Pedro Calderón de la Barca, No hay burlas con el amor

There Is No Trifling With Love


Source text for this digital edition:
Calderon de la Barca, Pedro. There Is No Trifling With Love. [No hay burlas con el amor.] [Online] Translated by Vern G. Williamsen. Association for Hispanic Classical Theater, Inc., 1986. http://www.comedias.org/play_texts/translat/notrif1.html
Digital text encoding for EMOTHE:
  • Tronch Pérez, Jesús
  • Zafra Alarcón, Sonia

translated by Vern G. Williamsen
(copyright March 17, 1986)

LIST OF CHARACTERS

Don ALONSO de Luna, young gallant
Don JUAN de Mendoza, his friend
Don LUIS Osorio
MOSCATEL, gracioso servant to Don Alonso
Don PEDRO Enríquez, father of the two ladies
Doña BEATRIZ, older sister
Doña LEONOR, younger sister
INEZ, their servant
Don DIEGO

ACT ONE

Locale : A room in Don Alonso's house in Madrid
DON ALONSO and a downhearted MOSCATEL enter

ALONSO
1
God damn it, what's the matter?
2
For days you've gone around
3
aimlessly, with your head in a cloud.
4
Every question gets a silly answer.
5
You're never here on time.
6
and everything you do is wrong,
7
if I don't call, you come;
8
if I do, you seem to hide.
9
What's going on?

MOSCATEL
Oh, woe!
10
All I can do is to sigh.

ALONSO
11
Sigh? You rascals have the right
12
to do that?

MOSCATEL
We do have souls!

ALONSO
13
I guess... Enough to feel
14
and report, even if crudely,
15
the nature of your basest misery,
16
but not enough —Can't you see?—
17
to react with an open sigh.
18
A sigh denotes a noble passion.

MOSCATEL
19
Who can deny my reaction?
20
Is love forbidden to me? Why I...

ALONSO
21
You are crazy!

MOSCATEL
Please, sir,
22
is there anything nobler than love?

ALONSO
23
I could say "yes", for fun,
24
but "no" if only to defer
25
to your benefit.

MOSCATEL
It's no?
26
Then, if love is what I feel,
27
my passion is noble and real.

ALONSO
28
You? In love?

MOSCATEL
I just said so.

ALONSO
29
How natural it is for me
30
to laugh at your despair
31
since the problem's rooted there,
32
than it is at your frivolity.

MOSCATEL
33
It's as if you'd never known
34
the feel of true love's passion.
35
You've given too much attention
36
to your freedom and being your own.
37
You only use words of adoration
38
to obtain an occasional pleasure
39
robbing a maiden's treasure,
40
and cause her father consternation.
41
You laugh at me now that I feel
42
the pangs of a love that's true.

ALONSO
43
I won't have a servant like you...
44
in love. You're fired! Now leave!

MOSCATEL
45
Look here...

ALONSO
There's nothing to see.

MOSCATEL
46
But...

ALONSO
What are you trying to say?

MOSCATEL
47
This scene's going the wrong way.
48
The servant is usually free;
49
yours is the role of a man who's free.
50
It's not my fault, this change of plot,
51
but if we're to play it as it's not,
52
I'll be the lover, against the fashion,
53
and you play the role of libertine.

ALONSO
54
Get out of here now! Step aside!

MOSCATEL
55
So soon? Give me some time
56
to find a new job. One day to see...

ALONSO
57
Not one! Right now, you must leave!

DON JUAN enters

JUAN
58
What's going on?

ALONSO
This silly rogue
59
just committed the greatest hoax,
60
the worst, the foulest deed
61
ever conceived by human mind.
62
Open treason!

JUAN
What has he done?

ALONSO
63
He claims he's fallen in love!
64
Clearly now, I'm in the right
65
to complain and get rid of him.
66
There's no lower treason,
67
no fouler act, no greater deception
68
than willingly to become victim
69
of that corrupt, attractive lure.

JUAN
70
But doesn't love make a man
71
liberal, wise, even gallant?
72
Especially when his love is pure.

ALONSO
73
Don't believe such trumped up stuff.
74
There's no more contemptible deceit
75
about love's power than Mira's piece
76
so aptly named The Miracles of Love.
77
Love itself is enough to make
78
anyone completely miserable.
79
It causes the most fearless and able
80
to act the coward, to quiver and shake.

JUAN
81
What's that you're trying to say?

ALONSO
82
Listen now and pay attention.
83
I'll prove that feeling any affection,
84
is cause enough for great dismay.
85
When that rascal Cupid has him caught,
86
all a hard-working man acquires
87
he spends on the lady he desires.
88
Never giving the fleetest thought
89
to helping a servant or friend.
90
Everything goes for his own pleasure.
91
Any man who would use his treasure
92
that way, cares only for himself.
93
Obviously, no one ever claimed
94
self-indulgence as a virtue.
95
So none is more sinful, in truth,
96
than a man whom love has maimed.

JUAN
97
Don Alonso, I won't respond
98
to your sophistry or exacerbate
99
the pangs of my love. A debate
100
with you would force me beyond
101
the point of losing, I'm afraid.
102
And I don't want to fritter away
103
a victory I should easily gain.
104
I came looking for you today
105
to consult you about the distress
106
I feel, but —Dear Lord above!—
107
if my problem is born of love,
108
I hardly dare approach the mess.
109
I'm right, I'm sure, to fear a man
110
who'd punish a servant severely
111
for such a minor fault. Clearly
112
he'd think a friend were mad.

ALONSO
113
On the contrary, I'd listen well.
114
It's not at all the same, Don Juan,
115
for you to be the one who has gone
116
overboard, victim of a lady's spell.
117
This is my servant, the knave!
118
You're gallant, rich and discreet;
119
love is something you can feel.
120
How can love make a servant rave?
121
As you will certainly see,
122
I always deal evenhandedly
123
with truth and with trickery.
124
You, Don Juan, can count on me.
(To MOSCATEL)
125
You, Moscatel, get out of here.

JUAN
126
Let him stay, if only because
127
I need you both to help my cause.

ALONSO
128
Go ahead.

JUAN
Listen and you'll hear:
129
Alonso, I have already fallen
130
prisoner to love's constraints.
131
That's something you ought to know.
132
Venus won without complaint.
133
Her victory was never so easy.
134
At first I wondered which would fail
135
her desire for battle or mine to give in.
136
As it happened, I lost the game.
137
You also know that my excuse
138
for suffering glorious defeat
139
is the beauty of the lady:
140
Leonor Enríquez. And she,
141
the younger daughter of Don Pedro,
142
she, that gracious prodigy,
143
that miracle of pulchritude,
144
is the only fortune I seek.
145
I have never been so lucky
146
as to have enjoyed her favor.
147
I would be discourteous
148
in claiming reward for my labor.
149
Still, I have received from her
150
something that I may savor.
151
Still, a gift is one thing;
152
deserving it is another.
153
Coaxed and delighted by night,
154
wafted on the wings of desire,
155
prodded by silence, goaded by the dark,
156
I approached and she set me afire.
157
I lived in the light of her beauty
158
knowing that I must expire.
159
Once I had declared my love,
160
I felt it possible I could dare
161
to ask her father for her hand,
162
with never a doubt or care,
163
that he might refuse. In wealth
164
and station we are paired
165
and once I had her consent,
166
all problems should be spared.
167
Now comes the terrible price,
168
I paid for this encounter:
169
why I can't ask for her hand.
170
She has an older sister
171
and since it wouldn't be wise
172
to marry off a second daughter,
173
first, if I asked for one of them
174
when I approached their father,
175
—I couldn't tell him which I want—
176
he'd offer the hand of the other.
177
If I said I preferred Leonor
178
after he'd offered Beatriz,
179
he'd have a right to suspect,
180
to think and wonder about me.
181
It could arouse some malice
182
still lying in heavy sleep
183
and I'd lose my right, as a cousin,
184
to visit as long as I'm free.
185
If I've not already lost it
186
because of what happened last night:
187
the reason that I'm talking to you,
188
the cause of my pain and my fright.
189
Listen now, pay close attention
190
while I explain my plight.
191
Leonor's sister is the strangest
192
creature Madrid has ever seen.
193
In spite of a fine education
194
and a beauty that is extreme,
195
Beatriz is notoriously vain.
196
She really seems to believe
197
that if she looked at any man
198
he'd die and fall at her feet.
199
She's so intelligent and studious
200
that, just in order to keep
201
her mind occupied, she learned Latin
202
and the art of Spanish poetry;
203
she's so conceited she adopts
204
every new style of the elite,
205
regardless of how it suits her.
206
She constantly primps and preens,
207
combing and dressing her hair,
208
but it never seems to please.
209
The Extravagant Lady of Lope's play,
210
the subject of satire keen,
211
is nothing at all compared to her
212
as odd as that may seem.
213
And if all that were not enough,
214
her worst defect is her speech.
215
Her words are completely affected,
216
colored by poets she's read.
217
She paraphrases every word,
218
and adds abstruse epithets.
219
Without an adequate explication,
220
she's impossible to comprehend.
221
The open flattery she receives
222
from the fools in her environment
223
has so greatly affected her pride,
224
has made her so insolent,
225
that just to spite the god of love,
226
she's decided she must rebel.
227
Harping on the theme every hour,
228
fretting on it all the time,
229
she's become a hateful witch.
230
No sisters could be more unalike.
231
The parlor's become a battlefield
232
for carrying on open strife.
233
Zealously, she refuses
234
to leave her sister's side.
235
Every moment she's right there
236
to question and to pry
237
into every move she makes.
238
No matter how hard Leonor tries,
239
Beatriz is there, a looming shadow
240
cast by her sister's light.
241
I went to visit late last night
242
carefully and unseen.
243
I signalled at their balcony
244
where Leonor meets with me.
245
As is usual she opened the window.
246
I came closer to speak.
247
I hardly mouthed the words I'd planned,
248
unable to restrain the conceit,
249
when Beatriz, with notable clamor,
250
took her away from me.
251
She uttered a thousand silly words
252
in that style requiring a key.
253
If I understood what it was about,
254
I think it was to the effect that she
255
would report this to their father:
256
that Leonor was talking with me.
257
I'm not sure she knows who I am
258
therefore, I'm equally afraid
259
to know, as not, how it all turned out:
260
if her father is irate.
261
I'm only sure that I must go
262
because, if such is our fate
263
and if her father has found us out,
264
Leonor's life is at stake.
265
Our love is undoubtedly in peril
266
whether I go or I stay,
267
so I've chosen a middle position:
268
asking you for your help, if I may.
269
This is a letter to be delivered.
270
So one could ever know,
271
it's not even written in my hand.
272
I'd like Moscatel to go
273
and take it using all his wiles,
274
and give it to the maid he knows.
275
Because he's your servant, not mine,
276
he's free to be quite bold.
277
Give him permission to do as I ask,
278
please,...my friend,... Alonso.
279
You come with me to wait outside.
280
If there's trouble for Leonor,
281
we can manage to go to her rescue
282
to save her, I give my word.
283
I came to ask you for your help,
284
for your backing and your valor.
285
As your friend, Alonso, I know well
286
I can count on you and your sword.

ALONSO
287
Moscatel, take the letter and go
288
to the house of Pedro Enríquez.
289
Use whatever means you can,
290
to give it, as Don Juan has said,
291
to the maid.

JUAN
You agree? Right now?

ALONSO
292
If not now, tell me when.
293
Would there ever be a better time?
294
Take it and go, Moscatel.

MOSCATEL
295
[Aside]
(Although there really is no danger
296
since the woman I love is Inez,
297
the maid they want me to see,
298
Cupid, I pray for your help.)

ALONSO
299
Now, Don Juan, show us the way.

JUAN
300
Indeed, you are a friend.

ALONSO
301
[Aside]
(What a damned vexation Cupid is!
302
I don't care if Love heard or didn't.
303
I'll be blessed! I'd never risk
304
myself in love. I couldn't!
305
Not me! On visiting a lady,
306
I hereby resolve, —who wouldn't?—
307
to do things as I've always done
308
when visiting a woman who isn't:
309
knock loudly and speak straight out.
310
whether she accepts or she doesn't
311
depends on one thing alone:
312
I have the money or I haven't.)

ALONSO, JUAN, and MOSCATEL all leave
Locale : The street in front of Pedro Enríquez's house
ALONSO, JUAN, and MOSCATEL enter

JUAN
313
This is her street. We won't be seen
314
hiding in this open door.

ALONSO
315
A good idea!
LUIS and DIEGO enter, cross the street and remove their hats
Who is that? He seems
316
to be looking for someone.

JUAN
317
The closer one is Luis Osorio.
318
He's here too often. I feel
319
he's interested in Leonor too.
320
His frequent presence on this street
321
is beginning to bother me.

ALONSO
We'd bother him
322
if it were left up to me.

JUAN
323
Pay no attention. It's not the right time
324
for swordplay, if you please.
325
Give them room rather than a fight.

ALONSO
326
If you wish, but I'd like to see
327
if they're real men.

To MOSCATEL

JUAN
You come here
328
after you've seen her.

MOSCATEL
Who, me?

JUAN
329
We're here. There's nothing to fear.
330
But fast! Let's not be seen.

ALONSO, JUAN, and MOSCATEL leave

LUIS
331
This grand yet truncate heavenly sphere
332
is the abode wherein dwells
333
the most gorgeous deity of the planet,
334
one the daytime sun has never met
335
on its pass from birth in the fiery gulf
336
toward resplendent, flaming death
337
in undulating, silver-spiked billows,
338
and darkened icy depths.
339
Her beauty's so great she'd still attract
340
even having a good bit less;
341
if she were plain, she still could charm
342
with her mighty intelligence.

DIEGO
343
Do you want to marry a lady like that?
344
You're here with that intent?

LUIS
345
I'm here to court a befitting love
346
and, already, to that effect
347
my family is preparing the proposal.

DIEGO
348
You really want what you would get?

LUIS
349
Why not? I find in her great virtue,
350
nobility, valor, and wealth,
351
all combined with the greatest beauty
352
and the finest of common sense?

DIEGO
353
She's far too much. I wouldn't want
354
—of this you may be certain—
355
a woman who knows a bit more than I.
356
I'd rather she know even less.

LUIS
357
Since when has education been an evil?
358
whenever it may offend!
359
A woman must learn to spin and to weave,
360
to sew, embroider, and mend.
361
She certainly has no need to know
362
grammar or how to be a poet.

LUIS
363
But for one with ability as great as hers
364
there's no such thing as excess.
365
You haven't convinced me that's true.
366
The rigor and lack of respect
367
she shows toward you makes me believe
368
it's had the opposite effect.

