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I will make full confession.

Holiness,

If I may trust the murmur in my ears

From men to whose free speech

I gave safe conduct, it is not for you

To make avowal. Heaven requires of you

Such greatness and capacity of pardon

As in extent it touched the limits of,

Setting its brand of safety upon Cain.

What, Joffré?

No, not Joffré ... but a son.

Belovèd, exercise the privilege

Of God’s vicegerent. Wash away this guilt,

Remove it from you; pardon secretly.

Not Joffré? Joffré is my heir.... You lay

A heavy stone upon Giovanni’s grave

To keep me from him. But it is not true,

It cannot be! We Borgia do no harm

To any of our kin.

And yet to certainty

Drive the suspicion, and forgive the crime.

[The Pope paces, wringing his hands.

He never made complaint. I have been thoughtless,

Thoughtless to Cesare.... He has been absent

Too often from our ceremonials,

From our investitures. I drove him jealous