Scene 4

A Chapter by apj1465

The prison of Mortara.

SCENE 4

(The prison of Mortara. SFORZA is eating a meal with wine at a table. Enter PICC who sits down opposite.)

SFORZA.

You must forgive me, I seldom have guests these days. (Offers wine.) How are affairs in Milan?

PICC.

The city is full of unhappy women. Some want you dead and some want you alive, which from what I have been hearing may not be the blessing it seems. (tastes wine) The Duke is unhappy with you. Something about abusing his Lordship's hospitality.

SFORZA.

That sounds serious.

PICC.

I feel a death coming on.

SFORZA.

People have tried often enough. Yet I am still here.

PICC.

Not for long. The Duke is here and evens you will be dead by dusk.

SFORZA.

Put me down for ten florins. I am good for it.

PICC.

My friend your fault is that you love yourself too much.

SFORZA.

He that loves not himself loves not others. I suppose I could offer you money?

PICC.

You can’t buy me!

SFORZA.

A condottiere who cannot be bought, you'll give the rest of us a bad name.

PICC.

Bad name or not, I am the master here.

SFORZA.

You are master of nothing. You answer to Visconti.

PICC.

You can’t goad me Sforza. You have fallen. Even in Rome they heard it. You’ll be lucky to survive to be a beggar in the wilderness, which is more your natural habitat.

Enter VISCONTI.

VISCONTI.

Why is it so cold?

SFORZA.

It is cold because it is not warm.

VISCONTI.

Ever practical Count Francesco.

SFORZA.

Why philosophise upon the weather?

VISCONTI.

To read the omens?

SFORZA.

Why bother, who’d be a puppet?

VISCONTI.

You should be more concerned, my daughter has cast your horoscope.

SFORZA.

How is the fair Bianca?

VISCONTI.

Sharpening knives in the kitchen the last time I saw her.

SFORZA.

I can say, in every respect, your daughter is truly worthy of you.

VISCONTI.

I have never doubted it. (Turns to PICC.) Leave us.

SFORZA waves him goodbye.

Do you like your new surroundings?

SFORZA.

It reminds me of the happy times I spent with father in prison. Occasionally, Fortune smiles upon a family and both parent and child live long enough to realise not only, that it is not some perverse of nature that they are related to each other, but also that wisdom and common sense did not entirely skip a generation. And he did teach me an important lesson.

VISCONTI.

Which was?

SFORZA.

To beware the ingratitude of princes and the jealousy of my fellow man, for in the end both may prove fatal. If only I had followed it. But I do like the wine.

SFORZA offers a wine cup.

VISCONTI

(takes wine) You blame me for this? In all things you failed to live up to your billing. You and Carmagnola danced around the countryside while Brescia burned. What did you expect?

SFORZA.

I held the best soldier of the age with what little you gave me.

VISCONTI.

You say this is my fault? I do not have the time or the inclination to concern myself with the intrigues and petty jealousies of so called professional men.

SFORZA.

I cannot work miracles.

VISCONTI.

You are still angry with me?

SFORZA.

I was to begin with. I had imagined that I lived in a world where virtue would prevail over vice. Once I realised it was not so, I became content.

VISCONTI.

(sips wine) You were surprised so easily and yet escaped without harm.

SFORZA.

I imagine the court was made merry with mischief at my expense.

VISCONTI.

It passed the time.

SFORZA.

What can I say; I raged at the mountains and was saved from folly by a duchess.

VISCONTI.

So I have discovered. You made quite an impression. She bombards me with letters pleading for your release.

SFORZA.

She is a woman of honour. The pope once forgave me for fighting for the other side.

VISCONTI.

True, I could let you out, suppose we could toss a coin, heads you die, tails. (Indicates door.)

SFORZA.

I would prefer better odds. Besides, if you were going to let me out you would not have come yourself.

VISCONTI.

True, but then why did I come?

SFORZA.

You have no one who can stop Carmagnola, besides you are curious. You have heard that I have received offers from Venice and Florence. You would be amazed what a man in prison can arrange.

VISCONTI.

And that you turned them down. Is it true?

SFORZA.

It is rumoured to be true. I hear Piccinino will become the new Captain General?

VISCONTI.

That rumour has travelled fast. But I think not. He has done nothing to earn it.

SFORZA.

He will not be happy.

VISCONTI.

Am I to be concerned with the feeling of servants? I confess I have always thought the less of you for your trade and your birth. You are the son of an illegitimate peasant, a nobody, yet they love you. What do they call you, ‘The common father of the men of arms.'

SFORZA.

I wouldn’t know you've had me out of circulation for some time.

VISCONTI.

Yet the legend still grows. If only you were noble.

SFORZA.

Stuff nobility and roast it upon a spit I would rather be alive than have some marble plaque say ‘here lies honour.’

VISCONTI.

The people may love you, but it's a good family that counts. The city may propose, but I dispose. I am the state, a physicality upon the earth. Through me Milan lives and breathes. I am entrusted by God with the common good of the people. You expect me to ever hand it over to the likes of you?

SFORZA.

If you are to be ruled should you not demand a superior performance? Otherwise, we would have everyone trying.

VISCONTI.

You are up to your neck in trouble.

SFORZA.

It is then that I am at my best, and I am harder to kill than people think.

VISCONTI.

You are a clever man and clever men are always dangerous.

SFORZA.

Is that why I am to die, surely a disincentive for the young to seek an education? And if I am dead who will then protect you from your enemies?

VISCONTI.

You think I have need of you? I have hired your uncle Micheletto Attendolo.