off together, one in their
misery. But the guileful scheme is not forgotten. Some one has observed
the strained relations between the Marshal and Lorenzo: Lorenzo's father
insists on a reconciliation, and Hieronimo cordially agrees. Even when
the final ratification is given to Bell'-Imperia's marriage with
Balthazar, Hieronimo is all smiles and acquiescence. He is willing to
heighten the festivities with a play. Lorenzo, Balthazar, Bell'-Imperia
and himself are to be the actors, though two of them demur at first at
the choice of a tragedy. Still Lorenzo suspects no harm, for he is not
present at the interview between the girl and the old man, in which she
denounces his apparently weakening thirst for revenge, only to learn the
secret of that gentle exterior. Unhappily, the delay of justice has
preyed too grievously upon the mind of Isabella. There have been moments
when she ran frantic. In a final throe of madness, having hacked down
the fatal tree, she thrusts the knife into her own breast. The great day
comes, and before the Viceroy of Portugal (father of Balthazar), the
Spanish king, the Duke of Castile, and their train, Hieronimo's tragedy
is acted. Real daggers, however, have been substituted for wooden ones.
As the play proceeds, Bell'-Imperia kills Balthazar and herself, while
Hieronimo slays Lorenzo. The only one left alive, Hieronimo, now
explains the terrible realism behind all this seeming. Castile and the
Viceroy learn that their children are dead, two of them killed to
revenge the murder of Horatio. The drawing aside of the curtain at the
back of the stage reveals that youth's corpse, avenged at last. Horrible
scenes follow, Hieronimo being prevented from hanging himself as he
intended. But, desperate, he bites out his tongue, stabs the Duke of
Castile, and succeeds in killing himself. The Ghost of Andrea and
Revenge, who opened the play and served as chorus to three previous
acts, now close the play in triumph.

We may omit from our consideration the additions to the original
supplied by Ben Jonson or some other dramatist of genius. These include
the famous 'Painter' episode, part of the scene where Hieronimo finds
his son's body hanging to a tree, his wonderful discourse to the 'two
Portingals' on the nature of a son, and a section of the last scene. The
strange hand is easily recognizable in the rugged irregularity and
forcefulness of the lines. Attributable to it is the major portion of
Hieronimo's madn