Source text for this digital edition:
Juan Ruiz de Alarcón, The Truth Can’t Be Trusted, edited and translated by Dakin Matthews, The Association for Hispanic Classical Theater, http://www.comedias.org/play_texts/translat/trutru1.html.
Digital text encoding for EMOTHE:
- Guinart Palomares, David
Note on this digital edition
The TC/12 project and the EMOTHE project are grateful to Dakin Matthews and his publisher for giving permission to post his translation of La verdad sospechosa by Juan Ruiz de Alarcón on their website. The translation was originally published online by The Association for Hispanic Classical Theater (http://www.comedias.org/play_texts/translat/trutru1.html). Matthews originally prepared the text in electronic form and this was, in turn, set in HTML by Vern Williamsen in 1998.
List of speakers in this play
| Don Beltrán, father of don García |
| Don García, young man |
| A Lawyer, guardian of don García |
| Tristán, servant |
| Doña Jacinta, dama |
| Doña Lucrecia, dama |
| Isabel, criada de Jacinta |
| Don Juan de Sosa, young man |
| Don Félix, young man |
| Don Sancho, Jacinta’s uncle and guardian |
| Don Juan |
| Camino, criado |
Scene One: A room in Don Beltrán's house
From one door, enter DON GARCÍA, dressed as a student, and an aged LAWYER, in travelling clothes. From another, DON BELTRÁN and TRISTÁN
BELTRÁN
1
Welcome, my son—come inside.
GARCÍA
2
Father, your hand. Dear sir!
BELTRÁN
3
And how have you been?
GARCÍA
Oh, we're
4
Parched by the dry summer and fried
5
By its heat. Father, the pain
6
Was almost too much to bear
7
Except of course that—always—there
8
Was the hope of seeing you again.
BELTRÁN
9
Well, get inside and rest. Go on!
10
God bless you—what a man you've become!
11
Tristán!
TRISTÁN
Sir?
BELTRÁN
Time to wait on some-
12
one new; from now on, serve my son
13
García. You know your way
14
Around the court, and he
15
Can use a guide.
TRISTÁN
Happy to be
16
Of any service to him I may.
BELTRÁN
17
It's not just a servant I'm giving you;
18
He's been a trusted friend to me.
GARCÍA and TRISTÁN, going in
GARCÍA
19
And he'll be mine as well, you'll see.
TRISTÁN
20
And your very humble servant, too.
BELTRÁN
21
So, counselor, let me shake
22
Your hand.
LAWYER
No, no, let me kiss
23
Your foot.
BELTRÁN
How've you been? No, this
24
Is too much. Get up.
LAWYER
For his sake,
25
I've been well, happy, blest;
26
Your son García's honored me
27
With so much love, I cannot see
28
How I can live the rest
29
Of my life without him.
BELTRÁN
God bless
30
You, counselor; you've always been
31
A man of great discretion and keen
32
Appreciation. And I'm no less
33
Grateful to you that my son
34
Has done his duty so well by you,
35
Behaved exactly as he ought to do,
36
And done all he should have done.
37
I promise you, therefore, my friend,
38
My gratitude to you is such,
39
That I have done for you as much
40
As I can to help you ascend
41
To the post of Magistrate. Not as high
42
As my love would raise you, if it could.
43
If I had the power, you know I would
44
Make you a cabinet minister.
LAWYER
I
45
Have no doubts about your power.
BELTRÁN
46
And for good reason, sir. But still
47
Of one thing I am sure. You will,
48
Once you have placed, with our
49
Help, your foot upon the low-
50
est rung, climb higher and higher,
51
Without our help—even aspire
52
To the Supreme Court.
LAWYER
I know,
53
Wherever I am, and however I
54
Get there, I shall always be
55
Yours.
BELTRÁN
Then, before you turn over to me,
56
Counselor, the helm of my
57
García's ship, and leave me to steer
58
The rest of his course, I ask
59
You to do just one more task,
60
For my sake and for his.
LAWYER
My dear
61
Sir, a pleasure. No sooner heard
62
Than done—whatever you ask me to do.
BELTRÁN
63
First I want you to swear that you
64
Will do whatever I say. Your word?
LAWYER
65
Sir, I swear by the Lord on high
66
To do whatever you ask me to.
BELTRÁN
67
Then I've only one question to put to you,
68
But I want the truth and not a lie.
69
I always thought that leaving here
70
To study law—as you must know—
71
Was the best preparation for him to grow
72
Up in the world with a fine career.
73
He's my second son, you see,
74
And for such a one, the law's
75
Almost a sure thing, because
76
It's the door to opportunity.
77
But now that God has deigned to take
78
My firstborn Gabriel from me,
79
Leaving García with my legacy,
80
There's a change or two I need to make.
81
I have decided it's time to bring
82
Him back to Madrid, time to end
83
His legal studies, so he can spend
84
His days—it's the customary thing—
85
Among the aristocracy
86
Of Spain. Each noble house takes care,
87
And for good reason, to place an heir
88
In the service of his majesty.
89
So now García, for all intents,
90
Is his own man, his school days are gone,
91
He has his business to carry on,
92
Although at my expense.
93
Now, my son may not be in the first
94
Rank, I know, but as a loving father,
95
I'd like him to be well thought of, rather
96
Than as one of the worst.
97
And therefore, counselor, the only thing
98
I want from you is the simple truth,
99
Without flattery—what kind of youth
100
Has he been? You helped to bring
101
Him up. What do you think of his
102
Manners, his personality,
103
His character? Any flaws that he
104
Seems to favor? Any vices? Is
105
There some behavior I should know
106
About—to help him change it? Believe me
107
My friend, you couldn't grieve me
108
In the least by telling me so.
109
He has to have some faults, I know,
110
And I won't exactly be overjoyed
111
To know them, but perhaps I can avoid
112
Worse harm, by hearing about them now,
113
However distasteful that may be.
114
There's no better way to show your love
115
For him or give a demonstration of
116
Your loyalty to the family,
117
Than to tell me all the bad news now,
118
Now while I still can help my son,
119
Not later, after the damage is done,
120
When I'm bound to find out anyhow.
LAWYER
121
Great sir, I assure you there was no need
122
For such a strict injunction.
123
I know my duty here—my function
124
Is to obey, not yours to plead.
125
It's an open and shut case:
126
I mean, when a man buys a horse,
127
The trainer, as a matter of course,
128
The one who supposedly broke him, has
129
A duty to disclose as much as he can
130
Of the horse's quirks, otherwise
131
There'll be a rather unpleasant surprise,
132
Both for the animal and for the man.
133
Telling the truth's the right thing to do.
134
And truth is what I've vowed to give,
135
Though sometimes truth's a purgative
136
Which can make you gag as it heals you.
137
Your son García, in all that he
138
Performs, has a certain flair
139
That perfectly suits the son and heir
140
Of such a noble family.
141
He's generous and bold,
142
He's witty, wise, articulate,
143
Open, devout, and temperate
144
Usually, though not yet old
145
Enough to avoid the impatience
146
Of youth. Such high spirits as
147
All boys have, García has,
148
So mentioning them makes little sense.
149
But there is one tiny fault, just one,
150
That I have noted—indeed that I
151
Have warned him of, and unfortunately,
152
So far nothing seems to get done
153
About it.
BELTRÁN
Is it likely to
154
Affect his standing here?
LAWYER
Could be.
BELTRÁN
155
What is it then? Be honest with me.
LAWYER
156
Well, the things he says aren't always true.
BELTRÁN
157
Good God, but that's a terrible thing
158
For a man in his position.
LAWYER
159
It's just a temporary condition,
160
I think, a bad habit. You can bring
161
The full weight of your authority
162
To bear on him, and that, along
163
With his growing good sense, will be strong
164
Enough to root out this fault, you'll see.
165
It's just a phase he's going through.
BELTRÁN
166
If nothing could be done when he
167
Was pliable and easy to be
168
Straightened out, what can we do
169
When the sapling becomes a tree?
LAWYER
170
Sir, those were Salamanca days.
171
Boys will be boys, sir; play's
172
The only thing they know. They're free
173
To follow their every whim. They give
174
Vice the name of virtue, call
175
Mischief manners, and folly's all
176
The grace they want—the prerogative
177
Of youth. But here in the court, sir, we
178
Have better hopes for his reformation,
179
For here he has for his edification
180
So many models of nobility.
BELTRÁN
181
It almost makes me laugh to see
182
How ignorant you are of the way
183
Things work at court. Are you trying to say
184
That he couldn't learn mendacity
185
At court? Don't you realize
186
That if he were at the top of his game,
187
He'd lose daily to some men I could name—
188
Even with a lead of a thousand lies.
189
Here in Madrid, some politicians
190
Of power and wealth, deceive and conceal
191
To close a lucrative real estate deal
192
Or improve their social positions.
193
If that is so, is it not even worse
194
In one who is placed, so to speak,
195
As a mirror where people should seek—
196
Let's drop it—before I start to curse.
197
A bull that's stuck by an expert blow,
198
Lashes out at whoever's nearby
199
Without even bothering to try
200
To find the picador, and so
201
Do I, overwhelmed with grief
202
At this latest news, and blind
203
With tears, I strike at the first man I find,
204
To give my rage some relief.
205
Believe me, if he threw away
206
My entire estate blindly pursu-
207
ing love affairs, or gambled through
208
Every night and every day,
209
If he were reckless, restless, and inclined
210
To pick a fight at the least provocation,
211
Or married far below his station,
212
If he were to die, I still would find
213
The strength to bear these things and control
214
My grief. But to know he was a liar! Oh,
215
What a horrible fault! It's so
216
Repugnant to my very soul.
217
All right, then, I know what I have to do:
218
Before the bad news gets around,
219
I've got to move quickly till I've found
220
Someone to marry him to.
221
Well, counselor, I'm in your debt,
222
You've certainly given me evidence
223
Of your zeal and your intelligence.
224
Much obliged. Now when do you have to get
225
Going?
LAWYER
Well, I was thinking of
226
Leaving right away.
BELTRÁN
That can't be.
227
Come rest a while, and then go see
228
The sights at court.
LAWYER
I'd really love
229
To spend some time with you, but I—
230
Well, duty calls. New job, you know.
BELTRÁN
231
Of course, a man can never go
232
Fast enough when he's moving up. Goodbye.
BELTRÁN goes out
LAWYER
233
And God go with you, too. I see
234
My news has really hurt the kind
235
Old man. So—even the wisest find
236
No sweetness in adversity.
The LAWYER goes out
Scene Two: On Silver Street
Enter GARCÍA, handsomely dressed, and TRISTÁN
GARCÍA
237
So what do you think? Do you like my coat?
TRISTÁN
238
It's absolutely divine, sir. Such
239
Brilliant people those Dutch
240
To invent this frou-frou surrounding the throat.
241
With an acre of linen like that, who knows
242
What horrors may lurk beneath every pleat!
243
I once knew a lady whose heart skipped a beat
244
When a certain friend, in frills just like those,
245
Came walking in her direction.
246
But once by mistake she happened to see
247
His actual neck, with the upshot that she
248
Was obliged to renounce her affection.
249
For his neck was furrowed and greasy,
250
The ravages of a previous bout
251
Of scrofula, no doubt,
252
For his skin was yellow and cheesy.
253
To twice normal size his nose had grown,
254
And each ear was as big as my fist,
255
And his jowls and chin, all shriveled and twist-
256
ed, were those of an ancient crone.
257
In short, this gentlemen of worth
258
Was so little like he appeared to be,
259
That no one would ever have known it was he,
260
Not even his mother who gave him birth.
GARCÍA
261
Well, that's, for one thing, why I'd feel
262
Overjoyed if our country had
263
A law prohibiting such a stupid fad
264
As a collar shaped like a water-wheel.
265
Besides encouraging such deceit,
266
These foreigners steal our good Spanish dollars
267
For their ridiculous linen collars,
268
And make the damage to us complete.
269
If we ever adopted a nice
270
Simple collar, we'd quickly see
271
The face set off to advantage, and be
272
Just as attractive, at a much lower price.
273
And a man wouldn't walk around all distressed
274
About the condition of his ruff,
275
And worry if he was wearing enough
276
Protection to keep it from getting messed.
TRISTÁN
277
I once knew a man who had an inkling
278
He was loved by a beautiful lady;
279
But at every approach the lady made, he
280
Backed off to keep his ruff from wrinkling.
281
That's why I'm so bewildered by it:
282
Everyone claims they would love with a passion
283
For the simple collar to come back in fashion,
284
But no one'll be the first to try it.
GARCÍA
285
We can't rule the world—so leave
286
It be. How are the women here?
TRISTÁN
287
So—forget the world, instead we're
288
Going to rule the flesh—and you believe
289
That's easier?
GARCÍA
More fun, anyway.
TRISTÁN
290
Are you "in the mood"?
GARCÍA
I'm "in my prime."
TRISTÁN
291
Then you've come to Madrid at just the right time.
292
Here love never takes a holiday.
293
Beautiful women are permanent
294
Fixtures here. Against the fine
295
Background of the court, they glitter and shine
296
Like the brightest stars in the firmament.
297
Some more brightly than others, it seems,
298
For they can all be classified,
299
By magnitude, brilliance and by how wide-
300
ly they spread their glorious beams.
301
Of course, among all these I'm not
302
Including the great ladies of the land,
303
They are angels of pure spirit and
304
Are untouchable, even in thought.
305
I'm only talking about the ones
306
With souls a bit more inclin-
307
ing, blessedly human, yet divine,
308
Dazzling, corruptible, heavenly suns.
309
The sky is full of them. Let me scan it
310
For you. There's the beautiful wife
311
Who lives an easy, approachable life
312
With discretion. I call her a planet.
313
A woman like this, in conjunction
314
With a husband who's easy going,
315
Is likely to shed her rays all a-glowing
316
On perfect strangers, with little compunction.
317
Then there are others, whose justification
318
Is that their husbands have gone away,
319
To the Americas, some of them say,
320
Or to Italy on vacation.
321
You can't always trust women like these,
322
There are thousands sly enough to pretend
323
They are married, so they can spend
324
Their lives as they like, in comparative ease.
325
You'll meet the occasional gorgeous trainee
326
Under the wing of a beautiful mother,
327
The girl's a fixed star, while the other
328
Moves in an orbit a bit more free.
329
And then of course there's a multitude
330
Of classy working girls—you know—
331
Who rank in my heaven, as courtesans go,
332
As stars of a lesser magnitude.
333
Right behind them are many more
334
Working girls in training, less
335
Luminous perhaps, I must confess,
336
But better than a whore;
337
Third magnitude stars, not as bright,
338
Certainly, as a pro should be,
339
But in cases of necessity,
340
You can bathe quite nicely in their light.
341
Now the common whore, in her condition,
342
I don't really rank as a star,
343
More like a comet, because they are
344
Quite dim, and their tails keep changing position.
345
They rise in the dawn to demand their pay,
346
And once that ceremony's done,
347
The very next moment they're completely gone,
348
And you don't see them for the rest of the day.
349
Then there are talented amateurs,
350
Ready for all occasions, they last
351
For a while, then burn out fast,
352
I think of them as meteors.
353
The problem here, my boy, if you
354
Were thinking of reaching for this kind of star—
355
They're very unstable, won't stay where they are,
356
Not for all the gold in Peru.
357
And always be mindful, as I always am,
358
That in the zodiac, Capricorn's
359
Not the only sign that wears the horns,
360
There's also the Bull and the Ram,
361
But there's only one Virgin. And in
362
Conclusion, as sure as death and taxes,
363
Money's the solitary axis
364
Around which all these bright stars spin.
GARCÍA
365
You sound like some kind of expert to me
366
On heavenly bodies.
TRISTÁN
While I was hang-
367
ing around the court, ang-
368
ling for jobs, I studied astronomy.
GARCÍA
369
You hung around the court? Well, I'm
370
Surprised.
TRISTÁN
And I'm embarrassed about
371
The whole thing.
GARCÍA
But why a servant?
TRISTÁN
I ran out
372
Of money and luck at the same time.
373
Not that serving you isn't the fin-
374
est fortune a man like me
375
Could wish for.
GARCÍA
Forget the flattery,
376
Get a glimpse of that hand, what a divine
377
Whiteness, pure ivory! And of
378
Those eyes, whose beams are shafts of light,
379
Arrows that carry in their flight,
380
Twin poisons of death and love.
TRISTÁN
381
You mean that lady over there
382
In the coach?
GARCÍA
Of course! Do you see
383
Another that shines as brightly as she?
TRISTÁN
384
I've never seen anything to compare.
385
Hers is a coach fit for the sun,
386
With all its little satellites,
387
Its fiery rays and golden lights
388
Illuminating everyone.
GARCÍA
389
This is the first woman I've seen
390
Here, and she sets my heart aglow.
TRISTÁN
391
The first? In all the world?
GARCÍA
No.
392
The first in paradise. She's the queen
393
Of heaven, the woman's divine!
TRISTÁN
394
Around here every minute you're likely to see
395
A beautiful woman. You'll never be
396
Willing or able, my boy, to confine
397
Yourself to one. I could never stand fast.
398
I just couldn't be constant in love or desire,
399
The next girl I saw always set me on fire,
400
And made me forget the last.
GARCÍA
401
Where is the brightness that surpasses
402
The blazing eyes of my shining star?
TRISTÁN
403
Things always look better than they are,
404
When you look at them through love-tinted glasses.
GARCÍA
405
Do you know her, Tristán?
TRISTÁN
Oh no, that girl'd
406
Never know me. She's divine—you won't
407
Find her with humans. Goddesses don't
408
Come down to live in Tristán's world.
