• A rich and beautiful morning, in the town of Naples. Two great friends of noble class jest in the wondrous streets. Bassonius Beret and Mercant Reubel.

    "Bassonius, thou duelst as a tortoise walks!"
    "Slow and steady wins the race, Mercant."
    "What race be this, but one to the grave?"

    "Draw, and I'll show thee thyne race."

    The two pulled out their rapiers and started to mock duel in the streets. A man walking through the court approached them and asked,
    "What are you boys doing? Do you betray each other?"
    "We jest father." Bassonius replied, "I would not point a sword at a friend who is as a brother is to me."
    "Nor would I, Lord Beret."
    "You shouldst not mock a fight, lest you be injured in the stray."

    He walked off laughing about "being young again", the two boys laughing at him in his merry state of mind.

    "Gentlemen," a girl says passing between the two as they laugh.
    "M'lady." Mercant said, bending and kissing her hand, pausing in the position.
    "Why doth thou not return to height?" She asked him.
    "I have better view to thyne beauty here." Mercant replied. Blushing, the girl slapped him across the face, and began to walk away as Mercant spun in a circle and fell to the ground.
    "Madam, Madam! Do not leave" Bassonius called chasing after her. "I've done thou no wrong!" Finally, she stopped and turned toward him. "M'lady, thou must excuse my friend, 'tis not his fault, he is a fool who is yet to reach maturity."
    "And thou ist not a like fool?" She replied.
    "I wish to think I am not, but 'tis not my thoughts, but thyne that decides this." He stated to her.
    "Might I ask thyne name?"
    "Bassonius Beret, m'lady."
    "I've heard of you."
    "Have you heard good, or bad?"
    "That depends." She replied smiling and walking away.
    "Wait!" Bassonius called after her. Mightst I be so lucky as to know thyne name?"
    "You might." She replied.
    "Well then, wouldst thou tell me thyne name?"
    "Hmm, I am not sure if I should tellst thou."
    "Ah, but please, do!"
    "Very well then, I am Bianca Rain."
    "Rain, thou art the most beautiful flower of Naples!"
    She laughed, and asked, "Ist thou going to the ball at the Cordaire's Manner?"
    "If thou shalt be there, then I shall be as well."

    She walked away, and Bassonius returned to Mercant.
    "Bassonius, thou flirt!" Mercant said jokingly, "I am wounded! Wounded mortally from her slap, and you care only for her name, so that it may accompany the vision in your dreams!"
    "Thyne ego has the only wound! Get up." Bassonius replied, offering a hand to pull up Mercant. "Besides, who wouldst not with the most beautiful flower of Naples?"
    "I disbelieve she is."
    "I do not, I disbelieve she is not"
    "What shall we do today?" Mercant sighed.
    "Prepare for the ball tonight." Bassonius replied.
    "Of what doust thou speak?"
    "We've been invited." Bassonius stated.

    Bassonius and Mercant walk along the street speaking to themselves, and meet with Mercant's cousin Loki and his friend Peter.

    "Where the devil have you boys been?" Peter asked the two.
    "Bassonius here was flirting with the flowers, as I lay presumedly dead!" Mercant replied.
    "Dead? Dead! How wouldst thou hath died? From the slap, or thyne fall?" Bassonius responded.
    "Explain this, 'flirting with flowers?'" Loki questioned.
    "'The flowers of Naples! Oh! Their sweet smell!' he hath told me" Mercant replied to him, clutching his heart and stumbling backwards looking up.
    "So which flowers doust thou like? Lilies? Roses?" Questioned Peter.
    "Not flowers, the flower! The most beautiful flower of Naples!" Bassonius said.
    "Thou doust lie!" Peter said.
    "I assure you, kind sirs, I do not."
    "It is plain to see that thou doth lie to us."
    "I do not lie!"
    "Thou doust!"
    "He was talking to a girl who claimed she was a flower?" Loki asked.
    "I give up!" Bassonius sighed.
    "Peter, tell us whatst thou knowest of the party at Cordaire's?" Mercant asked.
    "The party of Cordaire?" Peter replied, "Ahh, the most beautiful ladies of naples are the only on the list, their word is the only invite for a man. I assurest thou, the flowers will be lovely as well." He winked at Bassonius.
    "Tell me of the lady Rain." Bassonius asked, giving a despising look to peter.
    'Rain? Bianca?" Loki asked, to which bassonius nodded.
    "She is of age to marry, and her father seeks for her a suitor. The Cordaire's son, the second of birth is the most likely to the marriage." Peter said to him. "Why do you ask these questions?"
    "I've no reason for my query." Bassonius replied smirking.
    "Nor do I." Mercant replied.
    "You two hide something." Loki replied.
    "Good cousin, we hide nothing" Mercant stated.
    "You hide something!" Peter yelled.
    "Oh, and what do we hide?" Bassonius asked.
    "If I were to know whatst thou is hiding, 'twould not be hidden!"
    "Then what doust thou think is my secret, that thou thinketh I hide?"
    "Thou was not asked to the party, of course."
    "And if I was?"
    "Then certainly not by miss Rain."
    "Oh?"
    "Thou scoundrel Bassonius! Thou weret asked?"
    "That is what he says." Replied Mercant.
    "You deceivers! You scoundrels! Turn and draw, Bassonius!"
    "Peter, thou doust over react."
    "Then bring us with thou!"
    "I shall see, I shall see!"
    "The sun is setting, we should be going Bassonius."
    "Yes, of course. We shall meet with you two later."
    Bassonius and Mercant leave for their respective houses.
    "Doust thou believe them?" Peter asked.
    "They do dream, thou I do not know who they spoke to before us."
    "'Tis true, though there is something of them I do not trust."
    "I shall join my cousin if you wish." Loki said."Cousin, Wait for me!" Loki called and ran to catch Mercant.