The Widow of Valencia / Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio: Diversifying the Classics (tra.): digital adaptation for EMOTHE

Source text for this digital edition:
Vega y Carpio, Félix Lope de. The Widow of Valencia. [La viuda valenciana]. Translated by Diversifying the Classics. https://diversifyingtheclassics.humanities.ucla.edu/our-translations/the-widow-of-valencia/

Digital text encoding for EMOTHE:

Tronch Pérez, Jesús

Note on this digital edition

This publication is part of the research project «EMOTHE: Second Phase of Early Modern Spanish and European Theatre: heritage and databases (ASODAT Third Phase)», reference PID2022-136431NB-C65, funded by MICIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)

The EMOTHE Project thanks Barbara Fuchs and the Diversifying the Classics team (University of California Los Angeles) for their willingness to share their translation.

Dedicated to the Lady Marcia Leonarda

Characters

LUCENCIO, old man

LEONARDA, young widow

JULIA, her servant

URBÁN, young squire

CAMILO, suitor

FLORO, his servant

CELIA, lady

OTÓN, suitor

VALERIO, suitor

LISANDRO, suitor

ROSANO, courtier

A SCRIBE

A SHERIFF

SERVANTS

ACT I

SCENE ONE

[A room in LEONARDA’s house]

Enter the widow LEONARDA, with a book, and her servant JULIA

LEONARDA

Celia! Julia! Can you not hear me?

JULIA

My lady ...

LEONARDA

You fool—what are you up to?

JULIA

I am at your service.

LEONARDA

Save me from that Friar Luis.

JULIA

When I see the state you’re in,

I can tell you’ve never even come close

to becoming a nun.

When you spoke of that Friar Luis

as I came in,

I wondered where you’d put him.

LEONARDA

You fool, these matters are not

for your silly head.

JULIA

How poorly have I covered

the faults that nature gave me!

Ugly as I am,

and with no wit to boot!

LEONARDA

All women need is good sense,

and an honest demeanor, Julia,

for those who think they’re sharp,

routinely miss the mark and risk falling, too.

As for me, ever since I lost my Camilo,

whom God now holds in his bosom,

and whom He now supplants in my soul,

I have decided not to remarry.

I read for entertainment,

not to be a learned woman

or to get my degree in wit.

For one whose good reputation

encloses her in such silence as this

can find no harm in books.

Any wise book offers pleasant conversation:

when it becomes tiresome,

it conveniently falls quiet.

It’s a friend who secretly

advises and reproaches.

And when I read one

and consider proper piety

I discipline my wild imaginings.

JULIA

And what were you reading?

LEONARDA

Books of devotion.

JULIA

Who would not delight in a lady

so lovely and so pious?

See how the whole city

speaks of your seclusion,

your good sense and intelligence,

your fame, honor, and honesty.

They say you’ve ushered in a Golden Age,

made Valencia into a new Rome,

and the past into the present.

You embody all the goodness on this earth!

You’re an angel from heaven

in your beauty and behavior.

The young men are in such a state

they dare not even look upon you.

since you so elevate their thoughts.

LEONARDA

Let God be served in all things, dear Julia.

Reputation is the spark,

and the tinder catches so readily—

I’d rather die than burn.

I don’t want to be renowned,

nor, like Artemisia,

to feed on the cold ashes

that death leaves underfoot,

nor, like that Roman matron,

to die because I renounce

my desire to look upon

a monster in the street,

nor to paint a silhouette

of the dearly departed,

and love it as though it were a man.

I just want to be a woman

who deserves the name of widow,

for I need no one at all.

JULIA

So you will not wed again?

LEONARDA

Jesus! Julia, don’t say that word.

Men disgust me.

Don’t ever mention them to me.

Bring me the image

I bought for you from that painter.

JULIA

For your devotions?

See, you are tempted already.

LEONARDA

Hush, you fool.

I just want to see it.

JULIA

Then why did you pay

so much for it?

LEONARDA

For its marvelous strokes.

The seller assured me

it was painted at court,

by a famous Catalan.

JULIA

I’m off, then.

JULIA exits

LEONARDA

There’s nothing to discuss,

except how best to serve God.

That is a good purpose in life,

once you realize how short it is.

It seems outrageous, in this day and age,

for one so pursued to keep faith with a dead man,

to hold love so true,

that I should live that truth

100

and a life of chastity.

101

But glory lies in what is hard to do,

102

and victory in resisting one’s desires.

103

Leave me now, my thoughts.

104

That’s quite enough. I shall not wed again.

SCENE TWO

Enter JULIA

JULIA

105

I couldn’t find it.

LEONARDA

106

(Aside)

Resist, oh my chaste convictions.

JULIA

107

Ah, here it is.

LEONARDA

108

(Aside)

May the vanities I renounce

109

be swiftly forgotten.

(Julia hands her a mirror)

110

(Aloud)

What is this, you fool?

111

A mirror, instead of the painting?

112

Take it away.

JULIA

113

Just look at yourself.

114

Use it or lose it, they say.

115

You’ll weep for it some day

116

if you let it go to waste.

LEONARDA

117

Just put it over there.

SCENE THREE

Enter LUCENCIO, LEONARDA’s uncle

LUCENCIO

118

Don’t put it away!

119

Thank God I got here in time

120

to find you looking at yourself,

121

you, who see no one.

122

What miracle is it, niece,

123

to find you like this?

LEONARDA

124

(Aside to JULIA)

I will get you for this ...

JULIA

125

(Aside to LEONARDA)

Did I see him come in?

LEONARDA

126

(Aside to JULIA)

Get out.

LUCENCIO

127

Surely you’ll defer

128

to the grey hairs of an old man.

LEONARDA

129

You will think I’m flighty,

130

gazing here at a mirror,

131

one of those women

132

who runs here and there

133

to gaze upon herself

134

after she is already dressed—

135

an even greater sin

136

in the state I’m in.

LUCENCIO

137

The fuss you make over nothing at all!

138

Is it wrong for a woman,

139

in putting herself together,

140

to check whether mantle or pins

141

are where they should be?

142

Who better to tell her

143

if it looks good or not

144

than this bit of glass?

LEONARDA

145

How you excuse my faults!

LUCENCIO

146

I might, if you were one of those

147

who hang a mirror by their window

148

and when it seems they address

149

their poor gallant below,

150

it’s all just for show:

151

they’re really just looking

152

at themselves in the glass—

153

how they speak, how they move.

154

The poor fool below

155

thinks it’s all about him,

156

yet it’s all for the mirror,

157

and the image therein.

158

You’re not one of those

159

full of present devotion,

160

who brings a mirror to mass

161

for a quick glimpse in the glass,

162

every time that she stands.

163

Nor do you drink

164

with your lips in a bow,

165

so the color will stay

166

where you placed it just so.

167

I can’t tell you how wrong

168

it seems to an old man,

169

yet it’s practiced by all,

170

the dainty and the ugly both.

171

Look at yourself, and God keep you.

172

And since I am here to see you,

173

consider what you have seen there,

174

and let me speak to you alone.

LEONARDA

175

Uncle, if this is about marriage,

176

do not speak of it or even mention it.

LUCENCIO

177

How can you be at once

178

so clever and so stubborn?

179

Do I not deserve your attention?

180

Who has ever heard of an old man,

181

and an honorable one at that,

182

who is not heeded by all?

LEONARDA

183

(Aside)

This is where I lose my resolve.

184

(Aloud)

When I know how much you love me,

185

how can I let you go on in vain?

LUCENCIO

186

Will you carry on

187

like all those other women?

188

Why so obstinate?

189

Do you think that with this

190

you’ll secure your good repute?

191

You’ll destroy it instead.

192

Since you’re so very set,

193

do tell how you plan to keep yourself

194

in this fine state you’re in,

195

if you are not to wed?

196

It’s true you’ve three thousand a year,

197

but I don’t just mean

198

having enough to live well—

199

if you were lacking there,

200

thank God I have more than enough—

201

but to see you embark on a plan

202

that could never end well!

203

Where will you hide from envy

204

and the common tongues,

205

even if you never see the light of day?

206

Though you open your door to sunrise,

207

and close it by morning mass,

208

though you never let the lynxes

209

spy through an open window,

210

though you let not an atom,

211

nay, not the sun itself,

212

enter a house so rare,

213

both heaven and yawning hell,

214

discreet on its own, yet renowned for you,

215

though dragons and Argos himself

216

guard your precious spoils—

217

what difference will it make?

218

With a long tongue and eyes to match,

219

envy is a sly one, just you watch.

220

They will say you carry on

221

with a common slave,

222

whom you keep in your house,

223

just like Princess Angelica,

224

at once proud and low.

225

And once your reputation’s on the line,

226

those who pursue you will waste no time

227

imagining you with Jupiter as a swan,

228

or even a shower of gold.

229

Wouldn’t it be better, all told,

230

for you to wed and avoid it all?

LEONARDA

231

You can accuse me of nothing,

232

and unless you’ve something to add,

233

I’ve already heard you out.

234

Tell me, Lucencio,

235

should I risk sinfulness

236

for your sake?

237

Would you want that for me,

238

when all the authorities agree

239

in condemning remarriage?

240

Isn’t prudent and chaste widowhood

241

universally praised?

242

Even jealous slander

243

cannot last for long.

244

The truth soon comes out,

245

and a good name rises,

246

like a phoenix from the flames,

247

to welcome a new day.

248

Who, I ask you, would want

249

one of those candy-coated dandies,

250

in a rakish hat,

251

short feathers, new sashes,

252

shirt open just so, and Italian linen—

253

nice and clean on the outside,

254

old and grimy on the inside.

255

Boots so tight they won’t come off,

256

not for months at a time,

257

baggy stockings down below,

258

and a mustache out to here,

259

with toupees and pomade,

260

fake necklaces to impress with,

261

soft scented gloves—

262

a great one for sonnets and love letters.

263

With those immaculate hands

264

he’ll snatch at three thousand a year,

265

ready to take his ease

266

between sheets of the finest silk.

267

Before a week’s out,

268

he’ll be off to find other women,

269

or return to old loves,

270

and so forsake mine.

271

He will come home late,

272

I will be jealous.

273

He’ll throw my money around,

274

and then we will argue

275

about what he has and has not done.

276

I’ll hide it and he’ll give it away,

277

taking on debts in my name.

278

The police will come knocking,

279

there will be yelling and screaming.

280

Day and night, he’ll stir up the house.

281

“Give me that dowry letter!”

282

“Release those funds—they’re mine!”

283

“Sign this deed!” “I won’t!”

284

“Is that so? You won’t?

285

I’ll make you, you scoundrel,

286

if you keep this up!”

287

And the more I give in,

288

the more he’ll grant me s

289

uch fine and noble titles

290

as Countess Kicked-and-Slappedintheface.

291

I have said quite enough.

LUCENCIO

292

Ipse dixit! She has spoken.

LEONARDA

293

The end may have been Latin,

294

but the rest was in our common tongue.

295

This is what I resolved the day he died,

296

and were I manly enough,

297

I would eat hot coals

298

to consume my cold soul.

LUCENCIO

299

Niece, that’s it, then.

300

From this day forth

301

I’ll scatter to the winds

302

all those marriages I’d sought,

303

or were proposed to me,

304

including three I’d brought today,

305

for you to think upon.

306

I’ll only ask, then, that we refrain

307

from feeding all that gossip so vain

308

about your tender age or mine.

309

Watch yourself, since you remain all too free,

310

and so very young.

311

It’s a stretch to say you’ll live secure

312

with so many years ahead of you.

313

When in that mirror there you spy

314

both your beauty and your youth,

315

never forget that they lie—

316

their advice is far from the truth.

317

May God keep you at long last

318

in your penance and your fast.

LEONARDA

319

(Aside)

What an importunate old fool!

LUCENCIO

320

(Aside)

What an arrogant woman!

Exeunt

SCENE FOUR

[On the street]

Enter LISANDRO, suitor

LISANDRO

321

The river breaks the hardest rock at last,

322

tumbling it down in a current full strong.

323

Both haughty pine and wrinkled olive long

324

to yield humbly before the peasant’s axe.

325

The lofty palm to the African throng

326

grants the orient fruit that they would win.

327

The ox to the yoke, the snake to the song

328

of the enchanter must at last give in.

329

The sculptor soon makes a figure appear

330

from hardest marble or frozen stone,

331

thus giving shape to what before had none.

332

Yet the harder that I try to come near

333

that woman, delicate and appealing,

334

the fiercer and harsher is her dealing.

SCENE FIVE

[On the street, where LISANDRO was]

Enter VALERIO, suitor

VALERIO

335

Down the mountain swift water comes tumbling,

336

splashing from rock to rock with curious mirth,

337

its crystal laugh turned now to dark mumbling,

338

as it sinks by and by into the earth.

339

My pain grows all the more at any boon,

340

consuming whatever had once been good,

341

while hope entertains hope, as well hope should,

342

foolishly glad to think that it might bloom.

343

Love sees me die and is full satisfied.

344

Time and works prove unequal to the task:

345

like waves that break and rise again, they mask

346

the ill until at last all good has died.

347

It’s over just as soon as it is born:

348

hope fades not long after the breaking morn.

SCENE SIX

[On the street, where LISANDRO and VALERIO were]

Enter OTÓN, suitor

OTÓN

349

With tears and pleas the pilgrim secures

350

the right to pass among barbarians rude—

351

a guide through mountains, fire to keep him warm, i

352

n Libya’s harsh deserts water most pure.