GARCÍA
409
Whoever she is, I'm in love with her.
410
That's that, and I long to be her slave.
411
Tristán, go after her!
TRISTÁN
Wait, sir, they've
412
Gotten out at the shop.
GARCÍA
I'd sure
413
Like to go over. Or does that sound
414
Too gauche for Madrid?
TRISTÁN
No, no, not too.
415
Just remember what I said to you:
416
Money makes the world go round.
GARCÍA
417
I have some gold.
TRISTÁN
Well, onward, Spain!
418
God be with you, sir—and Caesar, too!
419
Just don't forget what I said to you
420
About pretty girls. Let me make it plain.
421
You see that other girl, behind her?
422
Just coming out? Maybe she's the sun
423
And the other's just the dawn, that one.
424
Or vice-versa. Just a reminder.
GARCÍA
425
She's pretty.
TRISTÁN
And the maid? Less beaut-
426
iful than her mistress? No.
GARCÍA
427
I swear, that coach is Cupid's bow
428
And all three are arrows well worth the shoot.
429
I'm going over.
TRISTÁN
Don't forget the old
430
Proverb.
GARCÍA
Which is?
TRISTÁN
The quickest road to
431
A woman's heart runs directly through
432
Your bank.
GARCÍA
Here's another: in gold
433
We trust.
TRISTÁN
Then talk to her; I'll go see
434
If I can get the coachman to spill
435
The beans about who they are.
GARCÍA
Think he will?
TRISTÁN
436
Dear boy, he's a coachman, isn't he?
They separate. Doña JACINTA, Doña LUCRECIA, and ISABEL enter, in mantillas. Doña JACINTA stumbles and falls, and Don GARCÍA comes over to help her up
JACINTA
437
Lord, help me!
GARCÍA
Your servant implores
438
That his hand may be of assistance to you,
439
If you think him a worthy Atlas to
440
Support a heaven as beautiful as yours.
JACINTA
441
You'd have to be Atlas if you claim
442
You're touching heaven with your hand.
GARCÍA
443
To touch hands, yes, is one thing, and
444
To deserve that touch, not quite the same.
445
What victory comes with the touch of beauty—
446
Even one for which I have yearned—
447
If that touch is not so much earned
448
From you, as owed you by my duty.
449
A touch, freely given, is so much sweeter.
450
Look, I have heaven at my fingertips,
451
What glory's in that, if it's she that slips,
452
Not I that rise to meet her?
JACINTA
453
And what exactly is the height
454
You would attain?
GARCÍA
As high as I can.
JACINTA
455
But to reach a goal without a plan—
456
Wouldn't that be pure luck?
GARCÍA
You're right.
JACINTA
457
Then how can you complain to me
458
About how short of your goal you are?
459
Since you haven't deserved to get this far,
460
You're already luckier than you ought to be.
GARCÍA
461
According to moral philosophy,
462
An act of favor or benevolence
463
Is only valid when the will consents;
464
Otherwise it's worthless, you see?
465
The fact that I am holding your hand
466
Does not mean you are favoring me,
467
Because the intentionality
468
Of the will is missing. You understand?
469
Therefore I have the right to feel
470
Unlucky in my luck, to touch
471
The hand but not the heart, so much
472
Like favor, but without the will.
JACINTA
473
So much like talk, but without the sense.
474
How can you know what's going on
475
In my heart; you don't even know your own.
476
You accuse me unjustly of some offense.
TRISTÁN
477
Aside to GARCÍA
(I told you he was a coachman, sir.
478
I've got some news about who they are.)
GARCÍA
479
And have you never seen thus far
480
Clear signs of what my intentions were?
JACINTA
481
I've never even seen you here.
GARCÍA
482
She hasn't even noticed me!
483
My God—I've been in agony
484
Over you—for more than a year!
TRISTÁN
485
(A year? He just walked in the door
486
Yesterday! )
JACINTA
Oh, good Lord!
487
More than a year? I give you my word
488
I never saw you in my life before.
GARCÍA
489
When I sailed from America
490
To seek my fortunes here,
491
The heaven of your face, my dear,
492
Was the very first thing I saw.
493
And at that instant my soul did melt
494
Into yours, and yet, you never knew,
495
I had no chance to talk to you
496
And tell you what I felt.
JACINTA
497
You're American?
GARCÍA
With money to spare.
498
And yet one glance from these your eyes,
499
And all my goldmines I despise,
500
And leave my El Dorado there.
TRISTÁN
501
(He's American? )
JACINTA
I've heard them say
502
That rich men are stingy—are you?
GARCÍA
503
And they also say that misers who
504
Fall in love give it all away.
JACINTA
505
Then if what you say is true,
506
I can expect some expensive gifts?
GARCÍA
507
What good is my money unless it lifts
508
My credit with someone like you?
509
And yet such gifts would only be
510
Trinkets. To gain your love
511
I'd fashion for you a world of
512
Pure gold, to show my idolatry.
513
And even that could never aspire
514
To outweigh one petal of your beauty's flower,
515
As my enormous wealth and power
516
Could never equal my desire.
517
And yet, from this little jewelry store,
518
I beg you take anything you will,
519
As a small token of how I feel.
JACINTA
520
(I never saw such a man before. )
To Doña LUCRECIA
521
Lucrecia, what do you think? He's quite
522
Generous, this American.
LUCRECIA
523
I think you rather like the man,
524
Jacinta, and I think you're right.
GARCÍA
525
Here's the shopwindow, look around,
526
Pick out what you like—my treat, as I said.
TRISTÁN
527
TRISTÁN and GARCÍA aside
(Sir, you're way in over your head. )
GARCÍA
528
(Tristán, I have already drowned. )
ISABEL
529
ISABEL speaks aside to the ladies
(Here comes Don Juan. )
JACINTA
I'm very grate-
530
ful, sir, for your kind offer—
GARCÍA
But
531
You simply can't accept it. What
532
A shame. Madam, I'm desolate.
JACINTA
533
Then I'm afraid you have mistaken your
534
Position, sir, and overstepped
535
The bounds of courtesy. I can accept
536
The offer alone—and no more.
GARCÍA
537
But you have my heart, and what have I
538
In return for what I have conferred?
JACINTA
539
You have the pleasure of being heard.
GARCÍA
540
Which I cherish.
JACINTA
Then good-bye.
GARCÍA
Good-bye.
541
And give me leave, before you depart
542
To love you.
JACINTA
I don't believe
543
A man ever needs to ask for leave
544
Before he gives away his heart.
The LADIES leave
GARCÍA
545
Go after them!
TRISTÁN
Don't worry your head
546
About it, sir. I don't need to go
547
Find out where your lady-love lives, I know
548
Already.
GARCÍA
Oh. Then stay here instead.
549
You never want to importune a
550
Girl too much. She'll get annoyed with you.
TRISTÁN
551
"The more beautiful lady of the two
552
Is Doña Lucrecia de Luna.
553
She's my mistress. And as for this
554
Second lady, with whom she came,
555
I know her house but not her name,
556
And I can show you where it is."
557
Thus saith the coachman, sir.
GARCÍA
558
If Lucrecia's prettier, then she
559
Must be the one who spoke to me.
560
And I'm in love with her.
561
And as the sun, with each new day,
562
Dims every little star, I find
563
That she, in her brightness, makes me blind,
564
And all the others fade away.
TRISTÁN
565
To me, she that never spoke a word
566
Was the prettier of the two.
GARCÍA
567
Well, you've got terrible taste.
TRISTÁN
It's true,
568
I don't expect my vote to be heard.
569
But nonetheless, I still prefer
570
The quiet one, if only for this,
571
The less she talks the more she is,
572
In my opinion, prettier.
573
But on the off-chance, sir, that you
574
Might be mistaken, wait right here,
575
And I'll go ask the coachman there
576
To tell me who is who.
GARCÍA
577
And Lucrecia, did he say where
578
She lived?
TRISTÁN
Where was that? Let me see—
579
In the square by Our Lady of Victory.
GARCÍA
580
She is the moon that governs there,
581
Eclipsing all stars else. How fit
582
A name is Victory Square!
Enter Don JUAN DE SOSA and Don FÉLIX, in conversation
JUAN DE SOSA
583
Dinner and music—that isn't fair!
GARCÍA
584
That's Don Juan de Sosa, isn't it?
TRISTÁN
585
The very same.
JUAN DE SOSA
Some lover, no doubt
586
Who thinks himself lucky. Who can it be
587
That stirs me to such jealousy?
FÉLIX
588
It shouldn't take too long to find out—
589
I'm sure of that.
JUAN DE SOSA
She's to be my bride,
590
I've chosen her, and now I discover
591
Some other man woos her as a lover
592
With a meal and music by the riverside.
GARCÍA
593
Don Juan de Sosa!
JUAN DE SOSA
Who is that?
GARCÍA
594
It's Don García—remember me?
JUAN DE SOSA
595
But you're in Madrid unexpectedly.
596
I didn't recognize you in that—hat.
GARCÍA
597
It was in Salamanca that we
598
Last met. I've changed since you saw me there.
JUAN DE SOSA
599
You're definitely not the student you were.
600
You've become a man of the world, I see.
601
Are you here in Madrid to stay?
GARCÍA
602
Oh, yes!
JUAN DE SOSA
Well, welcome home then!
GARCÍA
603
And you, Don Félix, how have you been?
FÉLIX
604
Now that you're here, I'd have to say
605
I couldn't be happier. Welcome! You're well?
GARCÍA
606
And at your service, my friend—so
607
What were you talking about? May I know?
JUAN DE SOSA
608
Some gossip going round. I'll tell
609
You what it was. Last night, someone
610
Was down by the river, with a band
611
Of musicians, a lady, and
612
A fancy dinner.
GARCÍA
Music, Don Juan?
613
And a fancy meal?
JUAN DE SOSA
Yes.
GARCÍA
Yesterday?
614
A big to do?
JUAN DE SOSA
Yes. So I hear.
GARCÍA
615
And the lady, how did she appear?
JUAN DE SOSA
616
Absolutely stunning—they say.
GARCÍA
617
Ah, well.
JUAN DE SOSA
So, what's the mystery?
GARCÍA
618
Well, if the lady and the food
619
Were as lovely and as good
620
As you report them, then possibly
621
It is my lady and my feast
622
You're praising so.
JUAN DE SOSA
You mean you threw
623
A party last night—by the river? You?
GARCÍA
624
All night—till the sun rose in the east.
TRISTÁN
625
(What lady? What feast could that have been?
626
You only got here yesterday. )
JUAN DE SOSA
627
You've feasted a woman already, you say?
628
But you only just got in!
629
Love works very fast with you, I see.
GARCÍA
630
It hasn't been that short a while;
631
I've been home a whole month resting.
TRISTÁN
(I'll
632
Swear—it was yesterday that he
633
Got home. What is he thinking? )
JUAN DE SOSA
If I
634
Had known, I'd have been there
635
To welcome you back, I swear,
636
And pay my debt of courtesy.
GARCÍA
637
Well, actually, I snuck into Madrid.
JUAN DE SOSA
638
Then, obviously, that's the reason why
639
I didn't know. But satisfy
640
My curiosity; this dinner you did—
641
Was it really so grand?
GARCÍA
I'd venture to guess
642
It's the best that river has ever had.
JUAN DE SOSA
643
Aside
(I'm so jealous I may go mad! )
644
Well, then, you might as well confess
645
It was you in the thicket with mademoiselle.
GARCÍA
646
Don Juan, you lead me to suspect—
647
From your tone of voice and your grim aspect—
648
That the lady is known to you as well.
JUAN DE SOSA
649
I'm not entirely in the dark
650
About the whole affair, but I
651
Have it second-hand, confusedly;
652
I'd love to hear what went on in the park—
653
The whole truth, direct from you,
654
Just out of curiosity,
655
You know, a courtier like me—
656
I've got nothing better to do—
657
(Than roast in the flames of my jealousy. )
FÉLIX
658
Aside to Don JUAN DE SOSA
(The heavens are kind, and even without
659
Your asking, see how they go about
660
To reveal your rival's identity. )
GARCÍA
661
All right, here goes, lend me an ear:
662
And all you desire I shall provide:
663
The story of the Feast by the Riverside.
JUAN DE SOSA
664
There's nothing we would rather hear.
GARCÍA
665
There in a thicket, deep and dark, amid
666
The high and overshadowing elms was hid
667
A secret clearing, black as the face of night,
668
In which there stood a table, clean and bright,
669
A perfect square, set with the elegance
670
Of an Italian hand, and the opulence
671
Of Spain. There in the fine embroidery
672
Of tablecloth and napkins one could see
673
A thousand gorgeous birds and beasts that lacked
674
But souls to be alive. All set and stacked,
675
Four sideboards ran along each length, each one
676
Laden with crystal cups and porcelain
677
Bowls, silver plates and gold. One tree there
678
Was left untouched, it seemed; the others were
679
Stripped of their branches, and of them they
680
Had built six grand pavilions. Hidden away
681
In four of them were different orchestras;
682
Arranged inside the fifth pavilion was
683
A vast display of entrees, of every kind;
684
Inside the sixth, desserts and fresh fruits lined
685
The walls, and among the pastries and preserves
686
Were plates of appetizers and hors d'oeuvres.
687
The coach arrived, and out she stepped,
688
My lady-love, and all stars else, except
689
Her eyes, were dimmed with envy—while the brook
690
Babbled with joy at catching just one look
691
From her, and the air inhaled her sweet perfume.
692
Her lovely footfall made the grasses bloom
693
Where'er it touched, with emeralds; each curl
694
Of wave, a crystal; each grain of sand, a pearl.
695
And suddenly there was a bright confusion
696
Of roman candles, pinwheels in profusion,
697
Fireworks exploding everywhere, rockets fly-
698
ing through the air, turning the evening sky
699
To day, and flaming still higher and higher
700
Till all this patch of earth became pure fire.
701
And then, just as the fireworks dispersed
702
And faded, twenty four bright torches burst
703
Into flame, dimming both the stars and moon.
704
At once, a woodwind band struck up a tune
705
From one of the pavilions; hearing the sound,
706
The strings, from their pavilion, passed it round
707
To the third, where flutes picked up the melody
708
And added their sweet notes to the harmony.
709
Then from the fourth pavilion, came the rich
710
Sounds of a four-part choir, under which
711
Spanish guitars and harps were softly strumming,
712
To celebrate in song my lady's coming.
713
And as they played, the waiters served the food—
714
Thirty two courses for the main meal—and a good
715
Three dozen more of appetizers and
716
Hors d'oeuvres before the meal, with a grand
717
Assortment of desserts and fruits for later.
718
The freshfruits, juices, wines, even the water
719
Were served in frosty crystal bowls and glasses,
720
All made of ice, and covered over with masses
721
Of winter snow, so artfully preserved,
722
The wandering river thought that it had swerved
723
Out of the grove and somehow found the freez-
724
ing heights and passes of the Pyranees.
725
And as the tongue delighted in the taste
726
Of pleasure, the nose was no less busy. Graced
727
With soothing fragrances of potpourri
728
And perfume—flowers, herbs, and spicery
729
Distilled to sweet aromas—what had been
730
A grove became a heaven of muscadine.
731
And in the center of the table stood
732
A holder full of toothpicks, not of wood
733
But of pure gold, the holder itself the figure
734
Of a man, diamond studded and no bigger
735
Than this, a dying man shot through and through
736
With golden arrows, which showed to her the true
737
Picture of her own cruelty to me,
738
And in that figure, my fidelity.
739
These golden toothpicks took from willow, reed,
740
And straw their proper office; for gold indeed
741
Must be the toothpicks when the teeth are pearl.
742
And as I feasted there this lovely girl,
743
Musicians hidden in their separate bowers
744
Played melodies to slow the morning hours,
745
To stop the stars and halt the heavenly sphere—
746
But that Apollo, envious to hear
747
Music more sweet than his, raced in the east
748
And brought the dawn to end our loving feast.
JUAN DE SOSA
749
You've painted such a picture of last night,
750
My friend, with such detail and in such bright
751
Colors that I could not be sure, I swear,
752
If I was hearing it—or actually there.
TRISTÁN
753
(The devil bless him for his only son!
754
Father of lies! How otherwise could one
755
So improvise a tale of a fictitious meal
756
That out-truths truth and out-reals real! )
JUAN DE SOSA
757
Don FÉLIX and Don JUAN DE SOSA aside
(I'm mad with jealousy! )
FÉLIX
(We never heard
758
Such things about this party. It's absurd! )
JUAN DE SOSA
759
(The details are of no importance to me—
760
The time, the place, the substance all agree. )
GARCÍA
761
What did you say?
JUAN DE SOSA
We said such banqueting
762
As yours is greater far than anything
763
Great Alexander did when he held sway.
GARCÍA
764
Oh, that? No—that was simply child's play,
765
Done on a moment's notice. Given some time,
766
Even a day for preparation, I'm
767
Sure I could throw a party that would shame
768
The ancient Greek and Roman feasts, bring fame
769
To me through all the world, beyond our nation,
770
And be the cause of newfound admiration.
FÉLIX
771
Don JUAN DE SOSA and Don FÉLIX aside
(Look at Lucrecia's coach—that girl, the one
772
By the step's Jacinta! )
JUAN DE SOSA
(And look at Don
773
García's eyes—they're following every move
774
She makes, I swear to God! )
FÉLIX
(Look how his love
775
Makes him so restless and distracted! )
JUAN DE SOSA
(SeeNXNota del editor
Esta intervención de don Juan de Sosa no está marcada como aparte por el traductor, pero el sentido nos ha llevado a incluirla en el aparte anterior.
