The Noble Spanish Soldier Part 13

BALTHAZAR My honesty. A sign at which few dwell, pure honesty! I am a va.s.sal to Medina's house, He taught me first the A-B-C of war. E'er I was truncheon high, I had the stile on beardless Captain, writing then but boy, and shall I now turn slave to him that fed me with Cannon- bullets and taught me, ostrich-like to digest iron and steel! No! Yet I yielded with willow-bendings to commanding breaths.

MEDINA Of whom?

BALTHAZAR Of King and Queen. With supple hams and an ill-boding look, I vowed to do it. Yet, lest some choke-pear <32> of state policy should stop my throat, and spoil my drinking pipe, see, like his cloak, I hung at the King's elbow, till I had got his hand to sign my life.

[Balthazar pa.s.ses over the doc.u.ment signed by the King.]

DAENIA Shall we see this and sleep?

ALBA No, whilst these wake.

MEDINA 'Tis the King's hand?

BALTHAZAR Think you me a coiner <33>?

MEDINA No, no, Thou art thy self still, n.o.ble Balthazar.

I ever knew thee honest, and the mark Stands still upon thy forehead.

BALTHAZAR Else flea the skin off.

MEDINA I ever knew thee valiant, and to scorn All acts of baseness. I have seen this man Write in the field such stories with his sword, That our best chieftains swore there was in him As 'twere a new philosophy of fighting, His deeds were so punctilious. In one battle When death so nearly missed my ribs, he struck Three horses stone-dead under me. This man, Three times that day, even through the jaws of danger, Redeemed me up and, I shall print it ever, Stood over my body with Colossus thighs Whilst all the thunder-bolts which war could throw, Fell on his head. And Balthazar, thou canst not Be now but honest still, and valiant still, Not to kill boys and women.

BALTHAZAR My biter here, eats no such meat.

MEDINA Go fetch the marked-out lamb for slaughter hither, Good fellow-soldier aid him, and stay, mark, Give this false fire to the believing King, That the child's sent to heaven, but that the mother Stands rocked so strong with friends, ten thousand billows Cannot once shake her.

BALTHAZAR This I'll do.

MEDINA Away.

Yet one word more. Your counsel, n.o.ble friends.

Hark Balthazar, because nor eyes nor tongues, Shall by loud larums, that the poor boy lives, Question thy false report, the child shall, closely Mantled in darkness, forthwith be conveyed To the monastery of Saint Paul.

ALL Good.

MEDINA Despatch then, be quick.

BALTHAZAR As lightning.

Exit Balthazar.

ALBA This fellow is some angel dropped from heaven To preserve innocence.

MEDINA He is a wheel Of swift and turbulent motion. I have trusted him, Yet will not hang on him too many plummets, Lest with a headlong gyre <34> he ruins all.

In these state consternations, when a kingdom Stands tottering at the centre, out of suspicion Safety grows often. Let us suspect this fellow, And that albeit he show us the King's hand, It may be but a trick.

DAENIA Your Lordship hits A poisoned nail i'th head. This waxen fellow, By the King's hand so bribing him with gold, Is set on screws, perhaps is made his creature, To turn round every way.

MEDINA Out of that fear Will I beget truth. For myself in person Will sound the King's breast.

CARLO How? Yourself in person?

ALBA That's half the prize he gapes for.

MEDINA I'll venture it, And come off well I warrant you, and rip up His very entrails, cut in two his heart, And search each corner in't, yet shall not he Know who it is cut up the anatomy.

DAENIA 'Tis an exploit worth wonder.

CARLO Put the worst, Say some infernal voice should roar from h.e.l.l, The infant's cloistering up.

ALBA 'Tis not our danger, Nor the imprisoned Prince's, for what thief Dares by base sacrilege rob the Church of him?

CARLO At worst none can be lost but this slight fellow!

MEDINA All build on this as on a stable cube.

If we our footing keep, we fetch him forth, And crown him King. If up we fly i'th air, We for his soul's health a broad way prepare.

DAENIS They come.

Enter Balthazar and Sebastian.

MEDINA Thou knowest where to bestow him, Balthazar.

BALTHAZAR Come n.o.ble boy.

ALBA Hide him from being discovered.

BALTHAZAR Discovered? Would there stood a troop of Moors thrusting the paws of hungry lions forth, to seize this prey, and this but in my hand, I should do something.

SEBASTIAN Must I go with this black fellow, Uncle?

MEDINA Yes, pretty coz, hence with him Balthazar.

BALTHAZAR Sweet child, within few minutes I'll change thy fate And take thee hence, but set thee at heavens gate.

[Exit Balthazar and Sebastian.]

MEDINA Some keep aloof and watch this soldier

CARLO I'll do't.

Exit Carlo.

DAENIA What's to be done now?

MEDINA First to plant strong guard About the mother, then into some snare To hunt this spotted panther, and there kill him.

DAENIA What snares have we can hold him?