Gui. I come;—­down, devil!—­ha! must I stumble too? 
Away, ye dreams! what if it thundered now,
Or if a raven crossed me in my way? 
Or now it comes, because last night I dreamt
The council-hall was hung with crimson round,
And all the ceiling plaistered o’er with black. 
No more!—­Blue fires, and ye dull rolling lakes,
Fathomless caves, ye dungeons of old night,
Phantoms, be gone! if I must die, I’ll fall
True politician, and defy you all. [Exit.

SCENE II.—­The Court before the Council-hall.

  GRILLON, LARCHANT, Soldiers placed, People crowding

Gril. Are your guards doubled, captain?

Larch. Sir, they are.

Gril. When the Guise comes, remember your petition.—­ Make way there for his eminence; give back.—­ Your eminence comes late.

  Enter two Cardinals, Counsellors, the Cardinal of GUISE,
  Arch-bishop of Lyons, last the GUISE.

Gui. Well, colonel, are we friends?

Gril. ’Faith, I think not.

Gui. Give me your hand.

Gril. No, for that gives a heart.

Gui. Yet we shall clasp in heaven.

Gril. By heaven, we shall not, Unless it be with gripes.

Gui. True Grillon still.

Larch. My lord.

Gui. Ha! captain, you are well attended:  If I mistake not, sir, your number’s doubled.

Larch. All these have served against the heretics; And therefore beg your grace you would remember Their wounds and lost arrears[21].

Gui. It shall be done.—­
Again, my heart! there is a weight upon thee,
But I will sigh it off.—­Captain, farewell.
                                      [Exeunt Cardinal, GUISE, _&c._

Gril. Shut the hall-door, and bar the castle-gates:  March, march there closer yet, captain, to the door. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.—­The Council-hall.

Gui. I do not like myself to-day.

Arch. A qualm! he dares not.

Card. That’s one man’s thought; he dares, and that’s another’s.

  Enter GRILLON.

Gui. O Marmoutiere! ha, never see thee more? 
Peace, my tumultuous heart! why jolt my spirits
In this unequal circling of my blood? 
I’ll stand it while I may.  O mighty nature! 
Why this alarm? why dost thou call me on
To fight, yet rob my limbs of all their use? [Swoons.

Card. Ha! he’s fallen, chafe him.  He comes again.

Gui. I beg your pardons; vapours, no more.

Gril. The effect Of last night’s lechery with some working whore[22].

  Enter REVOL.

Rev. My lord of Guise, the king would speak with you.