776
How all he does confirms my jealousy! )
JUAN and GARCÍA
777
Good-bye!
FÉLIX
(And see how well you synchronize,
778
In perfect unison, your swift goodbyes! )
Don JUAN DE SOSA and FÉLIX leave
TRISTÁN
779
I've never seen two gentlemen agree
780
To say good-bye with such velocity!
GARCÍA
781
She is my heaven, the prime mover of
782
My every act, the north star of my love,
783
Which draws me like a magnet to her side.
TRISTÁN
784
Well then, you must be patient, sir, and hide
785
Your love. Revealing it is likelier
786
To fail than to succeed with one like her.
787
Believe me, sir, it's my experience
788
That fortune favors men who have the sense
789
Not to respond. For women, sir, and devils
790
Use very similar ways to work their evils.
791
The souls they have already, they ignore—
792
The don't tempt them, they don't go hunting for
793
The already damned. For once they have them in
794
Their claws, they can forget them, and begin
795
Pursuing with a vengeance, night and day,
796
Only the ones they fear might get away.
GARCÍA
797
You're right, I know—I'm just not master of
798
Myself today.
TRISTÁN
This woman that you love—
799
Until you actually know who she is
800
And what she has, don't get mixed up in this.
801
Remember, sir, to look before you leap,
802
Or you'll end up, over your head, in deep
803
Water. Not everything that's green is grass;
804
Jump in, and you could sink in a morass.
GARCÍA
805
Go find out all you can immediately.
TRISTÁN
806
I'll take good care of it—leave it to me.
807
And now for God's sake, tell me something, sir,
808
Before I burst. What in heaven's name were
809
Those stories for, that I was hearing? I ask
810
Only that I might help you in your task—
811
Whatever that might be! If we get caught
812
Lying, the shame and the disgrace are not
813
Going to go away. So why did you
814
Tell all the ladies you were from Peru?
GARCÍA
815
Because, Tristán, the fact is foreign men
816
Do well with Spanish ladies, especially when
817
They come here from America, which is,
818
To women here, always a sign of riches.
TRISTÁN
819
I understand that that's what you intend,
820
But, sir, those means won't lead you to that end.
821
Eventually the ladies have to know
822
Exactly who you are.
GARCÍA
Till when, I'll go
823
And be received into the inmost parts
824
Of both the ladies' houses and their hearts,
825
And once inside—thanks to this strategem—
826
I'm pretty sure that I can manage them.
TRISTÁN
827
All right, you've won me over, sir; but now,
828
I pray, explain that other business, how
829
You've been here for a month, and not yet seen
830
At court or in the town? In fact, you've been
831
At home since yesterday. So what's the plan?
GARCÍA
832
Surely you know, there's nothing grander than
833
A man who's travelling incognito, or
834
Who hides himself away behind the door
835
Of his great house, or else retires to
836
Some tiny village, out of public view.
TRISTÁN
837
You win again, sir! And the fancy meal?
GARCÍA
838
I made that up, because I just can't deal
839
With people who are trying to discover
840
If I have feelings that I just can't cover—
841
Like envy or amazement. Some things can
842
Make me feel that way—I'm just a man—
843
I have these feelings, they embarrass me.
844
Amazement, after all, is just stupidity,
845
And envy, a disgrace. You'll never know
846
How satisfying it can be, to show
847
Another person up, who comes to tell
848
Some news, bursting with pride, about some swell
849
Party he's given or some big thing he's done,
850
By topping his tale with a bigger one;
851
Before he gets it out, you tell yours first
852
And stuff it down his throat and make him burst.
TRISTÁN
853
A very tricky move of self-defence, sir—
854
A dangerous feint, for even a master fencer.
855
You'll be a joke at court, quite soon enough,
856
The moment that those people call your bluff.
GARCÍA
857
A man's life needs a little stimulation;
858
If all he does is swell the population,
859
And act like everybody else, then how
860
Is he any better than a horse or cow?
861
It's a wondrous thing to be a famous man,
862
Worth striving for by any means he can.
863
In every street they're whispering my name,
864
And everyone will know about my fame.
865
Just like that man in Ephesus, when he
866
Burnt down a church to become a celebrity.
867
And here's my best—and final—reason, too:
868
It's something that I really love to do.
TRISTÁN
869
Well, those are very youngish thoughts, I fear;
870
And your ideas, much too advanced for here.
871
So what you need to do is keep a lid
872
On thoughts like those, to make it in Madrid.
They go out
Scene Three: A room in Don Sancho's house
Enter Doña JACINTA and ISABEL, in mantillas, with Don BELTRÁN and Don SANCHO
JACINTA
873
You're very kind!
BELTRÁN
This isn't all
874
Some friendship of a single day;
875
Our families have been this way
876
For quite some time, if you recall.
877
That's why I'm sure my little visit
878
Is not so unexpected.
JACINTA
If I
879
Seem shocked, dear sir, it's only my
880
Surprise; it's not that often, is it,
881
That you come to see us? Pardon me.
882
If I had known who my uncle was with,
883
I wouldn't have lingered with the silversmith,
884
Haggling over some jewelry.
BELTRÁN
885
That was an omen, a favorable one,
886
For what I have in mind: for you'll
887
Be purchasing a priceless jewel,
888
If I can persuade you to marry my son.
889
Your uncle Sancho and I have been
890
Discussing the possibility
891
Of elevating our intimacy
892
Into kinship. And both of us are in
893
Agreement (once we have subjected
894
It to your approval, as he
895
Quite properly reminded me)
896
That this should be effected.
897
Now surely there can be no doubt
898
Of the value of my son's legacy,
899
So there's just his personality
900
For you to be concerned about.
901
And though the boy just got to Madrid
902
From Salamanca yesterday,
903
And got a sunburn on the way
904
(Something that jealous Phoebus did),
905
I'll take the chance, and gladly put
906
Him right where you can look him over,
907
Since I'm so sure that, as a lover,
908
You'll find him pleasing—from head to foot—
909
If you will only grant that he
910
May come to pay you his respects.
JACINTA
911
What you present me with, affects
912
Me so, that praising it would be
913
Presumptuous and impolite.
914
Your offer means so much to me
915
I'd say yes now, but unfortunately,
916
I just don't feel it would be right
917
To give anyone the wrong impression
918
(Whatever the gain might be for us)
919
That I was rash or frivolous,
920
Which any woman of discretion
921
Must avoid. To rush ahead
922
In matters so weighty would only befit
923
A woman with a tiny wit
924
Or an enormous need to be wed.
925
Also, it might be more discrete,
926
So as not to compromise anyone—
927
And if you agree—to see your son
928
As he passed by in the street.
929
It does happen once in a while—
930
Actually, fairly frequently—
931
That such an engagement might just be
932
Dissolved, after a term of trial.
933
And how would it reflect on me?
934
What's more compromising than
935
To have been visited by a man
936
With almost a husband's intimacy?
BELTRÁN
937
You have a wonderful sense of duty,
938
And if my son should marry you
939
I'd count him lucky for that gift, too—
940
As well as for your beauty.
SANCHO
941
My little niece is the mirror where
942
Prudence itself may see her face.
BELTRÁN
943
You've captured her undeniable grace
944
In a perfect image there.
945
Don García and I will ride
946
On horseback along the avenue
947
This very afternoon.
JACINTA
If you do,
948
I'll be at the window, looking outside.
BELTRÁN
949
I beg you, then, to take a good view,
950
For I shall return this very night,
951
Beautiful Jacinta, if I might,
952
To ask how he appeared to you.
JACINTA
953
So soon?
BELTRÁN
No need to wonder at how
954
Strongly I feel. By God's holy name,
955
If I was fond of you when I came,
956
I'm completely in love with you now.
957
Goodbye.
JACINTA
Goodbye.
BELTRÁN
Sir, I can find
958
My own way out.
SANCHO
No, please, I'll go.
BELTRÁN
959
Don't bother.
SANCHO
At least let me show
960
You into the hall—if you don't mind.
SANCHO and BELTRÁN go out
ISABEL
961
The old man's really rushing you.
JACINTA
962
I should be rushing myself much more,
963
Because this match is perfect for
964
My honor—but I have to do
965
What my love advises me to.
966
My poor Don Juan, the master of
967
My every thought, will probably
968
Not get promoted, which will be
969
The end of our marriage plans—but I love
970
Him so—he is so forcefully
971
Fixed in my heart—that though I would
972
Have every right to entertain
973
Other proposals, I never could
974
Discard his love. I tremble with pain
975
When I think of yielding my maidenhood
976
To some other man in marriage.
ISABEL
I thought
977
Perhaps you had already forgot-
978
ten him, when I saw you receiv-
979
ing other men.
JACINTA
No, don't deceive
980
Yourself, Isabel. But though I'm not
981
Forgetting him, I have to get on
982
With my life. My father's permission
983
To marry him depends upon
984
His receiving his commission,
985
Which he won't, so my hopes in him are gone.
986
I'm getting back in society;
987
It's either that or death for me—
988
And why pursue an impossible plan?
989
I don't approve—a woman can
990
Perish of too much constancy.
991
Somewhere out there, perhaps I will
992
Find another, as worthy of
993
My hand, and maybe of my love.
ISABEL
994
Time will all your hopes fulfill,
995
As sure as there are stars above.
996
In fact, unless I am deceived,
997
You found the American you received
998
Today quite charming.
JACINTA
I'll tell you the truth,
999
I was quite taken with that youth—
1000
More than I ever would have believed
1001
Possible. So much, in fact, that I'd
1002
Be willing to say, all jesting aside,
1003
That if this son of Don Beltrán
1004
Is as handsome a gentleman
1005
And as smart, he can have me as his bride.
ISABEL
1006
This afternoon, you'll be able to see
1007
Him, with his father, riding by.
JACINTA
1008
His face and his figure, yes, but I
1009
Need to know his mind—to me
1010
That's more important. I'm afraid that we
1011
Will have to talk.
ISABEL
To talk?
JACINTA
Which would
1012
Offend Don Juan, if he found out;
1013
And I'd rather not lose him if I could,
1014
At least until I'm sure about
1015
Having to marry the other.
ISABEL
Then you should
1016
Do something! Anything! Time flies,
1017
You know, and you should be wise
1018
Enough to avoid the real danger
1019
Of losing both. Don Juan, in my eyes,
1020
Is just playing the dog in the manger.
1021
You can talk to the son of Don Beltrán
1022
If you really want to, without Don Juan
1023
Finding out. For years, women like you,
1024
In cases like these, have found some plan
1025
They could always use. And you can, too.
JACINTA
1026
I'm thinking of one right now that might
1027
Just work. I'll ask Lucrecia—she's
1028
A friend of mine—if she'll invite
1029
Him over on her behalf; and while he's
1030
There talking, I'll be out of sight
1031
Behind the curtains. That might just be
1032
A real possibility.
ISABEL
1033
It's perfect! It's an inspiration!
1034
Only from an imagination
1035
Like yours could it come!
JACINTA
Then instantly
1036
Go over to Lucrecia's house and say
1037
Exactly what I have in mind.
ISABEL
1038
I shall fly with the wings of the wind!
JACINTA
1039
And tell her even a moment's delay
1040
Will be a century. On your way!
Don JUAN DE SOSA enters and meets ISABEL going out
JUAN DE SOSA
1041
Your lady—may I speak with her?
ISABEL
1042
A minute, maybe—the hour's near
1043
When my master usually comes here
1044
To take her into dinner, sir.
ISABEL goes out
JUAN DE SOSA
1045
So, Jacinta, now I've lost you,
1046
I've lost myself, now you've lost me—
JACINTA
1047
Are you insane?
JUAN DE SOSA
Who wouldn't be,
1048
When you behave the way you do?
JACINTA
1049
Behave yourself! And quiet down—
1050
My uncle's somewhere in the hall.
JUAN DE SOSA
1051
And did you worry about him at all,
1052
When you dined by the river at the edge of town?
JACINTA
1053
You're not yourself—what is all this?
JUAN DE SOSA
1054
When another man spends the night with you,
1055
What do you expect me to do—
1056
Be as blind as your uncle is?
JACINTA
1057
Spends the night! Watch what you say!
1058
Even if the story were true
1059
It would still be presumptuous of you
1060
To talk to me in such a way.
1061
How much more so, when the whole idea
1062
Is a figment of your fantasy.
JUAN DE SOSA
1063
I know all about your riverside spree,
1064
And I know your host was Don García,
1065
And about all the fireworks burning bright,
1066
The moment little Jacinta drove
1067
Up, and the torches that turned the grove
1068
Into day, in the middle of the night;
1069
And the tables piled higher and higher
1070
With silver service on every side,
1071
And the four pavilions occupied
1072
By orchestras and a four-part choir—
1073
I know it all, dear enemy,
1074
And how the sunrise found you there;
1075
So tell me now that the whole affair
1076
Is a figment of my fantasy;
1077
And tell me I'm presumptuous
1078
To talk to you of these vile events,
1079
When your perfidy and my offense
1080
Deserve to be made notorious.
JACINTA
1081
I swear to God—
JUAN DE SOSA
Please, no more lies!
1082
Don't even bother speaking to me;
1083
A proven offense can never be
1084
Excused. Oh, now I realize
1085
The truth—oh false one! —now I see—
1086
I've lost you, yes, but my discontent
1087
Is not from my disillusionment,
1088
But the shame of your inconstancy.
1089
And even if my lady denies
1090
The story I heard, she cannot say
1091
I did not see what I saw today—
1092
The truth in Don García's eyes.
1093
And what of his father? What did he
1094
Want here? Explain that one!
1095
You spend the whole night with the son,
1096
And the day with his father? I see!
1097
I see it all! Don't lie to me
1098
To win me back. I know your ways—
1099
They're all in vain. And your delays
1100
Are born of your inconstancy.
1101
O cruel one! In heaven's name,
1102
May you never have a moment's rest!
1103
And may this volcano in my breast
1104
Explode and roast you in its flame!
1105
Jealousy! O, may the author of
1106
My pain lose you as I have done!
JACINTA
1107
Are you all right?
JUAN DE SOSA
All right? Can one
1108
Be sane, and hopelessly in love?
JACINTA
1109
Come back, listen—the truth must be
1110
Believed. Soon you will see how bad
1111
The information is you've had.
JUAN DE SOSA
1112
I'm going—your uncle mustn't see
1113
Me here.
JACINTA
He's nowhere near. I swear
1114
I can change your mind.
JUAN DE SOSA
The only way
1115
Is to promise to marry me.
JACINTA
Today?
1116
I think my uncle's right out there.
END of ACT ONE
Scene One: A room in Don Beltrán's house
Don GARCÍA enters in a robe, reading, accompanied by TRISTÁN and CAMINO. Don GARCÍA reads
GARCÍA
"It is the urgency of the matter that forces me beyond the proprieties of my station. What it is, you may discover tonight, at a balcony which the bearer of this note will reveal to you, along with other things I dare not put in writing, May the Lord protect and, etc."
To CAMINO
-->
1117
Who wrote this note to me, d'you know?
CAMINO
1118
Doña Lucrecia is her name.
GARCÍA
1119
De Luna? She whom I proclaim
1120
My very heart, beating so
1121
Proudly in my breast! She,
1122
That queen of beauty, whose lovely feet
1123
Tripped today down Silver Street
1124
Before noon!
CAMINO
Yes.
GARCÍA
My destiny!
1125
My joy, my life, my own!
1126
Tell me all her qualities—
1127
Quickly!
CAMINO
I'm amazed that these
1128
Great gifts of hers are still unknown
1129
To you. You've seen her, you needn't be told
1130
About her beauty—I'll skip that part.
1131
She's virtuous, she's very smart,
1132
Her father's widowed, and very old,
1133
And has a vast estate, I hear—
1134
A thousand ducats, maybe two,
1135
Which she'll inherit.
GARCÍA
Tristán, did you
1136
Hear that?
TRISTÁN
Without a single tear.
CAMINO
1137
As far as her rank of nobility—
1138
What can I say? Luna's her father's
1139
Name, and Mendoza, her mother's—
1140
Both solid gold in pedigree.
1141
Doña Lucrecia—to put it plain—
1142
Deserves to marry only with kings.
GARCÍA
1143
Cupid, I pray, lend me your wings
1144
To mount such heights and there remain.
1145
Where does she live?
CAMINO
Victory Square.
GARCÍA
1146
My goal is clear, and you the guide,
1147
It tells me here, to lead me inside
1148
The glorious heaven that awaits me there.
CAMINO
1149
I'll show you the way to both places, then.
GARCÍA
1150
For which I'll thank you, with all my might.
CAMINO
1151
I will return later tonight
1152
To accompany you, at the stroke of ten.
GARCÍA
1153
And tell Lucrecia my reply
1154
To her request.
CAMINO
Yes, sir. God bless.
CAMINO goes out
GARCÍA
1155
I'm in heaven! What happiness!
1156
What love! What a fortunate man am I!
1157
Remember, Tristán, the coachman said
1158
Lucrecia was the prettier—
1159
And that's the one I love, I'm sure!
1160
And surely she has forwarded
1161
This letter to me! Don't you see?
TRISTÁN
1162
I think you're reaching for it, sir.
GARCÍA
1163
Don't be silly—of course, it's her—
1164
Why would the other one write to me?
TRISTÁN
1165
Well, the worst thing that can happen to you
1166
Tonight, I suppose, is having your
1167
Doubts removed. You'll know for sure
1168
Who the lady is you're talking to.