LUIS
369
I adore her disdain. Let's go and walk
370
around the block again.
371
I still wonder about that other pair
372
and what they were doing.

DIEGO
Go then!

LUIS
373
Oh, heavenly sphere of the sun I adore,
374
I'll soon return to your presence.

LUIS and DIEGO leave
Locale : A room in Don Pedro's house
LEONOR and INEZ enter

LEONOR
375
Is my sister getting dressed?

INEZ
376
She was just combing her hair
377
and since I couldn't bear
378
how proudly she studied that mess,
379
again and again, asking advice
380
from the mirror, I left her alone.

LEONOR
381
The mirror seems to be as prone
382
to stupidity as she is to her vice.

INEZ
383
Stupidity?

LEONOR
What else can it be
384
if the mirror won't give an answer
385
and doesn't know the advice to hand her
386
after being asked repeatedly?
387
Well, if Beatriz asks its advice
388
and continues to do so every day,
389
stubbornly continuing her play,
390
and the mirror never replies,
391
it must be dumb.

INEZ
I'm concerned
392
that she has you upset.

LEONOR
Who me?

INEZ
393
You can't understand what she means.
394
Her language is too hard to learn.
395
You two can talk all day long
396
speaking but not comprehending.

LEONOR
397
I'd gladly be more understanding
398
if that were all that were wrong.
399
I'm living now in deadly fear
400
that she, the prude, my censor,
401
has threatened to tell father
402
about what she learned out here
403
on the balcony last night.

INEZ
I suppose
404
since he left so early today
405
we still have time to find a way,
406
to see that he never knows.
407
There's been no time, as you know,
408
for her to tell. If we're able,
409
we may overcome her malicious fable
410
with a small invention of our own.

LEONOR
411
My mind has already been at work
412
but I still haven't found
413
a story that would prove sound,
414
or how to explain that quirk
415
of fate. It was she who saw
416
Don Juan.

INEZ
You can surely deny
417
any report made by that spy.
418
After all there is a law
419
that says that a thing not seen
420
by one's own eyes, it's clear
421
another may refute without fear.

LEONOR
422
Inez, I know just what you mean.
423
Still, the only solution in my head
424
is to tell her about my love
425
and my hope, but —Dear Lord above!—
426
she could take everything I said
427
in secret and make me a jail.
428
That's what happens, you know,
429
when you tell a secret. Oh!
430
What can I do? I mustn't fail.
431
Still, Inez, to tell the truth
432
is all that occurs to me.

BEATRIZ enters carrying a mirror and removing her manto

BEATRIZ
433
Hello! No handmaiden do I see!

INEZ
434
Can I help you?

BEATRIZ
Please remove
435
from my dextrous hand this pellucid
436
enchantress, and my gauntlets convey.

INEZ
437
What are gauntlets?

BEATRIZ
Gloves you might say.
438
Do I need, in order to be lucid,
439
to be vulgar?

INEZ
I'll remember next time.
440
Here they are.

BEATRIZ
How one litigates
441
with these ignorant initiates!
442
Inez.

INEZ
Yes, ma'am.

BEATRIZ
Please extradite
443
Ovid from my library for me,
444
not the Metamorphoses, no,
445
nor the Ars amandi, so—
446
his Remedio amoris, you see,
447
is the work I would investigate.

INEZ
448
How can you expect me to know
449
one book from another in the row
450
if can't even read a date
451
or title on the billboards?

BEATRIZ
452
You idiotic, obscurescent laic,
453
aren't you enlightened every day
454
by the example my concomitance affords?

LEONOR
455
[Aside]
(That's my cue!) —Dear sister, I...

BEATRIZ
456
Who is that talking to me?

LEONOR
457
One who is here at your feet.
458
One who is about to die.

BEATRIZ
459
Stop right there! Approach me not!
460
My shining purity you'll besmirch,
461
desecrate the altar of honor's church,
462
my being, untouched by evil thought.
463
Any woman who puts her faith
464
in the night time's adumbration,
465
who despises daylight's illumination,
466
with contempt chaotic for her fate,
467
any who accepts a love nocturnal,
468
dare not approach my chastity, to stain
469
it with a look, nor my ears profane
470
with her petitions infernal.
471
Though human in form, she's a viper
472
spitting venom, naturally contagious.

LEONOR
473
You are discreet and also gorgeous
474
but, Beatriz, you are also my sister...

BEATRIZ
475
Never! It isn't possible, I ween,
476
for a sister of mine to be so libidinous.

LEONOR
477
Beatriz, not a single one of us
478
even knows what "libidinous" means.

BEATRIZ
479
A sister who'd defiantly abrogate
480
her safety to the viceroy solar,
481
that tremulous lighthouse lunar,
482
in order to intimately communicate,
483
gives reason for Venus to speak,
484
as well as for a satellite's silence,
485
but I'll minimize my abhorrence
486
of the deed by going to seek
487
a paternal audience to recount
488
the sacrilege done to family integrity.
489
Last night I beheld a devotee...

LEONOR
490
Do you know who?

BEATRIZ
What fount
491
of knowledge have I of such things?
492
What masculine creature have I met?

LEONOR
493
Well I will tell you, to set
494
things straight, what intention he brings
495
to my window, who he is that spoke...

BEATRIZ
496
What defiance! Such an insult! You dare?

LEONOR
497
Even though you may not care,
498
you must listen because it's no joke
499
When you question my repute
500
and with your silly interrogation
501
fall victim to your own persuasion:
502
that I'm easy. My honor will refute...

BEATRIZ
503
Your honor?

LEONOR
Stop!

BEATRIZ
I'll not concede
504
your voice access to my ear.

LEONOR
505
Whether you do or not, hear
506
what I have to say of my need.

BEATRIZ
507
Perforce your error clandestine
508
has come to my notice. I'll not allow
509
it to continue.

LEONOR
I'm talking now.

BEATRIZ
510
An asp has no ears. I'll not listen.

BEATRIZ leaves

LEONOR
511
Stop! But who just came in?

INEZ
512
Someone looking for your father.

LEONOR
513
You find out who.
[Aside]
(Why do I bother
514
going after that wild barbarian?)

LEONOR leaves. MOSCATEL enters from the opposite side

MOSCATEL
515
[Aside]
(Love, how cowardly I feel
516
in spite of your aid. I claim
517
safe conduct in the name
518
of your ambassador and his seal).

INEZ
519
Moscatel, can you possibly
520
have the daring, the audacity...?

MOSCATEL
521
You don't know either my capacity,
522
or why I'm here. That's probably
523
the cause for your anger with me.

INEZ
524
Coming here isn't cause enough?

MOSCATEL
525
Maybe.

INEZ
Don't give me that guff.
526
Just tell me what you mean.

MOSCATEL
527
No, since you don't know why;
528
yes, since you're angry with me.
529
No, because soon you will see;
530
yes, because it'll take me a while.
531
And, although I could have come
532
answering the call of your beauty,
533
I came here now to do my duty,
534
not what I'd rather have done.
535
I'm here to give you a letter
536
Don Juan has written and sent.
537
I brought it, feeling quite confident
538
it'd get to Leonor. Even better,
539
since nobody knows our connection
540
and I've never been his servant,
541
I took the mission without comment.
542
He mustn't know of our affection.
543
Still, it wouldn't matter
544
if he knew of my feeling
545
because his love has him reeling.
546
He'd understand our chatter.

INEZ
547
Well, tell him you gave it to me
548
and I'll deliver it to Leonor.
549
Then get going out that door.
550
I'm afraid Beatriz will see...

MOSCATEL
551
I'll go, all right, instantly,
552
although I adore your presence.
553
Love demands my obedience
554
and I obey him constantly.
555
I'll conquer your insolence
556
at the cost of your severity;
557
I'll earn your civility
558
by suffering your indifference.

INEZ
559
I might very well reply
560
I haven't been as hard on you
561
as it may seem. Tell me who,
562
feeling as afraid as I,...
563
... because you are here, you sot,...
564
would postpone their comments?
565
Get going! Leave my presence!
566
Good Lord! The master! I'm caught!
567
He's coming up the stairway.
568
He can't find me here and see
569
that you have been talking with me!

MOSCATEL
570
Listen! Stop! Wait! Please stay!

INEZ exits.
DON PEDRO enters

PEDRO
571
Who has to stay and wait?
572
Who should stop and stay?

MOSCATEL
573
Anyone with something to say,
574
or who'll listen to me prate.

PEDRO
575
What're you doing?

MOSCATEL
Nothing beyond
576
what I should. Can't you see?

PEDRO
577
Can't you say?

MOSCATEL
Is that up to me?
578
I was thinking of how to respond.

PEDRO
579
What are you looking for?

MOSCATEL
[Aside]
(My mind).
580
I'm looking for someone to kill me...

PEDRO
581
Why is that?

MOSCATEL
...because what I seek
582
in life, I can't seem to find.

PEDRO
583
Who are you?

MOSCATEL
A good question!
584
You've put it in the right way.
585
I'm an honorable servant, if today
586
there is one of that complexion.

PEDRO
587
Tell me whose.

MOSCATEL
I don't serve
588
even though I am an attendant.

PEDRO
589
Why not?

MOSCATEL
My master's the servant
590
since he serves me as I deserve.

PEDRO
591
To speak to me in that manner,
592
is far too much, you knave.
593
Your failure to respond and behave
594
makes me angry at your chatter.

MOSCATEL
595
[Aside]
(Good God! This is not going well!
596
If he should hit me with that here,
597
it's almost certain to kill. I fear
598
those two might as well be in Hell!)

PEDRO
599
You'll have to tell me who you are,
600
what you want, what you're looking for,
601
and why you came through that door,
602
or else die. You've gone too far.

MOSCATEL
603
Because you've already decreed
604
my death, saying, "Do it now,"
605
I'm Moscatel, a servant, I vow,
606
to Alonso de Luna.
[Aside]
(Lord help me!)

DON JUAN and DON ALONSO at the door

JUAN
607
Moscatel must still be inside,
608
Don Pedro has entered, too.
609
Let's do what we came to do.

ALONSO
610
I'm ready whatever the tide.
611
I'll go now to guard the door.

DON ALONSO leaves

PEDRO
612
Go on!

DON JUAN comes closer

JUAN
613
What’s happening, sir?

MOSCATEL
614
[Aside]
(Just what I need!)

PEDRO
[Aside]
(Under pressure
615
I’ll be on my guard even more.)
616
I found this man here in the house.
617
Why he came, I don’t yet know.

JUAN
618
No? Well he’ll tell us or,… So!
619
He’ll die by the sword right now.
(To MOSCATEL)
620
[Aside]
(Moscatel, make up a good lie.
621
It’s very important you do.)

MOSCATEL
622
[Aside]
(A real help!) — To tell the truth,
623
I came looking for a man, and I,
624
not finding any who'd answer,
625
from one doorway to the next,
626
one step at a time I pressed
627
until I arrived at this chamber,
628
where at last I found a maid.
629
(The truth in its place is a relief.)
630
She, thinking that I was a thief,
631
ran away. It was to her that I said,
632
"Please stop, listen, wait."

JUAN
633
It sounds like he's telling it right.

PEDRO
634
[Aside]
(Although I'm not really satisfied
635
that he`s got his story straight,
636
it'd be foolish and unwise
637
for me to rely on my sword
638
and let Don Juan know, of course,
639
that I suspected otherwise.
640
I'll pretend, since it's suitable,
641
to have believed his excuse.
642
He'll drop his guard when he's loose.
643
I'll follow him as soon as possible.
644
Once I know his master's name,
645
there'll be an end to my worry.)
646
If that was behind your hurry,
647
why were you upset when I came?

MOSCATEL
648
Because you carry a sword
649
and I am easily shaken, too.

JUAN
650
Go now, in peace.

MOSCATEL
May God keep you.

To MOSCATEL

JUAN
651
[Aside]
(Give Don Alonso the word
652
he should get away from there.)

MOSCATEL leaves

PEDRO
653
I'll be right back. You wait.

JUAN
654
Where are you off to?

PEDRO
To locate
655
some letters I lost somewhere

JUAN
656
But you can't go out alone.
657
I'd be glad to keep you company.

PEDRO
658
[Aside]
(It looks like he was able to see
659
through, to the anger I've shown.
660
I must set him off the track.)
661
Come along.

JUAN
[Aside]
(Things are going right
662
for a change: Not suspecting, as he might,
663
what's been happening behind his back.)

DON JUAN and DON PEDRO leave. INEZ enters

INEZ
664
I'm confused. He was so severe
665
with Moscatel, but then controlled
666
his anger and let him go.
667
Now he's following him out of here!
668
What could he possibly have seen?
669
I wonder what's going to happen.

LEONOR enters talking to BEATRIZ off-stage

LEONOR
670
Good Lord above! What a woman!
671
Have you always been so mean?

INEZ
672
Madam, tell me what has happened?
673
What's the cause of your anger?

LEONOR
674
Beatriz won't listen to me.
675
She's as impertinent as ever,
676
acting more proud than usual.
677
She says she'll tell our father
678
what went on. How tiresome!

INEZ
679
Well, I must say that I never!...
680
It seems that troubles always come
681
one on the heels of the other
682
so closely tied they form a chain.
683
The first one's hardly a bother,
684
when the second begins to be felt.
685
Difficulties come twisted together!
686
That man who got here just before
687
you left so that I could see
688
who he was, was looking for you.
689
This letter he gave to me
690
is from Don Juan. He sent the man,
691
the servant of a friend, you see,
692
to avoid the risk of being known.
693
I took it and we were free
694
almost... when your father came in
695
—as if heaven felt the need—
696
and caught the man standing here.
697
Don Juan entered and, heeding my plea,
698
got him to make some stupid excuse.
699
to cover up who he'd come to see.
700
Your father made a wild attempt
701
to hide what was going on, but he
702
couldn't quite make it work, and now
703
they're following him up the street.

LEONOR
704
They're right when they say about evils
705
that if one exists, others follow.
706
As happens in the legend of the Phoenix,
707
the nest where one dies in sorrow
708
is cradle for the next to be born.
709
Victory is always so hollow!
710
Give me some paper because I want
711
to answer the letter right now
712
telling Don Juan of the danger.

INEZ
713
Don't put it away. Read it now.
714
It may have some important news
715
or even tell you about how...

LEONOR
716
You're right! You're right! I'll open it.
717
There's nothing to lose, I vow.
(LEONOR reads the letter)
718
"How hard it is, my dearest love,
719
to say just what I feel..."

INEZ
720
Your sister's coming!

LEONOR
Good Lord above!
721
What else could I possibly need?

BEATRIZ enters

BEATRIZ
722
What idiomatic missive is that
723
you're shamelessly hiding from me?

