The White Devil

Cornelia and Marcello are alone. Cornelia wants to know about the gossip at court, as rumors allege that Marcello will fight someone in a duel. Marcello denies this and tells his mother to leave him alone as he talks about a crucifix given to him by his father. Flaminio appears suddenly with Marcello’s sword. He stabs Marcello and runs away.

As Marcello dies, Hortensio, Carlo, and Pedro enter. Cornelia is upset. She cannot bring herself to say that Marcello is dead, so she asks the men to fetch help. Bracciano appears and sees the dead Marcello, then asks if Flaminio murdered him. Cornelia lies, telling him that Hortensio is responsible. As she struggles to steady her mind, she begs God to forgive Flaminio then rushes toward him with a knife, which she drops as she approaches him. Bracciano talks to Flaminio. Despite his power, he cannot pardon Flaminio for this “sad accident” (V.ii.71). Instead, he offers Flaminio a lease on his life. This lease must be renewed each night. As Bracciano issues his ruling, Lodovico sneaks behind him and slips poison into the mouthpiece of Bracciano’s helmet.

A group of unnamed knights fights in a tournament as part of the wedding festivities. Bracciano, Vittoria, Flaminio, and Giovanni enter, accompanied by the still-disguised Francisco. Feeling as though his head is aflame, Bracciano calls out for his armorer. He realizes that someone has poisoned him and demands that the armorer be tortured. When the doctors arrive, the poison is found to be fatal. Bracciano delivers a speech with his dying words, blaming Francisco and fate that he must “die/’Mongst women howling” (V.iii.35-36).

Lodovico and Gasparo enter, disguised as monks. They approach to administer the last rites to Bracciano, causing most of the other characters to back away. Flaminio remains, along with Francisco (who is still disguised as Mulinassar). Flaminio comments on how quickly great men lose their friends when they are in difficulty. He claims that Bracciano cared more about his money than his subjects. When Lodovico returns, he announces that Bracciano is dying. The delirious Bracciano is carried on a bed to the center of the stage. Beside him are Vittoria and the murderers, still in disguise. Bracciano accuses Vittoria of causing his pain and suffering. He claims to see the devil and Flaminio dancing along a tightrope with money.

Lodovico and Gasparo perform the last rites, asking for privacy for their prayers. As soon as they are alone, they tell Bracciano their true identities. They curse him as he calls out for Vittoria. As Vittoria rushes back to Bracciano, she is sent away by Gasparo and Lodovico once again. To hurry Bracciano to his death, Lodovico strangles him. As Bracciano dies, the crowd returns. Flaminio and Mulinassar talk about the apparent murder and agree that Francisco is likely the culprit. Flaminio laments that he cannot speak to Bracciano one last time, then exits.

Lodovico appears from a shadowy corner. He approaches Francisco, hinting that he should use Zanche’s attraction to him (as, apparently, a fellow Moor) to learn about Bracciano’s secrets. Francisco flirts with Zanche. They talk about their dreams, and Zanche reveals the truth about the murders of Isabella and Camillo. She also reveals that she and Vittoria will sneak away later in the evening. Offering her dowry to the man she believes to be Mulinassar, she invites him to meet her in the chapel at midnight. When she is gone, Francisco tells Lodovico that they will achieve great glory that will remove the “shame” of their crimes.

Flaminio and Gasparo are speaking when Giovanni enters. Giovanni asks Flaminio to leave him alone, but Flaminio instead tells a story which suggests that Giovanni is primed for greatness in the wake of his father’s death. Giovanni criticizes Flaminio for not showing any grief, then departs.

Flaminio does not trust Giovanni, who has “his uncle’s villainous look already” (V.iv.27). When a courtier enters, he brings a message from Giovanni that Flaminio has been told to leave the court. When the courtier leaves, Francisco arrives to update Flaminio, saying that Cornelia is holding Marcello’s funeral and is stricken with grief. Cornelia enters, following by Zanche and other women. Cornelia is struggling to maintain her composure. She mumbles to herself about putting flowers on her son’s grave. Though she seems to not recognize Flaminio, she refers to him as a “grave-maker.” Standing over Marcello’s body, she sings to him and asks for him to be protected. She and the women leave, whereupon Flaminio asks to be left alone. Francisco departs.

Flaminio launches into a soliloquy in which he reflects on his “riotously ill” morality, his corruption, and his failed plots. Bracciano’s ghost appears before him, holding lilies and a skull. Flaminio asks the ghosts about hell and his own mortality. Bracciano’s ghost says nothing. Instead, he flings dirt at Flaminio, uncovering the skull beneath the lilies. Flaminio is frightened and runs away, hoping that he can resolve his situation by killing his sister.

Lodovico and Francisco enter. They are not aware that Hortensio is following them. Lodovico suggests that Francisco should leave the city. Otherwise, he risks being caught or becoming involved in an even more evil scheme. Francisco accepts this “glorious” plan. If Lodovico is caught, he says, he will turn Lodovico’s name into a legend. They depart, leaving behind Hortensio, who is now fully aware of their plan. Hortensio runs off to summon the guards.

Flaminio follows Vittoria and Zanche onto the stage and interrupts his sister’s prayers, demanding that she pay him for the work he did for Bracciano. Vittoria is still horrified by Marcello’s death. She writes out a note, in which she offers to pay Flaminio the same as what God paid to Cain for slaying his brother Abel in the Bible. Flaminio is furious. He leaves, and Zanche suggests that Vittoria should be kinder to her brother “for [her] own safety” (V.vi.22).

Flaminio reappears quickly, now armed with two pistols. He threatens Vittoria, who tries to calm him by reminding him that because she has no children, he is the heir to her estate. Flamino reveals that he swore an oath to Bracciano: that neither he nor his sister would outlive Bracciano by more than four hours. The authorities will not allow them to live, he says. Vittoria recognizes that her brother is determined to kill her. She suggests that they take their lives together, allowing Flaminio to go first with the promise that she will soon join him. Zanche says that Flaminio must show Vittoria how to die by suicide, Zanche says. Flaminio accepts and tells Zanche that she should shoot him, then shoot Vittoria. The women agree, and Flaminio hands them the pistols. At that point, they reveal that they were lying. Flaminio launches a string of insults against the now-armed women. Zanche suggests that she and Vittoria kill Flaminio and arrange his body to suggest that he died by suicide, thereby escaping any punishment. Zanche shoots Flaminio.

Flaminio murmurs and mumbles about hell. He reveals his own deception: the pistols were not actually loaded, as it was “a plot/to prove [their] kindness” (V.vi.148-149) to him. Cursing all women, he draws his weapon and approaches Zanche and Vittoria. Lodovico bursts into the room, accompanied by Gasparo, Carlo, and Pedro. They remove their disguises and reveal the true identity of Mulinassar, who is now gone. Flaminio urges them to allow him to kill Vittoria, but they instead bind him to a pillar. Vittoria asks Francisco to kill her. Gasparo, however, says that great men will hire others to do such dirty deeds. Lodovico insults Flaminio. He would love to kill Flaminio many times over, but he plans to kill Zanche first. Vittoria begs that she be the first to die. Vittoria and Zanche defiantly face down the men, insisting that they will not weep.

Gasparo, Carlo, and Pedro stab Vittoria, Zanche, and Flaminio, respectively and simultaneously. After taunting their murderers, the dying Vittoria and Flaminio make amends. Zanche dies first, followed by Vittoria. As Flaminio dies, the English ambassador appears, accompanied by Giovanni and the guards. Armed with guns, the guards arrest the conspirators, who will soon be thrown into the dungeon. Everyone exits.