I've learned to hate, and therefore am revenged.
A silly girl to play the prude with me!
The fire that I have kindled-

The men you wanted. They will all be there,
And at the given signal raise a whirlwind
Of such discordant noises, that the dance
Must cease for lack of music.

Lara.

Bravely done.

Ah! little dost thou dream, sweet Preciosa,

What lies in wait for thee. Sleep shall not close

Thinc eyes this night! Give me my cloak and sword. [Exeunt. SCENE VI.-A retired spot beyond the city gates.

Enter VICTORIAN and HYPOLITO.

Vict. O shame! O shame! Why do I walk abroad
By daylight, when the very sunshine mocks me,
And voices, and familiar sights and sounds

Cry, "Hide thyself!" O what a thin partition
Doth shut out from the curious world the knowledge
Of evil deeds that have been done in darkness!
Disgrace has many tongues. My fears are windows,
Through which all eyes seem gazing. Every face
Expresses some suspicion of my shame,

And in derision seems to smile at me.

Hyp. Did I not caution thee? Did I not tell thee

I was but half-persuaded of her virtue?

Vict. And yet, Hypolito, we may be wrong,

We may be over-hasty in condemning!

The Count of Lara is a cursed villain.

Hyp. And therefore is she cursed, loving him.

Vict. She does not love him! 'Tis for gold! for gold!
Hyp. Ay, but remember, in the public streets

He shows a golden ring the Gipsy gave him,

A serpent with a ruby in its mouth.

Vict. She had that ring from me! God! she is false! But I will be revenged! The hour is passed.

Where stays the coward?

Nay, he is no coward:

Нур.
A villain, if thou wilt, but not a coward.

I've seen him play with swords: it is his pastime.

K

And therefore be not over-confident,

He'll task thy skill anon.

Look, here he comes.

(Enter LARA, followed by FRANCISCO.)

Lara. Good evening, gentlemen.

Good evening, Count.

long in waiting.

Are you prepared?

Hyp. It grieves me much to see this quarrel
Between you, gentlemen. Is there no way
Left open to accord this difference,

But you must make one with your swords?
Vict.

I do entreat thee, dear Hypolito,

- Stand not between me and my foe. Too long

No! none!

Our tongues have spoken. Let these tongues of steel
End our debate. Upon your guard, Sir Count!
VICTORIAN disarms the COUNT.)
and what shall now withhold me ·
vile soul to its account?

(They fight.

Your life is mine;
From sending your
Lara. Strike! strike!
Vict.

You are disarmed.

I will not kill you.

I will not murder you. Take up your sword.

(FRANCISCO hands the COUNT his sword, and HYPOLITO interposes.

Hyp. Enough! Let it end here! The Count of Lara

Has shown himself a brave man, and Victorian

A generous one, as ever. Now be friends.

Put up your swords; for, to speak frankly to you,
Your cause of quarrel is too slight a thing

To move you to extremes.

Lara.
I am content.
I sought no quarrel. A few hasty words,
Spoken in the heat of blood, have led to this.
Vict. Nay, something more than that.
Lara.

I understand you.

Therein I did not mean to cross your path.
To me the door stood open, as to others.
But, had I known the girl belonged to you,
Never would I have sought to win her from you.
The truth stands now revealed; she has been false
To both of us.

Vict.

Ay, false as hell itself!

Lara. In truth I did not seek her; she sought me;
And told me how to win her, telling me

The hours when she was oftenest left alone.

Vict. Say, can you prove this to me? Oh, pluck t
These awful doubts, that goad me into madness!
Let me know all! all! all!

Ay, my lord.

Lara.

If further proof
Is needful, I have here a ring she gave me.
Vict. Pray let me see that ring! It is the same!
(Throws it upon the ground, and tramples upon it.)
Thus may she perish who once wore that ring!
Thus do I spurn her from me; do thus trample
Her memory in the dust! O Count of Lara,
We both have been abused, been much abused!
I thank you for your courtesy and frankness.
Though, like the surgeon's hand, yours gave me pain,
Yet it has cured my blindness, and I thank you.
I now can see the folly I have done,

Though 'tis, alas! too late. So fare you well!
To-night I leave this hateful town for ever.
Regard me as your friend. Once more, farewell!
Hyp. Farewell, Sir Count.

Lara.

[Exeunt VICTORIAN and HYPOLITO.
Farewell! farewell!

Thus have I cleared the field of my worst foe!
I have none else to fear; the fight is done,
The citadel is stormed, the victory won!

[Exit with FRANCISCO.

