Transcribed from the 1916 Methuen and Co. edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org THE DUCHESS OF PADUA A PLAY BY OSCAR WILDE * * * * * METHUEN & CO. LTD. 36 ESSEX STREET W.C. LONDON _Fifth Edition_ THE PERSONS OF THE PLAY Simone Gesso, Duke of Padua Beatrice, his Wife Andreas Pollajuolo, Cardinal of Padua Maffio Petrucci, Jeppo Vitellozzo, Taddeo Bardi } Gentlemen of the Duke’s Household Guido Ferranti, a Young Man Ascanio Cristofano, his Friend Count Moranzone, an Old Man Bernardo Cavalcanti, Lord Justice of Padua Hugo, the Headsman Lucy, a Tire woman Servants, Citizens, Soldiers, Monks, Falconers with their hawks and dogs, etc. * * * * * PLACE: _Padua_ TIME: _The latter half of the Sixteenth Century_ THE SCENES OF THE PLAY ACT I. _The Market Place of Padua_ (25 _minutes_). ACT II. _Room in the Duke’s Palace_ (36 _minutes_). ACT III. _Corridor in the Duke’s Palace_ (29 _minutes_). ACT IV. _The Hall of Justice_ (31 _minutes_). ACT V. _The Dungeon_ (25 _minutes_). _Style of Architecture_: Italian, Gothic and Romanesque. ACT I SCENE _The Market Place of Padua at noon_; _in the background is the great Cathedral of Padua_; _the architecture is Romanesque_, _and wrought in black and white marbles_; _a flight of marble steps leads up to the Cathedral door_; _at the foot of the steps are two large stone lions_; _the houses on each aide of the stage have coloured awnings from their windows_, _and are flanked by stone arcades_; _on the right of the stage is the public fountain_, _with a triton in green bronze blowing from a conch_; _around the fountain is a stone seat_; _the bell of the Cathedral is ringing_, _and the citizens_, _men_, _women and children_, _are passing into the Cathedral_. [_Enter_ GUIDO FERRANTI _and_ ASCANIO CRISTOFANO.] Now by my life, Guido, I will go no farther; for if I walk another step I will have no life left to swear by; this wild-goose errand of yours! [_Sits down on the step of the fountain_.] GUIDO I think it must be here. [_Goes up to passer-by and doffs his cap_.] Pray, sir, is this the market place, and that the church of Santa Croce? [_Citizen bows_.] I thank you, sir. ASCANIO Well? GUIDO Ay! it is here. ASCANIO I would it were somewhere else, for I see no wine-shop. GUIDO [_Taking a letter from his pocket and reading it_.] ‘The hour noon; the city, Padua; the place, the market; and the day, Saint Philip’s Day.’ ASCANIO