King. Then you, it seems, are judge
Betwixt the prince and people? judge for them,
And champion against me?
Gui. I feared it might be represented so,
And came resolved,—
King. To head the factious crowd.
Gui. To clear my innocence.
King. The means for that,
Had been your absence from this hot-brained town,
Where you, not I, are king!—
I feel my blood kindling within my veins;
The genius of the throne knocks at my heart:
Come what may come, he dies.
Qu. M. [Stopping the king.] What mean you, sir?
You tremble and look pale; for heaven's sake think,
'Tis your own life you venture, if you kill him.
King. Had I ten thousand lives, I'll venture all.
Give me way, madam!
Qu. M. Not to your destruction.
The whole Parisian herd is at your gates;
A crowd's a name too small, they are a nation,
Numberless, armed, enraged, one soul informs them.
King. And that one soul's the Guise. I'll rend it out,
070 And damn the rabble all at once in him.
Gui. My fate is now in the balance; fool within,
I thank thee for thy foresight.[Aside.