LEONOR
724
Me?

BEATRIZ
You!

LEONOR
I don't understand
725
what you say or what you mean.

BEATRIZ
726
With naught but the most vulgar excuse,
727
twice you've behaved obstinately.
728
The tarnished paper you are holding,
729
on which the quills from some geese
730
have inscribed with liquor Ethiopian
731
a few brief lines, I must see.

LEONOR
732
It's useless for you to try
733
to see it. To let you would be
734
doubly stupid on my part.
735
You refused to hear it from me
736
when I tried to tell you all.
737
But now I have a secret to keep,
738
and you have no right to know...

BEATRIZ
739
As a sibling I'll pay no heed
740
to what it is you want to say.
741
Your actions, you must agree,
742
are a different sort of thing.
743
The latter reflect reality;
744
the former could be a lie.
745
Thus, in cases of urgency,
746
I must know what you've done
747
but refuse to hear your need.

LEONOR
748
If I don't want you to know,
749
how will you find out?

BEATRIZ
This way!
(BEATRIZ grabs for the letter and they fight over it)
750
Give me that epistle!

INEZ
Epistle?
751
That's the Gospel.

LEONOR
Try as you may,
752
you tyrant, you'll never get to see
753
what it is!

BEATRIZ;
That paper liberate!

DON PEDRO enters just as they rip the paper in two, each retaining one half

PEDRO
754
What? Why are you two fighting?

INEZ
755
[Aside]
My God in heaven, what a waste!

PEDRO
756
You, give me that piece of paper.
757
And you, too, do just as I say.

LEONOR
758
[Aside]
Love, give me the wisdom I need.)

BEATRIZ
759
The fragment you appropriate
760
from my tender hands, dear sir,
761
certain reproaches will designate
762
against your respect and your honor.

LEONOR
763
[Aside]
(I wonder what it contains?)
764
Sir, the paper you have in your hand,
765
since Beatriz knows what it says,
766
must be hers. She was reading it
767
when I arrived...

BEATRIZ
Me?

To DOÑA BEATRIZ

PEDRO
I pray,
768
be quiet.

LEONOR
And then when she saw me,
769
she hid it with great care.
770
Naturally, I wanted to read it.
771
When I tried to take it, she
772
tried to keep it. You mustn't think
773
for a minute that was daring of me,
774
because ever since I found out
775
she had a suitor, and that he
776
was writing her, coming by night
777
to her window in order to speak,
778
my virtue has given me the daring
779
the excuse if there were a need,
780
although I am the younger sister,
781
to treat her as you have seen.

INEZ
782
[Aside]
(Leonor won that hand, all right,
783
she had the winning cards.)

PEDRO
784
Indeed, Beatriz!

BEATRIZ
Utterly astounded,
785
I know not to answer the charge.
786
She constructed her utterance
787
so as to do the most harm:
788
an edifice made of fire and ice,
789
that'll melt as soon as it's warm.
790
Everything she accused me of
791
in specie, is her own crime.

LEONOR
792
Inez was here. Let her tell
793
what has happened this time.

BEATRIZ
794
Let's be precise, Inez was present
795
she'll apprise us of which is right.

INEZ
796
I am, after all, the only witness
797
to all that occurred tonight.

PEDRO
798
[Aside]
(What can I do? I've been caught
799
between evil on every side.
800
Whatever I do can turn out badly.
801
they're both out after my hide.
802
If I should find out, —How sad!—
803
which wants to end my life,
804
I'm still the one who'll suffer.
805
I'll never have peace of mind.
806
I'm therefore besieged by pain,
807
harassed by my own bad luck,
808
surrounded by misfortune.
809
If I must—dear Lord—, if I must,
810
I'll die, but I intend to know
811
the cause and whom to trust.)
812
Get out of here, Beatriz, go!
813
And you, Leonor, you go too.

BEATRIZ
814
But, sir, I...

PEDRO
Don't say a word.

LEONOR
815
[Aside]
(I hope the letter doesn't say who
816
it's for.)

BEATRIZ
Sister, prevaricator,
817
the fault belongs to you.

BEATRIZ and LEONOR both exit,

PEDRO
818
Inez.

INEZ
[Aside]
(Now my turn has come.)

PEDRO
819
Stop!

INEZ
[Aside]
(I am who I am.)

PEDRO
820
Since you were the only witness,
821
who first had the paper in hand?

INEZ
822
[Aside]
(I'm not free to break the rules,
823
but I will do what I can.)

PEDRO
824
Why hesitate? What do you fear?
825
Tell me where it began.

INEZ
826
[Aside]
(My job as a servant is to help
827
the one who's telling the lie.)
828
I arrived here shortly before you,
829
and no matter how I tried,
830
I never found out who had the letter.
831
Each had a piece on her side.
832
That is the truth, so help me God!
833
I swear to this, as is my right,
834
as any servant would have done
835
given what happened here tonight.

PEDRO
836
Why must I continue to suffer?
837
All relief to me is denied.
838
Inez, you may leave now.

INEZ
[Aside]
(I hope,
839
as winner, I enjoy a long life!)

INEZ leaves

PEDRO
840
This paper may well make clear
841
what the two of them would deny.
842
I'll join together the pieces
843
of this serpent, this viper, deceit.
844
Its poisonous dose is not yet fatal
845
since it isn't in one piece.
(PEDRO reads from the letter)
846
"How hard it is, my dearest love,
847
to say just what I feel,
848
I've been worrying about your sister
849
and if she heard us speak.
850
Let me know, as soon as you can,
851
if she tells your father about me
852
so I can arrange your rescue."
853
The letter fits either, I see,
854
and this only makes it all the harder.
855
If I knew with which it deals,
856
I'd know the daughter at fault
857
and which had acted virtuously.
858
My troubles would be tempered.
859
Now I don't know which to believe.
860
Heaven must have decided to make
861
them both seem guilty to me.
862
I did run into some servant here;
863
and he was disturbed it seems.
864
Don Juan came in to interrupt
865
and so I was forced to leave.
866
I tried to follow but lost him;
867
and so came home, only to meet
868
even greater worry and confusion.
869
These events indicate a deep need
870
for wisdom and for prudence.
871
I know who he seemed to be,
872
that is if he told me the truth.
873
I must know who it is that he
874
serves: Don Alonso de Luna?
875
I'll soon find out who that can be,
876
why he's here, what he intends.
877
It appears that I must achieve
878
justice or vengeance on my own.
879
Help me, Lord, help me please.

END OF ACT ONE

ACT TWO

Locale: On the street in Madrid
DON ALONSO, DON JUAN, and MOSCATEL all enter

ALONSO
880
That was a close call!

MOSCATEL
It was for me!
881
I was glad to get out of the place
882
after things started so badly.
883
Death was staring me in the face!

JUAN
884
It was lucky for you I decided
885
to enter when Don Pedro came,
886
as soon as I saw my chance.

MOSCATEL
887
Lucky for you, too, I may say.
888
If you hadn't, I'd have confessed
889
and told everything right away.

ALONSO
890
Do you really mean to say that?

MOSCATEL
891
It's easier to do than to say.

ALONSO
892
Don Juan is the one in love;
893
the one with something to fear.

JUAN
894
Can a man in love be a coward?

MOSCATEL
895
He could be worse as is quite clear.
896
if the life at risk is not his own,
897
but belongs to one he holds dear.
898
A lover's debt is only paid
899
with his life, when danger is near.
900
We betray love by mortgaging the life
901
of another so the debt can be cleared.

INEZ enters wearing a manto

INEZ
902
Don Juan, sir?

JUAN
Who wants to know?

INEZ
903
Me.

JUAN
Inez? Why're you here?

INEZ
904
I've been looking all over town
905
for you.

JUAN
What is it you fear?
906
Why have you come?

While DON JUAN is busy with Inez to one side, MOSCATEL puts himself between DON ALONSO and INEZ

MOSCATEL
[Aside]
(That's Inez!
907
I was hoping he'd never see her.)

INEZ
908
I came to give you this letter,

JUAN
909
I'll read it while you wait, my dear.

ALONSO
910
The girl is not bad looking!

MOSCATEL
911
[Aside]
(He saw her. I wouldn't give a cent
912
for what's left of my honor now.)

ALONSO
913
Come over here.

MOSCATEL
Sir?

ALONSO
Moscatel,
914
If your girl were as pretty as she is,
915
I could forgive you if you fell
916
in love. That is if love could ever
917
be forgiven.

MOSCATEL
[Aside]
(I'm as jealous as Hell.
918
Now take it easy and do things right.)
919
She's good looking?

ALONSO
I hope to tell!
920
Does she look like a kitchen maid?

MOSCATEL
921
She's repulsive and I bet she smells.
922
If you were to see my girl, sir,
923
you'd swear, I'm willing to bet,
924
that it would be committing sodomy
925
to make love to this one instead.

ALONSO
926
Great God's Ghost! You must be lying!

JUAN
927
I've read the letter.

ALONSO
What's it about?

JUAN
928
Leonor is having some problems,
929
but says I can come visit now.
930
Anyway, no one suspects it's me,
931
for one reason or other. Just how
932
she did that, she doesn't say.
933
Later, when I've found out,
934
I'll come back. Let's go, Inez.

ALONSO
935
You, Moscatel, stop her, now.
936
Don't let her leave.

MOSCATEL
[Aside]
(What else?)

ALONSO
937
You! Good-looking!

INEZ
Don't shout!
938
What do you want?

ALONSO
A closer peak
939
at your beautiful face.

MOSCATEL
[Aside]
(And how!)

INEZ
940
There's far too much to look at
941
and I don't have time right now.

ALONSO
942
But I can do it very quickly.

MOSCATEL
943
[Aside]
(He starts fast, but he's quick to get out.)

DON LUIS and DON DIEGO enter and stand to one side

DIEGO
944
That one's her servant, I'm sure.

LUIS
945
I followed when she left the house.
946
I hoped to catch her and pay her
947
to get a letter to Beatriz now.

INEZ
948
[Aside]
(I wonder what Moscatel wants,
949
making those signs at me.)

DIEGO
950
She is talking to Don Alonso.

LUIS
951
So I was right to believe
952
her servant was looking for him!
953
He must be after Beatriz.
954
He's always here at her window,
955
hanging about on her street
956
accompanied by his friend,
957
trying not to be seen
958
while they watch her house.
959
Only one thing it can mean:
960
he's in love.

DIEGO
What'll you do?

LUIS
961
Well, I don't want to be seen.
962
She hardly knows I'm alive
963
so how important can I be
964
to her? It'd be stupid to fight
965
if she has hardly looked at me.

DIEGO
966
You're right. It would be wrong.
967
That vile jealousy you feel...

LUIS
968
You can't call jealousy vile,
969
Don Diego.

DIEGO
But can't you see?

LUIS
970
Is there anything better than truth?
971
Truth is an attribute of jealousy;
972
and, therefore, jealousy never lies.
973
Such virtue can never be depravity.

DON LUIS and DON DIEGO exit

INEZ
974
Fine. Good-bye, it's getting late.

ALONSO
975
At least allow my servant to go
976
with you. You shouldn't be alone.

INEZ
977
Thank you. That would be great.

MOSCATEL
978
[Aside]
(Must I really listen to this?
979
Must I watch?)

ALONSO
Moscatel.

MOSCATEL
Yes sir.

ALONSO
980
Inez, says you can go with her,
981
as company, to where she lives.
982
Go, and when you get there,
983
tell her that if she decides
984
to visit where love presides,
985
there'll be presents to spare.

MOSCATEL
986
How could you ask such a thing?

ALONSO
987
If I must accompany Don Juan,
988
she might be just what I want
989
to ease the effect of Cupid's sting.

MOSCATEL
990
I'll tell her.

ALONSO
As you know
991
I'll be waiting for the answer.

DON ALONSO exits

MOSCATEL
992
[Aside]
(Well, that's the end of my honor.)

INEZ
993
It's time, Moscatel.

MOSCATEL
Let's go.

MOSCATEL and INEZ exit and re-enter on another street
Locale : Another street on the way to Inez's house

INEZ
994
Why be so sad? You're with me.
995
Why won't you look me in the face?
996
What are you thinking of?

MOSCATEL
The disgrace,
997
Inez, that you alone, the sweet
998
lovely mistress of my soul,
999
are bringing down on me...

INEZ
1000
What's that?

MOSCATEL
I love you, my sweet,
1001
but I'm a servant as you know.
1002
It seems that I must choose
1003
between my love and my master
1004
being unfaithful to one or the other.

INEZ
1005
You've got me all confused.

MOSCATEL
1006
Maybe I can make you comprehend.
1007
Once Don Alonso saw you, my love,
1008
—He should be blinded by God above
1009
even though it meant my end—
1010
he saw you —Oh, God help me!—
1011
he wanted you as a "friend,"
1012
not so much for your beauty Inez,
1013
as for your very finite body.
1014
To him you were a new face.
1015
He sent me along so I could tell
1016
you of the desire he felt...
1017
—See how I'm starting to shake—
1018
He says if you come visit, Inez,
1019
he'll give you something to relish,
1020
lunch, dinner, or some special dish;
1021
he'll give you your heart's content.

INEZ
1022
How crazy, gross, even crude!
1023
Stop your wagging tongue!
1024
I don't know what I've done
1025
to hear such talk from you.
1026
How do you dare to speak
1027
to me that way? Get away.
1028
You tell your master that I say
1029
"I am what I am." He'd better seek
1030
his wants... Just where, he knows.
1031
There is no way that I'd ever
1032
come visit his house. Never!
1033
I am certainly not one of those.
1034
I'm a lady who knows her worth
1035
and can't be bought for a lunch.
1036
I'm a woman who does what she wants.
1037
Give him that as my answer.

MOSCATEL
1038
You mean it?

INEZ
That's what I said.
1039
Now fast, get away from here;
1040
you mustn't be found so near
1041
to where I work as a maid.

MOSCATEL
1042
Please don't go away mad.

INEZ
1043
Don't follow or come after me.

MOSCATEL
1044
I'll obey, as you will see,
1045
Inez, but right now I'm so sad
1046
my eyes are filling with tears
1047
as an open show of heartfelt shame.

MOSCATEL exits

INEZ
1048
I'll show him I'm not to blame.
(INEZ stands for a moment at the door of her house, removes her manto, and hides it in the framework beneath her skirt)
1049
I'll have to remove my manto here.
1050
I think we women wear these
1051
under our skirts, in order to hide
1052
things so we won't have to lie.
1053
Now, my stupid mistress Beatriz,
1054
even if she did miss me,
1055
won't suspect that I've been out.
(INEZ speaks directly to the audience)
1056
You mustn't tell what this is about.
1057
Keep my secret, won't you, please?

