CHARACTERS
Nicola, King of Umbria.
Princess Alma, his daughter.
Pietro Folchi, Master Butcher. }
Filipo Folchi, his soil. }
Andrea Valori } Citizens of Perugia.
Benedetto Nardi }
Pandolfo, Master Tailor. }
A Soldier.
A Farmer.
A Vagabond.
Michele }
Battista } Journeymen Tailors.
Noe }
The Presiding Judge.
The King's Attorney General.
The Advocate.
The Clerk of the Court.
The Jailer.
A Circus Rider.
An Actor.
A Procuress.
First Theatre Manager.
Second Theatre Manager.
A Page.
First Servant.
Second Servant.
Artisans, judges, townspeople, strollers, theatre audience,
theatre servants, soldiers and halberdiers.
FIRST SERVANT.
(Leaning out of the window.) They are coming! It willovertake us like the day of judgment!
SECOND SERVANT.
(Rushing in through the opposite door.) Do you know thatthe King is taken?
FIRST SERVANT.
Our King a captive?
SECOND SERVANT.
Since early yesterday! The dogs have thrown him into prison!
FIRST SERVANT.
Then we had better scamper away, or they will treat usas if we were the beds upon which he has debauched theirchildren!
(The servants rush out. The room becomes filled with armedworkmen of various trades, heated and blood-splashed fromcombat.)
PIETRO FOLCHI.
(Steps from their midst.) Fellow-citizens!—The bywaysof Perugia are strewn with the corpses of our children andour brothers. Many of you have a pious wish to give yourbeloved dead a fitting resting place.—Fellow-citizens!First we must fulfill a higher duty. Let us do our part asquickly as possible, so that the dead shall have perished,not solely for their bravery, but for the lasting welfareof their native-land! Let us seize the moment! Let us giveour state a constitution which, in future, will protecther children from the assassin's weapons and insure hercitizens the just reward of their labors!
THE CITIZENS.
Long live Pietro Folchi!
ANDREA VALORI.
Fellow-citizens! Unless we decide at once upon our futureform of government, we shall only be holding this dearlycaptured place for our enemies until we lose it again.We are holding the former King in custody in prison; thepatricians, who supported themselves in idleness by thesweat of our brows, are in flight toward neighboringstates. Now, I ask you, fellow-citizens, shall we proclaimour state the Umbrian Republic, as has been done inFlorence, in Parma, and in Siena?
THE CITIZENS.
Long live Freedom! Long live Perugia! Long live the UmbrianRepublic!
PIETRO FOLCHI.
Let us proceed without delay to elect a podesta! Here aretables and styles in plenty. Let each one write the name ofthe man whom he considers best fitted to guide the destinyof the state and to defend the power