SCENE THREE — WHISPERS, RUMOURS, SOUCHS AND CHATTERS

(The whole company devise a moving motif of laughter, whispers, passing letters, espionage. Eventually we reveal MARY and RICCIO in a tableau of work. MARY speaking French fast, RICCIO typing fast. A paper aeroplane swoops and loops across in front of them and lands. Silence. MARY looks at it. RICCIO looks at it. MARY goes and picks it up. RICCIO to her side, takes her arm and shakes his head trying to stop her opening it. She unfolds it though, and reads)

MARY: ‘Seigneur Davy — beware o’ the bastard.’ (Pause) Whit does this mean?

LA CORBIE: The bastard? That could be a’most hauf the court!

(RICCIO takes it, screws it up into a ball and kicks it, as if into a wastepaper basket)

RICCIO: Parole! Parole!

(And shakes his head, unimpressed, unafraid)

LA CORBIE: Rumours, souchs and chatters i’ the court, an’ in the streets gowsters mairch vaunty an’ crawlin’ chauntin’ oot hatred tae the Catholics.