INEZ exits
Locale : A room in the house of DON PEDRO
DON JUAN, LEONOR, and INEZ all enter

LEONOR
1058
Now you know. I told that lie
1059
to set our worries aside.

JUAN
1060
A real stroke of genius,
1061
subtle and surreptitious!

LEONOR
1062
After coming so close to losing
1063
my life, I prevailed by choosing
1064
not to deny the evidence
1065
but make use of what happened.
1066
An inspiration must be heeded
1067
especially when it is needed.

JUAN
1068
Your father still suspects
1069
you both?

LEONOR
Yes. He's so intense!
1070
With all his coming and going,
1071
listening in without our knowing.
1072
Still he has never learned
1073
whose letter it was that earned
1074
his anger. There's only one,
1075
Inez, who knows what I've done.
1076
Unless she decides to tell him,
1077
he'll never know who it's from.

INEZ
1078
I didn't dare say that it was
1079
for Beatriz, if only because
1080
the contents could betray me.
1081
So, as you see, I acted boldly.

JUAN
1082
We were lucky the letter came
1083
couched in terms meaning the same
1084
for one sister as for the other,
1085
written by the hand of another
1086
it didn't even mention your name.
1087
But tell me what Beatriz had to say
1088
about the mixup.

LEONOR
I expect,
1089
now that she's the prime suspect,
1090
that if she had any wits
1091
she'd lose them and start having fits.
1092
She's so vain and crazy,
1093
so proud of her genius and beauty,
1094
that finding herself accused
1095
has her in tears, completely bemused.
1096
And, Don Juan, I am so happy
1097
to see that, that I would gladly
1098
give my life in exchange
1099
for a real lover to cause her shame,
1100
if it were true rather than fake.

INEZ
1101
Think, sir, what we can do to take
1102
advantage of the situation.

LEONOR
1103
One effect of our mutual admiration
1104
has been this opportunity
1105
to divert and blame her with impunity.
1106
And when her persecution has ceased
1107
she'll have to give us some peace.

JUAN
1108
That's fine, and I am pleased
1109
to back you in the vengeance you seek.
1110
The next time I come over
1111
I'll bring a friend to court her.
1112
Later I'll tell you how.
1113
Here she comes. I can't talk now.

LEONOR
1114
Leave. Don't let her see you;
1115
although she still has no idea who
1116
has been calling on me,
1117
it's best to cover up, I believe.

JUAN
1118
Sweet Leonor, good night.

INEZ
1119
Get her good and get her right!

DON JUAN and INEZ leave. DOÑA BEATRIZ enters talking to herself

BEATRIZ
1120
Now that I am left alone
1121
and since my own imagination
1122
is uncertain association,
1123
I'll soliloquize on my own:
1124
Why can't I be consoled?
1125
Under what star was I born?
1126
My squire has been my honor,
1127
a sun to brighten the day;
1128
the eclipse it has sustained
1129
is mine to suffer in form.
1130
Caught between light and flame,
1131
in an orbit of confusion
1132
and planetary disunion,
1133
Leonor's lie stakes its claim.

LEONOR
1134
What do you want?

BEATRIZ
Your name
1135
I spoke in error while alone.
1136
I had no wish to convoke
1137
or upon your person to call,
1138
but rather my worry forestall
1139
in naming you to my soul.

LEONOR
1140
Tell me why you're nasty to me
1141
even when talking to yourself.

BEATRIZ
1142
Since you interrogate me, —well—
1143
it's castigation for your deceit.
1144
Weren't you, —as Love could see—
1145
the party written?

LEONOR
I was.

BEATRIZ
1146
Weren't you the one whose response
1147
to the paternal demand made claim
1148
the document was mine, and the blame?

LEONOR
1149
I was.

BEATRIZ
You're the one who's done
1150
all she could to validate the lie.
1151
to over-embellish reality,
1152
to inundate and dilute my purity?

LEONOR
1153
I was, Beatriz.

BEATRIZ
Then why shouldn't I
1154
lament your deception?

LEONOR
Just try
1155
to understand what you have done.
1156
It never, never would have come
1157
to this if you had tried to help.
1158
But the harm has been done. Well,
1159
Beatriz, at first it was for fun...
1160
I won't deny, now that we're alone,
1161
that the fault was indeed all mine,
1162
neither will I confess my mind
1163
to anyone else. I love, I dote,
1164
I adore, I'm dying of love I know.

DON PEDRO enters from behind DOÑA BEATRIZ, where he is seen by DOÑA LEONOR. LEONOR pretends not to see him and he hides where he can hear and not be seen

LEONOR
1165
[Aside]
(Good Heavens! That's my father!)

PEDRO
1166
[Aside]
(I'm dying of love" is what I heard.)

LEONOR
1167
[Aside]
(May I get help from the Lord above
1168
to cure that mistake.) — "I love!"
1169
How do you dare to use that word
1170
in front of me? "I adore!"

PEDRO
1171
[Aside]
(How could this be?)

LEONOR
"I dote!"

PEDRO
1172
[Aside]
(Just who it is I'll get to know.)

LEONOR
1173
"I'm dying of love!" What more
1174
will I have to bear? What for?
1175
My father will have to hear
1176
what you've been saying here:
1177
What you've confessed to me alone.
1178
I'll soon see that he is told.

BEATRIZ
1179
What's that?

LEONOR
Don't come near!
1180
"Approach me not!"

BEATRIZ
I'm troubled
1181
Leonor, by the magnitude of your quirks.

LEONOR
1182
"My shining purity you'll besmirch!"

BEATRIZ
1183
What change....?

LEONOR
The insult is doubled
1184
your tongue makes it vocal.

PEDRO
1185
[Aside]
(Leonor is the one who is virtuous!)

BEATRIZ
1186
Dear sister, I...

LEONOR
Isn't this curious?
1187
Now I'll not listen to you it seems.
1188
Never! "It isn't possible, I ween
1189
for a sister of mine to be so libidinous."

LEONOR exits. DON PEDRO enters

BEATRIZ
1190
Who ever saw such extremes?
1191
Who ever felt these feelings?
1192
Who would believe such faking?
1193
She changed so fast, it seems.

PEDRO
1194
I... I saw you here, Beatriz.
1195
It seems my worry was not in vain.
1196
What Leonor said made it plain:
1197
I was concerned about you two.
1198
It's clear I was correct about you
1199
Leonor is right to feel ashamed.

BEATRIZ
1200
All this time, you were here?

PEDRO
1201
Yes, Beatriz, I certainly was.

BEATRIZ
1202
And you heard what Leonor said?

PEDRO
1203
Indeed I was able to hear.

BEATRIZ
1204
You're disillusioned, I fear,
1205
by what you overheard.

PEDRO
1206
Even though it may seem absurd,
1207
your sister was clearly outraged
1208
by your deeds.

BEATRIZ
[Aside]
(I was upstaged!)
1209
Hapless me! My star's adverse!

PEDRO
1210
Why hapless? Is it that bad?

BEATRIZ
1211
Sir...

PEDRO
Beatriz, that's enough!
1212
No more of that affected stuff!
1213
Enough, enough of what we've had!
1214
Your language will drive me mad.
1215
It's already cost your reputation.
1216
No one understands your situation.
1217
Because you refuse to speak
1218
plainly, you are forced to lead
1219
a life of poor communication.
1220
I know what has you disturbed,
1221
I know all about the letter,
1222
the rogue who would be your lover,
1223
the rake, whose love you've fostered.
1224
That you love him I just now heard
1225
when Leonor was scolding you.
1226
It may well be my fault, too;
1227
however, I know the remedy:
1228
we'll put an end to the poetry,
1229
as well as to any study you may do.
1230
There'll be no more books here,
1231
no more Latin to be found.
1232
A Book of Prayer I'll be bound,
1233
in simple language... You hear?
1234
You'll learn to cook, to shed a tear,
1235
to sing a song and to sew.
1236
These alone a woman must know.
1237
Leave the rest to a man.
1238
You'll feel the weight of my hand
1239
if you use that language. So no...

BEATRIZ
1240
Having subordinated my will
1241
to yours out of deference,
1242
my previous style of elegance
1243
I'll reject and rephrase, I promise.
1244
Please allow your powers of analysis
1245
to cloak the evident appearance,
1246
the illusion of circumstance
1247
that has brought out your malice.
1248
I'll attempt in spite of injustice
1249
to captivate your benevolence.

PEDRO
1250
Beatriz!

BEATRIZ
Attend propitiously...

PEDRO
1251
You really are making an attempt.

BEATRIZ
1252
For kindred's sake...

PEDRO
Your contempt
1253
has utterly diminished my capacity!

DOÑA BEATRIZ and DON PEDRO leave
Locale : A room in DON ALONSO'S house
DON ALONSO and MOSCATEL enter

ALONSO
1254
That hypocrite Inez said that?

MOSCATEL
1255
Your love greatly offended her.
1256
You'd think she were a saint.
1257
"Tell him," she said, "your master,
1258
I'm too good to be his mistress.
1259
I can't be bought or conquered;
1260
and I wouldn't make a proper wife."

ALONSO
1261
She said that like an actor.
1262
In speaking to the king in a play
1263
the countess of Milán or Amalfi,
1264
—but never the scullery maid,—
1265
could say that. But damn it!
1266
Why not accept her luck today
1267
in being approached by me?
1268
I'm clean and I know how to play.

MOSCATEL
1269
Sir, those who wear clean shirts
1270
should seek clean company as well.

ALONSO
1271
And what did Celia have to say?

MOSCATEL
1272
She was drinking I suspect,
1273
but she came to her window to talk.
1274
She wondered about how you felt
1275
since you hadn't come to see her.
1276
That she never would have said
1277
if she'd been in her right mind,
1278
since she knows good and well
1279
you were there just three days ago.

ALONSO
1280
I'm undone and overwhelmed.
1281
Because I've been too faithful,
1282
each of the women made up her mind:
1283
since I was pleasant when I left,
1284
I belonged to them for life.
1285
Well, things went better with me.
1286
I went to Clara's and had a good time.
1287
She invited me in, and then asked
1288
for twenty yards of lamé.
1289
She said it was to make a dress
1290
that she could wear in my name.
1291
Half in jest, I asked "what color?"
1292
She answered, still playing the game,
1293
that I should choose my favorite,
1294
since her taste and mine were the same.
1295
On that subject, I made up a verse.
1296
As you'll see, it's not too tame.
1297
"Of my favorite color I'd give you a dress,
1298
my love would like to do more,
1299
but I'm so afraid of what you expect,
1300
that to do so would make you a... bore."
1301
And that got me off of the hook.

MOSCATEL
1302
I'm glad you kept your composure.

ALONSO
1303
What do you mean by that?

MOSCATEL
1304
You act completely unconcerned.
1305
It pays, I guess, to think fast.

ALONSO
1306
Do you know what makes me wonder,
1307
almost kills me in fact?
1308
Since men would rather offer,
1309
why do women continue to beg?

MOSCATEL
1310
Because that's the way they are.
1311
[Aside]
(See how easily I managed
1312
to get his mind off Inez.
1313
So-long, jealousy.)

ALONSO
Look here.

MOSCATEL
1314
Yes, sir?

ALONSO
Tell me, Moscatel,
1315
do you want to know the truth?

MOSCATEL
1316
If it doesn't take too long to tell.

ALONSO
1317
Inez really hurt my pride.

MOSCATEL
1318
She's keen, and sharp as well.

ALONSO
1319
I have to get even. Go see her.

MOSCATEL
1320
Me?

ALONSO
Yes, you.

MOSCATEL
[Aside]
(And so farewell!
1321
Jealousy's still here I see.)

ALONSO
1322
Tell her for me...

DON JUAN enters

JUAN
I've been sent
1323
to bring news from heaven:
1324
Lover's aren't always discontent.
1325
The trouble and worry are over.
1326
At last Cupid has smiled on me.
1327
Yesterday, I asked for your help,
1328
and made use of your bravery
1329
to solve a problem of honor.
1330
Things have changed, as you see,
1331
So, Don Alonso, I have come
1332
seeking the help of your courtesy,
1333
your tongue and subtle genius.
1334
I'm still caught between extremes:
1335
worry and joy, and I wish I knew
1336
the proper way to now proceed.

ALONSO
1337
Fine! Tell me what happened.

JUAN
1338
The problems Leonor was having
1339
were solved by blaming Beatriz.
1340
In spite of her care and denying,
1341
their father, unable to decide
1342
which was at fault, and doubting
1343
the integrity of either,
1344
has been spying on everything
1345
they both do. In order to help
1346
maneuver Beatriz by diverting
1347
her attention, Leonor asked
1348
me to convince a friend, to bring
1349
him with me to their house
1350
so he could help by pretending
1351
to love Beatriz who was angry,
1352
and when sisters are fighting...
1353
She says it's important
1354
to convict or divert her
1355
and that diversion must be you.
1356
Leonor will manage her sister
1357
and get you into the house.
1358
You'll be free to woo her,
1359
to spend the night at her window
1360
to talk or to write her a letter,
1361
get servants to deliver notes,
1362
and when she leaves follow after.

ALONSO
1363
Stop there! Go no further!
1364
I can't do that; I haven't the time
1365
to follow or court any woman.
1366
I wouldn't. Not on your life.
1367
Me, stand there out on the street?
1368
Me, spend hours every night
1369
making ardent love to a chamber pot?
1370
Me, give her maids a bribe
1371
to tell her that I love her?
1372
Me, with the guard, pick a fight?
1373
Me, follow a woman wherever she goes
1374
to discover her favorite shrine,
1375
or even if she is religious?
1376
Never, Don Juan, in my whole life
1377
have I paid any attention
1378
to whether a woman was baptized
1379
or not. And that keeps them happy.
1380
It's something they want to hide
1381
so no one will ever know when.
1382
Me, write a letter so wise
1383
that it contained nothing silly,
1384
nothing at all to compromise
1385
my position on love and reason?
1386
Me, spend two hours each night
1387
talking at a window with bars,
1388
trying to reach for the hand
1389
of someone who will only answer
1390
"But that belongs to my husband?"
1391
Someone who guards her virginity,
1392
and insistently maintains that stance
1393
and yet teases me all day long
1394
with her eyes peeking over a fan?
1395
Good God, I'd rather die
1396
than ever pursue a woman.
1397
solicit, flatter, write, or speak,
1398
or attempt to hold her hand.
1399
Unless I am free to visit
1400
a house where I can feel at ease,
1401
sit in a chair on the first visit,
1402
move to a couch on the second, you see,
1403
and on the third to the bed,
1404
making my pillow of a knee
1405
though my mattress be the floor,
1406
having my back scratched properly
1407
whenever and wherever it itches,
1408
I wouldn't offer two figs in a deal
1409
for all the love in the world.
1410
And look at the woman you got for me!
1411
As charming as she is well-bred!
1412
One who only knows how to speak
1413
in strange tongues no man alive
1414
can understand without a key.
1415
See if there's another way,
1416
please, in which I can serve you
1417
because, by God above, I'd rather
1418
fight a dozen men, even two,
1419
than deal with an educated woman.
1420
The woman for me, to tell the truth,
1421
must be faithful, fertile, and free,
1422
somewhat simple, easy, and smooth.