353

Savages offer him safe passage then:

354

Arabia yields him bread, and Persia wine,

355

peace among Arabs in Africa he finds.

356

Tears and joy often vie with each other:

357

in his Moorish captor the captive at times f

358

inds pity among harsh chains and bars.

359

Yet this asp, born of the hardest stones,

360

will never once heed the echo, no,

361

of these my exhausted tears and moans.

VALERIO

362

Lisandro!

LISANDRO

363

Valerio!

VALERIO

364

Otón!

OTÓN

365

Gentlemen!

VALERIO

366

Love has conspired

367

to bring us all here.

LISANDRO

368

It takes one to know one.

369

Put your hats back on!

370

You can speak of love

371

with your heads covered—

372

it’s not like being in Mass.

OTÓN

373

I must warn you,

374

this is the only fashion

375

in which to hear this out.

376

For love’s whims are such

377

that when you begin

378

to deal with its vexations

379

you need a clear head,

380

sharp eyes, your wits about you.

381

Not because love seeks the truth—

382

it’d much rather avoid it—

383

but because you need

384

eyes wide open to take in

385

such an agreeable lie.

LISANDRO

386

I give you Otón,

387

clearly falling apart

388

with thoughts of that lovely widow.

OTÓN

389

And you? Who could deny

390

she burns you up, and wears you thin?

391

Why, otherwise, would you rend

392

the gauzy veils of heaven,

393

in which astrologers shroud it,

394

to see what the stars portend?

VALERIO

395

This is jealousy, let it be noted.

396

It is for me to intervene

397

and put an end to this unpleasantness,

398

cutting it short.

LISANDRO

399

You’re the one who will be cut short

400

if you seek remedy

401

in that flame that lies therein.

402

For oh, in Otón and me,

403

the soul in love

404

is a fluttering moth

405

that will surely die within.

VALERIO

406

I, for Leonarda?

LISANDRO

407

You, indeed.

408

Do you think something so obvious

409

could possibly be kept secret?

OTÓN

410

In short, all three of us love

411

the very same lady.

VALERIO

412

Given who she is,

413

I see no harm in confessing,

414

for it’s true I have indeed

415

given some thought to this marriage.

LISANDRO

416

What a woman!

OTÓN

417

She has no equal.

LISANDRO

418

My suit is Valerio’s.

OTÓN

419

And I seek the same.

VALERIO

420

If you attempt what I attempt,

421

either I must offend you in taking it from you,

422

or I must be offended if you take it from me.

423

What shall we do?

OTÓN

424

Rivalry and good intentions

425

seldom dine together.

426

Yet it shall be so

427

for that best serves everyone—

428

unless someone here

429

has been shown greater favor?

VALERIO

430

I will not say that it was me,

431

although I’m not afraid to tell

432

what favor she has shown me,

433

as long as you give me your word

434

you will also tell your part.

LISANDRO

435

I agree.

OTÓN

436

So do I.

VALERIO

437

Listen,

438

and you can deduce how my love is rewarded

439

from the favor shown.

OTÓN

440

. Tell us, Valerio. What favor was that?

VALERIO

441

Here goes.

LISANDRO

442

Go on.

VALERIO

443

Listen:

444

I saw this fine widow

445

with her tigress soul

446

looking like an angel

447

in her coach one afternoon.

448

As the sun was setting,

449

her new sun was rising

450

although the curtain insisted

451

on making an eclipse.

452

I bowed and she,

453

though she wouldn’t look at me,

454

leaned out the side

455

with her swan-like breasts.

456

Thinking I could seize this favor,

457

I spent the night under her window,

458

playing my guitar,

459

until dawn surprised me there.

460

I was moved to poetry,

461

though I would come to regret it.

462

I started singing more gently

463

than Pyramus sang to Thisbe:

464

“Give water to this my flame”

465

was the first thing I said ...

466

and also the last.

467

Be careful what you wish for.

468

Whether the water was clean or murky—

469

only Dioscorides would know.

470

Let’s just say I spent all night

471

laughing and cleaning myself up.

LISANDRO

472

Here is mine, better than Valerio’s,

473

since it was actually a favor,

474

while his was a fiasco.

OTÓN

475

Go ahead then, tell us your story.

LISANDRO

476

I will begin, in the name of love:

477

on this happy street

478

where unhappy lovers roam

479

on their long wake for a dead man’s spoils,

480

on a dark night, a couple of thieves,

481

were spiriting away

482

some fine wine in its skin.

483

As those low-lives passed by

484

the widow’s marble doors

485

—softer than the widow herself—

486

they used them as a hiding place.

487

The authorities, tipsy with excitement,

488

couldn’t see where they had gone.

489

Since I was watching from afar,

490

hidden in a corner,

491

I quickly moved closer,

492

swift as the wind.

493

Once I reached that beloved door,

494

I glimpsed a dark shape,

495

with its cape and its sword,

496

addressing someone inside.

497

I moved in,

498

pulled my hat down over my face,

499

and said: “You, gentleman!”,

500

throwing my cape over my shoulder.

501

Since he won’t answer

502

I quickly pull out my dagger,

503

and stab him to the hilt.

504

Blood spurts all over me,

505

so I race home,

506

and hold my sleeve up to the light,

507

but it smells to high heaven.

508

So I take the lantern,

509

and return to the scene,

510

only to find spilled wine,

511

and the wine-skin sprawled out on the ground.

OTÓN

512

If those are your favors,

513

then I renounce all faith in love.

VALERIO

514

Come on, Otón. Tell us of yours.

OTÓN

515

Ah Cicero, where are you

516

when I require your eloquence?

517

As the roosters here first crowed,

518

with their coarse calls at dawn,

519

soon to be answered by their country brethren,

520

I paced up and down our widow’s street,

521

monitoring her window,

522

and measuring my steps like clockwork.

523

The sky was darker

524

than a Portuguese in a cloak,

525

so I mistook her window

526

by a good two floors—

527

a shoemaker lived in the one I chose. I

528

carefully peered up to the house

529

where, I thought, all my cares lay.

530

I saw a white figure on the balcony,

531

and believing it to be the widow,

532

wooed her with these words:

533

“Oh my Angel: your every garment

534

is sacred to me, a slave to your love.”

535

Gentlemen, no sooner had I spoken,

536

when the good shoemaker,

537

who was sitting outside in his shirt,

538

grabbed a brick and said:

539

“Are you flirting with my wife?

540

You rascal!

541

Come back by day, if you dare!”

542

If I hadn’t ducked,

543

he would have splattered my brains

544

across the brick like porridge.

VALERIO

545

Truly, equal favors for all!

546

But in the end, to speak seriously,

547

and setting all jokes aside,

548

don’t you see that our fantasies

549

can lead to no good?

OTÓN

550

If I may give you some advice ...

LISANDRO

551

Yes?

OTÓN

552

We must deal with this quarrel

553

by not dealing with each other.

VALERIO

554

Should we stop speaking to one another?

OTÓN

555

I will not speak to either of you,

556

wherever I might see you.

LISANDRO

557

I’m off, then.

OTÓN

558

Oh Leonarda, lovely and silent!

LISANDRO

559

Oh, most beautiful widow!

VALERIO

560

Oh, most fierce and lovely creature!

Exeunt

SCENE SEVEN

[On the street, near a church]

Enter LEONARDA and JULIA

JULIA

561

The heavens

562

have punished your foolishness.

LEONARDA

563

If only they had killed me!

564

More’s the pity.

565

And though I feel this way,

566

believe me when I say,

567

that clever old man

568

must have cast a spell

569

to melt my icy resolve.

570

It makes no sense otherwise,

571

that I would be here now,

572

seeking my own disgrace.

JULIA

573

God forbid I should think that of him!

574

He is as unaware

575

of what has happened to you

576

as that cruel basilisk you looked upon.

577

Curse those eyes,

578

which blinded you at first sight!

LEONARDA

579

Let them look, Julia.

580

No one such punish such eyes

581

for looking at me.

JULIA

582

Oh, for goodness’ sake!

583

You’ve certainly got the itch now.

584

Curse him!

LEONARDA

585

Don’t say such things.

586

May God keep him! What is it to you?

JULIA

587

Ah, my lady!

588

Where have your judgment

589

and good sense gotten to now?

590

What happened to that dignity,

591

which you defended to the heavens,

592

a mirror of chastity

593

for your old uncle’s sake?

594

What of your coy refusal

595

to even look at yourself in the glass?

LEONARDA

596

You’re quite the preacher.

JULIA

597

Hush now, don’t get upset.

598

Will this be a passing fever,

599

or a permanent condition?

LEONARDA

600

My understanding

601

is no match for my will.

JULIA

602

You’re forgetting memory.

603

Purge him out, and good riddance.

LEONARDA

604

See what you do to me, Love!

JULIA

605

Who in Valencia do you love so?

606

What happened to that cold,

607

cloistered, saintly woman?

LEONARDA

608

Don’t ever speak to me again,

609

you fool. Say no more!

610

None of this will matter

611

if I’m fated to fall.

JULIA

612

And what shall I do

613

with your books and your chapel.

614

What would Friar Luis say?

615

What of those lofty ideals?

LEONARDA

616

Oh women, how weak you are when tested!

617

My icy resolve was unmatched,

618

fair youth, before I set eyes on you!

619

Yet I am not scared of death.

620

I will not marry,

621

no matter what the world thinks.

JULIA

622

I have a solution for you, my lady.

LEONARDA

623

Have I not told you to keep quiet?

624

Had I not raised you,

625

I would slap you silly.

626

You see me burning, you beast,

627

and yet you mock my pain!

628

I will find satisfaction

629

without losing my honor and good name,

630

and so put out this cruel flame.

JULIA

631

Anything’s possible.

SCENE EIGHT

[On the street]

Enter URBÁN, young squire

URBÁN

632

Oh, thank God I found you!

633

How much longer were you going to pray?

634

Were you planning to stay

635

for Midnight Mass?

636

I would not want to serve you

637

during the holidays.

LEONARDA

638

Must we leave so quickly

639

on such a sunny day?

URBÁN

640

You don’t usually say that—

641

you hate the heat.

LEONARDA

642

Now I want some sun.

URBÁN

643

So go get it, then.

JULIA

644

(Aside to URBÁN)

Leave her, she is not herself.

URBÁN

645

(Aside to JULIA)

Why? Oh God!

LEONARDA

646

Go see if the coach is ready.

URBÁN

647

Yes, my lady, I’ll see to it.

LEONARDA

648

Come back, you fool. Where are you going?

URBÁN

649

I was going to find the chariot of the sun,

650

so we can get you some.

SCENE NINE

[On the street]

Enter CAMILO, a gentleman, and FLORO, his servant

CAMILO

651

A fine message, indeed!

652

Tell her not to write me again.

FLORO

653

Don’t tear it up,

654

for old time’s sake.

CAMILO

655

It’s done now.

FLORO

656

It meant nothing to you?

CAMILO

657

It was a mere whim.

LEONARDA

658

(Aside to URBÁN)

Urbán, do you see that young man?

URBÁN

659

Yes, I do.

LEONARDA

660

Come closer.

She whispers in his ear

URBÁN

661

His name and address? Got it.

FLORO

662

Your disdain

663

is not news to me.

664

You’ve always been harsh

665

to this woman.

LEONARDA

666

Let’s go, Julia.

JULIA

667

Come on, then.

LEONARDA

668

(Aside)

I’m dying!

669

Will I ever see you again?

Exeunt LEONARDA and JULIA

SCENE TEN

[On the street]

URBÁN

670

(Aside)

By my faith,

671

to charge me with finding out

672

this gentleman’s name and address!

673

CAMILO I want neither love nor cares.

674

Let Celia stay in her house,

675

and favor whomever she wants.

676

Let her keep company, if she pleases,

677

with any who come and go.

678

Let her find a green young man

679

to drive mad with jealousy,

680

for I’m beyond all that,

681

and feel only pity for him.

URBÁN

682

(Aside)

I didn’t even bring

683

my inkwell and my quills.

684

(Aloud)

Excuse me, gentleman! I’d like ...

CAMILO

685

Speak up, what do you want?

URBÁN

686

To see if you’ll be joining

687

the procession for the Jubilee.

CAMILO

688

I’d like to, good man.

689

What contribution do you expect?

URBÁN

690

It’s just one real.

CAMILO

691

Here you are.

692

Two reales for the two of us.

URBÁN

693

May God thank you for it.

694

Your name and address?

CAMILO

695

Camilo, and I live near San Juan parish.

URBÁN

696

Are you a nobleman?

CAMILO

697

Noble enough.

URBÁN

698

I need to write that down here.

699

And your good name, sir?

FLORO

700

Me? Floro.

URBÁN

701

That’ll do. I’ll get back to the church.

CAMILO

702

May God be with you.

URBÁN exits

CAMILO

703

Now we are both in the procession.

FLORO

704

Will you pray?

CAMILO

705

I will start today.

706

Wait! Oh God, I gave the man a doblón

707

instead of two reales!

FLORO

708

Now you notice?

709

There’s no redeeming it now.

CAMILO

710

Get in there.

711

There must be something we can do.

FLORO

712

That’s why he said

713

you were a nobleman.

CAMILO

714

Damn it!

715

This procession doesn’t come cheap!

Exeunt

SCENE ELEVEN

[LEONARDA’s house]

Enter LEONARDA, JULIA, and URBÁN

LEONARDA

716

Well done, Urbán!

URBÁN

717

What can I say?

718

I am one in a million.

LEONARDA

719

How clever to get

720

their names and addresses on paper!