GARCÍA
1169
I know I won't be led astray.
1170
My sense still holds the memory of
1171
That sweet soprano voice I love,
1172
Whose music slew my soul today.
A PAGE comes in, with a note
PAGE
1173
Don García? Sir! That
1174
Is for you.
GARCÍA
As you were—
1175
Relax.
PAGE
Your servant, sir.
GARCÍA
1176
For heaven's sake, put on your hat!
He reads, to himself
1177
"I wish to set the matter straight
1178
About some important things.
1179
Come alone. When the bell rings
1180
Seven. At St. Blaise. I shall wait.
1181
Don Juan de Sosa." (Damn! Good Heaven!
1182
What can it be? He doesn't say.
1183
But I only got here yesterday,
1184
And he's a friend of mine.)
To the PAGE
At seven,
1185
You may say, I will not fail
1186
To meet with him.
The PAGE goes out
TRISTÁN
Hello? Sir?
1187
Don García? What is it? You're
1188
Looking extremely pale.
GARCÍA
1189
Nothing at all.
TRISTÁN
No problems?
GARCÍA
None.
TRISTÁN
1190
Aside
(This is serious—I can tell.)
GARCÍA
1191
Fetch me my cape—and my sword as well.
TRISTÁN goes out
1192
But what could I have possibly done?
Don BELTRÁN comes in
BELTRÁN
1193
García?
GARCÍA
Father?
BELTRÁN
We're going to
1194
Take a little horseback ride
1195
Today—there's a certain matter I'd
1196
Like to talk over with you.
GARCÍA
1197
Aside
(Another one? Now what?)
TRISTÁN returns and starts to dress Don GARCÍA
BELTRÁN
Now where
1198
Are you off to? It's blazing hot
1199
Out there.
GARCÍA
Just next door; I thought
1200
I'd shoot a little pool over there
1201
With our neighbor, the count.
BELTRÁN
Well, don't
1202
Dash about so much. I don't approve—
1203
You just got in. There're thousands of
1204
People yet to meet—you won't
1205
Be able to do it in a single day.
1206
And when you do, I'd prefer it if you
1207
Carefully considered two
1208
Conditions: when you gamble, play
1209
With what you have, and before you air
1210
An opinion, think twice. It's the only way
1211
I know to be happy.
GARCÍA
I'll do what you say—
1212
You're right.
BELTRÁN
Now go on out there
1213
And make sure the stableboys get
1214
The horses saddled and ready by
1215
Four.
GARCÍA
I'll see to it.
BELTRÁN
Good-bye.
Don GARCÍA goes out
1216
I'm still more than a little upset
1217
Over what his tutor said.
1218
Tristán—how much time would you say
1219
You spent with him?
TRISTÁN
The entire day.
BELTRÁN
1220
Forget that he's my son. Instead,
1221
Remember only the loyalty
1222
That I have always found in you,
1223
And which I'm sure is still there, too.
1224
What is he like?—be honest with me.
TRISTÁN
1225
I really couldn't say—there's been
1226
So little time to judge him by.
BELTRÁN
1227
Your tongue's not usually this shy—
1228
There's been plenty of time to judge him in,
1229
More than enough, I'd say, for one
1230
As smart as you. For my life's sake,
1231
Don't spare me—tell me.
TRISTÁN
What I make
1232
Of him, sir, is this. You see, your son—
1233
And I'm only telling you the truth
1234
For your life's sake—that's what you swore—
BELTRÁN
1235
You've always done me right before,
1236
And earned my favor so.
TRISTÁN
It's his youth—
1237
He's got a great imagination,
1238
A wonderful sense of fine detail,
1239
But a young man's fancy can sometimes fail
1240
Through rashness or over-compensation.
1241
Salamanca was his nurse,
1242
He needs to be weaned away from the taste
1243
For sophomoric pranks, and placed
1244
Where that crowd can't infect him. Nothing's worse
1245
Than the habits picked up in college. This
1246
Wild talk, this lying without
1247
Caution or sense, this boasting about
1248
Everything, this compulsion of his
1249
To risk it all! I heard him today,
1250
In one hour, tell six or seven lies!
BELTRÁN
1251
God help me!
TRISTÁN
Here's the big surprise—
1252
You haven't heard the worst news—they
1253
Were such terrible lies, he could have been caught
1254
In any one of them.
BELTRÁN
Good Lord!
TRISTÁN
1255
I'd never have said a single word
1256
To hurt you, sir, if you had not
1257
Commanded me.
BELTRÁN
I know too well
1258
Your loyalty and love for me.
TRISTÁN
1259
Then, sir, forgive my temerity
1260
If I remind you not to tell
1261
Your son. Don García must never hear
1262
That I mentioned it. Surely you see
1263
The risk I run.
BELTRÁN
Put your trust in me,
1264
Tristán, and put away all fear.
1265
Go out and order them to prepare
1266
Our horses.
TRISTÁN goes out
O God in Heaven!
1267
Well, since it is your will, Lord, even
1268
This must make sense somehow—somewhere!
1269
For the balance of my time on earth, late
1270
In my sad life, my only consolation
1271
Is my one son, my only relation—
1272
And God burdens me with this—counterweight!
1273
Ah well, it was ever thus—old men
1274
Are forever disappointed in
1275
Their sons. And ills have always been
1276
Worst in the eldest. Patience, then!
1277
I'll try to bring this marriage plan
1278
To a swift conclusion today;
1279
And with a little speed I may
1280
Just mend this fault—if I can
1281
Do it before the court starts taking
1282
Notice of his instability
1283
Which would pretty effectively
1284
Block any marriage worth the making.
1285
With any luck, his new position
1286
As a married man might just be
1287
The very motivation that he
1288
Needs, to reform his vile condition.
1289
For it's useless to think that constant correction,
1290
Advice, rebuke, or disapproval
1291
Would ever bring about the removal
1292
Of such an ingrained predilection.
TRISTÁN comes back in
TRISTÁN
1293
The horses are ready, waiting for
1294
Your command to go, each one
1295
Testing its iron shoes upon
1296
The cobblestones of the courtyard floor.
1297
Your dappled stallion, eager to advance
1298
At the head of the parade, re-learns
1299
All by himself the twists and turns
1300
And intricate steps of his dance.
1301
Behind him, the bay, proudly daring
1302
To match her rider in reputation,
1303
Studies with renewed dedication
1304
Her motions and her equine bearing.
BELTRÁN
1305
Go tell García—hurry him on.
TRISTÁN
1306
Your son awaits you—so gallantly,
1307
That all the court will think that he,
1308
Even at this hour, brings a new dawn.
They go out
Scene Two: A room in Don Sancho's house
Enter Doña JACINTA and ISABEL
ISABEL
1309
I told Lucrecia, ma'am, and she
1310
Grabbed for her pen and immediately
1311
Started to put your brilliant plan
1312
Into action. The son of Don Beltrán
1313
This night beneath her balcony
1314
Will wait. "An urgent matter," she wrote,
1315
"We must discuss tonight." Close quote.
1316
There you can chat with him—he must
1317
Obey. Camino carried the note,
1318
And he's a person you can trust.
JACINTA
1319
Lucrecia's so obliging to me!
ISABEL
1320
At every opportunity
1321
She shows herself a perfect friend.
JACINTA
1322
Is it late?
ISABEL
It's five.
JACINTA
Will it never end—
1323
This worry? Even asleep, the memory
1324
Distresses me of my poor Don Juan;
1325
During my nap, I dreamt that he
1326
Was all consumed with jealousy
1327
Of another suitor!
They look out the window
ISABEL
It's Don Beltrán!
1328
And with him—ay!—your Peruvian!
JACINTA
1329
What are you talking about?
ISABEL
That man
1330
You spoke with today, on Silver Street,
1331
He's riding alongside Don Beltrán—
1332
See for yourself!
JACINTA
My God, that can-
1333
not be—you're right—it's him! That cheat!
1334
That fraud! That liar! Why would he
1335
Pretend to be an American
1336
When he's the son of Don Beltrán?
ISABEL
1337
Because money will always be
1338
Crucial to any engagement plan.
1339
Money played an important part
1340
In gaining access to your heart—
1341
He thought. He must imagine this is
1342
At least the likeliest way to start—
1343
As Midas, rather than Narcissus.
JACINTA
1344
So when he said it was last year when
1345
He first saw me—he was lying again!
1346
I clearly heard his father say
1347
He just arrived in Madrid today
1348
From Salamanca.
ISABEL
But then—
1349
To put it in the best possible light,
1350
It could be true, lady, you know.
1351
He might have seen you a year ago,
1352
Then left Madrid, and then he might
1353
Have returned from Salamanca last night.
1354
And if he didn't, what's the surprise
1355
If someone who's desirous of
1356
Gaining favor in a lady's eyes,
1357
And giving credit to his love,
1358
Strengthens his gifts with a couple of lies?
1359
What's more, I'm pretty sure he's not
1360
Indulging in hyperbole
1361
For nothing. Trust me. García got
1362
His father here as speedily
1363
As if he took a bow and shot
1364
Him over to talk with you. Can't be a
1365
Coincidence. To see you and say
1366
He loves you, and then that very day
1367
His father's here with the bright idea
1368
Of having you marry his son Garc´a.
JACINTA
1369
You're right—but still I would have thought
1370
The time between when he saw me
1371
And when his father came, and brought
1372
These wedding plans of his, was not
1373
Long enough.
ISABEL
But it was, if he
1374
Knew who you were all the time, then met
1375
His father on Silver Street, who knew
1376
You as well, and was not unaware of who
1377
Your family was, and they talked, and he let
1378
Him know how much he felt for you,
1379
And he—since he adored his son—
1380
And rightly so—moved fast.
JACINTA
What will be
1381
Will be. The boy's a handsome one,
1382
His father's crazy about me, and he
1383
Desires me. Consider the marriage done.
They go out
Scene Three: Atocha Boulevard
Enter Don BELTRÁN and Don GARCÍA
BELTRÁN
1384
What are you thinking about?
GARCÍA
That this
1385
Is the finest horse I've ever seen.
BELTRÁN
1386
A beautiful beast.
GARCÍA
How well she's been
1387
Trained, and how sharp her spirit is!
1388
So mild, yet so magnificent!
BELTRÁN
1389
Your brother Gabriel, may he rest
1390
In peace, thought her the best;
1391
She was his joy, his sole content.
GARCÍA
1392
So now, sir, that we've found our way
1393
To the hermitage on this lonely hill,
1394
What did you want? What's your will?
BELTRÁN
1395
What's my pain, you ought to say.
1396
Are you a gentleman, García?
GARCÍA
1397
I've always thought I was your son.
BELTRÁN
1398
I see, just being a son of mine
1399
Is all you need to make you one?
GARCÍA
1400
Well, yes, father, I think it is.
BELTRÁN
1401
Well, that's a really dumb idea!
1402
Because you have to act like one,
1403
To be a gentleman, Garc´a.
1404
How do you think the noblest houses
1405
Started? The founders made a name
1406
For themselves by their noble deeds.
1407
They had no ancestry to claim;
1408
These lowborn men had but their acts
1409
With which to honor their progeny.
1410
It's acting well or ill that makes
1411
You good or bad. Now do you see
1412
What I'm telling you?
GARCÍA
I don't deny
1413
That noble deeds can make a man
1414
Noble, but I will also say
1415
If deeds don't do it, then birth can.
BELTRÁN
1416
But if a man of lowly birth
1417
Can gain nobility, then is
1418
The opposite not true as well—
1419
May not the high born man lose his?
GARCÍA
1420
That's also true.
BELTRÁN
So then if you
1421
Perform disgraceful acts, you can—
1422
Even though you are my son—
1423
Fail to be a gentleman.
1424
And if your every action was
1425
A scandal to society,
1426
My coat of arms would count for nothing,
1427
As would your noble ancestry.
1428
What is all this I hear with my
1429
Own ears—that all your lies and all
1430
Your stories have become the wonder
1431
Of Salamanca? And you call
1432
Yourself a gentleman! You're nothing!
1433
To call any man a liar—this
1434
Alone is enough to ruin him—
1435
Tell me what being a liar is!
1436
If in the world's eyes, I were
1437
A man without honor, as long
1438
As people said I was a liar,
1439
I wouldn't leave the house. How strong
1440
And tough your heart must be, or else
1441
How long the sword you bear, that you
1442
Think you can walk around with all
1443
The town calling you what they do!
1444
How can such a man exist,
1445
With thoughts so base and so inane,
1446
To enslave himself to such a vice
1447
That yields him neither joy nor gain!
1448
At least the lecher has the lure
1449
Of seeking sexual satisfaction;
1450
The miser has the comfort of
1451
His money's power and attraction;
1452
The glutton has his feasts to please
1453
His palate; the gambler has the thrill
1454
Of play and hope of winning big
1455
To keep him coming back; the kill-
1456
er satisfies his blood revenge;
1457
The thief enjoys the haul he's made;
1458
Even a quarrelsome man may gain
1459
A reputation with his blade.
1460
So every vice, in short, can yield
1461
Some pleasure or some benefit—
1462
Except for lying. What does it bring
1463
But infamy and scorn with it?
GARCÍA
1464
Whoever says that I tell lies
1465
Is just a. . . liar!
BELTRÁN
And once again
1466
You lie. That's all you know, even to
1467
Defend yourself—you lie, and then
1468
You lie again.
GARCÍA
But if you won't
1469
Believe in me—
BELTRÁN
Believe in what?
1470
That you tell truth and all the town
1471
Tells lies? Am I an idiot?
1472
What matters now is that you give
1473
The lie to your defamers by
1474
Your actions. It's a whole new world;
1475
Speak little and speak true. A high
1476
And saintly king lives here—for all
1477
To see; you cannot use some fault
1478
Of his to excuse your own. And here
1479
You deal with all the most exalt-
1480
ed peers of Spain, with gentlemen
1481
And lords, who if they ever find
1482
Your weakness out, will never give
1483
You their respect. Must I remind
1484
You more? You're all grown up, you wear
1485
A beard upon your chin and a sharp sword
1486
At your side, you're nobly born, and I'm
1487
Your father—that's my final word;
1488
I've nothing more to say; I hope
1489
A simple reprimand will be
1490
Enough for one of your high rank
1491
And mental ingenuity.
1492
And now, just so you understand
1493
How much I've been upset and harried
1494
About your welfare, you should know
1495
I'm working to get you nobly married.
GARCÍA
1496
Aside
(Ay! My Lucrecia!)
BELTRÁN
Never before
1497
My son, has heaven deigned to place
1498
Such heavenly beauties, such divine
1499
Endowments in a human face
1500
As in Jacinta, daughter of
1501
Don Fernando Pacheco—she
1502
From whom I look to have some fine
1503
Grandchildren in my seniority.
GARCÍA
1504
Aside
(Ay, my Lucrecia! Can it be?
1505
You are the only mistress of
1506
My heart!)
BELTRÁN
What's this? No answer?
GARCÍA
(Yours
1507
I must be, by heaven, my love!)
BELTRÁN
1508
Now what are you so sad about?
1509
Speak up—don't keep me in suspense.
GARCÍA
1510
I'm sad because I find I can-
1511
not give you my obedience.
BELTRÁN
But why?
GARCÍA
1512
Because I am already married.
BELTRÁN
1513
You're married! How can this be?
1514
My God! And I not know it?
GARCÍA
Well,
1515
I had to marry—and secretly.
BELTRÁN
1516
Was ever father so disgraced!
GARCÍA
1517
Don't be distressed, for once you un-
1518
derstand the cause, dear father, you
1519
Will find the result a happy one.
BELTRÁN
1520
My life hangs by a slender thread—
1521
Get to the point—and speedily.
GARCÍA
1522
Aside
(Come on, imagination, lend
1523
Me now your finest subtlety. )
To BELTRÁN
1524
There lives in Salamanca, sir,
1525
A gentleman of noble fame
1526
And family. His forbears were
1527
Herreras, Don Pedro is his name.
1528
Heaven has given him a daughter,
1529
A second heaven, with suns for eyes
1530
And cheeks as rosy as the water
1531
On the horizon at sunrise.
1532
To keep it brief, I'll say this much
1533
Only, no more: that Nature, sir,
1534
Took every blessing fit for such
1535
A young age, and gave them all to her.
1536
But Fortune, when she sees some one
1537
So blest, is Nature's enemy,
1538
And to oppose what Nature had done,
1539
Gave her the gift of poverty.
1540
Moreover, though her family
1541
Was far less rich than noble, there
1542
Were three in line for the legacy,
1543
Two brothers born ahead of her.
1544
I saw her in her coach one night,
1545
Riding toward the river. If on-
1546
ly it were Italy, it might
1547
Have been the coach of Phaëton—
1548
But it was Spain. Who ever said
1549
That Cupid's shafts were tipped with flame?
1550
What I felt then was ice instead—
1551
A chill that pierced me all the same.
1552
Why do we think of them as hot—
1553
These passions and these feelings, if
1554
Under their spell the soul is caught
1555
And held, the body frozen stiff?
1556
In brief, I had to see her there,
1557
And seeing her, love had to make
1558
Me blind, I had to follow her,
1559
I was so rapt; and it would take
1560
A heart of bronze to judge me for't.
1561
By day I walked her street, by night
1562
Lived at her gate. I had resort
1563
To go-betweens and notes. I'd write
1564
Her of my passion, till at last
1565
From pity or affection, she
1566
Responded; for Love's laws bind fast
1567
Even among divinity.
1568
The more affection that I showed
1569
To her, the more she did requite
1570
It—till at last on me she bestowed
1571
The heaven of her room one night.
