The Wonder-Working Magician, Pedro Calderón de la Barca [finding audrey .TXT] 📗

me, 'Till I discover who he is.

LELIUS [aside]. I will try to intercept him And find out at once who thus Tastes the bliss I've lost for ever. [They advance with drawn swords to recognise the person who has descended.

DEMON [aside]. Not alone Justina's fame Do I by this act discredit, But dissensions, perhaps murders, Thus provoke. Ope, earth's dark centre, And receive me, leaving here This confusion [He disappears between FLORUS and LELIUS, who meet together.


* * * * *


SCENE XIII.

FLORUS and LELIUS.

LELIUS. Sir, whoever You may be, it doth import me To know who you are directly; So at every risk I come here, On this resolute quest determined. Say who are you.

FLORUS. If the accident Of my having been the observer Of your secret love, compels you To this valorous aggression, More than it can you concern Me to know, it doth concern me To know you; for to be curious Is far less than to be jealous. Yes, by Heaven! for who is master Of the house have I to learn here, Who it is at such an hour, By this balcony ascending, Gaineth that which I lose weeping At these gratings.

LELIUS. This excelleth, Good, in faith, is it thus to dim The clear light of my resentment, By attributing to me That which solely your offence is!- Who you are I have to know, Death to give to him who has left me Dead with jealousy here, by coming From this balcony.

FLORUS. How excessive How superfluous is this caution, Proving what it would dissemble!

LELIUS. Vainly would the tongue untangle That which the keen sword can better Thus cut through.

FLORUS. With it I answer. [They fight.

LELIUS. In this way I'll know for certain Who is the admitted lover Of Justina.

FLORUS. My intention Is the same. I'll die or know you.


* * * * *


SCENE XIV.

Enter CYPRIAN, MOSCON, and CLARIN.

CYPRIAN. Gentlemen, I pray you let me Interpose in this your quarrel, Since by accident I am present.

FLORUS. You cannot oblige me more Than by letting the fight be ended.

CYPRIAN. Florus?

FLORUS. Yes, for sword in hand, I my name deny not ever To who asks.

CYPRIAN. I'm at your side, Death to him who would offend you.

LELIUS. You produce in me less fear, Both of you thus joined together, Than did he alone.

CYPRIAN. What! Lelius?

LELIUS. Yes.

CYPRIAN. I am prevented [To Florus. Now from standing at your side, Since between you I present me. How is this? In one day twice Have I your disputes to settle!-

LELIUS. Then this time will be the last, For we've settled them already; Since in knowing who is he Who Justina's heart possesses, Now no more my hope remaineth, Even the thought of it hath left me. If you have not to Justina Spoken yet, do not address her; This I ask you in the name Of my wrongs and my resentments, Having seen her secret favours Florus' happier fate deserveth. From this balcony I saw him, From my lost delight descending; And my heart is not so base As to meanly love, in presence Of such jealousies so well proved, Of disillusions, ah! so certain. [Exit.

FLORUS. Stay.


* * * * *


SCENE XV.

CYPRIAN. You must not follow him, [Aside. (Oh, this news with death o'erwhelms me!) Since if he who is the loser Of what you have gained, expressly Says he would forget it, you Should not try his patient temper.

FLORUS. Both by you and him at once Has mine own been too well tested. Speak not now unto Justina About me; for though full vengeance I propose to take for being Thus supplanted and rejected, Every hope of her being mine Now has ceased, for shameful were it, In the face of such proved facts, To persist in my addresses. [Exit.


* * * * *


SCENE XVI.

CYPRIAN, MOSCON, and CLARIN.

CYPRIAN [aside]. What is this, O heavens! I hear? Can it be the two are jealous Of each other at one time? And I too of both together?- Doubtless from some strange delusion The two suffer, which I welcome With a sort of satisfaction, For to it I am indebted For the fact of their desisting From their suit and their pretension.- Moscon, have for me by morning A rich court-suit; sword and feathers, Clarin, be thy care; for love In a certain airy splendour Takes delight; for now no longer Books or studies give me pleasure;- Love they say doth murder mind, Learning dies when he is present. [Exeunt.


ACT THE SECOND.

SCENE I.

THE STREET IN FRONT OF LYSANDER'S HOUSE.

Enter CYPRIAN, MOSCON, and CLARIN, in gala dresses.