721

So his name is Camilo?

722

In that, too, he is like the deceased?

URBÁN

723

There’s no doubt he’s noble,

724

though we’ve never heard of him.

725

After all, didn’t he give me a doblón

726

when a real would have done?

JULIA

727

He must be generous.

728

It was a noble gesture, indeed.

LEONARDA

729

Tell me, Julia,

730

what could one lack,

731

whom nature grants such gifts?

URBÁN

732

About those gifts ...

733

I swear I’ve never seen

734

a finer looking man

735

since the day I was born.

736

What a face, what elegance!

737

What a neatly kept beard!

738

Such generous hands!

739

They looked like pure snow.

740

What a figure, what a well-turned leg!

741

What charm, what cleverness!

742

What an elegant way with a doblón!

743

And how I swooned

744

when I saw it gleaming!

LEONARDA

745

I can no longer bear

746

this unbearable flame—

747

it is killing me.

748

My dear friends,

749

this may seem

750

like a great weakness on my part,

751

but my heart trusts

752

in your love and loyalty.

753

You have served this house

754

since my parents’ time.

755

I know how much you love me.

756

Since I don’t intend to marry,

757

nor to become engaged,

758

today you must find my remedy,

759

today I entrust you with my life.

760

My reputation is in your hands.

URBÁN

761

Is it your fear or your love

762

that makes you doubt us now?

763

By God, they’d never get a word out of me:

764

not if they put me on the rack,

765

not if they tried

766

to buy me off with gold!

767

Trust Julia and me,

768

and tell us what to do.

LEONARDA

769

You, Urbán, must be my remedy.

770

Listen carefully.

URBÁN

771

I’m listening.

LEONARDA

772

You see how Valencia is all a riot at Carnival,

773

with masks and costumes everywhere.

URBÁN

774

That’s right.

LEONARDA

775

Well, if anything goes,

776

then put on a costume and a mask,

777

go find this gentleman

778

and let on, Urbán,

779

that a certain lady favors him,

780

that she loves him dearly,

781

and that he could have her

782

if he waits for you tonight

783

on this side of the Palace Bridge.

784

If he agrees,

785

you will fetch him there tonight.

URBÁN

786

Shall he see me

787

and where you live?

LEONARDA

788

No. You will wear a mask,

789

you’ll place a hood over his head,

790

and bring him thus to the house.

791

We’ll keep him in the dark,

792

and when it’s time for him to go,

793

he must wear the hood again.

794

Whom could he know that way?

URBÁN

795

A well thought out plan, indeed!

796

He’ll yield like a tame falcon.

797

What am I waiting for?

798

I’m off.

URBÁN exits

LEONARDA

799

Don’t be long.

URBÁN

800

I won’t.

JULIA

801

Whose idea was this?

LEONARDA

802

It was Love,

803

who has the wise at its feet.

JULIA

804

I think someone is at the door.

LEONARDA

805

Go and see who it is.

JULIA exits

LEONARDA

806

(Aside)

What won’t a determined woman do

807

for the sake of her pleasure?

808

What torment could change her resolution?

809

What flame, what noose, what sharp sword?

810

What more daring giant reaches for the heavens?

811

What more daring Hercules attempts the descent to hell?

812

That powerful boy

813

has melted my frozen heart with his love

814

and vanquished my devotion to my first husband.

815

I’ve been like a dammed up river

816

that only now runs wild.

817

I have been, in short, a woman.

SCENE TWELVE

Enter JULIA

JULIA

818

There is someone here

819

selling books and etchings.

LEONARDA

820

What does he want,

821

if he’s in costume?

JULIA

822

He doesn’t have a mask.

LEONARDA

823

We must keep up appearances.

824

I am still pious. Let him in,

825

and let’s see what he wants,

826

or if there is something we can buy.

SCENE THIRTEEN

[At LEONARDA’s front door]

Enter OTON, in foreign or French clothes with four books in a basket

OTÓN

827

May God keep you,

828

and give you a fine husband.

LEONARDA

829

He’s been very merciful

830

in not wishing one on me.

OTÓN

831

Why, when you are so beautiful?

LEONARDA

832

Show me what books you are selling.

OTÓN

833

I have one here that you can have

834

for a reasonable price.

835

But it’s all my story,

836

and might be too much for you.

LEONARDA

837

(Aside to JULIA)

How irresistible!

838

I told you so, Julia.

839

(Aloud, pointing at a page)

Who is this?

OTÓN

840

That is the romance of The Shepherd of Filida.

LEONARDA

841

I know.

OTÓN

842

Gálvez Montalvo was its great author.

843

He died at sea

844

as a Knight of San Juan,

845

while I drown in a deeper

846

and much rougher sea.

LEONARDA

847

Are you a bookseller or a suitor?

OTÓN

848

I couldn’t say.

849

Here’s another romance, of cruel Galatea.

850

If you want a fine book,

851

then look no further.

852

It’s by Miguel de Cervantes,

853

who lost a hand fighting at sea,

854

while I lose ...

LEONARDA

855

(Aside to JULIA)

Hush, Julia, calm down.

856

(Aloud)

What have you got to lose?

OTÓN

857

... my soul and my life,

858

for another Galatea,

859

one more cruel than Medea,

860

and less obliging.

LEONARDA

861

Who is this?

OTÓN

862

Espinel, a brave poet.

LEONARDA

863

What is it about?

OTÓN

864

It’s just sonnets,

865

but it has some nice lines,

866

and some serious poetry, too.

867

He loved until death,

868

though he did not die of it, unlike me.

LEONARDA

869

So are you a suitor or a bookseller?

OTÓN

870

I couldn't say.

871

Here you have a songbook,

872

full of nonsense.

LEONARDA

873

Don’t deal in bad imprints.

OTÓN

874

It’s better imprinted in me ...

LEONARDA

875

What?

OTÓN

876

Eternal servitude,

877

and love, and suffering!

LEONARDA

878

Is this wooing or selling?

OTÓN

879

I couldn't say.

SCENE FOURTEEN

Enter VALERIO, dressed as merchant, with prints

JULIA

880

Now the printseller is in the house.

VALERIO

881

Prints, prints, get your fine prints!

LEONARDA

882

(Aside)

Either I am missing something,

883

or this peddling is a set-up,

884

for both these suitors,

885

who came up with this ploy,

886

took off their Carnival masks

887

as they came into the house.

888

Julia, is this appropriate,

889

in my seclusion?

JULIA

890

(Aside to LEONARDA)

I think there’s something fishy here.

LEONARDA

891

(Aside)

I can see that.

892

So many men in my house!

VALERIO

893

(Aside)

Otón got here first?

OTÓN

894

(Aside)

Valerio is here, too?

LEONARDA

895

What is it that you’re selling, exactly?

VALERIO

896

Can’t you see?

897

I offer you my heart.

LEONARDA

898

Let me see, what is this print?

VALERIO

899

The beautiful Adonis,

900

painted by Titian

901

with divine strokes.

902

Oh to be loved as he was!

903

I die in despair,

904

while he died in his lover’s arms.

905

This one, on my word,

906

so fine and delicate,

907

is the work of Raphael,

908

and superbly engraved.

909

And this one is Flemish,

910

and that one Italian.

LEONARDA

911

These are hardly suitable for me.

912

Do you have any religious images?

VALERIO

913

Yes, here. Look at this,

914

an exquisite print on marriage.

LEONARDA

915

Which I hope never to see.

VALERIO

916

You are not impressed,

917

yet, why not?

918

Thousands await your “I do,”

919

and there might even be

920

a certain gentleman nearby

921

who is in love with you.

922

I am Valerio,

923

although I am in disguise now.

OTÓN

924

Since we are naming names,

925

you have Otón at your service.

926

I am rich and of noble birth,

927

and madly in love with you.

LEONARDA

928

Is there no one here

929

who can buy you off?

930

You there!

SCENE FIFTEEN

Enter two servants

SERVANT 1.º

931

My lady ...

LEONARDA

932

Show the bookseller

933

and the printseller out ...

OTÓN

934

My lady, is it wrong to ask

935

for what you owe us?

LEONARDA

936

Servants, what are you waiting for?

VALERIO

937

Hold on, there is no need to get upset.

LEONARDA

938

You take liberties,

939

and then want to charge me?

940

Fine books indeed!

941

Come now, throw them out!

VALERIO

942

That won’t be necessary,

943

we will find our way out.

OTÓN

944

We won’t stand for this.

SERVANT 2.º

945

The nerve of those foreigners!

SERVANT 1.º

946

There is another one at the door

947

with creams and perfumes.

948

Well then! Down you go.

VALERIO

949

You’re back to your cruel ways!

LEONARDA

950

Close the door,

951

that will keep this insolence out.

VALERIO

952

(Aside)

Julia, are we still friends?

JULIA

953

(Aside)

Hush, my lady will hear us.

Exeunt

SCENE SIXTEEN

[On the street]

Enter CAMILO and URBÁN, disguised with a mask

CAMILO

954

By God, masked man,

955

this is quite a risk I am taking,

956

when I don’t even know who you are.

URBÁN

957

Camilo, this will be

958

our little secret.

CAMILO

959

Shouldn’t that lady trust me

960

with her reputation,

961

when she offers me her soul?

962

Could I not serve her, talk to her,

963

see her, hear her, and know her name?

URBÁN

964

Let’s not talk about it.

965

If you try to find out too much,

966

all will be lost.

CAMILO

967

I swear by my faith as a gentleman,

968

you’ll make me lose my mind.

969

As God is my witness,

970

had I enemies out there,

971

I would suspect a trap,

972

but no man is more beloved,

973

nor has more friends in this town.

974

I am glad you said

975

at least I could come armed

976

and carry my pistol,

977

to this secluded love nest.

URBÁN

978

Bring one, bring a hundred.

979

If you don’t let curiosity

980

get in the way of your skill,

981

your valor, your good taste,

982

and your will,

983

you’ll enjoy the finest

984

this city has to offer.

CAMILO

985

What does it matter how beautiful she is,

986

if I must enjoy her in the dark?

987

I assume she is ugly.

URBÁN

988

When you speak to her and touch her,

989

a light will shine upon you.

990

If she does not please or bores you,

991

you need not come back.

CAMILO

992

My only complaint

993

is having to cover up like this.

URBÁN

994

Those are the rules.

995

Need I say more?

CAMILO

996

Must my head be covered?

URBÁN

997

Yes, Camilo,

998

from the moment you enter and until you come out.

CAMILO

999

What a ruse, brilliant!

URBÁN

1000

You must accept these conditions.

CAMILO

1001

And where should I wait for you?

URBÁN

1002

Be at the bridge

1003

by the royal palace at three,

1004

and know that if you bring anyone else,

1005

I will not speak to you.

CAMILO

1006

(Aside)

Do men not give up

1007

their country and their house

1008

to go see Italy and France?

1009

To reach the Portuguese Indies,

1010

do they not face the raging seas?

1011

Do they not leave their land

1012

to see foreign wars?

1013

Are there not thousands who,

1014

for the sake of a party,

1015

mingle with those they hate

1016

amid insufferable heat?

1017

Does the hunter not endure

1018

sun and ice to see

1019

a shy little rabbit

1020

emerge from its den?

1021

Or the fisherman for the sake

1022

of a fish on his hook?

1023

And I, young and proud,

1024

why am I so afraid of this charm?

1025

(Aloud)

Go on then, I will be there.

URBÁN

1026

You’ll be happy if you go.

CAMILO

1027

You will find me on the bridge

1028

at the agreed upon hour.

URBÁN

1029

And what a night you’ll have with that angel!

CAMILO

1030

Enchanted, to say the least.

URBÁN

1031

She’ll be expecting you. Goodbye.

CAMILO

1032

I am eager

1033

for your return.

URBÁN

1034

It will not be long.

CAMILO

1035

I shall find out what this is,

1036

if it costs me my life.

ACT II

SCENE ONE

[On the bridge]

Enter CAMILO

CAMILO

1037

Be brave, my thoughts,

1038

in your reckless endeavour!

1039

We’ve come to that pass

1040

where your boldness would have me

1041

conquer though I’m conquered.

1042

Torn between fear and desire,

1043

I set off in fits and starts,

1044

and no longer know

1045

if I’m coming or going.

1046

Could it be that someone,

1047

envious of my nobility,

1048

has double-crossed me?

1049

Will this come

1050

to clubs or swords?

1051

Shall I bravely bend my neck,

1052

like a little lamb who can’t tell

1053

it’s already been sold,

1054

and is headed straight for the slaughter?

1055

I never meant to offend anyone.

1056

I must be mistaken.

1057

He who has not offended

1058

need not watch his back.

1059

And the one who told me of this affair

1060

said I was welcome to come armed ...

1061

but that was to make me afraid,

1062

for fear is always on guard.

1063

Even if I go as I am,

1064

what danger could I avoid

1065

when he will cover my eyes?

1066

Blind, I will be easy to catch.

1067

Who ever heard of such a thing,

1068

that a beautiful woman,

1069

wanting a man so badly,

1070

should not let him see her?

1071

How cautious she is with her reputation!

1072

What if I think I am embracing

1073

a beautiful angel,

1074

while I’m actually taking

1075

a demon in my arms,

1076

one who flies around at night,

1077

too ugly to show its face?

1078

What if she is an old woman,

1079

without eyelashes or eyebrows,

1080

and a mouth full of fake teeth,

1081

whose spells render me

1082

as meek as a sheep?

1083

Or what if she is a wretch,

1084

all pocked with the French pox,

1085

who would give me years of suffering

1086

for the sake of one hour’s pleasure?