JUAN
1423
But here in Madrid, Don Alonso,
1424
it's really nothing new
1425
for one friend to help another
1426
by making love to lady number two.

ALONSO
1427
It's nothing new in Madrid either,
1428
Don Juan, for a friend to lose
1429
everything he has won in a game
1430
by feeding an extra kitty (¿pussy?) or two.

JUAN
1431
I wouldn't expect you to make her
1432
your bride, only that you pretend.
1433
It's really a great big joke.

ALONSO
1434
Make love to someone I've never met!
1435
Play a trick on some crazy woman,
1436
completely vain and insolent!...

MOSCATEL
1437
[Aside]
(How quickly the opportunity came
1438
to turn things right again!
1439
Everything is going crazy.)

ALONSO
1440
In so far as it's all a pretense,
1441
all right; but if you think
1442
I'll put up with any of her nonsense,
1443
you don't know who you're asking.

JUAN
1444
Nobody's asking you to do that.

ALONSO
1445
Well, I'll begin the performance.

JUAN
1446
We'll go right now, if you can,
1447
to their house and along the way
1448
I'll tell you a few important facts
1449
while we plan your visit.

ALONSO
1450
Let's go, Don Juan; make it fast.
1451
To think of me as the answer,
1452
to your problems, makes me laugh.

MOSCATEL
1453
I hope it all turns out well.

ALONSO
1454
Why shouldn't it, you silly ass?
1455
It's all a big joke, you see,
1456
I'm free to make the attempt
1457
in order to help Don Juan,
1458
backing him in his request,
1459
by playing a trick on Beatriz,
1460
giving Leonor some help
1461
with the vengeance she seeks,
1462
and getting to romp with Inez.

MOSCATEL
1463
[Aside]
(The only thing sure to happen
1464
is that my life will be pure hell.)

DON JUAN, DON ALONSO, and MOSCATEL all exit
Locale : The room of Beatriz. There is a pantry or cupboard
BEATRIZ and INEZ enter

INEZ
1465
Ma'am, you seem quite sad.

BEATRIZ
1466
I'm upset by the misfortune I've had.
1467
Don't I have plenty of reason?
1468
Paternal displeasure, brought on by treason,
1469
has caused the calumnies,
1470
despite my careful incorruptibility.
1471
He believes I paid heed
1472
to love talk and letters I received,
1473
that I gave a man favors,
1474
when he came through open dormers,
1475
that his touch so clouded
1476
my senses my honor's been routed,
1477
in spite of being scrupulous.
1478
No such thought, however nebulous,
1479
ever dared to cross my mind.
1480
As a consequence I have retired
1481
to this melancholic place
1482
where the sun never shows his face,
1483
to this lugubrious sphere
1484
where, unsure of the death I fear,
1485
I abide, in manner unobtrusive,
1486
negating the facts in order to live.
1487
The sun, that golden Narcissus,
1488
from the first refulgent moments of dawn
1489
to night's paroxysmic cold
1490
won't see my face, however bold,
1491
since it can never penetrate
1492
these fortified walls, the disjunctive state
1493
that hides my honor defiled.
1494
Let tears run free, though they be styled
1495
to respond to another's sin,
1496
not mine as it appears to have been.
1497
Inez, haven't I complained
1498
in language plain and sedate?
1499
If my father could only hear me now
1500
he'd be pleased at my progress, I vow.

INEZ
1501
Very pleased, I'm sure,
1502
but you did use some unusual words.

BEATRIZ
1503
I did? Tell me which.

INEZ
1504
I heard "lugubrious" and "melancholy,"
1505
"refulgent," "paternal," "scrupulous,"
1506
"paroxysmic," "Narcissus," and "nebulous."
1507
The others I can't even remember.

BEATRIZ
1508
Such vacuousity renders my mind asunder!
1509
Aren't these common expressions
1510
regularly used by any man or woman?
1511
Right now, I make a promise
1512
that every expression in my service
1513
will, in spite of Saturn,
1514
be vile clog rather than tragic cothurn.

INEZ
1515
You are getting better, I see.

BEATRIZ
1516
And you, if ever you hear me
1517
speak such words as are denied
1518
to an uneducated women, as hard as I try,
1519
give me a yank on the sleeve.

INEZ
1520
I'll take that job and I'll guarantee
1521
to let you know if you fail.

DOÑA LEONOR, DON ALONSO, and MOSCATEL enter. LEONOR and ALONSO speak to one side

LEONOR
1522
There's Beatriz, and since you came
1523
to create a diversion
1524
by courting her. I'll be your protection.
1525
So you can safely talk,
1526
Don Juan and I will take a walk.
1527
But we'll stay close by here
1528
so nobody else can even come near.

LEONOR leaves

ALONSO
1529
[Aside]
(Why is my love so reticent
1530
since, in truth, it's only pretense?)

INEZ
1531
What is this, Moscatel?

MOSCATEL
1532
The medicine, since she's all set.

INEZ
1533
What are you doing here?

MOSCATEL
1534
Protection for you, Inez, my dear.
1535
I don't dare let you
1536
be near my master unless I am too.

DOÑA BEATRIZ sees DON ALONSO

BEATRIZ
1537
Who's there?

INEZ
Some man who dared
1538
to sneak into this room. I'm scared.

BEATRIZ
1539
A man in my cubicular field?
1540
What are you doing?

INEZ
Pulling your sleeve.

BEATRIZ
1541
Stop acting like a dope.
1542
That's only for when we're alone.

ALONSO
1543
Beautiful Beatriz, don't
1544
employ your anger uselessly,
1545
allowing your endless wisdom
1546
that rosebud prison to flee.
1547
Take pity. You should listen
1548
without becoming too angry,
1549
since cruelty isn't always
1550
an inborn property of beauty.

BEATRIZ
1551
Is that antonomasy I hear?

INEZ
1552
[Aside]
(That's two pulls on the sleeve.)

BEATRIZ
1553
Enough of that, Inez.
1554
You daring cavalier,...
1555
It was intrepid of you
1556
to enter this cloister here
1557
where the sun hardly dares
1558
enter, perhaps out of fear,
1559
without citing the excuse
1560
of bringing daylight near.
1561
Only then does it dare come
1562
into the presence of a peer.
1563
What spirit of audacity
1564
or treachery brought you here?

INEZ
1565
[Aside]
(Now the fun can really begin.)

MOSCATEL
1566
[Aside]
(He's pulling his stuff on her.)

ALONSO
1567
Sweet, enlightened Beatriz,
1568
enigmatic and yet tender,
1569
speaker of great thoughts,
1570
and cerebral among thinkers,
1571
it is I who, after two years
1572
as sunflower to your beauty solar,
1573
am as delighted by your presence
1574
as in your absence out of temper.
1575
The distance that stands between
1576
mournful death and joyous birth
1577
is equal to that present
1578
as you can or can't be observed.

INEZ
1579
[Aside]
(Attention there, ladies.
1580
Between loving and lying,
1581
where does the real truth hide
1582
if this is something he's faking?)

ALONSO
1583
The cause of today's foolishness
1584
is that yesterday your father
1585
found this servant of mine
1586
who brought you a letter.
1587
In view of the obligation
1588
I felt in the matter,
1589
and fear that you were in danger,
1590
when I saw my chance, I entered.

BEATRIZ
1591
Don't go on. Stop it please.
1592
It's important for me to know,
1593
no matter how great the risk,
1594
what letter or servant are those
1595
about whom you are speaking.

ALONSO
1596
The servant is here below.
1597
The letter is the one Leonor,
1598
opened, even though it was yours.

INEZ
1599
I didn't give it to her;
1600
she took it, as you know.

BEATRIZ
1601
That servant was yours?

ALONSO
He was.

BEATRIZ
1602
And the letter?

ALONSO
It also.

BEATRIZ
1603
Intended for me?

ALONSO
It was.

BEATRIZ
1604
I don't doubt it, since I know
1605
you as the slayer of my peace.
1606
The homicidal, tyrannical blow
1607
you dealt aroused scruples
1608
about my honor. Please go.
1609
Turn back, turn back and leave.
1610
Be merciful and courteous;
1611
because you will cause my death
1612
if my sister should ever see us.
1613
Her vile mendacity of yesterday
1614
will be seen today as action veracious.

INEZ
1615
[Aside]
(How easily she has believed
1616
what he said and I affirmed!)

MOSCATEL
1617
[Aside]
(That it's simple to fool a woman
1618
is something we've just confirmed.)

BEATRIZ
1619
Don't expect a greater victory
1620
over my vanity that to discern
1621
my eyes spilling over with tears
1622
because of your intrusive efforts.
1623
It's often true that a man
1624
can cause a woman to cry
1625
whether she wishes or not,
1626
whether or not she tries;
1627
tears are not an infallible
1628
sign of a love that's fine.
1629
Get out.

ALONSO
[Aside]
(But by now I want
1630
to give this love a try.
1631
If I don't find an answer for her,
1632
I think I'll go out of my mind.)

BEATRIZ
1633
Please don't disturb this house
1634
more than you have already.
1635
It's enough that you came here,
1636
and I listened concupiscently.
(INEZ pulls insistently at BEATRIZ's sleeve)
1637
Don't do that. Leave me alone!
1638
For God's sake, stop pulling at me.
1639
Are you trying to cripple my arm
1640
by behaving so compulsively?

ALONSO
1641
As a truly humble lover,
1642
like a planet reflecting the sun,
1643
I know how to keep my distance.
1644
Once you know of my love,
1645
my courteous obedience...

BEATRIZ
1646
Goodby, your meaning I fathom.

DON ALONSO speaks to MOSCATEL

ALONSO
1647
That wasn't a bad beginning.

MOSCATEL
1648
But it didn't end up so well.
1649
Somebody's coming.

INEZ
Oh, madam,
1650
don't let him go.

BEATRIZ
Why? Pray tell.

INEZ
1651
Leonor, Don Juan, and your father
1652
are talking outside.

MOSCATEL
[Aside]
(Not a friend,
1653
only enemies, can be found
1654
there among the three of them.)

BEATRIZ
1655
A climacteric day for me,
1656
if they should happen to see you.
1657
It seems that heaven is disposed
1658
to corroborate the evidence too,
1659
proving the charges against me
1660
of things I have yet to do.
1661
You can't get out that way
1662
without bringing on my doom;
1663
and that door over there
1664
leads to my father's room.
1665
If they should decide to enter,
1666
I must find a way to hide you.

ALONSO
1667
Is this a play by Calderón?
1668
Do we really have to have
1669
a hidden lover in act two,
1670
or a woman who wears a mask?
1671
Me? Do I have to hide?

BEATRIZ
1672
That's what my honor demands.

MOSCATEL
1673
Inez, this is all a sad joke.

INEZ
1674
Moscatel, it isn't that bad.

BEATRIZ
1675
Because of you...

ALONSO
Good God!
1676
You're taking this measure
1677
causing me such trouble
1678
after giving so little pleasure.

BEATRIZ
1679
Why the procrastination?

ALONSO
Why?
1680
I await your disclosure
1681
of the site of concealment.

INEZ
1682
There's no place better
1683
than the china closet.

BEATRIZ
Well said.

ALONSO
1684
Don't I make a pretty treasure,
1685
a teacup or vase to be hidden
1686
away in some lady's cupboard?

BEATRIZ
1687
You must.

INEZ
Get in.

ALONSO
Impossible,
1688
unless you have a shoehorn.

To MOSCATEL

INEZ
1689
You too.

MOSCATEL
You mean we ride double,
1690
like on a rented horse?

As the door is closed, the sound of breaking glass is heard

INEZ
1691
Look out! Don't break the glass.

DON PEDRO, DON JUAN, and DOÑA LEONOR enter

PEDRO
1692
Let's have some light in here.

JUAN
1693
[Aside]
(God help me! What'll I do
1694
if Don Alonso should appear?
1695
As far as I know, that room
1696
has no other way out. I fear
1697
I've got my friend in trouble.
1698
What if he's still here?
1699
If Don Pedro does find him,
1700
I've got to remedy the situation.)

LEONOR
1701
[Aside]
(I wish I had never attempted
1702
such wicked retaliation.
1703
What began as a simple joke
1704
has achieved substantiation.)

PEDRO
1705
If you please, Don Juan, tell me
1706
what time you usually go home.

JUAN
1707
Quite early.
[Aside]
(I take it he means
1708
I should take the hint and go.
1709
and I must, although it seems
1710
I'm leaving my friend Alonso
1711
in a good bit of trouble.
1712
I can't stay here, and so,
1713
I'll have to wait outside
1714
whether I'm needed or no.)
1715
Good night.

PEDRO
Good-by. Inez,
1716
get a candle to show him out.

JUAN
1717
Are you leaving again so soon?

PEDRO
1718
[Aside]
(I know what I have to find out.)

As INEZ shows him out, DON PEDRO accompanies them

LEONOR
1719
[Aside]
(I wish I knew where Beatriz
1720
put him so he couldn't be found.
1721
I don't see him around here.)

BEATRIZ
1722
[Aside]
(Too many reasons to doubt
1723
a man I don't even know!
1724
I hope Inez can get him out.)

DON PEDRO and INEZ return with the light

PEDRO
1725
Bring that light with you, Inez.

LEONOR
1726
They'll surely find him in that room.

PEDRO
1727
And you two come with me,
1728
I have something to say to you.
(At this the tinkling of glass is heard from the closet, but INEZ quickly drops the candlestick)
1729
What was that?

INEZ
I just dropped
1730
the candle.

PEDRO
Watch what you do
1731
Inez. Pay attention.

INEZ
Yes, sir.

DON PEDRO and DOÑA LEONOR exit to his room

BEATRIZ
1732
Inez, that goes for me, too.
1733
Now that my father's gone,
1734
quickly open up for those two.
1735
Get them out of here now.
1736
See what there is you can do
1737
so Leonor will never know.

INEZ
1738
She'll never find out. But you,
1739
tell me how it's to be done
1740
if the chances are all too few.
1741
Your father went down with Don Juan
1742
not only to show his courtesy
1743
but also to lock the doors.

