Gilbert.Who is Fabiano Fabiani?
Joshua.He is the Queen's lover; he is a very famous and very seductive favourite; a favourite who gets you a man's head cut off more quickly than a procuress says Ave,—the best favourite the headsman of the Tower has had for ten years. For, you know, the headsman receives for every great noble's head ten silver crowns, and sometimes twice that, when the head is unusually eminent.—The downfall of this Fabiani is fervently desired.—To be sure, in my service at the Tower, I hear nobody talk about him except those who are in a decidedly evil mood—men whose heads are to be cut off within the month—malcontents.
Gilbert.Let the wolves devour one another! What do we care for the Queen and the Queen's favourite—eh, Jane?
Joshua.Oh! there 's a fine plot on foot against Fabiani. If he escapes it, he 'll be fortunate, indeed. I should not be surprised if something were done to-night. I saw Master Simon Renard prowling about here just now, in deep thought.
Gilbert.Who is Master Simon Renard?
Joshua.How does it happen that you do not know him? He's the Emperor's right arm in London. The Queen is to marry the Prince of Spain, whose ambassador to her this Simon Renard is. The Queen hates him, but she fears him, and can do nothing against him. He has already crushed two or three favourites. He sweeps the palace clean from time to time. A subtle and most malignant man, who knows all that is going forward, and who is forever digging two or three floors of subterranean intrigues under every occurrence. As for Lord Paget,—did you not ask also who Lord Paget is?—he is
