All the Court! Evermore the Court about us!
Savile and Holland, Hamilton and Vane
About us,--then the King will grant me--what?
That he for once put these aside and say--
"Tell me your whole mind, Wentworth!"

_Lady Carlisle._ You professed
You would be calm.

_Wentworth._ Lucy, and I am calm!
How else shall I do all I come to do,
Broken, as you may see, body and mind,
How shall I serve the King? Time wastes meanwhile,
You have not told me half. His footstep! No.
Quick, then, before I meet him,--I am calm--
Why does the King distrust me?

_Lady Carlisle._ He does not
Distrust you.

_Wentworth._ Lucy, you can help me; you
Have even seemed to care for me: one word!
Is it the Queen?

_Lady Carlisle._ No, not the Queen: the party
That poisons the Queen's ear, Savile and Holland.

_Wentworth._ I know, I know: old Vane, too, he's one too?
Go on--and he's made Secretary. Well?
Or leave them out and go straight to the charge--
The charge!

_Lady Carlisle._ Oh, there's no charge, no precise charge;
Only they sneer, make light of--one may say,
Nibble at what you do.

_Wentworth._ I know! but, Lucy,
I reckoned on you from the first!--Go on!
--Was sure could I once see this gentle friend
When I arrived, she'd throw an hour away
To help her ... what am I?

_Lady Carlisle._ You thought of me,
Dear Wentworth?

_Wentworth._ But go on! The party here!

_Lady Carlisle._ They do not think your Irish government
Of that surpassing value....

_Wentworth._ The one thing
Of value! The one service that the crown
May count on! All that keeps these very Vanes
In power, to vex me--not that they do vex,
Only it might vex some to hear that service
Decried, the sole support that's left the King!

_Lady Carlisle._ So the Archbishop says.

_Wentworth._ Ah? well, perhaps
The only hand held up in my defence
May be old Laud's! These Hollands then, these Saviles
Nibble? They nibble?--that's the very word!

_Lady Carlisle._ Your profit in the Customs, Bristol says,
Exceeds the due proportion: while the tax....

_Wentworth._ Enough! 'tis too unworthy,--I am not
So patient as I thought. What's Pym about?

_Lady Carlisle._ Pym?

_Wentworth._ Pym and the People.

_Lady Carlisle._