled and cast-by plaything . It is therefore necessary that I kill Duke Alessandro . That is the law , madonna . But what he said is true . I am useless to him , a rebellious lackey to be punished . Whether I have his life or no , I am a lost man . Now there is not a beggar in the kingdom who would change lots with me . But at least I shall first kill this kingdom 's lord . He picks up his dagger . Perhaps I might escape , going north to Bologna , and then to Venice , which is at war with the Duke — But first the Duke must die , because his death saves you . Not even Eglamore would leave you at the mercy of this poet . And I must need upset the bargain between these jewel merchants ! I had no choice . I love you .It is a theme on which I shall not embroider . So long as I thought to use you as an instrument I could woo fluently enough . Today I saw that you were frightened and helpless — oh , quite helpless . And something in me changed . I knew for the first time that I loved you . And I knew I was not clean as you are clean . I knew that I had more in common with this beast here than I had with you . You , who had only scorn to give me when I was a kingdom 's master ! Would you go with me now that I am homeless and friendless ? Graciosa —! Ah , you shall not regret that foolish preference . He will not enter Hell to-day .Already he revives , you see . So let us begone before his attendants come . So we may pass for minstrels on the road to Venice . The Duke 's attendants fetching him new women — two more of those numerous damsels that his song demands . They will revive this ruinous songmaker to rule over Tuscany more foolishly than Eglamore governed when Eglamore was a great lord .It is a very rich and lovely country , this kingdom which a half-hour since lay in the hollow of my hand . Now I am empty-handed .