'Tis Pity She's a Whore: A Pop Opera - Act III, Scene vi continued (Bergetto Escapes)

Act III, Scene vi

Continued...

BERGETTO kneels down to receive forgiveness from the CARDINAL, FLORIO, and DONADO.

The CARDINAL steps forward to address the audience.



Cardinal: Citizens of Parma, if you seek to live under a just and noble system of governance, receive Grimaldi into his Holiness' protection. Forgive him so, for his intentions hath purity. (To the Guards) Guards.



The guards snatch GRIMALDI and shackle him from behind. He doesn’t resist, and hangs his head low.



Florio: Is this really the final word, sir?
Cardinal: Yes, indeed. There is just cause in all of this to consider that he will amend his ways. We shall send him to Rome hence so he may repent his sins.
Donado: And what pray tell makes you draw these conclusions? Where’s the reasoning, pray tell?
Cardinal: You heard the lad. He didn’t mean to kill your nephew.
Donado: But that doesn’t mean anything! You’re not even talking to anyone! What citizens of Parma?! Where are they? There’s no one here, except you and your soldiers! And us!
Florio: (in placating fashion) Come, Donado. Come.
Cardinal: We understand your distress, sir. We will leave you to grieve.
Donado: No! This is outrageous fortune!
Cardinal: ‘Tis ordained. There’s nothing you can do about it now. And these courts do not permit double jeopardy. You must console yourself with this verdict.
Donado: I most certainly will n—
Cardinal: And so, ‘tis ordained!
Chorus of soldiers: Let it be so!

The CARDINAL and Soldiers exit in a flourish, with GRIMALDI, smiling, trailing behind as he hangs his head low.



Donado: Wait, no! Stop! Desist!

FLORIO holds DONADO back.

Donado: This can’t be!
Florio: Let it go, man, let it go.
Donado: But didn’t you just see what happened?! They just allowed a convicted murderer to escape the throes of torture and capital punishment! How could this have happened?!
Florio: Our courts work in mysterious ways, sir. They have their reasons.
Donado: I should think so!
Florio: I know how you feel, sir. But let it go, for there’s nothing we can do now.
Donado: But, my nephew!



FLORIO shrugs as DONADO begins to slow down and take in the moment of injustice that has just transpired.

Long pause until FLORIO finally breaks the silence.

Florio: Well, at least we eventually did find the perpetrator. Why, we could have been searching for years!

DONADO is about to break down. He descends back into his chair, almost floating down like a fallen angel.

His lips begin to quiver and shake with fright and sadness.

He slowly brings a tissue to his eyes as his face curls in tormented defeat and despair.

Florio: Oh dear. (beat). Oh, but sir Donado, the leader hath spoken.

Pause.

DONADO is now distraught and crying hysterically.

FLORIO attempts to console DONADO by putting his hand on DONADO’S shoulder and patting him several times.

Florio: Oh, there, there now. It’s going to be okay. ‘Tis very traumatizing indeed how he could hath escapeth in this compoundeth. But as the saying goeseth, "Great men may do their wills; we must obey. But Heaven will judge them for't another day." Don't worry sir, for you shall be avenged in due time. The 8th Circle of Hell is waiting for him, waiting to place red hot metal in his trousers, grass shoots under his finger nails and only spoiled milk to quench his never-ending thirst. And that’s just the welcoming. When they really get into it the details would make you weary with faint but I’ll just say that one stage does include the insertion of full pineapples….the spikey end first.
Donado: And the Cardinal too?
Florio: I don’t know. He is a man of the cloth... come, you need a change of pace, a change of scenery. Let us get you to the banquet hall where the wedding ceremony will commence...
Donado: (Amidst a gurgle of tears) Oh, the wedding!

DONADO bursts into sobs and heaves of emotion while FLORIO is taken aback by all of this.

Florio: We shall drown our sorrows in a vat of mead and make merriment out of necessity, sir, and with fresh ‘shrooms from the garden. Why, you'll soon enough forget your sorrows... perhaps even that your nephew existed!

DONADO wails.

Florio: Come, come!

FLORIO drags a crying DONADO off the stage as the lights dim.

END SCENE.