BEPPO. Ho, you would make A proper queen, with that droll nose of yours! GILDA. I know a boy who likes my nose! BEPPO. Ho, ho! He must be a hunch-back! GIULIANA. You must not tease her, Beppo. GILDA. I wish I were queen. If I were a queen, You would not dare to say my nose is droll. BEPPO. It would be, all the same. GIO. You should be content With what you have, not cry to rise beyond it. It is a sin to covet. GIULIANA. Being a queen, My bird, is not all riding to the hunt Of a sunny morning. ANNA. Nay, 'tis riding back At times, of a rainy night, to such a burden Of cares as simple folk have little mind of. GILDA. I'd rather have a queen's cares than my own. BEPPO. Ho, ho! Your cares! What cares have you? GILDA. I have A brother that will be teasing me all times! 'Tis cares enough for one, I tell you. ADELINA. [Across stage.] Beppo! Come help me fetch the milk! GILDA. Oh, Mister Beppo, Your sweetheart calls you! Run and fetch the milk! LEONORA. [From a house, coming out.] Come in to supper, children! RIGO. Oh, not just yet! ELENORA. Father's not home yet! LEONORA. You need not wait for him. LOUIS. May we come out again? LEONORA. [Joining other women.] Ay, for a time. Till it gets dark. RIGO. [To Louis.] 'Tis dark now, almost. LOUIS. Hush! She does not know it. GIULIANA. 'Tis dark now. LEONORA. Ay, I know. I let them play a little after dark Sometimes, when the weather's fine. I would not have them Afraid of shadows. They think I do not know Darkness from light. ELENORA. There's father now! RIGO. I see him! [Elenora, Louis and Rigo run off the stage and along the path.] LEONORA. He is late home today. I cannot think What may have held him. 'Twill be deep night already In the woods. CESCO. [Off stage, harshly.] Down! Down! Do you run back to your mother! See you not I am in haste?--Hang not upon me! EUG. La! He is in a temper! LEO. I never knew him So out of patience with them. GIU. He is hungry, maybe. LEO. He is often hungry, but I never knew him So out of patience. [The children come running back. To Elenora.] Why do you weep, my heart? LUI. Father is someone else tonight. ELENORA. [Weeping.] He pushed me! [Enter Cesco, with game on his shoulder, or a basket of mushrooms.] SEVERAL WOMEN. Good-even, Cesco. CES. [To Leonora.] Look you, Leonora, Have we a bed fit for a queen to lie in? LEO. Nay, faith! Not we! GIL. She can have my bed, mother. GIN. Ay, true. There is a bed in my house, Cesco. GIO. What will the queen do here? GIU. I would indeed She had let us know that she was coming! CES. The Queen Knew not herself. Nor is she coming of herself. They are bringing her,--on a litter of crossed boughs, GIL. She is not dead? CES. Nay. Wounded in the arm A little, and in a swoon. But the young King Of Lagoverde is no more! WOMEN. How so?