Heark, you unsanctified
fool, while I set out our story. We found it, this side
the North park wall which it had climbed to pluck
nectarines from the alley. Heark again! There
was a nectarine in its hand when we found it, and
the naughty brick that slipped from the coping
beneath its foot and so caused its death, lies now
under the wall for the King to see.

_The King (above)_. The King to see! Why should
he? Who's the man?

_Gow_. That is your tale. Swerve from it by so
much as the breadth of my dagger and here's your
instant reward. You heard not, saw not, and by the
Horns of ninefold-cuckolded Jupiter you thought not
nor dreamed not anything more or other!

_The King_. Ninefold-cuckolded Jupiter. That's a
rare oath! Shall we look closer?

_Ferdinand_. Not yet, my Lord! (I cannot hear him
breathe.)

_Gardener_. The North park wall? It was so.
Plucking nectarines. It shall be. But how shall
I say if any ask why our Lady the Queen--

_Gow (stabs him)_. Thus! Hie after the Prince
and tell him y'are the first fruits of his nectarine
tree. Bleed there behind the laurels.

_The King_. Why did Gow buffet the clown?
What said he? I'll go look.

_Ferdinand (above)_. Save yourself! It is the
King!

_Enter the King and Ferdinand to Gow_

_Gow_. God save you! This was the Prince!

_The King_. The Prince! Not a dead branch?
(_Uncovers the face_.)
My flesh and blood! My son! my son! my son!

_Ferdinand_ (_to Gow_). I had feared something of
this. And that fool yonder?

_Gow_. Dead, or as good. He cannot speak.

_Ferdinand_. Better so.

_The King_. 'Loosed to adventure early!' Tell
the tale.

_Gow_. Saddest truth alack! I came upon him
not a half hour since, fallen from the North park
wall over against the Deerpark side--dead--dead!--a
nectarine in his hand that the dear lad must have
climbed for, and plucked the very instant, look you,
that a brick slipped on the coping. 'Tis there now.
So I lifted him, but his neck was as you see--and
already cold.

_The King_. Oh, very cold. But why should he
have troubled to climb? He was free of all the
fruit in my garden, God knows!... What, Gow?

_Gow_. Surely, God knows!

_The King_. A lad's trick. But I love him the
better for it.... True, he's past loving.... And
now we must tell our Queen. What a coil at the
day's end! She'll grieve for him. Not as I shall;
Ferdinand, but as youth for youth. They were
much of the same age. Playmate for playmate.
See