Is ill again!

GRA. Where heard you that, you raven?

GUI. Marry, I forget. Is't true?

GRA. It is as false
As that you have forgotten where you heard it.
Were you the heir to his power, which I bless God
You're not!--he'd live to hide the throne from you
Full many a long day yet!--Nay, pretty Guido,
Your cousin is not yet Queen,--and when she is--Faith,
She weareth a wide petticoat,--there'll be
Scant room for you beside her! [Exit Nurse across stage]

GUI. [To his companions.] None the less
I do believe the king is ill.

RAF. Who told you?

GUI. His wife. She is much exercised about him.

GIO. 'Tis like enough. This woman would rather lie
Than have her breakfast served to her in bed.

[Exeunt Guido, Giovanni and Raffaele.]

[Music. Enter Musicians and take place on stage. Enter four pages
and take places on either side the door as from the banquet-hall and
on either side the throne in the back. Enter King and Queen, that is
to say Lorenzo and Octavia, Lorenzo apparently quite well, and seat
themselves on throne in back. Enter courtiers and ladies, Carlotta
with Anselmo, Laura with Luigi, etc., and stand in little groups
about the stage, laughing and talking together. Enter Beatrice
alone, her train held by two pages in black. Enter twelve little
Cupids, running, and do a short dance in the center of the room,
then rush to the empty dais which is awaiting Mario and Bianca, and
cluster about it. Enter Bianca and Mario, she in white and silver,
with a deep sky blue velvet train six yards long, held up by six
silver pages [or Cupids]; he in black and gold, with a purple velvet
train of the same length held by six gold pages [or Cupids]. His arm
is about her waist, she is leaning back her head against him and
looking up into his face. They come in slowly, talking softly
together, as utterly oblivious of the court, the pages, the music,
everything, as if they were a shepherd and a shepherdess walking
through a meadow. They walk slowly across the stage and seat
themselves on the dais. The music changes, strikes up a gay pavane,
or the equivalent of the period of the costumes, the ladies and
courtiers dance. Guido, Giovanni and Raffaele re-enter just as the
music starts and go up to the ladies; Guido goes to Beatrice, and
she dance