1572
And as my burning passions, restrain-
1573
ing all my scruples, sought to ease
1574
My aching heart's enormous pain
1575
And find with her, love's sweet release,
1576
I heard her father coming to
1577
Her room. What called him there?—it was
1578
Not something that he used to do;
1579
What was it? It was Fortune cross-
1580
ing me that night. Alarmed, but bold—
1581
Oh woman!—she pushed my almost dead
1582
Body, unmoving, frozen, cold,
1583
Behind the curtains of her bed.
1584
In came Don Pedro, and she to hide
1585
Her face, now drained of color, flung
1586
Her arms about him, and bravely tried
1587
To feign delight even as she clung
1588
To him. They sat together, side
1589
By side, and he explained how she
1590
Might benefit by being allied
1591
To the Monroyes family
1592
By marriage. She, with equal parts
1593
Of candor and of caution, said
1594
Enough to comfort both our hearts—
1595
For I could hear her from the bed.
1596
The two said their goodnights, and then
1597
Just as her father headed out
1598
Her bedroom door, the moment when
1599
The old man's foot was just about
1600
To cross her threshold—cursèd be
1601
The inventor of—damned and amen!—
1602
The chiming pocket-watch! You see,
1603
Mine began striking midnight then.
1604
Don Pedro heard it, turned and said,
1605
"What is a watch doing over there?"
1606
"That watch? why, it was forwarded
1607
To me," she answered, "for repair—
1608
By Don Diego Ponce, my
1609
Cousin, you know, because out where
1610
He lives, he says, there's a scant supply
1611
Of watches and watchmakers there."
1612
"Give it to me," her father said,
1613
"And I'll take care of it." She came
1614
Running quite swiftly toward the bed—
1615
Did Sancha—that was my lady's name—
1616
To fetch the watch away from me,
1617
And prevent her father from doing so,
1618
Before it simultaneously
1619
Came into his head that he should go.
1620
I reached for it, and was about
1621
To hand it over, when once again
1622
Chance intervened. As I pulled it out,
1623
My pistol tangled in the chain—
1624
I had the pistol out, you see—
1625
The chain caught in the trigger, the gun
1626
Fired as the hammer fell, and she
1627
Fell, too, at the sound; this seemed to stun
1628
The old man, he began to roar;
1629
And I seeing these sunlike eyes
1630
Eclipsed, heav'n fall'n to the floor,
1631
Was sure that she, my life, my prize,
1632
The goal of all my actions, lay dead—
1633
A victim of the atrocity
1634
Committed by those balls of lead
1635
That flew at her so suddenly
1636
Out of my pistol's mouth. In rage,
1637
Racked with despair, I drew my blade;
1638
I was prepared now to engage
1639
A thousand men. His two sons stayed
1640
Me from escaping—they were twin
1641
Brave lions, armed, and with them stood
1642
An army of their servants in
1643
The hall, opposing me. I could
1644
Have whipped them all—quite easily—
1645
So sharp were both my fury and my blade—
1646
But human strength can never be
1647
Victorious, once Fate has made
1648
Its dire decree. For just as I
1649
Was fighting past them coming in,
1650
My swordbelt was entangled by
1651
A metal hook—it must have been
1652
The knocker on the bedroom door!
1653
I'd have to turn my back to free
1654
Myself, and be a target for
1655
Their wall of swords. That instant she—
1656
My Sancha—woke, regained her sense,
1657
And fearing what the end might be
1658
Of this unfortunate turn of events,
1659
She pulled so mightily on me
1660
And pushed so hard upon the door,
1661
That in I tumbled, sword and all,
1662
Safe in her room, and what is more,
1663
She locked my enemies in the hall.
1664
We both piled up a barricade
1665
Of bureaus, chests, and trunks to bar
1666
The door—hoping that wrath delayed
1667
Might be some remedy. But far
1668
More strength we would have needed, for
1669
My foes, in fury, tore right through
1670
The bedroom wall, and knocked the door
1671
Clean off its iron hinges, too.
1672
Now seeing that however much
1673
I might delay it, nothing could
1674
Prevent my foes from exacting such
1675
A punishment as honor would
1676
Demand of me, and seeing at
1677
My side, beautiful Sancha, the love-
1678
ly partner of my Fate, and that
1679
Terror had plucked the roses of
1680
Her cheeks, and seeing how through no
1681
Fault of her own she tossed with me
1682
Upon the storm of Chance, and blow
1683
For blow did fight with Destiny—
1684
So to reward her loyalty,
1685
To spare her any further dread,
1686
To escape a certain death for me,
1687
And kill all further conflict dead,
1688
I had no choice, sir, but to yield—
1689
And ask whether this bloody fray
1690
Between us might not best be healed
1691
By union of our bloods that day.
1692
They saw the risk of continuing,
1693
And knew quite well my quality,
1694
And after a little squabbling
1695
Among themselves, agreed with me.
1696
Her father brought the Bishop the news
1697
And then returned victorious
1698
With his permission for us to use
1699
Any priest at all to marry us.
1700
So that was done, and mortal war
1701
Concluded in the sweetest peace,
1702
And you have gained a daughter-in-law
1703
Unmatched on earth, or the seven seas.
1704
And yet we all agreed that you
1705
Should not be told of it. For your
1706
Assent had not been given; then too,
1707
There was the fact that she was poor.
1708
But now at last you have to know—
1709
Then tell me, would you have it so?
1710
Which would be better—to have me dead
1711
Or living, and so nobly wed?
BELTRÁN
1712
From what you say, I'm satisfied
1713
That overpowering Fate or Chance
1714
Has destined her to be your bride—
1715
So much is clear from the circumstance.
1716
And so the only fault you bear
1717
Is in not telling me.
GARCÍA
That I
1718
Might grieve you, sir, was all my fear—
1719
Enough to silence me.
BELTRÁN
And why,
1720
If she's so noble, should I care
1721
If she is poor? The worst thing is—
1722
Of which you seem quite unaware—
1723
That I must now return with this
1724
News to Jacinta, to whom I have
1725
Given my word. Look at the bind
1726
You put me in! All right, we'll save
1727
A longer talk for later; we'll find
1728
Some time tonight. Ride home at once;
1729
Go on, we can discuss it there.
BELTRÁN goes out
GARCÍA
1730
I go, in all obedience;
1731
I'll be just in time for evening prayer.
1732
Well, that went well. The old man went
1733
Away convinced of everything
1734
I said! So lies will never bring
1735
A person profit or content?
1736
Says who? I'm obviously elated
1737
To see him swallow all I said,
1738
And clearly I have profited
1739
By fleeing a marriage which I hated.
1740
That was a wonder to behold!
1741
He bawls me out for telling lies,
1742
And then immediately he buys
1743
The biggest lie I ever told.
1744
It's really quite a simple feat
1745
To persuade someone who wants to be;
1746
And they're deceived quite easily
1747
Who are unpracticed in deceit.
1748
But now—Don Juan is waiting for me!
Calls off
1749
Hey there! My horse! I've witnessed some
1750
Amazing things, and they have come
1751
So hard and fast I think I must be
1752
Crazy. I'm here one day, and see!—
1753
In just an instant, I'm in love,
1754
Engaged to be married, and the rival of
1755
Someone who wants to challenge me.
Don JUAN DE SOSA comes in
JUAN DE SOSA
1756
So, Don García, you have been
1757
As good as your word.
GARCÍA
Who could know
1758
My breeding and think I would be so
1759
Base-hearted as to fail? Let's begin,
1760
Don Juan—what is the cause, my friend,
1761
For which you call me here? What wrong
1762
Have I done you? Come, sir, I long
1763
To know. Why must our friendship end
1764
In a deadly duel? Come, sir, confide.
JUAN DE SOSA
1765
She is the cause, that lady who—
1766
If what you told me, still holds true—
1767
Dined with you by the riverside
1768
Last night. She is the reason why
1769
I suffer, she whom two years ago
1770
I made my fiancée, and, though
1771
Our marriage is delayed, whom I
1772
Intend to wed. You have been here
1773
A month, and though you may have been
1774
The whole time barricaded in
1775
Your house, hidden from me, it's clear
1776
You must have known—so publicly
1777
Have I expressed to her my love,
1778
You could not have been ignorant of
1779
My intentions—and so offended me.
1780
And now that I have said my piece,
1781
I have just one more thing to say,
1782
And it is this: either today
1783
You stop pursuing her, and cease
1784
All contact, for she's the goal I've fol-
1785
lowed all these years—or if you feel
1786
That my request is groundless, we'll
1787
Decide it with swords—winner take all.
GARCÍA
1788
It grieves me, sir, that you could be
1789
So ill informed in all you say,
1790
That you could call me out today
1791
To this place, just to fight with me.
1792
The lady by the riverside,
1793
By Heaven, Hell, and Earth between,
1794
Is someone you have never seen,
1795
Nor could she ever be your bride.
1796
The woman's married, she got to Madrid
1797
Only a while ago, Don Juan;
1798
I know for sure, if anyone
1799
Has seen her, it's me—you never did.
1800
And once she goes, I've no desire
1801
To see her again, as I hope to live,
1802
Nor ever will, on this I give
1803
You my solemn word—or call me a liar!
JUAN DE SOSA
1804
What you have told me puts an end
1805
To all suspicion, and the rage inside
1806
My heart is calmed. I am satisfied.
GARCÍA
1807
Well, I'm not satisfied, my friend!
1808
You called me here, you challenged me;
1809
Since that is so, my honor's still
1810
In question. Of your own free will
1811
You did it, I'm not so easily
1812
Put off. I'm no longer free
1813
To go—for here I must remain,
1814
Be true to what I am, and gain
1815
Either my death or victory.
JUAN DE SOSA
1816
Consider, friend, before we engage,
1817
That though my fears are satisfied,
1818
I still feel burning deep inside,
1819
The memory of my jealous rage.
They draw their swords and begin to skirmish; Don FÉLIX enters
FÉLIX
1820
Gentlemen, put up your swords,
1821
I've come to stop you!
GARCÍA
I'd like to see
1822
The man capable of stopping me!
FÉLIX
1823
Sheathe your steel, and hear my words;
1824
The quarrel between the two of you
1825
Is groundless!
JUAN DE SOSA
I told him so, but he
1826
Insists on the necessity
1827
Of answering my call, and drew
1828
His naked sword for honor's sake.
FÉLIX
1829
And like a gentleman he drew
1830
His sword, with valor equal to
1831
His mighty spirit, and that should make
1832
His honor safe. Sir, understand,
1833
I beg you, it was jealousy
1834
That blinded him, and grant that he
1835
May have your pardon and your hand.
GARCÍA
1836
I will be ruled by you; well said.
1837
But be more careful from this time on,
1838
And don't rush into things, Don Juan,
1839
Where even angels fear to tread.
1840
The whole thing should be comprehended,
1841
Before you ever duel again;
1842
It's crazy to start the process, when
1843
You know the way these things are ended.
Don GARCÍA goes out
FÉLIX
1844
You're a very lucky man, you know,
1845
That I arrived here just in time.
JUAN DE SOSA
1846
In other words, you're saying I'm
1847
Mistaken.
FÉLIX
Yes.
JUAN DE SOSA
Who told you so?
FÉLIX
1848
One of Lucrecia's pages. I know
1849
All the details.
JUAN DE SOSA
Then tell them to me—
1850
What really happened?
FÉLIX
Your page did see
1851
Jacinta's coach and coachman go
1852
Last night down to the elm grove on
1853
The riverside. And the ladies within
1854
Had themselves quite a marvelous din-
1855
ner. But! The coach was a borrowed one.
1856
Here are the facts. Last night at the ver-
1857
y hour Lucrecia went to see
1858
Your beautful Jacinta, she
1859
Was trying to deal with a pair
1860
Of queens from out of town—her two
1861
Cousins, the ones with the killing eyes?
JUAN DE SOSA
1862
The ones from Carmen Street?
FÉLIX
Precise-
1863
ly. And they're the very ladies who
1864
Begged Jacinta to let them use
1865
Her coach, in which they made their way
1866
Under cover of night, to the river; and they
1867
Were the ones of whom your page brought news,
1868
Whom you had ordered to keep an eye
1869
On the coach, who seeing two women in there,
1870
And no other visitors anywhere,
1871
Had to assume it was occupied by
1872
Jacinta and Lucrecia.
JUAN DE SOSA
Of course!
FÉLIX
1873
He followed the coach diligently,
1874
And when it stopped at the elm grove, he
1875
Saw all the waiters and troubadours
1876
And left to come to look for us
1877
In Madrid. And it's because he couldn't
1878
Find us that you've been in pain. You wouldn't
1879
Have suffered from such torturous
1880
Jealousy, if you had gone
1881
To the grove and discovered your mistake.
JUAN DE SOSA
1882
Yes, that's the thing that made me make
1883
This fatal error! And yet upon
1884
Discovering that I was wrong
1885
I feel such joy, that everything
1886
I've suffered seems worth the suffering.
FÉLIX
1887
I've something else to pass along.
1888
You might find it amusing.
JUAN DE SOSA
Say.
FÉLIX
1889
It's something our friend García did.
1890
It seems he only got to Madrid
1891
From Salamanca yesterday.
1892
And instantly he went to bed
1893
And slept the entire night away;
1894
So everything you heard him say
1895
About this feast was all in his head.
JUAN DE SOSA
1896
What are you saying?
FÉLIX
I tell you true.
JUAN DE SOSA
1897
You mean that Don García lies?
FÉLIX
1898
I'd say that any man with eyes
1899
In his head could see that. The whole thing's too
1900
Farfetched to be believed—gold
1901
And silver service, six pavilions,
1902
Sideboards piled high with millions
1903
Of plates, thirty-two courses, ice-cold
1904
Goblets, orchestras, a four-part choir!
JUAN DE SOSA
1905
The only thing that puzzles me
1906
Is how a valiant man could be
1907
Such an outrageous liar.
1908
The fury of his sword might try
1909
The strength of Hercules.
FÉLIX
Then he
1910
Inherited his bravery;
1911
He had to teach himself to lie.
JUAN DE SOSA
1912
Let's go to Jacinta, it's time that I
1913
Went and apologized to her,
1914
And tried to explain how it could occur
1915
That such a liar could rouse all my
1916
Suspicions.
FÉLIX
And from now on, be
1917
Careful not to believe a word
1918
He says.
JUAN DE SOSA
Even if I heard
1919
The truth, I'd think it a fantasy.
And they go out
Scene Four: A Street
Enter Don GARCÍA, TRISTÁN, and CAMINO
GARCÍA
1920
I hope my father will forgive
1921
Me for deceiving him. There was
1922
No choice.
TRISTÁN
It was ingenious,
1923
But tell me, sir, what narrative
1924
Will you think up now, to keep him from
1925
Figuring out your wedding story
1926
Was a fiction?
GARCÍA
Well, before he
1927
Finds out, I guess I'll tell him some-
1928
thing else—I'll write back false replies
1929
To every letter he gives me to send
1930
To Salamanca. Why should it end?
1931
I can keep it going by telling more lies.
Doña JACINTA, Doña LUCRECIA, and ISABEL enter above, in a window
JACINTA
1932
I'd just got used to the whole idea,
1933
When back comes Don Beltrán, enraged,
1934
With the news that I couldn't be engaged
1935
To be married to Don García.
LUCRECIA
1936
So then your fake American
1937
Really was his son, García.
JACINTA
That's true,
1938
My friend.
LUCRECIA
And who acquainted you
1939
With the story of the banquet?
JACINTA
Don Juan.
LUCRECIA
1940
But when did you have time to see
1941
Don Juan?
JACINTA
Tonight—he just now went.
1942
He knew the story well, and spent
1943
The whole time telling it to me.
LUCRECIA
1944
It's rather grand—his dishonesty!
1945
And you should punish him for it, I'd say.
JACINTA
1946
Those three men there—does it look like they
1947
Are heading toward our balcony?
LUCRECIA
1948
It's Don García marching to
1949
His post. It's time.
JACINTA
Go, Isabel,
1950
Spy on the two old men and tell
1951
Us what they're doing.
LUCRECIA
I can tell you;
1952
My father's telling your uncle some slow,
1953
Dull, long drawn-out story about
1954
God knows what.
ISABEL
Then I'll go out;
1955
And when I come back, I'll let you know.
To Don GARCÍA
CAMINO
1956
There's the balcony where your heart,
1957
Your soul, your glory waits for you.
To Doña JACINTA
LUCRECIA
1958
It's your big scene, I want you to
1959
Speak all my lines, and take my part.
GARCÍA
1960
Lucrecia?
JACINTA
García, is that you?
GARCÍA
1961
It is one who found a jewel today
1962
On Silver Street, richer than may
1963
Be carved by the hand of heaven—one who
1964
From the first moment he laid his eyes
1965
On you, was caught in the grip of love,
1966
And surrended his heart, his soul, all of
1967
His life, so greatly did he prize
1968
Your worth—one who in essence gave
1969
Himself. As yours alone does he
1970
Account himself, and begins to be
1971
Today what he is—Lucrecia's slave.
JACINTA
1972
Doña JACINTA and Doña LUCRECIA speak aside
(My friend, this gallant seems to be
1973
In love with every girl he sees.)
LUCRECIA
1974
(Then he's a charlatan.)
JACINTA
(He's
1975
A great pretender, certainly.)
GARCÍA
1976
My lady, I am eager to be
1977
Of any service I may to you.
JACINTA
1978
It's no longer possible to do
1979
What I hoped you would discuss with me—
TRISTÁN
1980
TRISTÁN and Don GARCÍA speak aside
(Is that her?)
