PEPE.  That’s better than—­O!—­O!—­ [Panting.] Words without wit.

LANCIOTTO. [Laughing.] You’ll die a jester, Pepe.

PEPE.  If so, I’ll leave the needy all my wit. 
You, you shall have it, cousin.—­O!  O!  O! [Panting.]
Those devils in the hills, the Ghibelins,
Ran me almost to death.  My lord—­ha! ha! [Laughing.]
It all comes back to me—­O!  Lord ’a mercy!—­
The garden, and the lady, and the Count! 
Not to forget the poetry—­ho! ho! [Laughing.]
O! cousin Lanciotto, such a wife,
And such a brother!  Hear me, ere I burst!

  LANCIOTTO.  You’re pleasant, Pepe!

PEPE.  Am I?—­Ho! ho! ho! [Laughing.]
You ought to be; your wife’s a——­

  LANCIOTTO.  What?

PEPE.  A lady—­
A lady, I suppose, like all the rest. 
I am not in their secrets.  Such a fellow
As Count Paolo is your man for that. 
I’ll tell you something, if you’ll swear a bit.

  LANCIOTTO.  Swear what?

PEPE.  First, swear to listen till the end.—­
O! you may rave, curse, howl, and tear your hair;
But you must listen.

  LANCIOTTO.  For your jest’s sake?  Well.

  PEPE.  You swear?

  LANCIOTTO.  I do.

  PEPE.  Next, swear to know the truth.

  LANCIOTTO.  The truth of a fool’s story!

PEPE.  You mistake. 
Now, look you, cousin!  You have often marked—­
I know, for I have seen—­strange glances pass
Between Paolo and your lady wife.—­

  LANCIOTTO.  Ha!  Pepe!

PEPE.  Now I touch you to the quick. 
I know the reason of those glances.

LANCIOTTO.                         Ha! 
Speak! or I’ll throttle you!                                 [Seizes him.

PEPE.  Your way is odd. 
Let go my gullet, and I’ll talk you deaf. 
Swear my last oath:  only to know the truth.

  LANCIOTTO.  But that may trouble me.

PEPE.  Your honour lies—­
Your precious honour, cousin Chivalry—­
Lies bleeding with a terrible great gash,
Without its knowledge.  Swear!

  LANCIOTTO.  My honour?  Speak!

  PEPE.  You swear?

  LANCIOTTO.  I swear.  Your news is ill, perchance?

PEPE.  Ill! would I bring it else?  Am I inclined
To run ten leagues with happy news for you? 
O, Lord, that’s jolly!

LANCIOTTO.  You infernal imp,
Out with your story, ere I strangle you!

PEPE.  Then take a fast hold on your two great oaths,
To steady tottering manhood, and attend. 
Last eve, about this hour, I took a stroll
Into the garden.—­Are you listening, cousin?