1087

But there are people coming.

SCENE TWO

Enter URBAN, wearing a mask and carrying a hood

URBÁN

1088

There is a man standing by himself. Who goes there?

CAMILO

1089

Are you by chance that friend of mine?

URBÁN

1090

At your service.

CAMILO

1091

(Aside)

How could any sane man be doing this?

URBÁN

1092

Can anyone see us?

CAMILO

1093

The moon and the stars.

URBÁN

1094

Let them not shine upon us.

1095

Oh, what a lovely angel awaits you!

1096

You are a lucky man.

CAMILO

1097

No doubt,

1098

but whether she be ugly or beautiful,

1099

loathsome or lovely,

1100

what difference does it make,

1101

if I am to enjoy her in the dark?

URBÁN

1102

What difference? What do you mean?

1103

Is it not better to feel a plump and perfect body,

1104

than to caress a skeleton,

1105

the very image of death?

1106

Beauty is like a fine scent,

1107

a natural quality

1108

that you know, see, and smell

1109

for the soft breath it exhales.

CAMILO

1110

Am I a doctor or a healer?

1111

Why should I care about scents?

1112

Pleasure comes through the eyes,

1113

the very act of seeing,

1114

knowing, and conversing with a lady,

1115

is what makes love desirable.

1116

A blind man, on the contrary,

1117

such as I will be with this lady,

1118

takes his pleasure like a beast.

URBÁN

1119

I don’t agree,

1120

for the blind man can only

1121

imagine a face,

1122

but if you’re awake

1123

and look carefully,

1124

you’ll see the real thing.

1125

Certain eyes shine like fire at such a moment.

1126

Won’t four of them together

1127

see heaven and earth?

CAMILO

1128

While others may

1129

just as well be dead. I

1130

s she young?

URBÁN

1131

You won’t see her.

CAMILO

1132

Is she married, or a dubious maid?

1133

Or perhaps a widow instead?

URBÁN

1134

It depends.

1135

Sometimes she is married,

1136

sometimes a maid,

1137

and other times a widow.

1138

She is neither married nor a maid,

1139

nor a widow, nor dishonored and abandoned.

CAMILO

1140

Has she been wrapped

1141

in tissue paper?

1142

Some lady you have,

1143

if I follow you!

1144

(Aside)

There must be a trick.

1145

What if it’s a man,

1146

and not a woman?

1147

Am I so pretty, then?

1148

Oh, how I’d like

1149

to pull off his mask,

1150

though it might cost me the lady

1151

who has cost me so little!

1152

But I am all ablaze now

1153

with desire.

(Aloud)

My friend,

1154

let’s go see this obscure lady.

1155

I’ve never seen the like of her.

URBÁN

1156

Put on your hood.

CAMILO

1157

Everyone will think

1158

I’m crazy.

URBÁN

1159

Not at all.

CAMILO

1160

Sack cloth?

1161

Could you not at least have made it silk?

(URBÁN puts the hood on CAMILO)

1162

Is it a long walk?

URBÁN

1163

Very long, yes.

CAMILO

1164

Now you’ll take me to the river,

1165

and throw me in to put out my fire.

URBÁN

1166

You must trust me.

1167

There is no need to be angry, my lord.

SCENE THREE

[On the street, on their way to LEONARDA’s house]

Enter OTÓN and CAMILO holding onto URBÁN’s belt

OTÓN

1168

Oh starry night,

1169

you who guide my steps and my life,

1170

on my way to the grave,

1171

turn black and dark

1172

so I might ask a favor of you.

1173

For though I’ve come out to these fields,

1174

whose calm should temper

1175

my blind ardor,

1176

it blazes all the more

1177

in the face of her disdain today.

URBÁN

1178

(Aside to CAMILO)

There is a man over there.

1179

Stay close.

OTÓN

1180

Halt! Who is that? Who goes there?

CAMILO

1181

(Aside)

Here I am, fully armed,

1182

and playing blind man’s bluff.

OTÓN

1183

No answer?

CAMILO

1184

(Aside)

This is good.

1185

What if he shoots now?

URBÁN

1186

I am in disguise.

OTÓN

1187

A fine fool!

URBÁN

1188

We had a little to drink,

1189

and we were walking it off.

1190

(To CAMILO)

Come this way, sir.

CAMILO

1191

Oh, may the saints help me!

Exeunt URBÁN and CAMILO

OTÓN

1192

How wine changes men!

1193

And love, too,

1194

for this ungrateful widow.

1195

Can it be that she is

1196

so chaste and honest,

1197

an Artemisia of fidelity,

1198

and gives so many gentlemen

1199

that same “no” as an answer?

1200

It cannot be—there’s something amiss.

1201

I suspect the saintliness

1202

of her life is feigned,

1203

for saintliness usually

1204

looks pale and wan.

1205

But for a coddled widow

1206

who easily eats up

1207

three or four thousand in rent

1208

to spend the cold nights

1209

alone like a girl!

1210

What does it matter

1211

if she is locked up in her room,

1212

and they all think she is praying,

1213

when her steward gets her what she needs?

1214

Now, I won’t sleep,

1215

not in a hundred nights,

1216

I’ll spend them all

1217

on her street and at her door,

1218

and if someone wakes her,

1219

by God, he must die!

1220

Neither snow nor rain—

1221

though it rarely snows here—

1222

or lack of sleep shall stop me.

1223

I will be a stone at her doorstep,

1224

and freeze anyone who faces me,

1225

just like Medusa.

OTÓN exits

SCENE FOUR

[In LEONARDA’s house]

Enter LEONARDA in elegant clothing, and JULIA

LEONARDA

1226

Are the hangings and velvets

1227

all in their proper places?

JULIA

1228

They are perfect, my lady.

1229

Turn around and look at them.

LEONARDA

1230

Is that tapestry

1231

right for that sitting room?

JULIA

1232

It is fit for a viceroy,

1233

and even for the king.

LEONARDA

1234

And what a suitable story!

1235

It tells the loves of Jacob.

JULIA

1236

Unlike your own swift glory,

1237

so quick to come.

1238

Jacob waited fourteen years

1239

for what you will have in an hour’s time.

LEONARDA

1240

Pray to God that my good fortune

1241

not leave me now!

1242

What is taking Urbán so long?

1243

What should we do?

JULIA

1244

You can play a little.

LEONARDA

1245

He must not have liked the idea!

1246

I’m so wretched!

JULIA

1247

Don’t make a scene.

1248

That would make no sense

1249

for such a strapping young man.

LEONARDA

1250

Maybe there is something womanish

1251

about his beauty!

1252

And what Roland, what knight,

1253

would agree to have his head covered

1254

to come here in the dark?

JULIA

1255

He is a noble gentleman,

1256

a manly, handsome youth,

1257

not like those namby-pambies.

1258

Next to him, Achilles himself

1259

would seem a low coward!

1260

Didn’t Leander swim the gulf

1261

a thousand times for the sake of love?

LEONARDA

1262

Don’t you know that’s just a story?

1263

And that was after they had seen each other, and spoken!

1264

And up in that tower, away from the wind,

1265

a single light was always lit,

1266

while here he won’t have one,

1267

even inside the bedroom.

1268

Say instead he is like that Roman,

1269

who leapt into the pit,

1270

or the one who charged a bridge,

1271

or the one who burnt his hand,

1272

those I might believe.

JULIA

1273

I deserve a reward.

LEONARDA

1274

I don’t think so.

JULIA

1275

I’m waiting!

LEONARDA

1276

You may have the long cloak, Julia,

1277

the one I was wearing yesterday.

JULIA

1278

The purple and gold one?

LEONARDA

1279

Hurry, give me my mask,

1280

and take yours.

SCENE FIVE

[In LEONARDA’s house]

Enter URBÁN, and CAMILO

URBÁN

1281

We are here, Camilo.

CAMILO

1282

Since I came up the stairs,

1283

I must be in the bedroom.

LEONARDA

1284

Have him sit down.

URBÁN

1285

Sit.

CAMILO

1286

Where?

URBÁN

1287

Here.

CAMILO

1288

Who was that who spoke?

URBÁN

1289

My lady.

LEONARDA

1290

And your slave.

CAMILO

1291

Is she the one who just spoke?

1292

Damn it!

1293

I’m taking my hood off.

(He takes it off)

1294

By God, I’m in the dark!

LEONARDA

1295

The only reason I allowed it,

1296

and forgive your trespass.

1297

Give me a seat next to him.

CAMILO

1298

What a charming spell.

LEONARDA

1299

I will sit at your side, my lord.

CAMILO

1300

My God, how difficult to bear!

1301

This love in the dark sets my heart on fire,

1302

for I cannot see—

1303

like flint against steel,

1304

it has lit my desire.

1305

Like a man in the shadows

1306

who strikes light,

1307

your voice has ignited my soul.

1308

My ready heart

1309

was the kindling,

1310

and your lips the flint

1311

that struck the flame.

1312

My soul is newly lit,

1313

though not to see you in the dark

1314

is like a cold wind that blows on it.

1315

Let me see you,

1316

and not only in my mind’s eye!

1317

Who has ever heard

1318

of so much fire with no light!

1319

If you don’t trust me,

1320

let this go no further—

1321

for if this limbo leads not to bliss,

1322

then let it not lead to torment.

1323

So that I might see you,

1324

do as great painters do,

1325

who, having painted the night,

1326

put in enough light to see it by.

1327

I’m a gentleman,

1328

and if I can talk to you face to face,

1329

I am sure that my honorable ways

1330

will delight you twice over.

1331

This much you must grant me.

1332

Give me your hand!

LEONARDA

1333

My hand? Here.

CAMILO

1334

At last!

JULIA

1335

(Aside to URBÁN)

I’ll say, this man’s no fool.

URBÁN

1336

He’s got a way with words.

JULIA

1337

(Aside)

Such pretty talk.

LEONARDA

1338

Well, on Camilo’s life ...

CAMILO

1339

That’s my name, my lady.

LEONARDA

1340

... to give you my hand so soon

1341

was no small mercy.

CAMILO

1342

I swear it is a supreme gift.

1343

I swear I am going mad.

LEONARDA

1344

Tell me, do you like it?

1345

Don’t squeeze it. Goodness!

CAMILO

1346

The hand might well be Esau’s,

1347

and the voice, I know not whose.

LEONARDA

1348

Bring just enough light.

JULIA exits

URBÁN

1349

We’ll shine some light on this now.

CAMILO

1350

This is to request light while sitting next to the sun.

1351

Alas, Apollo is eclipsed.

JULIA enters

JULIA

1352

Here’s the lamp.

CAMILO

1353

What is going on?

1354

You are all wearing masks?

LEONARDA

1355

Keep your hands to yourself, sir.

1356

This is how it must be.

1357

If you try to see me,

1358

they’ll tear you to pieces.

CAMILO

1359

They cannot touch me

1360

in the sanctuary of your arms.

1361

I fear them not, by God!

1362

I’m here, after all.

1363

I rein in my desires,

1364

because you order me to do so.

1365

Your body is so beautiful!

1366

And what fine garments!

1367

No wonder I have not

1368

been worthy of your trust.

1369

Stunning tapestries and brocades!

1370

Stunning paintings and art!

1371

Yet they hardly shine

1372

when your eyes are covered.

1373

Will no one here vouch for me

1374

Will you love me,

1375

yet not take me at my word?

LEONARDA

1376

I entrust my soul to you.

1377

with your grace’s pardon.

1378

Once your loyalty

1379

has been attested,

1380

we will allow you to visit

1381

this house in the light.

1382

Sit down, and don’t get too excited.

CAMILO

1383

If I am not to see my prey,

1384

then tie on my hood and leash again,

1385

my friend.

1386

If I am to keep still,

1387

it would be better to have no eyes nor ears,

1388

for my senses fly

1389

after that which I can see.

1390

If you uncover the falcon

1391

and let him see his prey,

1392

the end is certain,

1393

and that heart will be his.

1394

But here,

1395

no sooner has he spotted her,

1396

he is stripped of the freedom to fly.

1397

And not only that,

1398

but in this house of veils,

1399

the partridge is hooded

1400

while the falcon can see.

1401

By God, my lady!

1402

Can it be that you’ll allow

1403

me to hear you,

1404

but not see you?

LEONARDA

1405

Now, now.

1406

Fetch him some food

1407

to temper his heart.

JULIA exits to bring refreshments

CAMILO

1408

Food, by God?

1409

How can I eat

1410

when that same heart is on fire?

1411

I’ve had enough of this house!

1412

Am I not to see a single face?

1413

How am I to trust

1414

that the food you bring

1415

is not poisoned?

LEONARDA

1416

Trust the heart in my breast,

1417

which has fallen for you.

CAMILO

1418

That will not do.

1419

If you wore that hood to the shops,

1420

no one would give you credit,

1421

no matter how much bosom you showed.

1422

I am the shopkeeper here,

1423

and you, that woman in a veil.

1424

Why should I grant you life,

1425

when I’m not allowed to see you?

LEONARDA

1426

Camilo, don’t be so put out

1427

that I should veil myself this way,

1428

for there are things about me, sir,

1429

of which you are unaware.

1430

I saw you,

1431

and fell for you,

1432

so that I couldn’t resist this satisfaction.

1433

This is the remedy I sought,

1434

so that you could be here with me

1435

without being able to tell anyone

1436

who I am or where you’ve been.

1437

If you think this means

1438

that I do not trust you,

1439

let there be no doubt

1440

about my intentions.