BEATRIZ
1744
I don't care how, you see,
1745
just get them out of here now.

BEATRIZ exits

INEZ
1746
I guess it is all up to me.
INEZ opens the closet
1747
You two well pressed gentlemen
1748
can come out now, but quickly.

DON ALONSO and MOSCATEL enter

ALONSO
1749
God help me, you smelly rogue,
1750
I'd kill you if it were up to me.

MOSCATEL
1751
There was nothing I could do.
1752
If I broke anything bodily
1753
I'm sure it was only some wind.

INEZ
1754
Come with me.

ALONSO
Inez, my sweet,
1755
if this trouble were all for you,
1756
it was worth it, but definitely.

MOSCATEL
1757
I wish you wouldn't say that,
1758
but you are in the mood, I see.

ALONSO
1759
I can't take any more. You go.
1760
Let us make use of the opportunity.
1761
Let me embrace you.

MOSCATEL
Oh, damn!
1762
Inez, the lamb, has come to feel
1763
what it is like to be chased.
1764
At last the world has come to see
1765
a wolf in the arms of a lamb.

INEZ
1766
Let's get out of here quickly.

ALONSO
1767
Who's keeping you?

INEZ
Although
1768
my master has used his key
1769
to lock the door, you can both
1770
get out through here, easily,
1771
over the balcony. Quiet now!
1772
Jump down onto the street.

ALONSO
1773
Do we have to do that, Inez?
1774
After the closet, a balcony?

INEZ
1775
Indeed you must.

MOSCATEL
Is it high,
1776
Inez? You can tell me.

INEZ
1777
Only one floor up. Go now.

ALONSO
1778
I could break a leg, but I'm ready.
1779
You men who fall in love
1780
take your warning from me.
1781
If such things happen to a man
1782
who doesn't care what love can be,
1783
it could certainly happen to you.
1784
God damn those who won't stay free.

END OF ACT II

ACT III

Locale : A room in DON PEDRO's house
DOÑA BEATRIZ and INEZ enter

BEATRIZ
1785
What happened?

INEZ
As I was saying...

BEATRIZ
1786
Good Lord! Inez, were they hurt?

INEZ
1787
Like fallen angels they lay in the dirt.
1788
Two men came to do some fighting.
1789
There was blood and lots of shouting.
1790
They managed to rout the men
1791
but servant and master, both upset,
1792
were carried off to see the doctor:
1793
a broken foot for his helper
1794
and the master with a wounded head.

BEATRIZ
1795
Tell me, Inez, who told you?

INEZ
1796
A friend of the one who's limping now,
1797
told me the story all about how
1798
it happened. It's really true.
1799
He was the worse hurt of the two
1800
when they jumped from the balcony.
1801
Today I went to their house to see.

BEATRIZ
1802
Who do they think is at fault?

INEZ
1803
That they don't know at all.

BEATRIZ
1804
He's not still afflicted, is he?

INEZ
1805
He is, but the cut on the head
1806
and broken foot they got here
1807
are getting better it appears.

BEATRIZ
1808
Has the claudication kept him abed?

INEZ
1809
What's that "Claudication" you said?
1810
Won't you ever quit that vice?

BEATRIZ
1811
What a cretin! Where's your mind?
1812
Isn't it clear that to claudicate
1813
means to stagger as you ambulate
1814
alternating your feet?

INEZ
That's fine,
1815
but how should I know or not know?
1816
I do know that, full of fear,
1817
they were hurt getting out of here,
1818
and I went to find out, although...

BEATRIZ
1819
I suffer too because of their woe.
1820
That man came into my room
1821
already aware of me, enlightened,
1822
resolved, persevering, and determined,
1823
he evidently intended my doom.
1824
As fast as the danger loomed,
1825
—if love can be called a danger—
1826
I tried to provide myself a shelter,
1827
construing defense as an obligation,
1828
even while making an observation
1829
on the compatibility of his nature.
1830
To make it worse, my father entered.
1831
That almost led to tragedy,
1832
but the intruder acted with courtesy
1833
and did exactly as I ordered.
1834
For me, he hid as it occurred,
1835
for me, he fell and was hurt.
1836
And since I was able to discern
1837
that a certain equality exists
1838
between gratitude and self-respect,
1839
I don't know which to prefer.

INEZ
1840
hat's this troubling you now?
1841
What's wrong? What's making you sad?

BEATRIZ
1842
What more do you want me to have?

INEZ
1843
Don't waste your tears right now,
1844
don't drop those pearls about.
1845
You may need them another time.

BEATRIZ
1846
Oh, Inez, Inez! How can I hide
1847
my secret feelings from you?
1848
You'd help me if you only knew
1849
the torments controlling my mind.

INEZ
1850
You can tell me whatever you wish.
1851
Saint Secret's Feast is a working day
1852
but I hope to make it a holiday
1853
as soon as I can canonize him.
1854
Your secret is as safe as my promise.

BEATRIZ
1855
Well if that's the way it has to be,
1856
I'll believe you if you believe me
1857
I want to show how grateful I am
1858
to that gentleman, the injured man
1859
for what he suffered for me.
1860
But I don't want him to sense
1861
exactly what it is I feel.
1862
If now I show him some pity
1863
later I can still be cruel.
1864
I must maintain my self-respect
1865
but also respond to the obligation
1866
to know more about his situation.
1867
I can do that and straddle the line,
1868
doing it not for his sake but mine.

INEZ
1869
It could be done in appreciation.
1870
[Aside]
(Ladies and gentlemen, she's been had.)

BEATRIZ
1871
I'd like you to go visit him now
1872
as if on your own account
1873
and learn if the wound were bad.

INEZ
1874
Anything else?

BEATRIZ
This ribbon that I have,
1875
take it to him. Tell him that you
1876
stole it... You know what to do.

INEZ
1877
I can play that role very well,
1878
just as if you did it yourself
1879
and you know I can do it, too.
1880
Give me the ribbon. Anything more?
1881
You'll see how I make my feet move.

BEATRIZ
1882
Here's the ribbon, now make it soon,
1883
but don't you ever tell Leonor
1884
where you're going or what it's for.

INEZ
1885
I won't tell her anything at all.
BEATRIZ exits. LEONOR enters
1886
Good Lord, we're having a ball!

LEONOR
1887
Why are you so happy, Inez?

INEZ
1888
Later there'll be time to tell...
1889
but the sooner I take the fall
1890
the greater the fun. I'm pleased
1891
because,—by God and my conscience!—
1892
all we did with such diligence
1893
has had its effect on Beatriz.

LEONOR
1894
What's that?

INEZ
Well, she told me
1895
that she was keeping a secret
1896
and then asked me to tell it
1897
to someone not letting him know
1898
I was sent by her, even though
1899
it was true and she meant it.
1900
Already Beatriz, in fantasy,
1901
has given herself to Don Alonso.
1902
The language with which he spoke
1903
overcame her immovability.
1904
She's letting him know through me.
1905
At last, at last! As it turns out,
1906
that woman's a woman without a doubt.
1907
Now I'll go to take him the news.
1908
But careful now, although I told you,
1909
you can't ever tell how you found out.

LEONOR
1910
I'll pretend that I never heard.

INEZ exits. DON JUAN enters

JUAN
1911
Well, I've certainly heard plenty:
1912
enough to be warned, and adequately,
1913
of how little is to be inferred
1914
about the future from your words;
1915
of how little I can expect
1916
from your love and faithfulness.
1917
There are limits to what Love can do.
1918
In order to make up for you,
1919
Beatriz suffered Cupid's effect.

LEONOR
1920
Tell me when I was unfaithful.

JUAN
1921
Leonor, I've about lost my patience
1922
although I've suffered in silence
1923
up to now, thinking it'd be possible
1924
to verify the source of the trouble
1925
without ever mentioning it to you.
1926
But you've made that impossible to do
1927
and since I'm the one who's suffering,
1928
I won't give up without speaking
1929
and getting the vengeance I'm due.
1930
At your request and pleasure,
1931
Don Alonso came to court Beatriz.
1932
I won't argue since it wasn't for me,
1933
whether that was a proper measure
1934
to take. To avoid displeasure
1935
and safeguard your reputation,
1936
he escaped an open confrontation
1937
by jumping from your balcony window
1938
to the street where I waited to know
1939
the end result on that occasion.
1940
I saw that, while I was waiting,
1941
two other men were waiting, too.
1942
I stepped aside, not knowing who
1943
or what it was they were expecting.
1944
While still hiding, I heard fighting
1945
and came as quickly as I could
1946
to where the two men had stood;
1947
as fast as I was, it wasn't enough.
1948
Don Alonso had called their bluff
1949
and the two had left for good.
1950
I saw that my friend was injured.
1951
To help you, he got in this pickle
1952
now I see that you are fickle.
1953
My jealousy may at first seem absurd,
1954
but think about what you've heard.
1955
Heaven is witness to the pain
1956
I felt when I realized the stain
1957
on our love. Those men were there
1958
ready to fight anyone who dared
1959
call on you. That much is plain.
1960
As I said, I tried to dissemble
1961
until I could come here, Leonor,
1962
to find out who was outside your door,
1963
but it has been quite impossible
1964
for me to do so. My trouble
1965
and attempts have been in vain.
1966
So my jealousy wouldn't be plain
1967
and cause open gossip about our love,
1968
I came here tonight so that my tongue
1969
could speak and make my complaint.
1970
Here you are, listening silently,
1971
and I have made my allegations.
1972
You can see why I'm disillusioned.

LEONOR
1973
Don't I have a sister who could be
1974
the cause?....

JUAN
But if it were she
1975
who had a lover, you wouldn't try
1976
to fool her. It wouldn't be right,
1977
either in truth or in jest,
1978
to put her to a fraudulent test
1979
unless it were to save your hide.
1980
Even supposing that were true,
1981
if she really had a true lover,
1982
you wouldn't invent one as a cover.
1983
Why reject the old and devise the new?

LEONOR
1984
May heaven help me!

JUAN
It won't do
1985
to find excuses now, Leonor.

LEONOR
1986
I wouldn't give them, what's more.
1987
I have never done anything wrong.

JUAN
1988
Since you were stringing me along,
1989
I swear now I don't love you anymore.

LEONOR and DON JUAN exit separately
Locale : A room in DON ALONSO's house
DON ALONSO and MOSCATEL enter

MOSCATEL
1990
Sir, what's that? What's the matter?
1991
Where are you thoughts and your mind?
1992
Why are you worried? What's going on?
1993
Why are you sad all the time?
1994
You absent-minded? You dejected?
1995
What has brought on this change?
1996
A little sword-play, a minor fall
1997
can cause you to be so strange?
1998
A stay in the closet, a balcony leap,
1999
can stop you from taking a joke?

ALONSO
2000
I don't know what there is I can say
2001
to explain what I feel in my soul.
2002
Every pleasure seems to cause worry;
2003
everything good seems bad.

MOSCATEL
2004
You said you hadn't been as affected
2005
as Don Juan thought you had.

ALONSO
2006
That's true.

MOSCATEL
And didn't you praise
2007
her beauty?

ALONSO
Indeed I did.

MOSCATEL
2008
And when you ran into those men,
2009
weren't you somewhat upset?

ALONSO
2010
I won't deny it but I had good cause.

MOSCATEL
2011
You admit to jealousy then?

ALONSO
2012
Not at all. That's not enough reason:
2013
even if there were two men,
2014
even if they tried to make me jealous
2015
and succeeded in making me sick.
2016
After all, when I went to see her
2017
it was only to play a trick.
2018
If the result is my being tricked,
2019
truth has turned to error.
2020
I went to help a friend with a problem.
2021
Maybe that's why they were there.

MOSCATEL
2022
At the plaza once, a bullfight novice
2023
decided to give it a try,
2024
backed up by one of his friends
2025
who handled a cape with style.
2026
He gallantly tipped his hat to the ladies,
2027
and he bravely took the lance.
2028
A bull came forward, and face to face
2029
with the horse, the bull advanced.
2030
Although it might be better to say
2031
the animals were back to back
2032
because, noisily lifting their tails,
2033
each left a pile on the track.
2034
The gentleman fell landing on the bull
2035
and his backer took out his sword,
2036
but instead of giving the bull a whack
2037
he stuck the friend, who roared.
2038
Being well-bred, the friend arose
2039
and asked in voice that was full,
2040
"Does anyone know who he was guarding,
2041
was it me, or was it the bull?"
2042
The moral? Backed up by Don Juan,
2043
you went to visit Beatriz.
2044
You had a problem but no one can tell
2045
the backer from the backee.

ALONSO
2046
Quiet! That doesn't make good sense.

MOSCATEL
2047
Whether or not it's sensible,
2048
I thank God you've given up scolding me
2049
about my love being impossible,
2050
now that you have joined in the dance.

ALONSO
2051
If that's the way things are,
2052
tell me the name of the lady you love,
2053
she whom you're trying to guard.

MOSCATEL
2054
Oh, no! I couldn't do that so soon.
2055
It's hard to give up bad habits

A knock is heard at the door

ALONSO
2056
You go see who's knocking at the door.

MOSCATEL
2057
Who's there?
[Aside]
(I've about had it!)

INEZ answers at first from off-stage and then enters

INEZ
2058
Isn't your master at home, Moscatel?

MOSCATEL
2059
[Aside]
(Good God! This is Inez!)
The two of them talk at the door
2060
What a surprise! You came to see him!

INEZ
2061
Well, what did you expect?
2062
[Aside]
(I wish Moscatel would believe it's true
2063
just to make him a little jealous.)
2064
I came to convince him of my reputation
2065
for truth and keeping a promise.

MOSCATEL
2066
That's a distinctive point of honor!

INEZ
2067
Now, get out of the way.

MOSCATEL
2068
I can't.

INEZ
Step aside now. Let me in.

ALONSO
2069
Who's here to visit us today?

MOSCATEL
Nobody!

INEZ
You lie! Somebody came
2070
as you know very well.

ALONSO
2071
A real somebody! Come here to my arms.
2072
A hug, if you please, Inez.

INEZ
2073
I would hug you a thousand times
2074
if only to repay your offer.
MOSCATEL pinches INEZ
2075
Ouch!

ALONSO
What happened?

INEZ
I was stuck
2076
by the point of your dagger.

ALONSO
2077
There is no doubt that your arrival
2078
gave new life to my soul.
2079
Although you sent an angry answer
2080
with Moscatel, as you know,
2081
you also know that I love you.
2082
You shouldn't be ungrateful.

INEZ
2083
I didn't do that. My very first words
2084
told you I'd come if possible.

ALONSO
2085
You rogue! Why did you tell me a lie?

