THE SCRUTINEO OR SENATE-HOUSE.
ENTER AVOCATORI, NOTARIO, BONARIO, CELIA,
CORBACCIO, CORVINO, COMMANDADORI, SAFFI, ETC.
1 AVOC
Are all the parties here?
NOT
All but the advocate.
2 AVOC
And here he comes.
[ENTER VOLTORE AND VOLPONE.]
1 AVOC
Then bring them forth to sentence.
VOLT
O, my most honour'd fathers, let your mercy
Once win upon your justice, to forgive—
I am distracted—
VOLP
[ASIDE.]: What will he do now?
VOLT
O,
I know not which to address myself to first;
Whether your fatherhoods, or these innocents—
CORV
[ASIDE.]: Will he betray himself?
VOLT
Whom equally
I have abused, out of most covetous ends—
CORV
The man is mad!
CORB
What's that?
CORV
He is possest.
VOLT
For which, now struck in conscience, here, I prostate
Myself at your offended feet, for pardon.
1, 2 AVOC
Arise.
CEL
O heaven, how just thou art!
VOLP
[ASIDE.]: I am caught
In mine own noose—
CORV
[TO CORBACCIO.]: Be constant, sir: nought now
Can help, but impudence.
1 AVOC
Speak forward.
COM
Silence!
VOLT
It is not pa**ion in me, reverend fathers,
But only conscience, conscience, my good sires,
That makes me now tell trueth. That parasite,
That knave, hath been the instrument of all.
1 AVOC
Where is that knave? fetch him.
VOLP
I go.
[EXIT.]
CORV
Grave fathers,
This man's distracted; he confest it now:
For, hoping to be old Volpone's heir,
Who now is dead—
3 AVOC
How?
2 AVOC
Is Volpone dead?
CORV
Dead since, grave fathers—
BON
O sure vengeance!
1 AVOC
Stay,
Then he was no deceiver?
VOLT
O no, none:
The parasite, grave fathers.
CORV
He does speak
Out of mere envy, cause the servant's made
The thing he gaped for: please your fatherhoods,
This is the truth, though I'll not justify
The other, but he may be some-deal faulty.
VOLT
Ay, to your hopes, as well as mine, Corvino:
But I'll use modesty. Pleaseth your wisdoms,
To view these certain notes, and but confer them;
As I hope favour, they shall speak clear truth.
CORV
The devil has enter'd him!
BON
Or bides in you.
4 AVOC
We have done ill, by a public officer,
To send for him, if he be heir.
2 AVOC
For whom?
4 AVOC
Him that they call the parasite.
3 AVOC
'Tis true,
He is a man of great estate, now left.
4 AVOC
Go you, and learn his name, and say, the court
Entreats his presence here, but to the clearing
Of some few doubts.
[EXIT NOTARY.]
2 AVOC
This same's a labyrinth!
1 AVOC
Stand you unto your first report?
CORV
My state,
My life, my fame—
BON
Where is it?
CORV
Are at the stake
1 AVOC
Is yours so too?
CORB
The advocate's a knave,
And has a forked tongue—
2 AVOC
Speak to the point.
CORB
So is the parasite too.
1 AVOC
This is confusion.
VOLT
I do beseech your fatherhoods, read but those—
[GIVING THEM THE PAPERS.]
CORV
And credit nothing the false spirit hath writ:
It cannot be, but he's possest grave fathers.
[THE SCENE CLOSES.]