SCENE VII.-A lane in the suburbs. Night. Enter CRUZADO and BARTOLOME.

Cruz. And so, Bartolomé, the expedition failed. But where wast thou for the most part?

Bart. In the Guadarrama mountains, near San Ildefonso.

Cruz. And thou bringest nothing back with thee? Didst thou rob no one?

Bart. There was no one to rob, save a party of students from Segovia, who looked as if they would rob us; and a jolly little friar, who had nothing in his pockets but a missal and a loaf of bread.

Cruz. Pray, then, what brings thee back to Madrid?

Bart. First tell me what keeps thee here?

Cruz. Preciosa.

Bart. And she brings me back. Hast thou forgotten thy promise? Cruz. The two years are not passed yet. Wait patiently. The girl shall be thine.

Bart. I hear she has a Busné lover.

Cruz. That is nothing.

Bart. I do not like it. I hate him, the son of a Busné harlot.

He goes in and out, and speaks with her alone, and I must stand aside and wait his pleasure.

Cruz. Be patient, I say. Thou shalt have thy revenge. When the time comes, thou shalt waylay him.

Bart. Meanwhile, show me her house.

Cruz. Come this way. But thou wilt not find her. She dances

at the play to-night.

Bart. No matter. Show me the house.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VIII.-The Theatre. The orchestra plays the cachucha. Sound of castanets behind the scenes. The curtain rises and dis

66

The

covers PRECIOSA in the attitude of commencing the dance. cachucha. Tumult; hisses; cries of Brava!" and "Afuera!" She falters and pauses. The music stops. General confusion.

PRECIOSA faints.

SCENE IX.-The COUNT OF LARA's chambers. LARA and his friends

at supper.

Lara. So, Caballeros, once more many thanks!

You have stood by me bravely in this matter.

Pray fill your glasses.

Don Juan.

Did you mark, Don Luis,

How pale she looked, when first the noise began,
And then stood still, with her large eyes dilated!
Her nostrils spread! her lips apart! her bosom
Tumultuous as the sea!

Don Luis.

I pitied her.

Lara. Her pride is humbled; and this very night
I mean to visit her.

Don J.

Will you serenade her?
Lara. No music! no more music!

Don L.

It softens many hearts.

Lara.

Why not music?

Not in the humour

She now is in. Music would madden her.

Don J. Try golden cymbals.

Don L.

Yes, try Don Dinero;

A mighty wooer is your Don Dinero.

Lara. To tell the truth, then, I have bribed her maid. But, Caballeros, you dislike this wine.

A bumper and away; for the night wears.

A health to Preciosa!

All.

(They rise and drink.)

Preciosa!

Lara (holding up his glass). Thou bright and flaming

minister of Love!

Thou wonderful magician! who hast stolen

My secret from me, and, 'mid sighs of passion,
Caught from my lips, with red and fiery tongue,

Her precious name! O never more henceforth
Shall mortal lips press thine; and never more
A mortal name be whispered in thine ear.
Go! keep my secret!

Don J.

(Drinks and dashes the goblet down.)

Ite! missa est!

(Scene closes.)

SCENE X.-Street and garden wall. Night. Enter CRUZADO and BARTOLOME.

Cruz. This is the garden wall, and above it, yonder, is her house. The window in which thou seest the light is her window. But we will not go in now.

Bart. Why not?

Cruz. Because she is not at home.
Bart. No matter; we can wait.

But how is this? The gate is

bolted. (Sound of guitars and voices in a neighbouring street.) Hark! There comes her lover with his infernal serenade!

SONG.*

Good night! Good night, beloved!

I come to watch o'er thee!

To be near thee,-to be near thee,
Alone is peace for me.

Thine eyes are stars of morning,
Thy lips are crimson flowers!"

Good night! Good night, beloved,
While I count the weary hours.

Cruz. They are not coming this way.

Bart. Wait, they begin again.

SONG (coming nearer).

Ah! thou moon that shinest
Argent-clear above!

All night long enlighten
My sweet lady-love!
Moon that shinest,

All night long enlighten!

Bart. Woe be to him, if he comes this way!
Cruz. Be quiet, they are passing down the street.

SONG (dying away).

The nuns in the cloister

Sang to each other;

For so many sisters

Is there not one brother!

Ay, for the partridge, mother!

Hark!

The cat has run away with the partridge!

Puss! puss! puss!

Bart. Follow that! follow that! Come with me. Puss! puss! (Exeunt. On the opposite side enter the COUNT OF LARA and gentlemen, with FRANCISCO.)

From the Spanish; as are likewise the songs immediately following, and that which commences the first scene of Act III.