OR, THE ANGEL OF VENICE 
105 
 
SCENE V.  The Palace of the Doge.  The Throne-room.  
MONICA—ALESSANDRO—LUCREZIA.  A distant bell, the 
Great Bell of St. Mark’s, still tolls. 
 
MONICA.  Embrace me !  Here we stand at the cross-roads 
of Fate. 
Enlace me !  hand in, hand what ardours we await ! 
The merry play is played, the comedy that Pan 
On very Ida made, the comedy of man ! 
LUCREZIA.  I gave her steel to twist and writhe herself upon. 
MONICA.  One flicker of my wrist, and his black soul was 
gone. 
ALESSANDRO.  I have done nothing yet. 
MONICA. 
 
Oh, you have laughed !  The key. 
The secret coronet of all the comedy ! 
ALESSANDRO.  Yes :  it is only now when I am sure we win, 
Wreathing each beaming brow with the reward of sin, 
That in my heart there seems the echo of a sigh. 
Delight dissolves the dreams desire had set on high ! 
MONICA.  Oh, we shall find fresh food.  True wit is never 
stale. 
Trust me, my merry mood. 
LUCREZIA. 
Provided we prevail. 
Can Venice be deceived ? 
ALESSANDRO. 
Could all the angel choirs 
Make any truth believed ? 
MONICA. 
Man thinks as he desires. 
And all men being blind and deaf—— 
ALESSANDRO. 
It follows then 
That women will not find much trouble from the men.