MOSCATEL
2086
Me, sir?

ALONSO
By the living God!
2087
I ought to kick your lying teeth out.

MOSCATEL
2088
[Aside]
(What a terrible thought!
2089
But if she got her way, it'd be worse.)

INEZ
2090
[Aside]
(If Moscatel only knew
2091
why I had come, he wouldn't be jealous,
2092
but just for a minute or two...)

MOSCATEL
2093
hy do I take this from such a hussy?

INEZ
2094
Speak with respect. You can see
2095
that I'll soon enough be your mistress.
To DON ALONSO
Can we be alone, please?

MOSCATEL
2096
[Aside]
(Alone!)

ALONSO
You go and guard the door.

MOSCATEL
2097
[Aside
(Good heavens! Me, guard them?)

ALONSO
2098
What's that babbling?

MOSCATEL
As loyal servant
2099
I cannot possibly consent
2100
to helping you in this infamous act,
2101
putting your life in danger
2102
for the sake of this sorceress Inez
2103
just to embark on an adventure.

ALONSO
2104
When did you start worrying about
2105
my health? Get outside!

MOSCATEL
2106
I wouldn't go out there if you killed me.
2107
I mean to save your life.

ALONSO
2108
You've never been so loyal before.

MOSCATEL
2109
Before I was saving it up
2110
so this time I could work all the harder.

ALONSO
2111
Now that is really enough!
DON ALONSO pushes MOSCATEL out the door
2112
Now that we're here alone, Inez,
2113
come give me another embrace.

INEZ
2114
You may think I came because of you,
2115
but I don't think the same.
2116
I'm here for my lady's reputation,
2117
not for you or your money.

ALONSO
2118
Tell me what you're trying to say.

INEZ
2119
I'll tell you and shortly.
2120
When Beatriz, heard about the fight
2121
in the street outside their house
2122
and that you were badly wounded,
2123
she was sorry how things turned out.
2124
Having been worried about your health,
2125
she sends you this ribbon of hers.
2126
It comes from her even though she said
2127
that you should never learn
2128
it was she who sent it to you.
2129
That's all for now. Good-by.

ALONSO
2130
Wait! Listen! Do you mean to say
2131
Beatriz remembers that I?...
2132
Beatriz is upset about the accident?
2133
Beatriz is sending me favors?
2134
This has never happened to me before,
2135
a new experience to savor.

INEZ
2136
Not for me! Because once I knew
2137
your love was only pretended,
2138
something better was bound to come of it
2139
since she had been offended.
2140
Women like us get more from pretense
2141
than we do from a love that's true.

MOSCATEL sneaks slowly back into the room

MOSCATEL
2142
[Aside]
(There is no peace for a jealous man.
2143
Being sad and jealous too,
2144
I'm here to watch my own degradation,
2145
to see what I can uncover.)

ALONSO
2146
Beautiful Inez, since Beatriz has gone
2147
from one extreme to the other,
2148
let me, too, make the same exchange.
2149
What I can't repay as a lover,
2150
I will as a gentleman. You wait here
2151
while I go write her a letter.

DON ALONSO exits

MOSCATEL
2152
[Aside]
(He's gone off to the other room,
2153
My heart can take a rest.)
2154
You, you fricking tiger from Hyrcania!
2155
You stinking crocodile from Egypt!
2156
You sneaky snake, you Albanian lion!
2157
What nasty words can I use,
2158
what evil thoughts can find expression
2159
bad enough to talk about you?

INEZ
2160
None!

MOSCATEL
Since there are no such words,
2161
let my hands do the talking.
2162
A slap or two wouldn't be amiss.

INEZ
2163
Don't even think of slapping.
2164
This has only been fooling around.
2165
Now let's stop playing tricks.

MOSCATEL
2166
When you play with cheats and tricksters,
2167
you learn to shuffle the deck.
2168
Come to my arms.

INEZ
I'd like to do that.

DON ALONSO enters with a letter in hand

ALONSO
2169
What is happening here?

INEZ
2170
It's called a hug where I come from.

MOSCATEL
2171
Isn't it perfectly clear?
2172
It made me happy just to find out
2173
Beatriz had finally been tamed,
2174
—Excuse me for having such huge ears—
2175
I gave this gentle embrace,
2176
to thank Inez for bringing good news.

ALONSO
2177
You take this letter, please,
2178
and give it to Beatriz. And for you,...
2179
I want you to have these.

INEZ
2180
May you live forever, longer at least
2181
than does the fabled Phoenix of Arabia,
2182
although it may not be true that it lives
2183
longer than a mother-in-law.

INEZ exits

MOSCATEL
2184
Look here, sir, let's settle accounts
2185
now that I'm leaving too.

ALONSO
2186
What's that, Moscatel?

MOSCATEL
You heard. I quit.
2187
I won't have a master like you,
2188
in love, one who'll forget about me
2189
in order to care for another.

ALONSO
2190
So this is how you mean to repay
2191
the trouble you've made me suffer?

MOSCATEL
2192
That's how it is.

DON JUAN enters

JUAN
What's how it is?

ALONSO
2193
He wants to quit his trade.

JUAN
2194
Why, Moscatel?

MOSCATEL
This man has committed
2195
the worst, the foulest shame,
2196
the most abominable, heinous crime,
2197
committed the most infamous deed,
2198
the very greatest...

JUAN
Stop! Enough!
2199
What was it? You can tell me.

MOSCATEL
2200
It seems my master has fallen in love.
2201
You can see that I'm in the right.

ALONSO
2202
The rogue is only acting this crazy
2203
because of what happened tonight
2204
when I went over to visit Beatriz
2205
in order to help you out.

JUAN
2206
Well I thank God that worry's over
2207
the trouble's been turned around.

ALONSO
2208
What do you mean the worry's over?

JUAN
2209
I'm not in love anymore.

ALONSO
2210
And how about Leonor?

JUAN
I don't care.
2211
My mind is free from Leonor.
2212
Since love is a product of Fortune,
2213
it's subject to violent change.

ALONSO
2214
You have to go there with me now.

JUAN
2215
I'll never speak to her again.

ALONSO
2216
I have to go back to see Beatriz,
2217
to be where I can speak.
2218
All day long and far into the night
2219
out there on her street.
2220
I'm the one with the wounded head;
2221
yours is supposedly sane.
2222
Are you sure you won't go?

JUAN
No, never.
2223
My jealousy's far too great.
2224
Its tyrannical and penetrating hurt
2225
has wounded my very soul.

ALONSO
2226
I'd trade wounds with you any time.
2227
Think about why and you'll know.
2228
Whether the hurt be mortal or venial
2229
I'd rather have a wounded soul,
2230
than be here in the condition you see,
2231
lacking a head that's whole.
2232
My reasoning is quite clear: a wound,
2233
unless the remedy is correct,
2234
is apt to kill but a cure, even if faked,
2235
is good enough for a jealous fit.

JUAN
2236
I promise, no matter what the cause
2237
that I'll never, Don Alonso,
2238
put you in a dangerous spot again.

ALONSO
2239
You shouldn't hesitate to do so;
2240
it makes no difference to me.

JUAN
2241
That business I will conclude,
2242
because the hurt you suffered was enough
2243
for me as well as for you.

ALONSO
2244
One small kick from a receptive mare
2245
wouldn't deter a real stud.

JUAN
2246
I'll never go back to her house again
2247
after what she has done.

ALONSO
2248
Well, even if it isn't for you,
2249
I must return to find out
2250
who threatened me with his sword.

JUAN
2251
We could inquire about
2252
who it was, without ever going close
2253
if it's a matter of your name.

ALONSO
2254
Don Juan, it's more important to me
2255
that women respect my fame
2256
than what other men might think.
2257
When there's cause for one as proud
2258
as Beatriz is to even imagine....

JUAN
2259
I'll clear that up right now.

ALONSO
2260
Don Juan, Don Juan, let's be frank.
2261
Let's put our cards on the table.
2262
Somehow, I've got to see Beatriz.

MOSCATEL
2263
[Aside]
(He'll go as soon as he's able.
2264
And he'll swear that I've been lying.)

JUAN
2265
Well, if it means that much.
2266
what's keeping you here? Go ahead.
2267
I wish you the best of luck.

ALONSO
2268
How can I, unless you are there
2269
to help me with Leonor?

JUAN
2270
But.. you know I can't do that.
2271
I can't go see her anymore.

ALONSO
2272
This is one thing you must do for me.
2273
There's really nothing new
2274
about a friend helping out another
2275
making love to lady number two.

JUAN
2276
All right, Alonso, I'll do it for you,
2277
even though I swore I wouldn't.
2278
But before we go, remember what happened
2279
when you were in her closet.

ALONSO
2280
What does that matter?

MOSCATEL
And the balcony!

ALONSO
2281
So what?

MOSCATEL
And the swordplay?

ALONSO
2282
Not that! But Cupid made it happen.
2283
Only the occasion was a fake.
2284
Now that pretense has turned into truth
2285
what more can he do about it?
2286
Do what he will. Bring on his troops!
2287
We're off to balcony and closet!

DON ALONSO, DON JUAN, and MOSCATEL all exit.
Locale : The street outside DON PEDRO's house
DON DIEGO and DON LUIS enter

DIEGO
2288
Don Luis, you know how hard
2289
I've tried to be your friend.

LUIS
2290
I know that very well.
2291
Our friendship had its start
2292
in your willingness to help.

DIEGO
2293
You won't hold it against me
2294
if I make a suggestion?

LUIS
2295
Not at all.

DIEGO
I have a question...

LUIS
2296
You mean to say I was crazy.
2297
I'm willing to make that confession.
2298
There is no justification
2299
for having pulled my sword
2300
to start an altercation
2301
with a man whose opposition
2302
I could afford to ignore.
2303
But now to find a remedy
2304
for the problem. Once somebody
2305
thinks he's beaten the competition,
2306
and has no reason for jealousy,
2307
you can't predict his reaction.

DIEGO
2308
So now what will you do
2309
to satisfy your appetite?
2310
Don Pedro may have some insight
2311
on why it is that you
2312
were waiting outside last night.

LUIS
2313
I have no reason to be afraid.
2314
If a man can get a divorce
2315
even after a marriage is made,
2316
its consummation can be stayed
2317
until I'm satisfied, of course.

DON PEDRO enters.

PEDRO
2318
Upset by this burning frost,
2319
this fire that chills my bones,
2320
this danger that I see approach
2321
my honor, seeking its loss,
2322
I leave them safe but alone.
2323
I want to speak to Don Luis
2324
and bring this marriage about,
2325
in order to stop the other lout
2326
and give me hope for some peace
2327
by keeping him out of my house.
2328
That's Don Luis over there.
2329
I'm glad to find him so near.
2330
He'll be her husband, I swear.
2331
He's noble and has a flare...

DIEGO
2332
Don Pedro's coming over here.

LUIS
2333
[Aside]
(I'd rather not, at this time,...)

PEDRO
2334
Don Luis, your family has told me
2335
of your desire to honor mine,
2336
and being grateful and happy
2337
about it, I came to find
2338
you and speak of the pleasure
2339
it gives me to welcome you...

LUIS
2340
Don Pedro, that good news
2341
is something I'll always treasure
2342
in spite of what I must do.
2343
I must confess that I tried
2344
to make such an arrangement
2345
and was fortunate in that I
2346
was able to obtain your consent,
2347
an honor both generous and kind.
2348
But... unhappily sir.
2349
something now has occurred.
2350
A new debt. A matter of honor
2351
at present has me so disturbed
2352
it's impossible to marry her.

PEDRO
2353
A matter of honor so important
2354
as to upset this proposal?

LUIS
2355
Yes.

PEDRO
But how? What happened?
2356
Has Beatriz done something awful?

LUIS
2357
Nothing that was significant;
2358
nothing to make you angry.
2359
It's a point of my honor
2360
that causes this, you see.

PEDRO
2361
Tell me how that can be.

LUIS
2362
I just now found out, sir,
2363
that his royal majesty,
2364
—May heaven keep him safe,
2365
may his light forever be seen—
2366
called by his Catholic zeal,
2367
has decided on a Spring campaign.
2368
I knew that a certain lord,
2369
a relative, by my good fortune,
2370
was forming a new battalion
2371
I asked him to make use of my sword
2372
allowing me to be his companion.
2373
He made me Captain of a company.
2374
So I can't marry your daughter
2375
since he who'd be both soldier
2376
and husband, as everyone agrees,
2377
always winds up being neither.
2378
If I should some day return, sir
2379
an example of greater valor,
2380
then you can make me happy.
2381
Right now I can't marry Beatriz
2382
without endangering my honor.

DON LUIS and DON DIEGO exit

PEDRO
2383
"Right now I can't marry Beatriz
2384
without endangering my honor!"
2385
May heaven guard and help me!
2386
What in the world did he mean?
2387
What did he see or discover?
2388
Is the truth what I feel
2389
or what he said to me first?
2390
Why did he say that to me?
2391
When I wonder what to believe,
2392
do I have to think the worst?

DON PEDRO exits
Locale : A room in DON PEDRO's house
DOÑA BEATRIZ and INEZ enter

BEATRIZ
2393
Why did you take the letter?

INEZ
2394
I take anything that's free.

BEATRIZ
2395
I'd be willing to bet
2396
you said you were doing it for me.

INEZ
2397
You have no reason to suspect
2398
any such thing, as you'll see.
2399
I kept quiet about the present
2400
and the letter, as quiet as can be.
2401
I kept your secret just as well
2402
as any you've ever told me.

BEATRIZ
2403
Tell me, Inez, your reason,
2404
for bringing this letter to me,
2405
if things are as you say.

INEZ
2406
[Aside]
(Good God! She caught me!
2407
but I'll get out of this
2408
if I have to pay the fee.)
2409
He asked me to bring it here
2410
in order to give it to you
2411
as soon as I found a chance.
2412
I thought it was something to do
2413
so he'd believe I was on his side.
2414
Because the ribbon I took
2415
I supposedly stole for him,
2416
he'd obviously assume
2417
I'd do him the favor
2418
of bringing his letter to you.

BEATRIZ
2419
Well, I'm pleased to hear that.

INEZ
2420
And I'm glad you're satisfied.
2421
Watch out, Leonor's coming.

BEATRIZ
2422
I can't let her enter and find
2423
me with this letter from him.

DOÑA LEONOR enters

LEONOR
2424
I could, if I were of a mind
2425
to do so, say here and now,
2426
that really I'm not blind:
2427
"What idiomatic missive is that
2428
written on paper that's lined,
2429
you're shamefully hiding from me?"

