Mortadello

87 ACT V SCENE I. The Garden of the Palace of COUNT ALESSANDRO. Parties of nobles and their ladies are strolling up and down. THE DOGE and his bride are present. L. is a pavilion of stone pillars with a canopy ; on the ledges are boxes with poppies and other flowers. MORTADELLO. TILL heavy hangs the heat ; the sleepy waters swoon. October may repeat the menaces of June. ALESSANDRO. Death has a drum to beat to his eternal tune. MORTADELLO. Why, man, you’re gloomy still ; the weather’s cause enough. ALESSANDRO. No, highness, I am ill ; I have been crossed in love. MORTADELLO. Love’s easy to be won. ALESSANDRO. My lord, you find it so. It’s simple for the sun to set the field aglow ! But I’m a star obscure, fantastical, forsooth ! And how should I allure and catch capricious youth ? MORTADELLO. Well, may you win ! But how allure the wanton air To breathe upon my brow ? I tell you, I despair. Your garden has a touch of freshness, I admit. ALESSANDRO. A little but not much. MORTADELLO. But Venice is the pit. S