Very well, I will tell you all then, so much the worse for you. Fabiano is innocent. Fabiano never committed the crime for which he was condemned. It was I, and this man here, and the engraver Gilbert. We did it all; we invented it all; we imagined it all. It was all a farce! Contradict me if you dare, Sir Bailiff! Now, gentlemen, will you defend him? He is innocent; I swear it. On my head, on my crown, on my God, on my mother's soul, he is innocent of the crime. It is as true as that you stand there, Lord Clinton! Defend him! Annihilate these wretches as you annihilated Tom Wyatt, my brave Clinton, my old friend, my good Robert! I swear to you that it is false that Fabiano tried to assassinate the Queen. LORD CLINTON. There is another Queen whom he tried to assassinate--England! [_The cries continue outside._ THE QUEEN. The balcony! Open the balcony. I myself will prove to the people that he is not guilty. SIMON RENARD. Prove to the people that he is not Italian. THE QUEEN. When I think it is Simon Renard, one of Cardinal Granvelle's creatures, who dares to speak to me like this! Well, open that door! open that cell! Fabiano is there. I want to see him; I want to speak to him. SIMON RENARD (_low_). What are you doing? For his own sake, you needn't let everybody know where he is. THE PEOPLE. Death to Fabiani! Long live Elizabeth! SIMON RENARD. They cry long live Elizabeth, now! THE QUEEN. My God! My God! SIMON RENARD. Choose, madame [_with one hand he points to the cell_], this head to the people [_with the other hand he designates the crown which the Queen wears_] or that crown to Madame Elizabeth. THE PEOPLE. Death! Death! Fabiani! Elizabeth! [_A stone breaks through a pane of glass near The Queen._ SIMON RENARD. Your Majesty is destroying herself without saving him! The second court is reached. What does the Queen command? THE QUEEN. You are all cowards, and Clinton is the worst of all. Ah, Clinton, I will remember this, my friend! SIMON RENARD. What does the Queen command? THE QUEEN. Oh, to be abandoned by all of you! to have confessed all without obtaining anything! What sort of creatures are these noblemen here? That populace is infamous! I would like to crush them under my feet. There are times then, when a queen is nothing but a woman? You will pay dear for this, gentlemen! SIMON RENARD. What does the Queen command? THE QUEEN (_crushed_). Whatever you will. Do what you like. You are an assassin. [_Aside._] Oh, Fabiano! SIMON RENARD. Clarence! Jarretiere! Come here! Master Eneas, open the great balcony of the gallery. [_The balcony in the back opens. Simon Renard steps out upon it, Clarence at his right, Jarretiere at his left. Immense tumult outside._ THE PEOPLE. Fabiani! Fabiani! SIMON RENARD (_on the balcony, turned toward the people_). In the Queen's name! HERALDS. In the Queen's name! [_Profound silence outside._ SIMON RENARD.