1441

I shall give you jewels

1442

worth two thousand ducats.

CAMILO

1443

Fine jewels?

LEONARDA

1444

You there! Bring me those chains

1445

and that charm, the Cupid one.

1446

Bring them here ...

CAMILO

1447

No. Don’t do that.

1448

It will only upset me further.

1449

For I desire your eyes

1450

more than any jewels you could offer.

1451

If you gave me those sapphires,

1452

or the rubies and pearls

1453

of your mouth,

1454

I could give you so much more,

1455

if only I could see them.

1456

Know that I, too, have gold in my house.

1457

Thank God, I’m not a poor man.

LEONARDA

1458

I wish you more than

1459

what the Orient sends to Spain.

1460

But take this ring as a token of my love.

1461

Your hand will set it off.

CAMILO

1462

And yours is perfect for this one.

1463

Please allow that white hand

1464

to wear it in my name.

JULIA enters, with refreshments

JULIA

1465

Here are the refreshments.

CAMILO

1466

There’s no point.

1467

By my faith,

1468

I will not eat a thing.

LEONARDA

1469

You can’t refuse,

1470

just one bite.

1471

I am an honest woman.

CAMILO

1472

Do you mean because of the poison?

LEONARDA

1473

Yes.

1474

I swear on my life, you must try it!

CAMILO

1475

If you swear,

1476

then let a thousand deaths befall us.

1477

I will consume the poison

1478

as Alexander took his doctor’s.

1479

Where trust abounds,

1480

no harm can be done.

URBÁN

1481

(Aside)

He certainly knows his history!

JULIA

1482

(Aside)

He is very well read.

URBÁN

1483

(Aside)

Don’t think he’s such a gem,

1484

he is just pretentious.

1485

(Aloud)

I will fetch the drinks.

URBÁN exits

CAMILO

1486

(Aside)

She’s witty, that’s for sure.

1487

(Aloud)

Let’s make a deal.

LEONARDA

1488

(Aside)

He is as smart as he is wily.

CAMILO

1489

If this is how you carry on,

1490

you and your servants,

1491

how can you call to them

1492

without using their names?

1493

Let me give you false ones,

1494

so I can make sense of things.

URBÁN enters with drinks

URBÁN

1495

Drink.

CAMILO

1496

I shall drink later.

URBÁN

1497

Have something to drink.

JULIA

1498

(Aside)

They’re amused.

URBÁN

1499

(Aside)

These sugar-coated youths,

1500

all syrupy sweet, drive me mad.

1501

Not even a nymph is so very particular.

1502

(Aloud)

Drink.

CAMILO

1503

Give here, I will drink.

URBÁN

1504

(Aside)

What a tiny, cautious sip!

1505

(Aloud)

Tell me, did that do you any harm?

CAMILO

1506

How can I hesitate with all this fine silver?

1507

I have had enough, my lady.

URBÁN

1508

(Aside)

So coy now,

1509

and later he’ll polish off a whole wine-skin.

1510

(Aloud)

Here’s to my lady,

1511

and here’s to you, Camilo.

1512

And finally, Julia, here’s to us both,

1513

for he who drinks well, loves well.

JULIA

1514

(Aside to URBÁN)

Listen up or get out of here.

1515

He wants to give us names,

1516

so he can call for us.

URBÁN

1517

(Aside)

I am listening. Here’s to me.

LEONARDA

1518

What will you call me?

CAMILO

1519

You, I will call Diana,

1520

for obvious reasons.

LEONARDA

1521

And what are those?

CAMILO

1522

Isn’t she the moon? Does her light not shine?

LEONARDA

1523

Yes.

CAMILO

1524

Does she not darken and fade?

URBÁN

1525

(Aside)

Oh, that is good!

JULIA

1526

Take note.

URBÁN

1527

(Aside)

I am. Here’s to me.

CAMILO

1528

I shall call you Iris,

1529

Diana’s messenger,

1530

and you, Mercury.

LEONARDA

1531

Could anyone

1532

find us better names?

URBÁN

1533

(Aside)

Me Mercury? Oh well.

1534

Wouldn’t Bacchus be better?

JULIA

1535

That’s enough out of you!

URBÁN

1536

(Aside)

I am listening. And here’s to me.

LEONARDA

1537

It’s late. You should be going.

1538

All this talk…

1539

The night has flown, hasn’t it?

CAMILO

1540

So you won’t take off your mask?

LEONARDA

1541

This won’t be our last night together, Camilo.

1542

This is enough for now.

1543

You must leave the way you came in.

1544

(To URBÁN)

Escort him to where you found him.

URBÁN

1545

All right, let’s get that hood on.

CAMILO

1546

May I not embrace you before I go?

LEONARDA

1547

Why, yes.

CAMILO

1548

A fleeting pleasure.

(URBÁN tries to put the hood over CAMILO’s head)

1549

(To URBÁN)

Careful!

URBÁN

1550

Your neck is really long.

LEONARDA

1551

You fool, you’re going to hurt him!

URBÁN

1552

They’ll never get a decent chord out of you.

1553

God bless a good bass,

1554

that lasts and lasts!

1555

Grab on tight to my waist.

CAMILO

1556

Farewell, lady Diana.

LEONARDA

1557

Oh, how I long for tomorrow!

1558

Off with this mask!

JULIA

1559

Yes, me too.

1560

It’s time to retire for the night.

Exeunt LEONARDA and JULIA

1561

CAMILO What a state I’m in! Oh, blind love!

1562

URBÁN Am I any better off?

1563

This is the sick leading the blind.

SCENE SIX

[On the street, next to LEONARDA’s door]

They exit and VALERIO enters, dressed in evening attire

VALERIO

1564

Oh, suspicion!

1565

You, who have driven even the sanest mad,

1566

and drawn up in the finest minds

1567

scenes more unlikely than those ever painted

1568

on a new-fangled stage,

1569

or drafted by an inspired bard.

1570

Where are you taking me and my mad imagination,

1571

as I roam the streets while everyone sleeps?

1572

Even Ursa Major and its starry wagon

1573

have retired for the night,

1574

the six Pleiades have started their descent,

1575

as has their seventh sister, who rarely shows her face.

1576

And I, suspicion, hounded by you,

1577

burn not as stars do, no,

1578

but with the fire of the eternal abyss,

1579

through whose gaping mouth

1580

it blazes incessantly.

1581

I hate to say it, but I can’t shake the thought

1582

that this Leonarda,

1583

with all her pictures and books,

1584

has one in particular that she adores.

1585

Night, if some man be in there,

1586

let dawn break to drive him out.

1587

Yet how will I spot him,

1588

when this house is like Thebes,

1589

with its hundred looming gates?

1590

People are coming!

1591

I’ll take this side of the portico,

1592

and see where they are headed.

SCENE SEVEN

[On the street, next to LEONARDA’s door and window]

OTÓN enters, dressed in evening attire, and VALERIO hides to one side

OTÓN

1593

A private matter—friends and family—

1594

kept me from arriving sooner.

1595

Forgive me, street,

1596

and you, too, oh fortunate window,

1597

if I am late to greet you.

1598

What sighs of love

1599

fly into you, window!

1600

More than April has flowers,

1601

more than morning pearls of dew!

1602

If only I knew what sighs fly out!

1603

How many suitors, like Iphis before them,

1604

hang from these gates,

1605

by a single one of her hairs,

1606

begging the heavens to turn

1607

that hard-hearted woman to stone?

1608

And you, door ... But what’s this?

1609

Can this be?

1610

What shade is this, or what new column?

1611

My heart did not mislead me,

1612

when it brought me here tonight.

1613

Could this be that fortunate man,

1614

who enjoys the widow now?

1615

What am I to say or do to him?

1616

Oh heavens! I’ll balance out the façade,

1617

and flank the door on the other side.

SCENE EIGHT

[On the street, next to LEONARDA’s house]

Enter LISANDRO, dressed in evening attire, and OTÓN hides on the opposite side

LISANDRO

1618

Widow, may God ever keep you thus!

1619

While you stand fetchingly at that window,

1620

from now until the dawn!

1621

I’d like a word with you.

1622

That “I do” that you deny

1623

to your suitors one and all,

1624

what would it take to hear you call?

1625

Young yet pure, happy and sad—

1626

I hate to see you a maiden once more.

1627

You are so cutting and sharp,

1628

even fools now think

1629

you must have a secret lover.

1630

You lock yourself in your house,

1631

in order to deny it,

1632

yet what difference does it make,

1633

when you come and go to the village

1634

as easy as you please?

1635

These empty fields,

1636

these orchards and gardens,

1637

may not open for Matins,

1638

but they are open for love.

1639

No one believes, good widow,

1640

that your heart has gone unclaimed.

1641

You look so sad,

1642

when you’re not half bad-looking.

1643

I cannot believe that a woman,

1644

when she is young and rich,

1645

or, indeed, any woman

1646

who, like you, is free,

1647

would not give herself over

1648

entirely to pleasure.

1649

Although you may say

1650

you run from a second marriage

1651

like Angelica from the knights,

1652

I vow, I’ll join a convent

1653

if you aren’t actually in love!

1654

Oh! I’ve spoken too soon,

1655

without realizing I’d be heard

1656

by these living shadows!

1657

Alas, dear wall, of course you have ears.

1658

Oh, such a mighty house!

1659

Giants prop up your doors,

1660

your columns are girded.

1661

You have guards here for the night.

1662

And where there are so many guards,

1663

there must be a treasure to be had.

1664

If they are your support,

1665

let us all buttress you up.

1666

Leaving is out of the question:

1667

make room, I’ll get in the middle.

SCENE NINE

[On the street, in front of LEONARDA’s house]

LISANDRO stands between VALERIO and OTÓN, and a SHERIFF enters with a lantern, and servants, and a scribe

SHERIFF

1668

Quite a take in that card game!

SCRIBE

1669

And a nice pot, to boot!

SHERIFF

1670

This house has many secrets.

1671

They always hand out food,

1672

and there are women going in and out.

1673

I’ll charge them with something to flush them out.

1674

There are people by that door. Who goes there?

1675

Stop in the name of the King!

OTÓN

1676

We’re not moving!

1677

Get that lantern out of our faces.

SHERIFF

1678

Come closer, hoods off,

1679

so I can take a good look at you.

VALERIO

1680

Look here, we are gentlemen.

SHERIFF

1681

I believe you,

1682

but I need to see you with my own eyes.

1683

People like to play tricks on us.

1684

So come over here ...

LISANDRO

1685

Please, can we do this somewhere else?

SHERIFF

1686

No, we will do it right here.

1687

By God, show yourselves!

1688

My lord Otón, Lisandro, and you, Valerio!

1689

Could you not just have told me your names?

OTÓN

1690

I would rather not have.

LISANDRO

1691

Nor I.

1692

But I am glad to have the truth out.

VALERIO

1693

As am I.

1694

I now confirm my worst suspicions.

SHERIFF

1695

So, I can rest assured,

1696

I haven’t inconvenienced you?

LISANDRO

1697

Not in the least.

1698

We’re much obliged.

SHERIFF

1699

It is my pleasure.

1700

Gentlemen, shall I escort you anywhere?

OTÓN

1701

We’ll stay here.

SHERIFF

1702

All right, then. Goodbye. Let’s go.

The SHERIFF exits

SCENE TEN

[On the street, in front of LEONARDA’s house]

LISANDRO

1703

We’re always running into each other!

VALERIO

1704

Otón is quite the architect.

OTÓN

1705

What about Valerio?

LISANDRO

1706

With such a huge gate,

1707

the three of us did all we could.

1708

But I had the upper hand.

VALERIO

1709

Of course: you were in the middle.

OTÓN

1710

If the sheriff hadn’t shown up,

1711

we would have sliced each other up.

LISANDRO

1712

I feel better knowing that we all

1713

acted a bit foolishly.

OTÓN

1714

That’s not the right word

1715

for this lunacy.

1716

But aside from that,

1717

you were the biggest fool of all,

1718

to get between two men.

LISANDRO

1719

I’d get among a hundred,

1720

though they were all Rodamonts.

OTÓN

1721

Look out for the lion!

LISANDRO

1722

I’m not kidding.

1723

I can crush trees and mountains

1724

just as Roland did.

1725

But the height of idiocy

1726

was that stunt you pulled

1727

when you went in there to sell books,

1728

and Valerio to sell prints.

OTÓN

1729

So what? Didn’t our disguises

1730

get us in the door?

VALERIO

1731

Hold on.

1732

I wasn’t the only one

1733

who made a fool of myself.

1734

He dressed up as a peddler

1735

with a thousand rosaries,

1736

and couldn’t get them to open the door.

OTÓN

1737

Is that right?

1738

Well, let me congratulate him then.

LISANDRO

1739

If all is revealed now,

1740

then our game is up.

1741

Let us change our tune,

1742

and figure out who’s the lucky one.

1743

That will give us something to talk about.

OTÓN

1744

If that’s the case,

1745

then I shall say why I, Otón,

1746

came here tonight.

VALERIO

1747

Was it to find out

1748

for whom this door would open?

OTÓN

1749

That’s exactly why I came.

LISANDRO

1750

I am quite certain,

1751

since that’s why I came, too.

VALERIO

1752

As for me, what could it be,

1753

but to answer that same question,

1754

and cast myself in this jealous abyss?

OTÓN

1755

Now that we’ve each spoken

1756

let us affirm our friendship

1757

against the fierce cruelty

1758

of that cold ungrateful heart.

1759

We must see to her dishonor,

1760

and the loss of her reputation.

