No, my lord, I never spare your lordship to your lordship’s face, nor behind your lordship’s back, nor to right, nor to left, nor to round about and back to your lordship’s face again, for I’m honest, your lordship. COUNT. Come, come, Filippo, what is there in the larder? [_ELISABETTA crosses to fireplace and puts on wood._ FILIPPO. Shelves and hooks, shelves and hooks, and when I see the shelves I am like to hang myself on the hooks. COUNT. No bread? FILIPPO. Half a breakfast for a rat! COUNT. Milk? FILIPPO. Three laps for a cat! COUNT. Cheese? FILIPPO. A supper for twelve mites. COUNT. Eggs? FILIPPO. One, but addled. COUNT. No bird? FILIPPO. Half a tit and a hern’s bill. COUNT. Let be thy jokes and thy jerks, man! Anything or nothing? FILIPPO. Well, my lord, if all-but-nothing be anything, and one plate of dried prunes be all-but-nothing, then there is anything in your lordship’s larder at your lordship’s service, if your lordship care to call for it. COUNT. Good mother, happy was the prodigal son, For he return’d to the rich father; I But add my poverty to thine. And all Thro’ following of my fancy. Pray thee make Thy slender meal out of those scraps and shreds Filippo spoke of. As for him and me, There sprouts a salad in the garden still. (_To the Falcon._) Why didst thou miss thy quarry yester-even? To-day, my beauty, thou must dash us down Our dinner from the skies. Away, Filippo! [_Exit, followed by FILIPPO._ ELISABETTA. I knew it would come to this. She has beggared him. I always knew it would come to this! (_Goes up to table as if to resume darning, and looks out of window._) Why, as I live, there is Monna Giovanna coming down the hill from the castle. Stops and stares at our cottage. Ay, ay! stare at it: it’s all you have left us. Shame upon you! _She_ beautiful! sleek as a miller’s mouse! Meal enough, meat enough, well fed; but beautiful—bah! Nay, see, why she turns down the path through our little vineyard, and I sneezed three times this morning. Coming to visit my lord, for the first time in her life too! Why, bless the saints! I’ll be bound to confess her love to him at last. I forgive her, I forgive her! I knew it would come to this—I always knew it must come to this! (_Going up to door during latter part of speech and opens it._) Come in, Madonna, come in. (_Retires to front of table and curtseys as the LADY GIOVANNA enters, then moves chair towards the hearth._) Nay, let me place this chair for your ladyship.