KING. Speak, traitor! damned, bloody murd'rer, speak!—
For, now I have thee, I will make thee speak!
Why hast thou done this undeserving deed?
VICE. Why hast thou murdered my Balthazar?
CAS. Why hast thou butcher'd both my children thus?
HIERO. O good words! As dear to me was Horatio
As yours, or yours, my lord, to you.
My guiltless son was by Lorenzo slain;
And by Lorenzo and that Balthazar
Am I at last revenged thoroughly,—
Upon whose souls may Heav'n be yet aveng'd
With greater far than these afflictions!
CAS. But who were thy confederates in this?
VICE. That was thy daughter Bel-imperia;
For by her hand my Balthazar was slain,—
I saw her stab him.
KING. Why speak'st thou not?
HIERO. What lesser liberty can kings afford
Than harmless silence? Then afford it me!
Sufficeth I may not nor I will not tell thee.
KING. Fetch forth the tortures!
Traitor as thou art, I'll make thee tell!
HIERO. Indeed?
Thou mayst torment me as his wretched son
Hath done in murd'ring my Horatio;
But never shalt thou force me to reveal
The thing which I have vow'd inviolate.
And therefore, in despite of all thy threats,
Pleas'd with their deaths, and eas'd with their revenge,
First take my tongue, and afterwards my heart!