GARCÍA
(Oh, yes!)
JACINTA
I wished to discuss
1981
An important marriage, sir, and so
1982
I sent for you, but now I know
1983
That it's not possible for us.
GARCÍA
1984
But why?
JACINTA
Because you've made a prior
1985
Marriage.
GARCÍA
I have? Who, me?
JACINTA
Yes, you.
GARCÍA
1986
I'm single, by heaven! It's not true!
1987
Whoever told you that was a liar!
JACINTA
1988
Doña JACINTA and Doña LUCRECIA speak aside
(Have you ever seen a bigger fraud?)
LUCRECIA
1989
(All he knows how to do is deceive.)
JACINTA
1990
That's what you'd like me to believe!
GARCÍA
1991
I'm single, I tell you—I swear to God!
JACINTA
1992
(And now he swears it!)
LUCRECIA
(That's what they do—
1993
Liars—that's how they work—they all
1994
Take oaths to bolster up their fall-
1995
ing credit, and make their lies seem true.)
GARCÍA
1996
If yours is the white hand that Fate
1997
Has chosen to be the crown of my
1998
Good fortune, I hope that I
1999
Can keep from forfeiting that great-
2000
est good by simply proving to you
2001
That I am guiltless of this offense.
JACINTA
2002
(He lies with so much confidence!
2003
Doesn't it almost seem to be true?)
GARCÍA
2004
Here is my hand, and by the power
2005
Of that, lady, believe in me.
JACINTA
2006
A hand you'd give as surety
2007
To three hundred women in a single hour?
GARCÍA
2008
Somehow I've lost my credit with you.
JACINTA
2009
For a very good reason, I would say.
2010
You expect to keep it, when today
2011
You told me you were from Peru?
2012
When the truth is you were born right here
2013
In Madrid, and that although you just
2014
Got back into town, you said you must
2015
Have been around for a whole year
2016
Here in the court. And then you claim,
2017
Somewhat more recently, that you
2018
Were wed in Salamanca to
2019
Some woman, which you now disclaim,
2020
And on top of that, you were in your bed
2021
Asleep last night, although you lied
2022
And said you were by the riverside
2023
Feasting some lady with a fancy spread.
TRISTÁN
2024
(I'd say that covers it.)
GARCÍA
All right, this
2025
Is the simple truth. Listen to me,
2026
My glorious one, I think I see
2027
Exactly where the problem is.
2028
I really don't think I need to bring
2029
The other matters up, they're not
2030
Important, really. But we've got
2031
To talk about the crucial thing—
2032
This marriage. Lucrecia, will you tell
2033
Me something: if you were the reason why
2034
I said I was married, would the lie
2035
I told be blamed on you as well?
JACINTA
2036
If I were the reason?
GARCÍA
Yes, my prize.
JACINTA
2037
How could I be?
GARCÍA
I'll tell you how.
JACINTA
2038
(You listen close, Lucrecia, now
2039
We're going to get some gorgeous lies.)
GARCÍA
2040
This very day my father was trying
2041
To arrange a marriage for me, to force
2042
Me to marry someone else. But yours
2043
I must be, and I hoped by lying
2044
To prevent it. And in expectation of
2045
Gaining your hand, when it comes to
2046
All other women, I'm married, for you
2047
And you alone, I'm single, my love.
2048
When I got your note, I had to be
2049
Encouraged, and so I tried to block,
2050
With this excuse, all further talk
2051
Of other marriage plans for me.
2052
So that's the story. And if you view
2053
The whole thing as a rude surprise,
2054
Remember that what prompted the lies
2055
Was really the truth of my love for you.
LUCRECIA
2056
(If only that were so!)
JACINTA
(How well
2057
He talks, and with so little time
2058
To prepare!) So, you say that I'm
2059
The reason why you suffer—tell
2060
Me then how could I be, on so
2061
Short an acquaintance? You saw me today,
2062
And you're hopelessly in love, you say?
2063
You'd marry a woman you don't even know?
GARCÍA
2064
I grant, today I saw your beauty
2065
For the first time, lady, and love
2066
Compels me now to speak to you of
2067
Only what's true—it is my duty.
2068
But don't forget that godlike things
2069
Work miracles, and Cupid, though
2070
He's far too young to walk, can go
2071
Swift as the wind, on Love's own wings.
2072
And thus to say a moment would be
2073
Too short a time to make me die
2074
Of love, Lucrecia, is to deny
2075
Your power and your divinity.
2076
You ask how I can love you when
2077
I know you hardly at all. I would
2078
To God I didn't know you! I could
2079
Be sure my love was purer then.
2080
But I do know you—and your family;
2081
Your name is sweet upon my lips:
2082
You are a Luna without eclipse,
2083
A Mendoza free from infamy.
2084
I know your mother has passed away,
2085
You live alone in your great house,
2086
Your father's income exceeds a thous-
2087
and doubloons—I'm sure. Now can you say
2088
That I am ill informed? I would
2089
To God, my dearest love, you knew
2090
Me half so well, and loved me too.
LUCRECIA
2091
(Love him! I almost think I could.)
JACINTA
2092
But what about Jacinta? She's
2093
Pretty enough, isn't she,
2094
Smart and rich enough to be
2095
Courted by all the finest grandees?
GARCÍA
2096
She's smart, rich, and pretty, I concur.
2097
But that means nothing at all to me.
JACINTA
2098
Why, what defect in her do you see?
GARCÍA
2099
The biggest—I'm not in love with her.
JACINTA
2100
Suppose I wanted you to be
2101
Married to her? That that was why
2102
I called you here? What would you reply?
GARCÍA
2103
That you were being hard on me
2104
For nothing. That's what my father said,
2105
He had the same idea today;
2106
And that is why I had to say
2107
That I already had been wed
2108
To someone else. So that won't work.
2109
I'm sorry, no; and if you try
2110
To talk me into it, then I
2111
Would sooner get married to a Turk.
2112
And that's the truth. And I swear here,
2113
That I will hate—such is my love—
2114
Anything else you can even think of,
2115
That isn't you, Lucrecia dear.
LUCRECIA
2116
(Would it were true!)
JACINTA
Have you no shame?
2117
Or is it a faulty memory
2118
That makes you lie so outrageously?
2119
How dare you treat me so—the same
2120
Day that I hear you profess your love
2121
To Jacinta! By all that's holy, how
2122
Do you dare to deny it now?
GARCÍA
2123
Jacinta? I swear by God above,
2124
That you're the only lady I
2125
Have talked to since I came to Madrid.
JACINTA
2126
You might have told your lies and hid
2127
Your shame till now! But will you try—
2128
In the very thing I saw you do—
2129
To tell me lies? If that is so,
2130
How could I ever hope to know
2131
Even the smallest truth from you?
2132
Good-bye! And if I ever hear
2133
From you again, think this, I do
2134
It only to amuse myself with you—
2135
As those, exhausted by the sheer
2136
Weight of their business, leave their tables
2137
And workbenches to seek relief
2138
From their tedium, by spending a brief
2139
Hour or two with Aesop's fables.
Doña JACINTA goes out
GARCÍA
2140
Lovely Lucrecia, hear me out.
LUCRECIA
2141
(Now I'm really confused.)
Doña LUCRECIA goes out
GARCÍA
I'm going mad.
2142
Was there ever a time when true things had
2143
So little credit?
TRISTÁN
When they came out
2144
Of a lying mouth.
GARCÍA
She didn't believe
2145
A word I said!
TRISTÁN
What's the surprise?
2146
She caught you in six or seven lies
2147
Already. What did you hope to achieve?
2148
The next time give it a little thought—
2149
And you'll see—the man who lies in small
2150
Affairs, will he be trusted at all
2151
In important matters? I think not!
And they go out
END OF ACT TWO
Scene One: A Room in Don Sancho's House
CAMINO comes in with a note; he gives it to LUCRECIA
CAMINO
2152
This note for you was given me
2153
By Tristán the trusty, a man who serves
2154
García well and well deserves
2155
His trust—as I deserve to be
2156
Trusted by you—a man whom fate
2157
Has rudely placed in service though
2158
He was nobly born. His master so
2159
Insists upon immediate
2160
Reply, he says, that he would swear
2161
The boy is crazy.
LUCRECIA
It's strange to me!
2162
What man would woo so stubbornly
2163
Who only counterfeits to care?
2164
The strongest love's not strong enough
2165
Unless it is returned again.
2166
Can passion be pretended when
2167
It's so undaunted by rebuff?
CAMINO
2168
Well, I will swear to this at least—
2169
If what's inside the heart may be known
2170
By what outside the heart is shown,
2171
The man is definitely diseased.
2172
Someone, let's say, who wears a rut
2173
In your street, pacing night and day?
2174
Someone who never looks away
2175
From your shutters, even when they're shut?
2176
Someone who gets to your balcony
2177
Just in time to see you go,
2178
And yet remains there rooted so,
2179
Unseen, unseeing, unceasingly?
2180
Someone who weeps, who even despairs,
2181
And who because I serve his love
2182
Pays me—the surest symptom of
2183
This illness in today's affairs?
2184
So—cross my palm and hope to die,
2185
If he's a liar, I'm insane.
LUCRECIA
2186
Alas, Camino, it's very plain
2187
That you have never heard him lie.
2188
If only I knew he had expressed
2189
His feelings truly, for my own part
2190
I swear to you, his storm-tossed heart
2191
Would find safe harbor in my breast.
2192
Of course I know it would be best
2193
Not to believe his equivocation,
2194
But I'll say this—his imagination
2195
Has certainly piqued my interest.
2196
And though it would be madness to
2197
Give credit to a man who lies,
2198
All things are possible for him who tries,
2199
There's no compulsion not to be true.
2200
Since this is so, I still have just
2201
Enough hope and self-esteem to believe
2202
That he could learn not to deceive
2203
With me, and change his ways. I must,
2204
Of course, protect my honor still;
2205
He may be lying, or he may
2206
Be true in love, so either way
2207
I'll keep in mind both good and ill;
2208
And since he may be worthy of
2209
My hand, I never will respect him
2210
If he lies, nor ever will reject him
2211
If he truly speaks to me of love.
CAMINO
2212
Well, that seems fair enough to me.
LUCRECIA
2213
Then tell him how I cruelly tore
2214
His letter all to pieces before
2215
I could read it. That's what my reply will be.
2216
But then tell him not to despair—
2217
On your own account—and that if he
2218
Still wishes to converse with me
2219
Then he should come to evening prayer
2220
At Mary Magdalen's.
CAMINO
I go.
LUCRECIA
2221
And all my hopes go with you today.
CAMINO
2222
They'll never get lost if they go my way,
2223
I'm the best Camino in town, you know.
They go off
Scene Two: A room in Don Beltrán's house
Enter Don BELTRÁN, Don GARCÍA, and TRISTÁN. Don BELTRÁN takes out an unsealed letter and hands it to Don GARCÍA
BELTRÁN
2224
Have you written yet, my son?
GARCÍA
2225
This evening I was going to.
BELTRÁN
2226
Then here's what I would like you to do—
2227
I'll give you mine right now un-
2228
sealed; you can read it and make sure
2229
Your father-in-law receives the same
2230
Message from both of us now—name-
2231
ly that you'll be coming soon to your
2232
New wife, to bring her back to her
2233
New home yourself. I want you to,
2234
And it's the proper thing to do;
2235
Sending for her would be discour-
2236
teous when you are free to go.
GARCÍA
2237
That's true, but the trip would be in vain.
BELTRÁN
2238
Why?
GARCÍA
She's expecting, and the strain
2239
Of making such a trip, you know,
2240
At least until she gives you what
2241
You're hoping for, a grandson, might be
2242
A risk.
BELTRÁN
It'd be insanity
2243
To travel now. Sweet Jesus! But
2244
Tell me, why did you wait till now
2245
To give me the happy news, García?
GARCÍA
2246
Till yesterday I had no idea—
2247
It came in the mail. They wrote me how
2248
They knew for sure my darling bride,
2249
My Sancha, was with child.
BELTRÁN
What joy
2250
To my old age a little boy
2251
Would bring! What comfort and what pride!
2252
I want to add a word or two
2253
About how pleased I am. Give me
2254
My note.
Don BELTRÁN takes the letter back
Your father-in-law, let's see—
2255
What was the name again?
GARCÍA
Of who?
BELTRÁN
2256
Your father-in-law.
GARCÍA
Aside
(What did I tell
2257
Him?) Don Diego.
BELTRÁN
No, that's not so—
2258
You called him Pedro a while ago,
2259
Unless I'm wrong.
GARCÍA
No, that as well.
2260
Yes, I remember now—he still
2261
Uses them both.
BELTRÁN
Don Pedro and
2262
Don Diego?
GARCÍA
I'm sure you'll understand!
2263
Because of a certain codicil,
2264
All the heirs of the family estate
2265
And fortune have to take the name
2266
Diego. He was Pedro before he became
2267
The head of the family. But since that date
2268
He has to be called Diego, because
2269
Of the codicil in the will, you see,
2270
So now he's Diego, but he still might be
2271
Pedro sometimes, which is who he was.
BELTRÁN
2272
Well, it's a common codicil—
2273
In certain Spanish families.
2274
I'm going to write him.
Don BELTRÁN goes out
TRISTÁN
No more of these
2275
Mix-ups of yours—they make me ill.
GARCÍA
2276
Oh, then you heard my explanation?
TRISTÁN
2277
I heard more than I understood.
2278
I see a liar needs as good
2279
A memory as imagination.
GARCÍA
2280
I thought I was finished.
TRISTÁN
You made a good start
2281
And it's how you'll end up if you don't watch out.
GARCÍA
2282
But meanwhile all I care about
2283
Is how things are going in affairs of the heart—
2284
For better or worse—any news?
TRISTÁN
Well she's
2285
Not nearly as tough as she'd like to be;
2286
I don't think you'll need the brutality
2287
Of a Tarquin to ravish this Lucrece.
GARCÍA
2288
You mean she read my note?
TRISTÁN
Oh, yes.
2289
Although she told Camino to
2290
Report she tore it up. It's true—
2291
It's what I heard the man confess.
2292
And based on that, I'd have to say
2293
This could be going a whole lot worse,
2294
If one believes the little verse
2295
That Martial wrote his girl one day.
2296
"I sent my love a little note,
2297
She never answered. Pretty tough.
2298
But she'll soften soon enough,
2299
Since she read the words I wrote."
GARCÍA
2300
I don't trust him—d'you think it's true?
TRISTÁN
2301
I'm sure Camino's on your side,
2302
And vows—whatever she tries to hide
2303
In her secret heart, he'll reveal to you.
2304
Once he gives his word, he won't take it back—
2305
As long as you keep giving as well,
2306
When it comes to making a sinner tell,
2307
Money's much better than the rack.
2308
And a gift or two for her, I'm told,
2309
Might help to make a conquest of
2310
The girl's reserve. For the God of Love
2311
Makes killing arrows out of gold.
GARCÍA
2312
I never heard you talk before
2313
So grossly! What's got into you?
2314
She's not the kind of woman who
2315
Would give herself for gold like—
TRISTÁN
Book Four
2316
Of the Aeneid, as you know,
2317
Says Dido was consumed with love
2318
For Aeneas, as much the victim of
2319
The Trojan's gifts as Cupid's bow.
2320
And she was a queen! So don't look so
2321
Amazed if what I say sounds rough;
2322
Only a diamond's strong enough
2323
To cut a diamond, you know.
GARCÍA
2324
But didn't you see how she was so
2325
Offended by my offer to her
2326
On Silver Street?
TRISTÁN
The offer, sir,
2327
She found offensive—the jewelry, no.
2328
In these affairs, let custom be
2329
Your guide. As far as I know, around here
2330
They don't cut off a hand or an ear
2331
For the crime of generosity.
GARCÍA
2332
I think I'd give her the earth and sky
2333
If I thought she'd want them.
TRISTÁN
There can be no
2334
More direct way to her than Camino—
2335
He's a polestar you can navigate by.
2336
And just to let you know how well
2337
The whole affair is going, sir,
2338
There's this: Lucrecia ordered her
2339
Servant—the same Camino—to tell
2340
You something, on his own—that his
2341
Sweet mistress would be going to pray
2342
At Mary Magdalen's today.
GARCÍA
2343
What sweet relief from pain this is!
2344
So were you trying to drive me mad
2345
By telling me so slowly?
TRISTÁN
No!
2346
The news was better delivered slow;
2347
The longer it took, the more pleasure you had.
They go out
Scene Three: The cloisters of the convent of Mary Magdalen, with a door leading into the church
Enter Doña JACINTA and Doña LUCRECIA in mantillas
JACINTA
2348
Is Don García still after you?
LUCRECIA
2349
He won't let up. And even though
2350
I know his lying ways, he's so
2351
Relentless, stubborn, and so true
2352
That I'm not sure what I should do.
JACINTA
2353
No law prevents a lying lip
2354
From making the occasional slip
2355
And telling the truth. It may be you
2356
Are not deceived. It may be true—
2357
His love. Why not? A girl whose youth
2358
And loveliness might draw the truth
2359
From any man who looks at you?
LUCRECIA
2360
You're always flattering me; but I
2361
Could never hope to be loved by him;
2362
Your beauty makes the sun grow dim,
2363
And you've already caught his eye.
JACINTA
2364
You know your worth as well as I,
2365
And in our little rivalry
2366
There's never been a victory,
2367
Because the vote is always a tie.
2368
But beauty's not the only thing
2369
You need to get the fire lit;
2370
Love also needs a little bit
2371
Of luck to keep it sizzling.
