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