CYPRIAN [aside]. Where, presumptuous thoughts, ah! where, Would you lead me, whither go? If for certain now you know That the high attempts you dare Are delusive dreams of bliss, Since you strive to scale heaven's wall, But from that proud height to fall Headlong down a dark abyss? I Justina saw . . . . . So near Would to God I had not seen her, Nor in her divine demeanour All the light of heaven's fourth sphere. Lovers twain for her contend, Both being jealous each should woo, And I, jealous of the two, Know not which doth most offend. All I know is, that suspicion, Her disdain, my own desires, Fill my heart with furious fires - Drive me, ah! to my perdition. This I know, and know no more, This I feel in all my strait; Heavens! Justina is my fate! Heavens! Justina I adore!- Moscon.

MOSCON. Sir.

CYPRIAN. Inquire, I pray, If Lysander's in.

MOSCON. I fly.

CLARIN. No, sir, no. On me rely,- Moscon can't go there to-day.

CYPRIAN. Ever wrangling in this way, How ye both my patience try! Why can he not go? Say why?

CLARIN. Because to-day is not his day. Mine it is, sir, to his sorrow. So your message I will bear. Moscon can't to-day go there; He will have his turn to-morrow.

CYPRIAN. What new madness can this be Which your usual feud doth show? But now neither of you go, Since in all her brilliancy Comes Justina.

CLARIN. From the street To her house she goes.


* * * * *


SCENE II.

Enter JUSTINA and LIVIA, veiled. - CYPRIAN, MOSCON, and CLARIN.

JUSTINA. Ah, me! Cyprian's here. [Aside to her.] See, Livia, see!

CYPRIAN [aside]. I must strive and be discreet, Feigning with a ready wit, Till my jealousy I can prove. I will only speak of love, If my jealousy will permit. Not in vain, senora sweet,- Have I changed my student's dress, The livery of thy loveliness, As a servant at thy feet, Thus I wear. If sighs could move thee I would labour to deserve thee; Give me leave at least to serve thee, Since thou wilt not let me love thee.

JUSTINA. Slight effect, sir, as I see, Have my words produced on you, Since they have not brought . . . .

CYPRIAN. Too true!

JUSTINA. A forgetfulness of me. In what way must I explain Clearer than I have done before, That persistence at my door Is and ever must be vain? If a day, a month, a year, If for ages there you stay, Naught but this that now I say Ever can you hope to hear. As it were my latest breath, Let this sad assurance move thee,- Fate forbids that I should love thee, Cyprian, except in death. [She moves towards the house.

CYPRIAN. At these words my hopes revive:- Sad! no, no, to joy they move me, For if thou in death canst love me, Soon for me will death arrive. Be it so; and since so nigh Comes the hour your words to prove - Ah! even now begin to love, Since I now begin to die.

[JUSTINA enters.


* * * * *


SCENE III.

CYPRIAN, MOSCON, CLARIN, and LIVIA.

CLARIN. Livia, while my master yonder, Like a living skeleton, Life and motion being gone, On his luckless love doth ponder, Give me an embrace.

LIVIA. Stay, stay. Patience, man! until I see, For I like my conscience free, If to-day is your right day.- Tuesday, yes, and Wednesday, no.

CLARIN. What are you counting there? Awake! Moscon's mum.

LIVIA. He might mistake, And I wish not to act so. For, desiring to pursue A just course betwixt you both, Turn about, I would be loth Not to give you each his due. But I see that you are right, 'Tis your day.

CLARIN. Embrace me, then.

LIVIA. Yes, again, and yet again.

MOSCON. Hark to me, my lady bright, May I from your ardour borrow A good omen in my case; And as Clarin you embrace, Moscon you'll embrace to-morrow!

LIVIA. Your suspicion is, in fact, Quite absurd; on me rely. Jupiter forbid that I Should commit so bad an act As to be cool in any way To a friend. I will to thee Give an embrace in equity, When it is your worship's day. [Exit.


* * * * *


SCENE IV.

CYPRIAN, MOSCON, and CLARIN.

CLARIN. Well, I'll not be by to see, That's a comfort.

MOSCON. How? why so? Need I be chagrined to know, If the girl's not mine, that she Thus to you her debt did pay.

CLARIN. No.

MOSCON. This makes my point more strong, Since to me it were no wrong If it chanced not on my day.