LISANDRO

1761

Well said, Oton!

1762

How shall we take revenge?

1763

Do you know what has occured to me,

1764

and yet I dare not say?

VALERIO

1765

What?

LISANDRO

1766

I think this widow has

1767

a lover hidden in her house.

1768

Why else would she refuse

1769

to look outside,

1770

if she didn’t already have

1771

what she needs on the inside?

1772

A woman alone, free and rich,

1773

who has denied so many,

1774

must have some manservant

1775

she keeps by her side at night.

1776

Among her servants, Urbán,

1777

who is a quick-witted scoundrel,

1778

is the one I suspect

1779

of serving her best:

1780

he never leaves her side,

1781

goes around well-dressed,

1782

always a little too cheeky,

1783

and whispering to her.

OTÓN

1784

By God! Now I see

1785

her wicked game so clearly!

1786

I’ll slash his face

1787

or I’m no gentleman.

1788

Who could doubt it’s all exactly as you say!

VALERIO

1789

I agree completely,

1790

for I have seen him do some things

1791

which have made me suspect as much.

1792

I swear on my honor,

1793

I’ll leave my mark on him.

LISANDRO

1794

Leave something, if you please,

1795

for the one who revealed the secret.

1796

For I too shall give him

1797

a slash between your two.

OTÓN

1798

Dawn has come.

1799

By God, how sweet it is to take her down!

1800

Let’s go, and we can speak of this later.

VALERIO

1801

I swear I will kill him.

LISANDRO

1802

I will cut off his nose!

OTÓN

1803

What a slashing I’ll give him!

Exeunt

SCENE ELEVEN

[On the street]

Enter LUCENCIO, with a letter, and ROSANO, a foreigner

LUCENCIO

1804

This letter explains everything.

1805

Ercino sends me a son-in-law,

1806

and a husband for Leonarda,

1807

praising his nobility.

ROSANO

1808

No one can match his ancient blood.

1809

No young man is better favored:

1810

not Adonis, or Pyramus, or Narcissus.

1811

No one is wiser or more clever.

1812

He writes like the finest Galician poet,

1813

plays and dances like master Julio,

1814

paints portraits like a Guzmán,

1815

and fences like the famous Carranza.

1816

At court, he’s secretary

1817

to a most important prince,

1818

and he is famed there

1819

for his dashing ways.

LUCENCIO

1820

Just as the letter says.

1821

When did you leave Madrid?

ROSANO

1822

It can’t have been

1823

more than four days.

LUCENCIO

1824

Any news from the Court?

ROSANO

1825

Nothing much.

1826

But let’s not get distracted.

1827

Be honest with me,

1828

if you can trust me,

1829

and show me this widow,

1830

so that I might describe her.

1831

They insisted that I see her,

1832

for her beauty is famous in Madrid.

LUCENCIO

1833

That will be up to her.

1834

She is more private than she is famous.

1835

Although you may be sorry to hear it,

1836

you should know she is as tough and stubborn

1837

as any wild creature,

1838

despite her wit and beauty.

1839

It’s been a month since I visited

1840

to encourage her to wed,

1841

and with this I’ve spared us

1842

hurt feelings and harsher words.

1843

If I were to bring this gentleman’s case,

1844

I suspect it would all be in vain,

1845

for if she will not marry here in Valencia,

1846

much less will she leave for Madrid.

1847

That being said, we will do our best.

ROSANO

1848

I am much disheartened by your news, sir,

1849

but we must certainly try it,

1850

so I can at least say I made the attempt.

LUCENCIO

1851

I will make arrangements

1852

for us to speak with her today,

1853

for I have always been beholden to Ercino...

ROSANO

1854

Go on, I beg you!

LUCENCIO

1855

People are coming. They mustn’t hear of this.

Exeunt

SCENE TWELVE

[On the street]

Enter CAMILO and FLORO

CAMILO

1856

As I was saying, Floro,

1857

after that first night

1858

when I was hooded like a hawk,

1859

and had to follow blindly,

1860

came another six or seven nights

1861

in the same manner,

1862

until finally I enjoyed her,

1863

only by the light of our eyes.

1864

I envy those birds

1865

that fly by night,

1866

and might see in the dark

1867

what I adore by touch alone.

1868

I have become fond of her

1869

without seeing more than I can sense

1870

by touch, as blind men do.

1871

It’s a strange business.

1872

I have done things to see her

1873

—don’t think I have not tried!—

1874

that would have softened

1875

any savage barbarian, any monster:

1876

now pretending mortal pains

1877

with moans and sighs,

1878

now swearing never to see her again

1879

with vows and promises.

1880

But neither sweet words,

1881

nor fury, nor anger

1882

would persuade her to show herself.

1883

And so, I am left enchanted and obsessed.

FLORO

1884

Of course you are! What a story!

1885

Why not take your own light?

CAMILO

1886

To dare such a thing, Floro,

1887

could cost me my life.

1888

When Psyche looked upon Cupid

1889

while taking pleasure in the dark,

1890

she lost that glorious love,

1891

and caused her own sorrow.

FLORO

1892

What will you do,

1893

under the spell of such blind love?

CAMILO

1894

I’ll imitate Cupid,

1895

who loves without seeing.

FLORO

1896

Can’t you take some chalk with you,

1897

to mark the door?

CAMILO

1898

Her man has such tricks

1899

that I lose my bearings.

1900

I could be outside the gate

1901

and he’ll tell me I’m inside.

FLORO

1902

Here comes a lady’s coach.

Enter LEONARDA and JULIA, with capes

CAMILO

1903

And from it descends,

1904

a beautiful widow.

FLORO

1905

The maid’s not bad either.

LEONARDA

1906

What a wonderful orchard.

JULIA

1907

It’s lovely in all seasons.

LEONARDA

1908

(Aside to JULIA)

Julia, that’s Camilo!

JULIA

1909

I saw him, too, my lady!

CAMILO

1910

I am at your service, ladies.

LEONARDA

1911

(Aside to JULIA)

Should I speak to him?

JULIA

1912

Do it.

1913

The fields are deserted.

LEONARDA

1914

(To CAMILO)

You’re too kind.

CAMILO

1915

You deserve nothing less.

1916

You are like Apollo’s own light.

1917

I invoke light, you see,

1918

for that is what I most desire,

1919

of all the things I see,

1920

though I do not see my love so clearly.

1921

In any case, light is the only thing

1922

the heavens have given earth

1923

that might match your beauty.

LEONARDA

1924

You’re very fond of light

1925

for a man who is not blind.

CAMILO

1926

It comes from a certain lack,

1927

but I mustn’t go on.

LEONARDA

1928

I understand: you mean love.

CAMILO

1929

And would you believe

1930

that my lady herself

1931

is like a radiant sun?

LEONARDA

1932

Surely you exaggerate.

CAMILO

1933

No, for she is Diana,

1934

so powerful and divine,

1935

that I see her not, but feel her everywhere.

LEONARDA

1936

Diana? Like the moon?

CAMILO

1937

The very same.

LEONARDA

1938

That’s a shame.

1939

For a thousand look upon her,

1940

yet none can touch her.

CAMILO

1941

Yet I touch her without seeing her!

LEONARDA

1942

No doubt you must be mad.

CAMILO

1943

Truly, for I have touched her in the dark,

1944

and I have fallen in love.

LEONARDA

1945

And this moon, does she see you?

CAMILO

1946

She claims she does,

1947

and swears she sees me every day.

1948

Yet I never see her, by God!

LEONARDA

1949

If she sees you, there can be no doubt:

1950

she must be in love.

CAMILO

1951

I think she likes me.

LEONARDA

1952

That is plain to see.

1953

Would you leave her

1954

for any other woman?

CAMILO

1955

I am insulted

1956

that your lips could

1957

so doubt my devotion.

1958

I would not leave her

1959

for an angel of beauty

1960

or a worthy Roman maiden.

LEONARDA

1961

If you saw her,

1962

disillusion might change your mind.

CAMILO

1963

I need not worry about that,

1964

for I have felt her with these hands:

1965

her brow is high,

1966

and her nose,

1967

the foundation of a beautiful face,

1968

is flawless.

1969

Her eyes are ... pronounced,

1970

a sign of their loveliness.

1971

Her neck, her breast,

1972

everything else is pure perfection.

1973

Her wit and intelligence

1974

need no explanation:

1975

to witness both is enough

1976

to make you lose your mind.

1977

A very Iris is her handmaiden,

1978

and Mercury her ambassador!

1979

The world melts away

1980

when she sends them down for me.

LEONARDA

1981

You are quite the odd suitor.

1982

I’ve never heard the like.

CAMILO

1983

Nor have I ever seen anyone endure

1984

the darkness they inflict upon me.

1985

And though my happiness

1986

is somewhat clouded by this cruelty,

1987

I love those shadows of mine more

1988

than others value the light.

LEONARDA

1989

And what is your name?

CAMILO

1990

Camilo.

LEONARDA

1991

It’s good to know the name

1992

of such an Amadís in love.

1993

May you enjoy your Diana

1994

for many years.

CAMILO

1995

Do not doubt it,

1996

if her tricks do not kill me first.

LEONARDA

1997

God be with you, dark suitor.

CAMILO

1998

May he give you a wealthy husband.

FLORO

1999

(Aside to JULIA)

Tell me: may I speak to you

2000

tonight in the courtyard?

JULIA

2001

I live all the way over by Zaidía.

2002

You wouldn’t want a lady so far away.

Exeunt LEONARDA and JULIA

SCENE THIRTEEN

FLORO

2003

You carried on like old folks:

2004

“Nice weather we’re having! What a fine day!”

2005

Why did you not court her?

2006

She is a beautiful widow—

2007

a thousand men die for her love.

CAMILO

2008

You read my mind!

2009

But my love is steadfast.

2010

I would not fall in love with her,

2011

or even one more beautiful,

2012

although she might fall for me.

2013

She is not worth two cents,

2014

nor anyone else you might name,

2015

for that would be to compare

2016

a queen with a slave.

2017

I tell you, mine is an angel,

2018

there can be no doubt.

FLORO

2019

You thought the widow was that bad?

CAMILO

2020

So-so. She would do.

FLORO

2021

Well, she seemed fine to me.

CAMILO

2022

Oh, Floro, if you could see my lady,

2023

you would sing her praises instead!

FLORO

2024

I would take the widow.

SCENE FOURTEEN

[On the street]

Enter URBÁN, with his sword out, backing away from OTÓN, LISANDRO, and VALERIO

URBÁN

2025

Three men against one!

OTÓN

2026

Let the dog die!

URBÁN

2027

Will you not tell me how I have offended you?

VALERIO

2028

Die!

CAMILO

2029

Stop, gentlemen, hold off! That’s enough!

2030

Surely my presence here should make you observe

2031

the rules of courtesy.

2032

I am Camilo, a friend to all.

FLORO

2033

Get behind us.

URBÁN

2034

If they came at me one by one ...

OTÓN

2035

He found a good second in you, Camilo,

2036

though he’s a vile and shameless lackey.

CAMILO

2037

No more of this, on my life.

2038

If you’re lucky, he won’t have recognized you.

VALERIO

2039

As you wish.

LISANDRO

2040

We are at your service.

CAMILO

2041

I am much obliged.

OTÓN

2042

Let’s go.

Exeunt OTON, LISANDRO, and VALERIO

SCENE FIFTEEN

CAMILO

2043

Tell me, you devil, what did you do

2044

to those gentlemen?

URBÁN

2045

Good Camilo,

2046

I throw myself at your feet.

2047

I swear that neither in deed, word, nor thought

2048

did I ever offend them.

CAMILO

2049

Gentlemen would never gang up

2050

on a lone man with no provocation.

2051

That’s impossible

URBÁN

2052

That’s true.

2053

They may have been confused,

2054

and took me for another man.

CAMILO

2055

That must be it.

FLORO

2056

They picked a nice deserted spot to let you have it.

CAMILO

2057

Let’s see him to his house, Floro.

URBÁN

2058

The city gate is far enough.

FLORO

2059

You really owe my master, now.

URBÁN

2060

(Aside)

If I owe him, I have paid him well.

ACT III

SCENE ONE

[On the street]

Enter CAMILO and CELIA, lady, wearing a cape

CAMILO

2061

Shut up, and leave me alone.

CELIA

2062

What do you mean, shut up?

CAMILO

2063

I’ll come later.

CELIA

2064

There is no later.

CAMILO

2065

Have you lost your mind, Celia?

2066

Don’t you realize that you’re in the street?

CELIA

2067

In the street or wherever I may be,

2068

it is only fitting

2069

that all should know of your betrayal.

CAMILO

2070

Calm down and be patient.

2071

Let’s talk here, quietly,

2072

so no one will hear us.

2073

And let go of me.

CELIA

2074

What tokens of love

2075

have I received from you?

2076

Bad nights, bad days,

2077

words, rages, and jealousies.

2078

What worries me most

2079

is that you’re no longer hurting me.

2080

How could I love you, wicked as you are!

2081

Look at me now, you traitor!

CAMILO

2082

Let’s go over there.

2083

Celia, go home and wait.

2084

There is much we need to discuss.

2085

You shouldn’t be out here in the street.

2086

Besides, people are looking at me,

2087

and I have business to attend to.

CELIA

2088

You, at my house?

2089

You haven’t been there in two months!

2090

And yet somehow you think I’m so crazy

2091

I would believe the words

2092

of a heart so false!

2093

No, my friend, once that heart gets away,

2094

I will be left to chase the wind.

CAMILO

2095

By God, be careful with your hands!

