And Carr, the Royalists!
Willis. Moreover, Sire,
For them you will remit the penalty
Of death; for otherwise, upon my honour, I
Should bear too great a burden of remorse.
Cromwell [aside.]Upon his honour!
Willis. I do render them
A priceless service, of a surety;
For clemency I thus invoke for them
Before the fact; their plot I do unmask;
It moves my pity; and 'tis—friendship true
That leads me to betray them to you, Sire.
Cromwell.Your wage henceforth will be two hundred pounds.
[Between his teeth.
The price of thy friends' blood thou dost betray!
Thou tiger-cat! who, after fawning, rends,
Most skilled in selling lives with kindliness!
Willis [who hears only the last word.
Ah, yes, with kindliness!
Here is the draft.
Willis [bowing as he takes it.
Drawn as before upon the secret fund?
Cromwell [with an affirmative gesture.
Stay! Saw you not the Stuart's laureate,
One Davenant? He hath of late arrived
From Germany.
Willis. Who? Davenant? No, Sire.
Cromwell.A letter to Lord Ormond he doth bring—
From someone.
Willis. I saw nought to Ormond given,
Although I was alert and vigilant.
I think that he was not among the plotters.
