BUTLER.

The Duke presented thee this good warm coat,
And thou, a needy wight, hast pangs of conscience
To run him through the body in return? 
A coat that is far better and far warmer
Did the Emperor give to him, the Prince’s mantle. 
How doth he thank the Emperor?  With revolt,
And treason.

DEVEREUX.

That is true.  The devil take
Such thinkers!  I’ll dispatch him.

BUTLER.

And would’st quiet
Thy conscience, thou hast nought to do but simply
Pull off the coat; so canst thou do the deed
With light heart and good spirits.

DEVEREUX.

You are right,
That did not strike me.  I’ll pull off the coat—­
So there’s an end of it.

MACDONALD.

Yes, but there’s another
Point to be thought of.

BUTLER.

And what’s that, Macdonald?

MACDON.

What avails sword or dagger against him?
He is not to be wounded—­he is—­

BUTLER (starting up).

What?

MACDON.

Safe against shot, and stab, and flesh!  Hard frozen,
Secured and warranted by the black art! 
His body is impenetrable, I tell you.

DEVEREUX.

In Ingolstadt there was just such another: 
His whole skin was the same as steel; at last
We were obliged to beat him down with gun-stocks.

MACDON.

Hear what I’ll do.

DEVEREUX.

Well.

MACDONALD.

In the cloister here
There’s a Dominican, my countryman. 
I’ll make him dip my sword and pike for me
In holy water, and say over them
One of his strongest blessings.  That’s probatum! 
Nothing can stand ’gainst that.

BUTLER.

So do, Macdonald! 
But now go and select from out the regiment
Twenty or thirty able-bodied fellows,
And let them take the oaths to the Emperor. 
Then when it strikes eleven, when the first rounds
Are pass’d, conduct them silently as may be
To the house—­I will myself be not far off.

DEVEREUX.

But how do we get through Hartschier and Gordon,
That stand on guard there in the inner chamber?

BUTLER.

I have made myself acquainted with the place,
I lead you through a back door that’s defended
By one man only.  Me my rank and office
Give access to the Duke at every hour. 
I’ll go before you—­with one poniard-stroke
Cut Hartschier’s windpipe, and make way for you.

DEVEREUX.

And when we are there, by what means shall we gain
The Duke’s bed-chamber, without his alarming
The servants of the Court?  For he has here
A numerous company of followers.

BUTLER.

The attendants fill the right wing:  he hates bustle,
And lodges in the left wing quite alone.

DEVEREUX.

Were it well over—­hey, Macdonald?  I
Feel queerly on the occasion, devil knows!