2372
If I can step aside for you,
2373
My friend, then all my happiness
2374
Would be in seeing you possess
2375
A love I'm not entitled to.
2376
García has no real claim
2377
On me, and this could never be
2378
Your fault. Just do it cautiously,
2379
Or you'll end up being to blame
2380
For rushing headlong into love
2381
And being foolish for believing
2382
Him, after being warned that deceiving
2383
Was all that he was capable of.
LUCRECIA
2384
Thank you so much, but let me just
2385
Help you to ease your suspicious mind;
2386
I never said I was inclined
2387
To give him love, only my trust.
JACINTA
2388
You'll start by feeling bound to believe,
2389
And end up loving boundlessly;
2390
The trip from trust to love can be
2391
So short, you're there before you leave.
LUCRECIA
2392
I wonder, then, what you'd make of
2393
This note from him I just received.
JACINTA
2394
I'd say that you already believed;
2395
I might even say you were in love.
LUCRECIA
2396
Then you'd be wrong; the power of
2397
The will, you know, is often free
2398
To do for curiosity
2399
What it would never do for love.
2400
You liked it when he talked with us
2401
On Silver Street?
JACINTA
I liked it, yes.
LUCRECIA
2402
You let him talk to you; confess,
2403
Were you in love or curious?
JACINTA
2404
Just curious.
LUCRECIA
Well, I'm like that—
2405
Just curious to know what's here
2406
Inside his note, as you once were
2407
To carry on your little chat.
JACINTA
2408
But don't you see you're obvious-
2409
ly wrong? To take a note he sent
2410
Is nothing less than encouragement;
2411
To listen, merely courteous.
LUCRECIA
2412
If he thought that I read the note,
2413
He might find that encouraging;
2414
But he thinks I tore up the thing
2415
Before I read a word he wrote.
JACINTA
2416
Well, clearly then, if that's all you meant,
2417
It was simple curiosity.
LUCRECIA
2418
It's been a lifelong joy for me,
2419
You know, my curious temperament.
2420
But listen to this, my dear, will you,
2421
And see if you can recognize
2422
His falsehoods? Tell me, are these lies?
2423
Can they be lies, that sound so true?
Doña LUCRECIA takes out the note and reads it quietly to herself. CAMINO, TRISTÁN, and Don GARCÍA come in from the other side
CAMINO
2424
You see right there—the one who's got
2425
The paper in her hand?
GARCÍA
I do.
CAMINO
2426
Well, that's Lucrecia.
GARCÍA
Aside
(Lucrecia, it's you!
2427
The cause of all my pain! But what
2428
Is in that note? O, jealousy!)
2429
Camino, I am in your debt.
TRISTÁN
2430
Which means tomorrow you can get
2431
That brand new suit.
CAMINO
Happy to be
2432
Of service.
CAMINO goes out
GARCÍA
Tristán, here's what I need—
2433
A way of getting over there
2434
Without her seeing me, to where
2435
I'm close enough to her to read
2436
That paper!
TRISTÁN
That's easy, sir; you'll find
2437
A chapel through this door; just keep
2438
Along the inside wall, then creep
2439
Out of that other door, behind
2440
Their backs.
GARCÍA
They're looking! Quick as a bird!
They slip out the first door
JACINTA
2441
You might at least have whispered—you
2442
Are very rude!
LUCRECIA
Here, read it—I'm too
2443
Embarrassed to be overheard.
Doña LUCRECIA hands Doña JACINTA the note
JACINTA
2444
Now this is ever so much better!
TRISTÁN and Don GARCÍA come back in the second door, behind the ladies' backs
TRISTÁN
2445
Well, that was easy enough to do.
GARCÍA
2446
Tristán, you've got a better view;
2447
So see if you can read the letter.
Doña JACINTA reads aloud
JACINTA
2448
"Now that I see my credit with you
2449
Is lost—no matter what I say—
2450
I ask you to trust my deeds, for they
2451
Will never lie—deeds never do.
2452
Only a husband's word will do
2453
To make a lady like you believe,
2454
And I can never hope to receive
2455
Your favor unless you think me true.
2456
Here is my note, then—may it be a
2457
Firm assurance; for as I sign
2458
Myself, so am I, ever thine,
2459
Already your husband, Don Garcia."
GARCÍA
2460
Good God above—it's the letter I wrote!
TRISTÁN
2461
Why now? She read it at home before.
GARCÍA
2462
Well, maybe it's because the more
2463
She reads it, the more she enjoys my note.
TRISTÁN
2464
Whatever the reason, it's going well.
GARCÍA
2465
Whatever the reason, I feel good, too.
To Doña LUCRECIA
JACINTA
2466
It's short and sweet, so either it's true,
2467
Or the biggest lie a man can tell.
To Doña JACINTA, from behind
GARCÍA
2468
Turn, O turn those eyes on me,
2469
Whose beams are fatal near and far!
Doña LUCRECIA and Doña JACINTA speak to each other
JACINTA
2470
He's still not certain who we are,
2471
So veil yourself, and prepare to be
2472
Enlightened now.
LUCRECIA
Don't mention me!
They veil themselves. Don GARCÍA speaks to Doña JACINTA
GARCÍA
2473
Lift, O lift that veil away,
2474
That men may see your heaven today,
2475
And heaven itself astonished be!
2476
What find I here? O, can it be?
2477
My love, my life's sweet murderer?
2478
And yet where better look for her,
2479
Than in a church, for sanctu'ry?
2480
If it's because you murdered me,
2481
That you hide here—then fear not so;
2482
The laws of love are strange, you know,
2483
And so corrupt, they never fail
2484
To keep the victim locked in jail
2485
And always let the killer go.
2486
Would you relieve my suffering then,
2487
My love? I hope you will. And is
2488
Repentence why you've come to this
2489
Old convent of the Magdalen?
2490
How just the hand of love is, when
2491
It gives my pain this recompense!
2492
For though your cruelty torments
2493
Me so, I bear it all, my dear,
2494
For the joy I feel, right now, right here,
2495
The glory of your penitence.
2496
Dear mistress? Not a word from her?
2497
You owe me nothing for my pain?
2498
Or maybe you repent again
2499
For having repented earlier?
2500
I beg of you, sweet murderer,
2501
Before you strike me twice—beware
2502
The consequence! If you should glare
2503
With killing eyes upon my face—
2504
A murder done in a holy place
2505
Can find no sanctuary there.
Doña JACINTA removes her veil
JACINTA
2506
Do you know me?
GARCÍA
My God—too well!
2507
So well, that ever since that day
2508
On Silver Street, I dare not say
2509
That I am I! I cannot tell
2510
The two of us apart. You dwell
2511
In me, more deeply than I do.
2512
I am transformed since seeing you—
2513
Transformed to being you! My eyes
2514
My self no longer recognize—
2515
Not what I am, or was, or who!
JACINTA
2516
It's clear you have no memory of
2517
Your former life—of what you were;
2518
You had a wife—you've forgotten her—
2519
You're busy courting some new love!
GARCÍA
2520
You're back to that! Good Lord above!
JACINTA
2521
Why not?
GARCÍA
It's just your stubborn pride!
2522
I made that up—I swear! I lied
2523
To be with you!
JACINTA
Or not to be!
2524
Mention a wedding, and suddenly
2525
You're off to Turkey to find a bride!
GARCÍA
2526
I swear again—my love is true!
2527
That I'm a married man is what
2528
I am to other women, but
2529
I'm still a bachelor for you!
Doña JACINTA and Doña LUCRECIA speak to one side
JACINTA
2530
Are you enlightened yet?
LUCRECIA
Aside
(Oh, me!
2531
How swift a spark of love can start
2532
A conflagration, and the heart
2533
Erupt with burning jealousy!)
To Doña JACINTA
GARCÍA
2534
Remember at your balcony
2535
That night, when I explained to you
2536
My situation? Surely you do!
JACINTA
2537
My balcony?
LUCRECIA
Aside
(Oh, treachery!)
JACINTA
2538
You are mistaken—totally!
2539
You talked to me?
GARCÍA
And you know when!
LUCRECIA
2540
Aside
(You talk to him at night, and then
2541
You dare to give advice to me!)
GARCÍA
2542
And what about the letter I wrote—
2543
Do you deny it?
JACINTA
Of course I do!
LUCRECIA
2544
Aside
(You're such a loyal friend, aren't you?)
GARCÍA
2545
I'm positive you read my note!
JACINTA
2546
Lying can be quite wonderful,
2547
As long as there's no injury,
2548
But once you cross that boundary,
2549
It just becomes intolerable.
GARCÍA
2550
But three nights ago, at your balcony,
2551
Lucrecia—we talked—we two!
JACINTA
2552
Aside
(Lucrecia! Me? Oh, good for you!
2553
New bull in the ring, new strategy!
2554
He saw Lucrecia! Now it's cer-
2555
tain that he loves her, since he pretended—
2556
Just so she won't be offended—
2557
That he'd mistaken me for her.)
LUCRECIA
2558
(O traitress! I see what you're about!
2559
You just informed him, doubtlessly,
2560
That the woman in the veil was me,
2561
So now he's going to sort it out
2562
By claiming that he talked to you
2563
Because he thought that you were me!)
TRISTÁN
2564
TRISTÁN speaks aside to Don GARCÍA
She must be pretending not to be
2565
Lucrecia, in order to
2566
Confuse the woman she's with.
GARCÍA
I know!
2567
If she were doing it for me,
2568
She'd veil her face. But can they be
2569
Talking together and still be so
2570
Unknown to one another?
TRISTÁN
That's true—
2571
But then in church you often see
2572
Two people talking who happen to be
2573
Unknown to each other, but in the same pew.
GARCÍA
2574
You're right!
TRISTÁN
So go along with her
2575
By claiming to be the victim of
2576
Bad eyesight.
GARCÍA
Lady, the fire of love
2577
So brightly burns, my weak eyes were
2578
Bedazzled momentarily;
2579
I took you for another, I fear.
2580
Forgive me my mistake, my dear;
2581
It was this veil that blinded me.
2582
For just as fantasy may be
2583
Beguiled by love—so may the eyes.
2584
Lucrecia's face I recognize
2585
In every woman that I see.
JACINTA
2586
(I knew he'd try to play that part!)
LUCRECIA
2587
(The little bitch informed on me!)
JACINTA
2588
(The one he loves is obviously
2589
Lucrecia.)
GARCÍA
Lady, my poor heart,
2590
From the first moment I did see
2591
Her face, made her my sovereign queen.
Doña JACINTA and Doña LUCRECIA speak to one side
JACINTA
2592
Well, he's the best I've ever seen!
LUCRECIA
2593
Aside
(So now she's making fun of me!
2594
I won't let on I understand—
2595
The last thing I want is to make a scene.)
To Don GARCÍA
JACINTA
2596
I think Lucrecia would have been
2597
Delighted, were she listening and
2598
Assured of that.
GARCÍA
You know my sweet-
2599
heart?
JACINTA
Know her? She's my dearest friend!
2600
So much so I would dare contend
2601
That she and I have hearts that beat
2602
As one—one heart between us two.
GARCÍA
2603
Aside
(Well, obviously—if you are she!
2604
How carefully and cleverly
2605
She teaches me what I'm to do!)
To Doña JACINTA
2606
Then be an angel, I beg of you—
2607
Since fortune now has offered me
2608
This golden opportunity—
2609
And bear her tidings of my true
2610
Devotion and my pain and woe.
2611
And pardon me for making you
2612
My messenger.
TRISTÁN
Aside
(Girls love to do
2613
That sort of thing these days, you know,
2614
At least in Madrid!)
GARCÍA
And try to make
2615
Her see such love deserves to be
2616
Returned.
JACINTA
If you do that, I'll see
2617
That she relents for your love's sake.
GARCÍA
2618
Why won't she believe me? I've been head
2619
Over heels since first I saw her beau-
2620
tiful face.
JACINTA
Well, I'll be frank with you-
2621
She never believed a word you said!
GARCÍA
2622
But it's true—I swear to God, it's true!
JACINTA
2623
Look, she's the one you need to convince—
2624
And being true won't matter, since
2625
The one who's saying it is you.
2626
Liars make people so disgusted,
2627
And their credit is so weak,
2628
That when they open their mouths to speak,
2629
Even the truth can't be trusted!
GARCÍA
2630
But lady—
JACINTA
Enough—no more—just be
2631
Aware of this.
GARCÍA
I must obey.
To LUCRECIA
JACINTA
2632
Are you happy now?
JACINTA goes out
LUCRECIA
Aside
(What can I say,
2633
Jacinta? Thanks for enlightening me.)
LUCRECIA goes out
GARCÍA
2634
She's such a smart one, isn't she?
2635
How cleverly she made it clear
2636
She'd couldn't be Lucrecia here!
TRISTÁN
2637
The girl's no fool, that's plain to see.
GARCÍA
2638
She made it very clear that she
2639
Would be upset if the other girl knew—
2640
The one that she was talking to.
TRISTÁN
2641
That's obvious, since there can be
2642
No other reason I can see
2643
Why she'd refuse to admit what's true;
2644
And she never really denied to you
2645
That talk you had at her balcony,
2646
Since she herself reminded you
2647
Of the very things that you discussed
2648
When you conversed with her.
GARCÍA
That must
2649
Be also why she let me view
2650
Her face without the veil—so I'd
2651
Be sure.
TRISTÁN
And said so pointedly,
2652
"Mention a wedding, and suddenly
2653
You're off to Turkey to find a bride."
2654
And just to add to what you've heard
2655
Already, here's more proof—that though
2656
She says she's not Lucrecia, she'll go
2657
And talk about her in the third
2658
Person, revealing all her in-
2659
most thoughts, suggesting that she knows
2660
She would respond to your propos-
2661
als and your love, once you begin
2662
To make Lucrecia come to see
2663
The truth of what you tell her, sir.
GARCÍA
2664
But what proof can I give to her
2665
To show I love her truthfully?
TRISTÁN
2666
You want to marry her?
GARCÍA
I do.
TRISTÁN
2667
Then ask her, sir.
GARCÍA
And if she won't?
TRISTÁN
2668
It seems to me, sir, that you don't
2669
Quite get what she just said to you:
2670
"Make her believe it, and I will see
2671
That she relents for your love's sake."
2672
What stronger gesture could she make
2673
To tell you she desires to be
2674
Your wife? Someone who takes your letter?
2675
Who talks with you from her balcony?
2676
Good indications, sir, that she
2677
Adores you! How could she give you better?
2678
It's just the thought that you might be
2679
Married that holds her back—that's all.
2680
And you'll surmount that obstacle
2681
The minute you propose—for she
2682
Must think a gentleman like you
2683
Who offers marriage has to be
2684
A real bachelor, you see?
2685
And if she needs to know it's true,
2686
If she's afraid to trust a man
2687
Who's lied to her before, if she
2688
Demands some further guarantee,
2689
Well—Salamanca's not Japan!
GARCÍA
2690
Oh, yes it is—for a young man who
2691
Is hopelessly in love! Each mo-
2692
ment lasts a century.
TRISTÁN
Do you know
2693
Of someone here who'd vouch for you?
GARCÍA
2694
I might.
TRISTÁN
Well, how hard could it be?
GARCÍA
2695
I'll go and find one right away.
TRISTÁN
2696
I'll give you one right now—today!
GARCÍA
2697
Oh? Who?
TRISTÁN
Don Juan.
GARCÍA
To vouch for me?
2698
Don Juan de Sosa?
TRISTÁN
Yes—he'd do.
GARCÍA
2699
Yes—he would know.
TRISTÁN
That's not to say
2700
I've seen him lately—not since that day
2701
On Silver Street. Has he seen you?
2702
Sir—I admit I wondered what
2703
It was about that note you got
2704
From him that worried you, but not
2705
Wanting to anger you, I put
2706
My curiosity aside—because
2707
The one time that I asked, you went
2708
Quite pale and made a violent
2709
Denial. Now that the moment does
2710
Seem more appropriate, I won-
2711
der, sir, if I—the keeper of
2712
Your secrets, the counselor of your love—
2713
Might ask. By now, the storm is done.
GARCÍA
2714
I want to tell you all—I must!
2715
For from experience I know
2716
Your secrecy and prudence, so
2717
I'm sure that you have earned my trust.
2718
In the early evening, at St. Blaise,
2719
Promptly at seven o'clock, he wrote,
2720
Don Juan de Sosa will wait for me,
2721
To discuss a matter of some note.
2722
Because it was a duel, I said
2723
Nothing. A man would only speak
2724
If he wanted to be stopped or helped—
2725
Two things that only a coward would seek!
2726
So to the appointed place I came,
2727
Where Don Juan de Sosa awaited me;
2728
Two weapons he wore that gave him the odds—
2729
They were his sword and his jealousy.
2730
His strong resentment he expressed,
2731
And I accepted his angry words,
2732
And then, at last, to make it right,
2733
The two of us drew our naked swords.
2734
Quickly measuring out the ground,
2735
I made a swift advance, and streak-
2736
ing forward, deftly stepped aside,
2737
To hit him with the thrust oblique.
2738
His life was rescued by the Ag-
2739
nus Dei medal he displayed
2740
Upon his chest, which caught my point,
2741
And snapped in two my thrusting blade.