2096

You’ve torn my cloak.

CELIA

2097

I was after your heart,

2098

where such cruelty lies.

CAMILO

2099

It was soft for you once,

2100

and like wax to your will,

2101

but some men would rather not

2102

share the goods, you know.

2103

Look out, they can see us!

CELIA

2104

He’s afraid of being seen!

2105

Hush now, don’t make a fuss.

2106

Just let a new lady fall for him,

2107

if she hasn’t already,

2108

the new apple of his eye—

2109

the first time they fight

2110

over petty jealousies,

2111

then she’ll see what he’s about.

CAMILO

2112

You want to drive me crazy.

CELIA

2113

No doubt he will tell her too:

2114

“This woman is chasing me,

2115

but I cannot stand the sight of her,

2116

on your life and mine,

2117

there is no reason for you to worry,

2118

I will kiss your foot

2119

in front of her.”

CAMILO

2120

Would you stop this and leave me alone?

2121

Were we not over?

SCENE TWO

[On the street. The stage is divided in two, on one side LEONARDA and JULIA, and on the other CAMILO and CELIA]

Enter LEONARDA and JULIA, with capes

JULIA

2122

(Aside to LEONARDA)

It’s very late for you to be out on your own.

LEONARDA

2123

As late as it is,

2124

Urbán still has not come.

JULIA

2125

He has taken a long time.

2126

But why did you not bring

2127

Clara’s squire along?

LEONARDA

2128

So I wouldn’t have to see

2129

that long sad face of his.

(LEONARDA sees CAMILO and CELIA)

2130

Oh, Julia, but my fate is even sadder!

JULIA

2131

My lady! What is the matter?

LEONARDA

2132

Oh, Julia!

JULIA

2133

You look like death warmed over!

LEONARDA

2134

How could I not, when I’m at death’s door?

JULIA

2135

Be careful, it’s not yet very dark.

2136

Hush, or cover up your face.

2137

We could have avoided all this,

2138

if you had come by coach.

(JULIA also sees CAMILO and CELIA)

2139

Oh, you poor woman,

2140

now I see which way the wind blows!

LEONARDA

2141

This is what I deserve

2142

for my mad desire.

2143

I wish I didn’t know you,

2144

just as you don’t know me.

2145

Then I could enjoy you without seeing you,

2146

just as you don’t see me.

2147

This is what you get when you trust in oaths,

2148

in words, and vows!

2149

They are but scraps of paper

2150

in the wind.

2151

To think he claimed to love

2152

no other woman in the world!

JULIA

2153

And it is true,

2154

for he said that by night,

2155

and he loves her by day.

2156

Look, my lady, you won’t keep the one you love,

2157

if you won’t let him look at you ...

2158

Love is born of sight,

2159

and touch alone won’t do.

LEONARDA

2160

What about hearing?

JULIA

2161

That may do

2162

for the lover who is all talk.

2163

Some men will follow a voice

2164

hidden inside a cloak,

2165

and when they find an ugly woman,

2166

they say, “To the devil with her.”

CAMILO

2167

Tell me, what is it I owe you?

2168

I will do right by you.

CELIA

2169

First, the great faith I put in you,

2170

which is a novel thing with us.

2171

Second, my loyalty in not

2172

seeking pleasure elsewhere,

2173

and always matching my desires to yours.

2174

A thousand icy nights,

2175

spent waiting for you by my window,

2176

while an old woman scolded me—

2177

and—oh, my poor arms, my poor hair!—

2178

and, in sum, never to have denied you

2179

anything you wanted.

CAMILO

2180

I’ve made up for all that and more

2181

by keeping you in fine style.

2182

You cost me a pretty penny,

2183

not to speak of the clothes.

CELIA

2184

That’s a nice speech

2185

coming from a gentleman!

2186

I want nothing of yours.

2187

Let Floro come,

2188

and I’ll give him back in gold

2189

anything I’ve had from you.

2190

Fine clothes those were!

2191

A sad little skirt

2192

with two miserable sashes,

2193

a wretched little petticoat ...

2194

What strings of pearls you’ve decked me with!

2195

What chains you’ve hung about my neck!

2196

What rich tapestries,

2197

the best in Flanders!

2198

What a house you have built me,

2199

with its garden, its gate, its balcony!

2200

Even those who are but the dirt beneath my feet

2201

have more than I do.

2202

Given how you ignore me,

2203

I should have spent time with another—

2204

I might have had fewer complaints,

2205

at least, if not anything to gain.

2206

Was I so very poor,

2207

so wretched, so despised,

2208

when I let you in my house?

LEONARDA

2209

Do you see how riled up she is?

2210

If only I could hear what they are saying!

JULIA

2211

Would it not have been better to go home

2212

than to hope that no one will recognize you

2213

as they pass you on the street?

2214

Besides, it’s getting dark.

LEONARDA

2215

That and my mantle

2216

means no one will see me.

JULIA

2217

I do believe you’re jealous.

2218

I never would have imagined

2219

that a lady who enjoys

2220

such affairs in the dark

2221

would light up with jealousy.

CELIA

2222

What, me?

CAMILO

2223

Yes, you, Celia.

2224

Now you know where I stand.

2225

Leave me.

CELIA

2226

Consider yourself left.

2227

Jesus, such treachery! Jesus!

CAMILO

2228

You can cross yourself a thousand times over ...

CELIA

2229

You leave me with these protestations?

2230

Goodbye. No more accusations.

CELIA exits

CAMILO

2231

The facts are clear ...

SCENE THREE

[On the street, LEONARDA and CAMILO meet and talk]

CAMILO

2232

Where has she gone?

LEONARDA

2233

(Aside)

What do I say?

CAMILO

2234

Are these veiled ladies speaking to me?

LEONARDA

2235

We’re not quite as shameless

2236

as that fool over there.

2237

Is she that Diana

2238

you mentioned in the orchard?

CAMILO

2239

(Aside)

This little widow is dying

2240

to play loose with me.

2241

(Aloud)

Uncover yourselves,

2242

so you won’t resemble her, either.

LEONARDA

2243

I’m glad to see that you hate

2244

what you loved so recently.

CAMILO

2245

Those goddesses

2246

are just fantasies now.

2247

They are like nights without days,

2248

and lies made of truth.

2249

They are dubious pleasures,

2250

and bland delicacies,

2251

a confusing masquerade,

2252

and waking dreams.

2253

They make one sneak

2254

through gardens at night,

2255

pretending to see

2256

what remains unseen,

2257

counting and taking

2258

money in the dark.

2259

If you will love me,

2260

we’ll just let Diana sleep,

2261

for she is a night with no dawn,

2262

and much too fond of herself.

2263

She wants to be loved on faith alone,

2264

as if she were heaven itself.

2265

Yet she is nothing but a sound,

2266

heard but not seen.

LEONARDA

2267

You must have seen her

2268

and lost your illusions.

CAMILO

2269

It’s because I haven’t seen her

2270

that I want no more of this arrangement.

2271

If I could see her as I see you,

2272

and if she were as beautiful,

2273

no doubt I would love her.

LEONARDA

2274

Truly?

CAMILO

2275

By God, yes!

2276

Because you’re a pearl,

2277

and soon enough I’ll tire

2278

of being a slave to a lady,

2279

who will not let me see her.

2280

Why should I waste my youth

2281

taxed with the burden

2282

of safeguarding her modesty,

2283

just because she feels like it?

2284

If she is afraid of being exposed

2285

and defamed by the common people

2286

as other women are,

2287

if she values her reputation so dearly,

2288

let her post a giant by her door.

LEONARDA

2289

That’s very well said.

2290

But you must be off now, sir—

2291

people are coming.

CAMILO

2292

So scornful so quickly?

2293

You dismiss me because

2294

you think I’m fickle.

LEONARDA

2295

Did you not hear me? Go.

CAMILO

2296

I’m leaving, you intractable little widow.

CAMILO exits

SCENE FOUR

LEONARDA

2297

Ah, traitor!

2298

As if insulting me were not enough,

2299

he also wanted to woo me?

JULIA

2300

Now you know.

2301

The sermon was not bad

2302

if you know how to take it.

LEONARDA

2303

He couldn’t have said it better

2304

if he’d known the truth.

2305

He left me speechless!

2306

I did not know what to say!

JULIA

2307

It was a lofty sermon.

LEONARDA

2308

A shock like that

2309

overcomes all the senses.

2310

Tonight and no more!

2311

You’ll see how I dismiss him

2312

for his good sense.

JULIA

2313

And what will you say to him about this?

LEONARDA

2314

Why would I bring it up?

2315

What fine nonsense!

Enter URBÁN

URBÁN

2316

There is not a place in the city

2317

I have not looked.

2318

I have been home twice,

2319

hoping to find you there.

LEONARDA

2320

You were nowhere to be found

2321

on the one day I went out on foot.

2322

Tonight you must summon

2323

that suitor from the bridge.

URBÁN

2324

I will, right away.

LEONARDA

2325

Julia,

2326

you will see to the side door.

URBÁN

2327

Your uncle awaits you at home.

LEONARDA

2328

Wonderful!

2329

That’s the icing on the cake!

URBÁN

2330

A stranger from Madrid

2331

is with him.

LEONARDA

2332

What brings him here?

URBÁN

2333

I don’t know.

LEONARDA

2334

Lord, let me just make it

2335

through tonight.

Exeunt

SCENE FIVE

[On the street, next to LEONARDA’s house]

Enter LISANDRO and OTÓN, by night

LISANDRO

2336

Now that the night

2337

will finally allow us to act, Otón,

2338

why are you so sad?

OTÓN

2339

My sorrow speaks for itself.

2340

That’s explanation enough.

2341

What pain compares to mine,

2342

when my fury has brought me

2343

to this pass?

LISANDRO

2344

What do you mean?

OTÓN

2345

She favors my rival.

LISANDRO

2346

My patience is wearing thin

2347

with this talk of jealousy and insults.

2348

We agreed on a truce.

2349

A wise man must persevere calmly.

OTÓN

2350

That’s not what bothers me.

2351

But why should Urbán deny

2352

such dashing young men as ourselves

2353

a reward well deserved?

2354

I am a brave man,

2355

and even if a hundred Camilos

2356

were to come to his defense,

2357

he would be bloodied

2358

once the knives were out.

2359

And Camilo,

2360

who is he to be running the show?

2361

It’s good to show a man respect,

2362

but I swear I regretted it afterward.

LISANDRO

2363

Don’t let it weigh on you.

2364

No matter how dark the night,

2365

this door will never see a man

2366

pass through without getting

2367

his face slashed open.

2368

Here comes someone who looks like Valerio.

OTÓN

2369

It’s about time

2370

for him to get his sword.

Enter VALERIO

VALERIO

2371

Just let him try to enter this street!

OTÓN

2372

A fitting response.

2373

No Gradasso, no Roland,

2374

would guard the entrance as you two do.

LISANDRO

2375

Sit.

OTÓN

2376

Where?

LISANDRO

2377

Just on the ground,

2378

sit on your cape with

2379

your shield to the side.

VALERIO

2380

There is not much light

2381

From the moon tonight.

OTÓN

2382

It’s veiled like the widow,

2383

surrounded by clouds.

2384

The storm is about to break.

LISANDRO

2385

If only we had

2386

a bearded witch in this city!

VALERIO

2387

What for?

LISANDRO

2388

So that she could make the widow

2389

pine for thirty men.

OTÓN

2390

As long as she forgets

2391

that one traitor

2392

whose face awaits

2393

its just reward.

VALERIO

2394

Let’s write a little song about it.

OTÓN

2395

By God, what splendid villainy!

2396

Rest assured, we will shame her.

LISANDRO

2397

Shouldn’t we be ashamed,

2398

noblemen that we are?

OTÓN

2399

I always say,

2400

“If you can’t say anything nice ...”

2401

Such pointed satire

2402

would be a low blow,

2403

and unworthy of us.

VALERIO

2404

You’re right, brother,

2405

and yet it’s so good to criticize

2406

that all rules go out the window.

2407

It’s like a good fire in winter,

2408

or a cool room in summer.

2409

We’d better sing their praises instead,

2410

or improvise a song for the lovers.

LISANDRO

2411

Do you have any rhymes for me?

OTÓN

2412

Let’s work the refrain.

VALERIO

2413

Oh, aren’t you a song-book!

LISANDRO

2414

Let’s hear it.

OTÓN

2415

How about this:

2416

“the widow and her squire.”

VALERIO

2417

Oh, that’s good!

LISANDRO

2418

I will start:

2419

Gentlemen, in these loves,

2420

and our fierce rivalry,

2421

Angelica and her suitors

2422

inhabit our fair city.

2423

Roland are you,

2424

you, the brave Sacripante.

2425

I, Ferragut, the Moor.

2426

But Angelica and Medore ...

2427

ah, the widow and her squire!

VALERIO

2428

Most honorable squire

2429

Spain ever could yield,

2430

you have taken as yours

2431

a most burnished shield,

2432

adorned with your arms.

2433

I’d like to enhance it,

2434

so it comes to no harm

2435

with the finest medallion,

2436

in gold as bright as fire,

2437

ah, the widow and her squire!

OTÓN

2438

There sits shining Gemini

2439

in the heights of heaven.

2440

Two figures form this sign:

2441

a man and a woman,

2442

their flesh intertwined.

2443

The stars I can’t decipher,

2444

but, by God, in my mind,

2445

every night they conspire

2446

just like in that sign:

2447

ah, the widow and her squire!