BEATRIZ
2430
And I could as easily remind
2431
you you're asking in vain:
2432
"If you refused to hear from me
2433
when I tried to tell you all,
2434
now that I've a secret to keep
2435
you think you've a right to know."
2436
Your words quoted exactly!

DOÑA BEATRIZ exits but remains hidden behind the door

LEONOR
2437
What's up?

INEZ
I'm dying to tell you.

LEONOR
2438
That letter, tell me quickly,
2439
where did it come from?

INEZ
2440
Why be like that with me?
2441
Couldn't you wait one minute
2442
and give me a chance to tell?
2443
The secret, in spite of my promise,
2444
is something I'm willing to sell.

BEATRIZ
2445
[Aside]
( I don't know what's going on,
2446
so I'll hear what those two intend.)

INEZ
2447
I went to see him and right away
2448
I told him that I was sent
2449
by Beatriz.

LEONOR
That was good work.

BEATRIZ
2450
[Aside]
(I thought I could depend on Inez,
2451
but she's too close to Leonor.)

INEZ
2452
I gave him her ribbon next
2453
telling him that it was from her.

BEATRIZ
2454
[Aside]
(Heavens! What's that she said?)

LEONOR
2455
I heard a noise from over there.

INEZ
2456
It's only Don Juan as you'll see.

LEONOR
2457
I don't... How it that possible.
2458
When he left, he swore that he
2459
would never return in this life.

INEZ
2460
Are you so innocent as to believe
2461
such stuff? Whenever a lover says
2462
most furiously and arrogantly
2463
"You'll never see me again!"
2464
You can be doubly sure that he
2465
is dying to come back soon.

BEATRIZ
2466
[Aside]
(Now that I've managed to see
2467
the trouble they're planning,
2468
I'll stay here safely concealed.)

DON JUAN, DON ALONSO, and MOSCATEL enter

JUAN
2469
You probably think, Leonor,
2470
jealousy brought me here
2471
to see and to talk with you,
2472
because jealousy and fear
2473
go hand in hand as aides to love
2474
as it comes and it goes.
2475
But no, Leonor, I haven't come
2476
with any wish to know
2477
whether I was wrong to question
2478
your love and self-respect,
2479
or to apologize for my disdain
2480
and speaking to you with contempt.
2481
I came with a different purpose,
2482
not to bring on my doom.
2483
There is no lack of reason
2484
for coming here into this room.
2485
Don Alonso, who at your request
2486
came to court Beatriz
2487
ran into trouble on the street outside
2488
just as he tried to leave.
2489
He's worried your sister will think
2490
that his failure to reappear
2491
resulted from having been warned off,
2492
his cowardice, or abject fear.
2493
When he asked me to come with him
2494
to stand as guard at her door,
2495
how could I refuse to help
2496
as he had helped me before?

LEONOR
2497
Certainly you had an obligation.
2498
You had to return the favor.

JUAN
2499
That's why he's here, but as for me,
2500
don't even imagine, Leonor,
2501
that having suffered terrible doubts,
2502
pain, suspicion, and adversity
2503
has given me reason to come see you,
2504
I'm going to wait in the street.
2505
I'll wait as he talks to Beatriz
2506
to clear up this easy matter,
2507
to calm his scruples and redeem himself,
2508
so she'll understand him better.
2509
So, Don Alonso, do as you wish,
2510
since the daytime sun now lies,
2511
asleep and dying in the shadowy arms
2512
of the deep and darkening night.
2513
You'll be safe talking with Beatriz.
2514
Don Pedro won't find you here.

LEONOR
2515
Wait, Don Juan, please stop and listen.

JUAN
2516
What do you want me to hear?

LEONOR
2517
Excuses.

JUAN
None exist.

LEONOR
Apologies.

JUAN
Useless!

DON JUAN exits

LEONOR
2518
Don Alonso, I'm going too.
2519
I'll be right back. Don Juan is jealous.
2520
I'll must what I can do.

DOÑA LEONOR exits

ALONSO
2521
Didn't I come to see Beatriz?

MOSCATEL
2522
You should have thought before!
2523
The same thing could happen again.
2524
What if it's even more?

ALONSO
2525
Tell me, Inez, where is Beatriz?
2526
We can talk while we wait.

DOÑA BEATRIZ enters

BEATRIZ
2527
Here I am, hearing the villainies
2528
of a sister who's depraved,
2529
a friend who's false, a servant snake,
2530
a maid who's far too easy
2531
for anyone's good, and a supposèd lover
2532
who makes love cautiously.
2533
Put them together, Don Juan and Leonor,
2534
Inez and her friend Moscatel,
2535
and you'll understand why I'm troubled
2536
and excuse me for being upset.
2537
My only demand just now is the right
2538
to complain as the injured party,
2539
to deplore the way that I was offended,
2540
to mourn such churlish barbarity.
2541
Is my station in life so low,
2542
is my merit so small,
2543
is my appearance so repulsive,
2544
—I blush to say this at all—
2545
that any man would dare look at me
2546
with treason in his heart,
2547
make love to me to play a trick?
2548
And do all this as part.....

ALONSO
2549
Beatriz, you're gorgeous when angry,
2550
even prettier when calmed down...
2551
I can repay the trouble we caused
2552
by clearing things up right now.

BEATRIZ
2553
Can it be easy to clear things up
2554
after what you have done?

ALONSO
2555
Just listen and you will hear the facts
2556
about the stratagems of love:
2557
A man can feasibly make the attempt
2558
to conquer the open sea
2559
never dreaming that the subtle foam
2560
was a dangerous place to be.
2561
Suddenly the sea may take its toll,
2562
and his hopes can lie defunct.
2563
If you can't fool the seas with tricks,
2564
there is no trifling with love.
2565
A man can feasibly make the attempt,
2566
using some chemical powders,
2567
to emulate a lightning bolt
2568
and feel the effect of its power.
2569
He can be killed by that violent fire.
2570
Love's work like lightning is done.
2571
If you can't play with chemical powders
2572
there is no trifling with love.
2573
A man can feasibly make the attempt
2574
to practice at swords with a friend,
2575
an accident happens and he gets hurt
2576
just like a real opponent.
2577
His very dexterity causes the error.
2578
Love is just as perilous.
2579
If you mustn't use an unsheathed sword,
2580
there is no trifling with love.
2581
A man can feasibly make the attempt
2582
to tame the wildest of beasts,
2583
and just when it seems a playful pet,
2584
he's a victim of its teeth.
2585
A beast, who can't control his acts,
2586
is accustomed to playing rough.
2587
If there's no frolic with an untamed brute,
2588
there is no trifling with love.
2589
For fun I tried to conquer the sea,
2590
for fun I lit the flame,
2591
an unsheathed sword I tried to use,
2592
a beast I tried to tame;
2593
and so it is I drowned at sea,
2594
and felt the effects of fire,
2595
I knew the fury of steel and beast.
2596
There's nothing in this to admire.
2597
If all of these are able to kill,
2598
I wish to heaven above
2599
I'd learned my lesson not to play.
2600
There is no trifling with love.

BEATRIZ
2601
To that argument....

DOÑA LEONOR enters, quite flustered

LEONOR
Lord help us now!
2602
Don Juan fled to the street,
2603
when I followed to talk with him,
2604
about his unfounded jealousy,
2605
and I saw my father coming this way.
2606
Right now! We have to hide...

BEATRIZ
2607
Not this time, Leonor, it's too late.

LEONOR
2608
Don Alonso...

BEATRIZ
Not tonight!
2609
my father must know what's going on
2610
or how he's being fooled.

LEONOR
2611
If you try to tell him all that,
2612
I'll put the blame on you.
2613
Now, since we are both in danger,
2614
we both must find a remedy.

BEATRIZ
2615
Just to show you how to do it right,
2616
reluctantly I'll agree.

MOSCATEL
2617
I claim the closet as safe asylum.

ALONSO
2618
I wouldn't do that. Before....

INEZ
2619
He's coming!

BEATRIZ
You go hide in that room.

MOSCATEL
2620
And I will be your escort.

ALONSO
2621
[Aside]
(What a bother this love making is!)

MOSCATEL
2622
You go to the street, Inez,
2623
and tell Don Juan that we are hidden
2624
but about to lose our heads.

DON ALONSO and MOSCATEL hide. DON PEDRO enters

PEDRO
2625
It's so dark. Where are the lights?
2626
Inez, you bring some candles.

INEZ
2627
I'll be right back. I've got them ready.

INEZ leaves

PEDRO
2628
[Aside]
(To me! So disrespectful!
2629
Such an insult and right to my face!
2630
Heaven have pity on me.
2631
Give me patience or give me death.)

BEATRIZ
2632
What's wrong?

LEONOR
Why the grief?

PEDRO
2633
Because of honor, I brought troubles...
2634
although that may be a lie,
2635
I didn't bring them, they came to me.
2636
Something to ruin my life!

LEONOR
2637
[Aside]
(Lord help us! He must know everything.)

BEATRIZ
2638
Well, won't you tell me, sir,
2639
what gave rise to such agitation?

PEDRO
2640
Beatriz, it's your errors.
2641
I'm forced to say an arrogant youth
2642
today made an open attempt
2643
to ruin the honor of this, our house,
2644
because of you, as I said.

LEONOR
2645
[Aside]
(Now I can do anything I wish.)

BEATRIZ
2646
Of me?

MOSCATEL speaks from his hiding place

MOSCATEL
[Aside]
(Things aren't going well.)

PEDRO
2647
Yes, indeed. It's because of you
2648
that Don Luis has no repect
2649
for either this family or this house.

BEATRIZ
2650
[Aside]
(Now my heart can take a rest!)

LEONOR
2651
[Aside]
(I'm certainly glad to hear who it is,
2652
now I can take a new breath.)

DON JUAN enters

JUAN
2653
[Aside]
(Things can go wrong once on their own,
2654
but given a second chance
2655
you shouldn't repeat your same mistake
2656
and put your head in the sand.
2657
I can't just stand here and wait
2658
for them to lock the door,
2659
Don Alonso might be forced to jump
2660
just as he was before.)
2661
If I can count on your friendship
2662
with my parents, Don Pedro,
2663
as a member of that fine family....

LEONOR
2664
[Aside]
(I'd really like to know
2665
what Don Juan is trying to do.)

BEATRIZ
2666
[Aside]
(I'm dying to hear some more.)

JUAN
2667
I'd be happy to have your help
2668
with a problem of discord.
2669
In the street outside your house
2670
three men attacked me
2671
I'd like to go search for them
2672
but not alone, you see.
2673
I know that I can count on you
2674
because your heart I know
2675
is like that Sicilian volcano Etna
2676
a fire covered with snow.

PEDRO
2677
Don't go any further. I know
2678
what my honor requires.
2679
Even at my age, I can't ignore
2680
a man who's expressed a desire
2681
for the help of my sword. Let's go.

JUAN
2682
Your response shows the man you are.
(As DON PEDRO turns to go, DON JUAN speaks aside to LEONOR)
2683
As soon as I get your father out,
2684
you get Don Alonso to depart.

DON ALONSO speaks from the door of the room where he has hidden

ALONSO
2685
[Aside]
(They must be the ones who tried
2686
to kill me the other day.
2687
There's nothing I can do to leave
2688
but it's impossible to stay.)

PEDRO
2689
Wait a moment while a get my shield
2690
from the cabinet in my room,
2691
one I have left from when I was young.

JUAN
2692
Go ahead, but make it soon.

DON PEDRO enters the room where DON ALONSO and MOSCATEL are hiding

BEATRIZ
A quick jump from the frying pan
2693
directly into the fire!

Speaking from inside the room

PEDRO
2694
Who is in here? Who are you?

ALONSO
Just a man.

DON PEDRO, DON ALONSO, and MOSCATEL all enter

MOSCATEL
2695
How nice of him to inquire.
2696
His answer's true since it's only me,
2697
nobody, in here with him.

PEDRO
2698
Don Juan, I was going with you
2699
to help you fight with them,
2700
but this obligation is even greater
2701
and you have to help me.
2702
This man has offended my honor
2703
he must be killed, you see.

ALONSO
2704
Don Juan, in this urgent engagement
2705
you know your obligation.
2706
My life and those of these ladies
2707
demand our reparation.

LEONOR
2708
Oh, my!

BEATRIZ
Oh, no!

JUAN
[Aside]
(Has anyone seen
2709
a similar situation?)

PEDRO
2710
Why do you wait? Why the suspense?

ALONSO
Why the hesitation?

PEDRO
2711
I'll kill him without your help.

DON ALONSO and DON PEDRO start to fence. DON JUAN steps in

JUAN
2712
Stop! And you stop, too!

PEDRO
2713
Why are you trying to interfere?

ALONSO
2714
What are you trying to do?

DON LUIS and DON DIEGO speak from off-stage

LUIS
2715
I hear a sword fight inside the house.

DIEGO
2716
Let's not wait any longer.
2717
Let's go in, Don Luis.

LUIS
Stop fighting.

PEDRO
2718
They're coming!

ALONSO
More danger!

DON LUIS and DON DIEGO enter

LUIS
2719
What's going on here?

PEDRO
This, Don Luis,
2720
will answer your discourtesy.
2721
If you feared to lose your honor
2722
by marrying Beatriz,
2723
mine is being satisfied and avenged.

LUIS
2724
Now you see the grounds
2725
for my refusal, the result of a fight
2726
I had in front of your house.

ALONSO
2727
It must be you who wounded me.

LUIS
2728
True enough.

ALONSO
Later I'll get revenge.

JUAN
2729
So that was what was going on!
2730
My jealousy's at an end.
2731
Leonor will live forever in my heart.
2732
She needs my protection from you.

PEDRO
2733
Don Juan, nobody protects my daughters
2734
here unless it's the man who
2735
will marry them.

ALONSO
You have my word.

JUAN
2736
If the remedy's that easy.
2737
you have mine as well. I'll marry Leonor

ALONSO
2738
And I will have Beatriz.

PEDRO
2739
And I must keep my mouth shut.
2740
Because once the damage is done,
2741
there's nothing more a father can do.

MOSCATEL
2742
It's all a matter of love.
2743
When love plays his tricks on any man,
2744
especially one who is free,
2745
he winds up wounded, lame, or married,
2746
and that's the worst of the three.

INEZ
2747
When love plays his tricks on a woman,
2748
especially one who's conceited,
2749
silly, and arrogant, she winds up in love,
2750
or worse: married and defeated.

MOSCATEL
2751
Inez, give me your hand in marriage
2752
if that's what we must do.
2753
Let's not think of trifling with love;
2754
too often it turns out true.

ALONSO
2755
No one here should play tricks on love.
2756
Take your warning from me.
2757
Watch out for Cupid and forgive the poet
2758
for an ending that's far too sweet.

THE END