SCENE I.-The Cou or LARA's Chambers. Night. The COUNT in his dressing-gon, smoking and conversing with DON CARLOS. Lara. You were not at the play to-night, Don Carlos; And Doña Serafina, and her cousins. Carlos. What was the play? Lara. It was a dull affair; One of those comedies in which you see, As Lope says, the history of the world Brought down from Genesis to the Day of Judgment. Three gentlemen receiving deadly wounds, Laying their hands upon their hearts, and saying, "O, I am dead!" a lover in a closet, An old hidalgo, and a gay Don Juan, A Doña Inez with a black mantilla, Followed at twilight by an unknown lover, I think the girl extremely beautiful. Carlos. Almost beyond the privilege of woman! Her step was royal-queen-like-and her face Lara. May not a saint fall from her Paradise, Carlos. Why do you ask? Lara. Because I have heard it said this angel fell, And, though she is a virgin outwardly, Within she is a sinner; like those panels Of doors and altar-pieces the old monks Carlos. You do her wrong; indeed, you do her wrong! She is as virtuous as she is fair. Lara. How credulous you are! Why, look you, friend, There's not a virtuous woman in Madrid, In this whole city! And would you persuade me A model for her virtue. Carlos. She is a Gipsy girl. Lara. The easier. Carlos. You forget And therefore won Nay, not to be won at all! The only virtue that a Gipsy prizes Is chastity. This is her only virtue. Dearer than life she holds it. I remember A Gipsy woman, a vile, shameless bawd, Whose craft was to betray the young and fair; And yet this woman was above all bribes. Offered her gold to be what she made others, Lara. Carlos. It proves a nobleman may be repulsed Lara. Carlos. "Tis late. I must begone, for if I stay Lara. Yes; persuade me. Carlos. No one so deaf as he who will not hear! Carlos. And so good night. I wish you pleasant dreams, Lara. Greater faith! I have the greatest faith; for I believe Victorian is her lover. I believe That I shall be to-morrow; and thereafter Another, and another, and another, Chasing each other through her zodiac, As Taurus chases Aries. [Enter FRANCISCO with a casket.] What speed with Preciosa ? Fran. Well, Francisco, None, my lord. She sends your jewels back, and bids me tell you Lara. Then I will try some other way to win her. Fran. I saw him at the jeweller's to-day. A golden ring that had a ruby in it. Yes, my lord, I saw him buy Exit. Fran. One so like it I could not choose between them. It is well. Lara. [Exeunt. SCENE II-A street in Madrid. Enter CHISPA, followed by musicians, with a bagpipe, guitars, and other instruments. Chis. Abernuncio Satanas! and a plague on all lovers who ramble about at night, drinking the elements, instead of sleeping quietly in their beds. Every dead man to his cemetery, say I; and every friar to his monastery. Now, here's my master, Victorian, yesterday a cowkeeper, and to-day a gentleman; yesterday a student, and to-day a lover; and I must be up later than the nightingale, for as the abbot sings so must the sacristan respond. God grant he may soon be married, for then shall all this serenading cease. Ay, marry! marry! marry! Mother, what does marry mean? It means to spin, to bear children, and to weep, my daughter! And, of a truth, there is something more in matrimony than the wedding-ring. [To the musicians.] And now, gentlemen, Pax vobiscum! as the ass said to the cabbages. Pray, walk this way; and don't hang down your heads. It is no disgrace to have an old father and a ragged shirt. Now, look you, you are gentlemen who lead the life of crickets; you enjoy hunger by day and noise by night. Yet, I beseech you, for this once be not loud, but pathetic; for it is a serenade to a damsel in bed, and not to the Man in the Moon. Your object is not to arouse and terrify, but to soothe and bring lulling dreams. Therefore, each shall not play upon his instrument as if it were the only one in the universe, but gently, and with a certain modesty, according with the others. Pray, how may I call thy name, friend? First Mus. Gerónimo Gil, at your service. Chis. Every tub smells of the wine that is in t. Pray, Gerónimo, is not Saturday an unpleasant day with thee? First Mus. Why so? Chis. Because I have heard it said that Saturday is an unpleasant day with those who have but one shirt. Moreover, I have seen thee at the tavern, and if thou canst run as fast as thou canst drink, I should like to hunt hares with thee. What instrument is that? First Mus. An Aragonese bagpipe. Chis. Pray, art thou related to the bagpiper of Bujalance, who asked a maravedi for playing, and ten for leaving off? First Mus. No, your honour. Chis. I am glad of it. What other instruments have we? Second and Third Mus. We play the bandurria. Chis. A pleasing instrument. And thou? Fourth Mus. The fife. Chis. I like it; it has a cheerful, soul-stirring sound, that soars up to my lady's window like the song of a swallow. And you others? Other Mus. We are the singers, please your honour. Chis. You are too many. Do you think we are going to sing mass in the cathedral of Córdova? Four men can make but little use of one shoe, and I see not how you can all sing in one song. But follow me along the garden wall. That is the way my master climbs to the lady's window. It is by the Vicar's skirts that the devil climbs into the belfry. Come, follow me, and make no noise. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-PRECIOSA'S Chamber. She stands at the open window. Vict. Poor little dove! Thou tremblest like a leaf! Vict. None, my love, but thou. Thus stealthily by night. Where hast thou been? Vict. Since yesterday I've been in Alcalá. Pre. An honest thief to steal but what thou givest. And words of true love pass from tongue to tongue, As singing birds from one bough to another. Pre. That were a life indeed to make time envious! I saw thee at the play. Vict. Sweet child of air! Never did I behold thee so attired |