Scene II. Nemaha, the Palace, a garden.

[Enter Servants and Raoul, severally.]
Raoul. How, there behind you, does that rose bush fare?
Servant. Quite fine, my lord.
Raoul. And the iris?
Servant. Also, well. It is late in their season.
The colors fade and petals droop 5
as is the misery of every aging flower.
Raoul. Have you seen the Duke?
Servant. Aye. He wandered through here and out into
the woods beyond.
Raoul. There are often ticks in the woods this time 10
of year. I will speak to my brother upon
his return and meanwhile attend to the
watering of the grass on that side of
of the cobbled path.
Servant. Yes, sir. 15
[Enter Eduard and Constantine.]
Raoul. Hello, again, young masters.
Eduard. Have you seen my father?
[Enter Cleonastra.]
Raoul. He is walking in the woods.
Eduard. I must have a word with him.
Raoul. I pray he returns with all his blood. 20
Constantine. What?
Raoul. Wood ticks, son. It is their season. They wait
patiently poised on the tip of every
twig and branch and leap out to feast on warmer blood.
Constantine. I have been told that the common tick has 25
uncommonly poor eye sight. He spends most
of his short life crawling back up trees.
Cleonastra. Excuse me, gentlemen.
Raoul. Yes, kind woman.
Cleonastra. My lady sends me to inform your lords 30
that her sister, now married to the Count
Ravenna, is sending her sons to spend
the summer here in Nemaha. They will
arrive this very afternoon.
Raoul. Thank you, good woman. 35
[Exit Cleonastra.]
Eduard. Aufenkamp and Aulterbach! I have not
seen them in ages.
Constantine. For the summer? Already?
Eduard. Their studies are at the bar. There are no
finals in trade school. 40
Constantine. But now for you, one more drain upon your
time and troubles, to entertain the idle
and indolent sons of a baron.
Eduard. Count. Ravenna is a county.
Constantine. Whatever. All I see is one more straw 45
on your already burdened camel’s back.
Eduard. No, no, no. You misperceive.
Aufenkamp and Aulterbach are not straws.
They are fuses. Witches and weddings may both
be dispelled by well-timed fireworks. 50
Raoul. Be careful! Many have regretted a
short fuse or the unintended target
of a misaimed salvo.
Eduard. And laugh all the louder as the tail is
told on down the line. 55
Raoul. For those that live to tell the tail. Just stay
out of my garden.
[Exit Raoul and Servants.]
Constantine. Is your uncle always so grumpy? Look,
your father approaches. I will leave you
to tell him the news of your non-marriage. 60
Eduard. No, stay. I need your support.
[Enter Horatio.]
Constantine. That you have, but my presence has brought naught
but bad luck as of yet. Courage, my friend,
and good luck.
[Exit Constantine.]
Eduard. Father, may I have a word with you. 65
Horatio. Huh, what?
Eduard. You are distracted, sir. What is wrong?
Horatio. Do you like your mother?
Eduard. [Aside.]
Mary, what a question. He is in need
of a long vacation. 70
Of course I do. Why do you ask?
Horatio. How is your chemistry?
Eduard. [Aside.]
Good grief!
Horatio. Do you believe in capital punishment?
Eduard. [Aside.]
How absurd! I shan’t risk telling him 75
about Praetoria.
Why do you ask me these things? What is wrong?
Horatio. Nothing. I was just wondering.
What time is it?
Eduard. Almost noon. 80
Horatio. Excuse me, son. I must go and tend to
Eunomia.
[Exit Horatio.]
Eduard. Father has run amuck with worry! I must
follow him and prevent his madness from
turning down a more violent path. 85
[Exit.]