2742
He gave me ground, stung by the blow,
2743
Then with a furious rage, he roared
2744
Back—and mainly thrust at me;
2745
High on the blade I caught his sword,
2746
With a crosshand perpendicular
2747
Defense. No sooner had he dis-
2748
engaged, and found me still so near—
2749
I had nowhere else to go, for his
2750
Weapon was now three times the length
2751
Of my poor trusty steel, now just
2752
A fragment of its former self,
2753
Shattered in that initial thrust,
2754
And I was forced by this to seek
2755
Close quarters—but on he sped,
2756
Aiming a furious slashing blow
2757
In the direction of my head.
2758
I took him at the very top
2759
Of his downswing, driving my bold
2760
But shortened blade beneath the full
2761
Weight of his sword, stopping it cold!
2762
Then came the moment of truth! I spun
2763
Out with a backhand blow of such
2764
Power, the shortness of my sword
2765
Didn't count against me much,
2766
And opened in his head a gash
2767
As wide as my hand, and down he fell,
2768
Fainting and senseless upon the ground,
2769
And lifeless I presumed as well.
2770
And there I left him, secretly
2771
Returning here. That's it, that's my
2772
Whole story—and if you've missed him,
2773
Now you know the reason why.
TRISTÁN
2774
What an amazing incident!
2775
And was he dead?
GARCÍA
He had to be—
2776
I mean, the poor man's brains were spread
2777
All over the vicinity.
TRISTÁN
2778
O, poor don Juan!
Don JUAN DE SOSA and Don BELTRÁN come in on the other side
But isn't that
2779
Him walking towards us?
GARCÍA
How bizarre!
TRISTÁN
2780
You even tried to lie to me—
2781
Your secretary and counselor!
2782
Aside
(Dear God, how could I fall for that—
2783
Who knew how he was predisposed!
2784
But then again who wouldn't be fooled
2785
By lies so beautifully composed? )
GARCÍA
2786
They must have used some kind of spell
2787
To heal the wound!
TRISTÁN
The gash that you
2788
Described let all his brains spill out—
2789
It healed in just a day or two?
GARCÍA
2790
You think that's something? In Salamanca
2791
One time, I know, they used this spell
2792
On a man who had his whole arm am-
2793
putated, and half his shoulder as well,
2794
And once they stuck the thing back on,
2795
It was less than a week before he had
2796
It working and just as healthy as
2797
It was before.
TRISTÁN
He's raving mad!
GARCÍA
2798
I'm telling you something that I saw—
2799
Not something that I merely heard!
TRISTÁN
2800
Please, sir, no more!
GARCÍA
By God, it's true!
2801
I won't take back a single word.
TRISTÁN
2802
Aside
(Ah, do we ever know each other!)
2803
I'd think my services repaid,
2804
If you would teach that spell to me.
GARCÍA
2805
The thing's in Hebrew, I'm afraid,
2806
So if you don't know that, you won't
2807
Know how the incantation's sung.
TRISTÁN
2808
And you know Hebrew?
GARCÍA
Fluently.
2809
Better than the Spanish tongue.
2810
I speak ten languages.
TRISTÁN
Aside
(And I'm
2811
Quite sure that you've already lied
2812
In every one. And more. The saying
2813
"He's full of. . . truth" might be applied
2814
To you. Since only lies get out,
2815
There's all that truth still trapped inside!)
To Don JUAN
BELTRÁN
2816
What are you saying?
JUAN DE SOSA
That unless my mem-
2817
ory is playing tricks, no one
2818
In Salamanca has those names—
2819
No lady, nor no gentleman.
BELTRÁN
2820
Aside
(Another fabrication from
2821
My son García, obviously!
2822
I'd better keep this to myself.)
2823
Sir, may your new commission be
2824
A source of joy for many years—
2825
Along with a handsome salary.
JUAN DE SOSA
2826
Sir, I shall always be so much
2827
The more in your debt, the more I thrive.
2828
And now, my duty calls, I fear—
2829
There are some gentlemen that I've
2830
Got to go thank. I may not see
2831
You to your house—pray, pardon me.
Don JUAN DE SOSA goes out
BELTRÁN
2832
God give me strength! How long must I
2833
Be punished for my son's disgrace?
2834
Forever? Is it possible?
2835
And how could he look me in the face
2836
And lie—at the very moment he
2837
Was being chided for that sin!
2838
And how, in such an important thing,
2839
Could he so quickly take me in?
2840
Me who already knew too well
2841
His reputation for telling lies!
2842
But then who would believe that he
2843
Could look at me right in the eyes,
2844
While I was scolding him—and lie!
2845
Who could imagine such a thing—
2846
That a judge could have his pocket picked
2847
By the thief that he was sentencing?
To Don GARCÍA
TRISTÁN
2848
Are you still resolved to talk to him?
GARCÍA
2849
Of course, Tristán.
TRISTÁN
Then God go with thee!
To Don BELTRÁN
GARCÍA
2850
Father?
BELTRÁN
Don't you dare call me that!
2851
Villain! Call me your enemy!
2852
No man has any blood of mine
2853
Who bears not even the slightest trace
2854
Of a resemblance to me!
2855
Away! If I never see your face—
TRISTÁN
2856
Aside to Don GARCÍA
(There seems to be a storm on the
2857
Horizon. Find a better time.)
BELTRÁN
2858
God in heaven! What punishment
2859
Have I deserved? You know that I'm
2860
The kind of man that loves the truth—
2861
How can you give me a son like this,
2862
Of just the opposite condition?
2863
How can a man like me, who is
2864
So careful of his honor, spawn
2865
This base, contaminated boy?
2866
How can you take my Gabriel,
2867
The honor to my blood, the joy
2868
Of my grey hairs, and pluck him
2869
In the flower of youth? I could say more—
2870
But for my faith!
GARCÍA
Aside
(What's going on?)
TRISTÁN
2871
Aside to Don GARCÍA
(Get lost! What are you waiting for?)
BELTRÁN
2872
Go away, Tristán—leave us alone!
2873
No, wait, come back—don't go away;
2874
Perhaps the fact that you're aware
2875
Of his shame will be humilia-
2876
tion enough to have some effect on him—
2877
More than respect for my grey hair!
2878
And if this mortification's not
2879
Enough to drive him to repair
2880
His faults, at least he'll feel the sting
2881
Of having his vices publicized!
2882
So what did you hope to gain, you wretch?
2883
Madman! What joy have you realized
2884
From telling lies so recklessly?
2885
If you must gallop after your in-
2886
clinations with everybody else—
2887
At least with me, rein yourself in!
2888
This Salamanca wedding, what
2889
Was the point of inventing that? Were you
2890
Trying to undermine my credit
2891
With everyone I was talking to?
2892
How can I face these people again—
2893
These people that I told about
2894
Your marriage to Doña Sancha de
2895
Herrera? How can I face it out?
2896
When once they all discover she's
2897
A fiction—your Sancha—then I will be
2898
Denounced as well—this noble head
2899
Hung with the charge of complicity.
2900
And then what means is left to me
2901
To clear this blot from my good name?
2902
Since the only way to manage that—
2903
If I want to rid myself of blame—
2904
Is to put it on my son instead!
2905
And then by saying publicly
2906
The fault was yours, I make myself
2907
The herald of your infamy!
2908
If it was some affair of the heart
2909
That obligated you to be
2910
Untrue to me—what did you think?
2911
That I would be your enemy?
2912
What weapon would I strike you with,
2913
But with the name of father, father
2914
To the end? That name alone should tell
2915
You how your plight would move me rather
2916
Than anger me—an old man who
2917
Was young once too, and has to know
2918
How high and hot in young men's hearts
2919
The flames of love can sometimes grow.
GARCÍA
2920
If you know that, and that alone
2921
Had been enough for you back then
2922
To pardon me, isn't it still
2923
Enough to pardon me again?
2924
Right now? It seemed a sign of dis-
2925
respect to your grey hairs if I
2926
Had disobeyed your plans for me,
2927
And so I felt I had to lie.
2928
It was an error, not a crime;
2929
I wasn't guilty, I was mis-
2930
informed. The cause is love, and you're
2931
My father indeed, to say that this
2932
Is all I need to win your pardon.
2933
I see my offense. Now listen to
2934
The lovely reason why, and she
2935
Herself will make amends to you.
2936
Doña Lucrecia, the daughter of
2937
Don Juan de Luna, is for me
2938
The soul of life—this only child
2939
And heir of all her family;
2940
And all I lack to be most blest
2941
With her most beauteous hand is for you
2942
To give me your consent, and make
2943
A declaration that the ru-
2944
mor of my marriage can be traced
2945
Back to this cause, and is untrue.
BELTRÁN
2946
No, no! In Jesus' name—no more!
2947
Don't stick me in another one!
2948
I'd have to think you lied to me,
2949
If you told me that thing was the sun.
GARCÍA
2950
You need not fear. That must be true
2951
Which is corroborated by
2952
The facts; Tristán, whom you can trust,
2953
Is ready, sir, to testify
2954
To my desires.
To TRISTÁN
Tell him.
TRISTÁN
Yes, sir.
2955
He tells it, sir, just as it is.
BELTRÁN
2956
Aren't you embarrassed now, to have
2957
A servant vouch for you? Is this
2958
Not shameful, sir? To make the truth
2959
Of what you say depend upon
2960
Your servingman? Oh well, all right,
2961
I want to talk to old Don Juan;
2962
God grant he give you his Lucrecia,
2963
And pity the poor deluded thing!
2964
But first I need to be sure about
2965
This Salamanca marrying
2966
Business. I fear in telling me
2967
You lied, you're still dissembling.
2968
I knew the truth already, you see,
2969
Before I came to talk to you;
2970
But now I hear you speak of it,
2971
I can hardly trust that the truth is true.
Don BELTRÁN goes out
GARCÍA
2972
Well, that went well!
TRISTÁN
Oh yes—quite well.
2973
I thought perhaps you had used that spell
2974
On him, that Hebrew incantation,
2975
That reverses amputation.
They go out
Scene Four: A room in the house of Don Juan de Luna, with views of the garden
Don JUAN DE LUNA and Don SANCHO come in
JUAN DE LUNA
2976
It seems the night has turned a little cool.
SANCHO
2977
My dear Don Juan de Luna, the river air
2978
Is much too cold for these old bones, too cruel.
JUAN DE LUNA
2979
Better we stay here in my garden, where
2980
We can set up a table for ourselves, and eat
2981
A pleasant meal in peace, without a care.
SANCHO
2982
You're right, Don Juan, that would be more discrete;
2983
We'll sup down by the river some other night,
2984
When it's more temperate. These extremes of heat
2985
And cold can harm the health.
Calling off stage
JUAN DE LUNA
Lucrecia, you might
2986
Invite your lovely friend to come out here
2987
Into the garden.
SANCHO
God willing, sir, do right
2988
By that sweet angel.
JUAN DE LUNA
She's no fool, it's clear;
2989
And lovely as my daughter is, I know
2990
More than her life she holds her virtue dear.
A SERVANT enters, goes to SANCHO
SERVANT
2991
There's someone at the door—Don Juan de So-
2992
sa—seeking you; he'd like to be let in.
SANCHO
2993
This late?
JUAN DE LUNA
It must be of importance.
SANCHO
Go,
2994
And show him in.
The SERVANT goes out, and then Don JUAN DE SOSA enters, with a paper in his hand
JUAN DE SOSA
Dear sir, I'd never have been
2995
So bold to come without this paper. But
2996
With it, I have no patience, I must begin!
2997
My love can't bear a moment's delay, if what
2998
Is in this paper means I may now see
2999
My dear beloved's face in all its ut-
3000
most glory. My commission's come! Now be
3001
Mindful of what you promised me. You may
3002
Fulfill your word and crown my victory!
SANCHO
3003
My faith in you, you have confirmed today,
3004
Don Juan, by bringing me this happy news
3005
Without so much as even a moment's delay.
3006
I'll go and tell my lovely niece. Excuse
3007
Me for not calling her to come. Without
3008
Being fully dressed, I know she would refuse.
SANCHO goes out
JUAN DE LUNA
3009
I always knew you'd win. The truth will out!
3010
Even the truth most hidden and oppressed.
3011
Delay there may be—yes—but never doubt!
Don BELTRÁN, Don GARCÍA, and TRISTÁN come in to another area
BELTRÁN
3012
It's not a good time now—he has a guest.
3013
We have important business to discuss;
3014
To talk to him alone would be the best.
GARCÍA
3015
Don Juan de Sosa can be of help to us—
3016
To witness to that thing in Salaman-
3017
ca.
BELTRÁN
That you should need his help—it's infamous!
3018
Till I assure him our proposal's hon-
3019
orable, kindly delay all mention of
3020
That business.
JUAN DE LUNA
Beltrán, my friend!
BELTRÁN
My friend, Don Juan!
JUAN DE LUNA
3021
Such courtesy so late at night?
BELTRÁN
I'd prove
3022
By this how constant is my love, and true.
JUAN DE LUNA
3023
Blessed is he who could deserve such love!
BELTRÁN
3024
You must excuse me; the door was open to
3025
Your house—that and our friendship seemed to be
3026
Permission enough to come and visit you.
JUAN DE LUNA
3027
Now, now—that's quite enough of your flattery!
3028
My heart is eager to know why you are here.
BELTRÁN
3029
And I will tell you—just as eagerly!
To Don JUAN DE SOSA
GARCÍA
3030
The truth of such a man as you, my dear
3031
Don Juan, some envious soul might for a time
3032
Oppress, but never conquer—'tis too clear!
3033
Believe me, sir, I swear to God that I'm
3034
Happy for your success.
JUAN DE SOSA
Believe you? Yes—
3035
As much as I can.
GARCÍA
And may you climb
3036
As high in rank and have as much success
3037
As you deserve and I would wish for you.
JUAN DE LUNA
3038
This match will bring Lucrecia such a bless-
3039
ing that I feel it is a dream come true!
3040
Don Juan de Sosa, if you will pardon me—
3041
Dear Don García—son—a word or two.
3042
Your father says that you desire to be
3043
Lucrecia's husband.
GARCÍA
All that I am or do,
3044
My joy, my life, my soul, my honor she
3045
Holds in her hand.
JUAN DE LUNA
Then here is mine, in lieu
3046
Of hers.
They shake hands
I know how much you bring to me;
3047
And so does she, I've heard her speak of you.
GARCÍA
3048
For this great boon, I thank you heartily.
SANCHO comes in, with LUCRECIA and JACINTA
LUCRECIA
3049
After so many obstacles
3050
Your dream comes true! Isn't it sweet?
JACINTA
3051
When you have yours, my dear Lucrecia,
3052
My happiness will be complete.
JUAN DE LUNA
3053
She comes, with Jacinta by the hand;
3054
How little she suspects what bless-
3055
ings wait for her—all shining bright
3056
And colorful as a wedding dress!
3057
Oh, what shall I get for my reward,
3058
Once I have told her the good news?
Don JUAN DE LUNA speaks to LUCRECIA
BELTRÁN
3059
Don BELTRÁN speaks aside to Don GARCÍA
(Oh no! Don Sancho! I wish I had
3060
Some other face that I could use.
GARCÍA
3061
The little sins that love commits,
3062
A wise man knows how to excuse.)
To Don JUAN DE LUNA
LUCRECIA
3063
There was no Salamanca bride?
JUAN DE LUNA
3064
He made that up just to confuse
3065
His father, who was trying to marry
3066
Him off to someone else—that's all!
LUCRECIA
3067
If that is so, my will is yours;
3068
And I am most agreeable.
SANCHO
3069
Come on, you bright young gentlemen,
3070
Approach your fiancées; they stand
3071
Ready, and each confesses herself
3072
Content, and awaits her lover's hand.
GARCÍA
3073
And now my deeds will finally seal
3074
The truth of everything I feel!
Don GARCÍA and Don JUAN DE SOSA both go up to JACINTA
JUAN DE LUNA
3075
Where are you going, Don García?
3076
The lovely Lucrecia's over here.
GARCÍA
3077
Lucrecia? Since when?
BELTRÁN
What's happening?
To JACINTA
GARCÍA
3078
You are my mistress, lady dear!
BELTRÁN
3079
Oh, not another one!
GARCÍA
The names
3080
May be wrong, but I know I'm asking for
3081
The right person. It's you I seek;
3082
You are the lady I adore.
Taking out a paper
LUCRECIA
3083
But what you say in your letter here—
3084
Do you deny it to my face?
3085
It's written in your hand, deceiver!
BELTRÁN
3086
You did it again—another disgrace!
JUAN DE SOSA
3087
Give me your hand, Jacinta dear,
3088
And put an end to this foolishness!
SANCHO
3089
Jacinta, give Don Juan your hand!
Giving him her hand
JACINTA
3090
I'm yours.
GARCÍA
I've lost my happiness.
BELTRÁN
3091
By God, if you don't marry that
3092
Lucrecia, you'll lose a lot more
3093
Than that, my boy! I'll strike you dead!
JUAN DE LUNA
3094
I gave you my own hand before
3095
In pledge of hers—and you gave yours.
3096
If you should change your mind again
3097
With this insane inconstancy
3098
Of yours, I'll wash away the stain
3099
Of my dishonor in your blood!
TRISTÁN
3100
I hate to say I told you so,
3101
But you're to blame for this. If you
3102
Had told the truth at first, you know,
3103
Jacinta would be yours right now.
3104
I'm sorry, there's no remedy—
3105
Apologize and give her your hand,
3106
She's quite a lovely girl, you see.
GARCÍA
3107
I have no choice—here is my hand.
TRISTÁN
3108
And now at last you understand!
Referring to the audience
3109
And they do too! You can get stung
3110
By lying! The sword of truth gets rusted
3111
When it isn't used. And on a lying tongue—
3112
Like yours—even The Truth Can't Be Trusted!
THE END