VALERIO

2448

Look! They’ve opened the door,

2449

and Urbán is coming out, with his hood up.

OTÓN

2450

Who?

VALERIO

2451

Urbán.

OTÓN

2452

Are you sure?

VALERIO

2453

Yes.

LISANDRO

2454

I can’t believe it!

VALERIO

2455

Go and give it to him.

ROSANO appears, and LISANDRO stabs him

LISANDRO

2456

Enough of this!

ROSANO

2457

Oh! I’ve been stabbed!

OTÓN

2458

Around that corner!

LISANDRO

2459

Well done.

Exeunt LISANDRO, VALERIO, and OTÓN

SCENE SIX

[On the street, outside of LEONARDA’s house]

ROSANO

2460

Open this door. Oh, this is the end of me!

2461

It’s a big house, and they can’t hear my call.

2462

Was this what you brought me to, you false old man?

2463

They must have been other suitors.

2464

Be strong, courage is no match for betrayal.

2465

A fine blow they’ve given me.

2466

This is how they send me back to Madrid!

ROSANO exits

SCENE SEVEN

[In LEONARDA’s house]

Enter LEONARDA, JULIA, and LUCENCIO

LEONARDA

2467

Have a servant light the way for my uncle.

JULIA

2468

Rodulfo is bringing one now.

LUCENCIO

2469

Is that necessary?

LEONARDA

2470

Of course, my lord.

2471

And I’ll have another servant

2472

escort you as well, with a sword.

LUCENCIO

2473

Who would want to hurt me?

LEONARDA

2474

I know you’re loved by all.

LUCENCIO

2475

I’m pleased about that fellow,

2476

and he leaves well served.

LEONARDA

2477

I admit, uncle,

2478

I’m happy to make this marriage.

2479

I’ve been unkind to so many of our own,

2480

I hope I’ll find forgiveness

2481

in loving a man from elsewhere.

LUCENCIO

2482

He’s been fortunate.

2483

He’ll be richly rewarded

2484

when he gets to Madrid.

LEONARDA

2485

Tell them to begin the preparations.

JULIA

2486

They have waited so long.

LUCENCIO

2487

God keep you.

LEONARDA

2488

May He go with you.

LUCENCIO exits

JULIA

2489

I was getting worried.

2490

There was someone at the side door.

2491

Who it was, I do not know.

SCENE EIGHT

Enter URBÁN

LEONARDA

2492

Urbán, my friend,

2493

why are you alone

2494

with your mask in your hand?

URBÁN

2495

Everything has gone wrong.

LEONARDA

2496

What, my brother?

2497

Tell me what happened?

URBÁN

2498

I got to the bridge at ten.

2499

Camilo graciously awaited me,

2500

listening to the water’s murmur.

2501

I approached him at once,

2502

and he turned from the rail.

2503

Once I covered his eyes,

2504

I was the lad, and he the blind man.

2505

We walked through the city

2506

contemplating and praising,

2507

me, your beauty and fame,

2508

he, his love and desires.

2509

I asked him if there was

2510

another in Valencia

2511

who pleased him by day

2512

more than your dark chambers.

2513

And he is telling me a story

2514

about a jealous woman

2515

who chased and hounded him

2516

in streets, plazas, and churches,

2517

when a sheriff arrives

2518

and wants to know who we are.

2519

Camilo takes off Love’s blindfold at once.

2520

He approaches, and says who he is,

2521

leaving the sheriff satisfied,

2522

but he never asked

2523

that I be allowed to keep on my mask.

2524

So they take off my mask.

2525

Camilo and the rest see me,

2526

and though they let me go free,

2527

I might as well be their prisoner.

2528

Camilo, upon seeing my face,

2529

smiles and says: “Friend,

2530

let’s forget these games

2531

and continue on, unmasked.”

2532

Then like the hounded deer

2533

running through the hills,

2534

swift as the wind,

2535

I leave Camilo behind

2536

and, by empty streets,

2537

return exposed and ashamed,

2538

to tell you of this sad turn.

LEONARDA

2539

No! Behind one misfortune,

2540

a greater one follows! What will I do?

JULIA

2541

This is not the time

2542

to forget who you are.

2543

Now is when courage counts.

LEONARDA

2544

There is no courage amid such grief,

2545

for heaven’s wrath

2546

cuts through steel and diamonds.

2547

Any weakness will be noted

2548

in someone like me.

2549

But I think I can muster

2550

a clever way out.

2551

Urbán, for a few days,

2552

you’ll serve my cousin,

2553

and make your way through Valencia,

2554

never coming near me.

2555

That way, when Camilo follows you,

2556

he’ll believe it’s for her sake

2557

that he comes and goes.

JULIA

2558

This is no small thing, what honor requires of you.

URBÁN

2559

So let’s see: you’ll dishonor your cousin?

2560

Is that not a mad idea?

LEONARDA

2561

Urbán, for the sake of my honor,

2562

all must be forgiven.

2563

Let this stain fall on my cousin,

2564

as long as my reputation shines.

URBÁN

2565

Don’t you see this is an outrage?

LEONARDA

2566

That’s reputation for you.

2567

You push another man forward

2568

when you’re threatened with a knife,

2569

and let him take the blow

2570

that was meant for you.

2571

Just as your hand flies up

2572

to defend your face,

2573

which is the nobler part,

2574

surely there is nothing inhuman in this.

2575

Go rest, and tomorrow,

2576

you’ll go with her to mass

2577

at the Church of the Miracle.

URBÁN

2578

You’ll make your own miracle

2579

with this Grecian plot.

2580

But tell me, who will go,

2581

tomorrow, to fetch your beau?

LEONARDA

2582

Julia, in disguise, Urbán.

2583

She will dress as a man.

JULIA

2584

And if I run into trouble?

LEONARDA

2585

Your blind man will defend you.

JULIA

2586

He’s the one I’m afraid of.

LEONARDA

2587

What?

JULIA

2588

He’s all fired up—

2589

he’ll know tinder when he sees it.

Exeunt

SCENE NINE

[The next morning, in front of LISANDRO’s house]

Enter OTÓN and VALERIO

VALERIO

2590

They say he’s getting up now.

OTÓN

2591

He sleeps like a log,

2592

and the time it takes him to dress, Valerio,

2593

is something to behold.

VALERIO

2594

He must have gone to bed early.

2595

He didn’t make many rounds last night.

Enter LISANDRO

LISANDRO

2596

On the contrary, I was up all night

2597

with the squire and the surgeon.

OTÓN

2598

You’re still buttoning up?

VALERIO

2599

The surgeon kept you up?

2600

Great joke! But I’ll believe it.

OTÓN

2601

Enough. Was there anyone, you think,

2602

who might have recognized us?

LISANDRO

2603

The street was deserted.

VALERIO

2604

You gave it to him good!

OTÓN

2605

It was unbelievable!

2606

Did you get him in the head or the face?

LISANDRO

2607

I think I got it all,

2608

because the slashes I give

2609

run all the way to the neck.

OTÓN

2610

Good God!

VALERIO

2611

Amen.

OTÓN

2612

That’s what they say about Roland.

2613

Look out! Here comes Urbán.

VALERIO

2614

Who?

OTÓN

2615

Urbán.

LISANDRO

2616

What? Who did you say?

OTÓN

2617

Indeed! It’s Urbán, and he’s the picture of health.

LISANDRO

2618

Take a good look at him.

OTÓN

2619

What is there to see?

2620

You must have had a

2621

soft touch last night.

VALERIO

2622

“The slashes I give

2623

run all the way to the neck.”

OTÓN

2624

Head and face both—

2625

he’s split from head to toe!

SCENE TEN

URBÁN has entered

LISANDRO

2626

I’m ready to give it to him now.

OTÓN

2627

Stop.

VALERIO

2628

Urbán, where are you going?

URBÁN

2629

I’m in a hurry and full of worry.

2630

My lady is off to mass.

OTÓN

2631

Who? Leonarda?

URBÁN

2632

I’ve been at her cousin’s house

2633

for a long time now,

2634

and I come and go with her.

VALERIO

2635

(Aside to LISANDRO)

Not likely to get him, then!

LISANDRO

2636

(Aside to VALERIO)

There must be

2637

some wounded foreigner or servant around.

OTÓN

2638

Then, please,

2639

be on your way.

LISANDRO

2640

But wait.

URBÁN

2641

Anything else? I’m in a hurry.

OTÓN

2642

Tell us something about your lady.

URBÁN

2643

She is a Portia by reputation.

LISANDRO

2644

Come here.

URBÁN

2645

The bells are ringing for Mass.

URBÁN exits

VALERIO

2646

He’s gone, the scoundrel.

OTÓN

2647

If he’s not there,

2648

then Leonarda must be alone.

LISANDRO

2649

Oh, such empty gossip!

2650

If he were her gallant,

2651

she would not spare him for an hour.

VALERIO

2652

That’s how love is.

LISANDRO

2653

So whom did we honor

2654

with our affection last night?

2655

And not with the flat of the knife,

2656

but with the blade!

VALERIO

2657

The Roman Fabricious

2658

could not have done it better.

2659

It’s no use asking who he was,

2660

for he is no longer.

He draws his sword

LISANDRO

2661

I need to know.

OTÓN

2662

Blood will out.

LISANDRO

2663

There’s blood all over. Is that not enough?

VALERIO

2664

I believe it, Lisandro.

OTÓN

2665

Where shall we go now?

VALERIO

2666

To the cathedral.

LISANDRO

2667

No, we should go to San Juan, instead.

Exeunt

SCENE ELEVEN

[On the street]

Enter CAMILO and FLORO

FLORO

2668

Why are you crossing yourself so much?

CAMILO

2669

What do you expect,

2670

now that the truth

2671

has undone the spell?

FLORO

2672

Could you make that man out last night?

CAMILO

2673

I saw him, Floro, as clear as I see you now.

2674

And I stared at him without blinking,

2675

memorizing his visage.

2676

I laid awake,

2677

contemplating his features,

2678

etched in stone in my memory

2679

till sleep got hold of me at dawn.

2680

I could paint his portrait on this table,

2681

as they say Apelles did.

FLORO

2682

And you say you saw him with his mistress today?

CAMILO

2683

That’s the end of my illusions, Floro.

2684

I saw his face last night,

2685

today I saw him with this good matron,

2686

and now I’m miserable.

FLORO

2687

Tell me the whole thing,

2688

so I may get the picture.

CAMILO

2689

Then listen:

2690

I was leaving the Church of the Miracle,

2691

mulling over last night—

2692

for that was truly something—

2693

when, going down the steps,

2694

all at once, I see the squire,

2695

his pace calm and slow,

2696

his face modest, his stance upright.

2697

He led by the hand a fair maid

2698

—as they say in old books—

2699

sixty if she was a day.

2700

I wouldn’t want more points

2701

in a game of cards than this goddess

2702

had wrinkles on her face.

2703

For if she was ancient as a goddess,

2704

she was uglier than the devil,

2705

her color somewhere

2706

between pale and dun.

2707

A low and hairy brow,

2708

a few white hairs,

2709

eyebrows smudged with soot

2710

to make up for the hair she lacked.

2711

Eyes that shone in the dark

2712

like those of a dead nag,

2713

a nose like a lump of chalk,

2714

and a beard to boot.

2715

Her head was on crooked, Floro,

2716

she had no neck to speak of,

2717

waddling like a goose,

2718

bow-legged and sluggish.

2719

I felt like pushing her,

2720

and throwing her to the ground,

2721

but I came to my senses,

2722

and retreated in my shame.

FLORO

2723

These were the dangers you faced, sir?

2724

For this you risked eternal shame?

2725

If only you had followed my advice

2726

to tear a peephole in your hood,

2727

or made good use of your sword!

2728

No one would have killed or offended you.

2729

You fell for a rough bed

2730

covered with damask and fine linen,

2731

velvets and brocade!

2732

But what are you going to do now?

CAMILO

2733

I’ll get ink and paper at the nearest tavern,

2734

and I’ll tell her what’s what,

2735

and what I think of her.

2736

I’ll give her a good tongue lashing.

2737

Tongues can be harsh, you know,

2738

all the more when she realizes

2739

she has been found out,

2740

and has lost the tender lad she tricked.

FLORO

2741

Didn’t you tell me that you touched her,

2742

that she was young and spirited and fit,

2743

that she spoke with elegance and wit?

CAMILO

2744

Don’t shame me, or blame me: I couldn’t see.

2745

Urbán is with her now, at Mass.

2746

Give him this message I’m writing now,

2747

so he can give it to her.

FLORO

2748

A fine lady you’ve enjoyed!

CAMILO

2749

This is no time for jokes, Floro.

FLORO

2750

Oh, what a beautiful girl!

CAMILO

2751

Like a gem.

Exeunt

SCENE TWELVE

[In LEONARDA’s house]

Enter LEONARDA and JULIA

JULIA

2752

So you’ve made up your mind

2753

to love a foreigner at last?

LEONARDA

2754

Jealousy, Julia, has brought me to this pass,

2755

that traitor for whom I die,

2756

and my honor, which I cherish.

JULIA

2757

And will you leave Valencia?

LEONARDA

2758

I’d better leave Camilo

2759

before anyone gets wind

2760

of my secret ways.

2761

Absence will work best, Julia.

2762

He is so deeply imprinted

2763

in the soul he took from me.

2764

I would go mad, I confess,

2765

were I to stay without him.

JULIA

2766

It was a fine way

2767

to take your pleasure,

2768

and leave your honor unstained.

LEONARDA

2769

A woman in love

2770

unmakes any law.

JULIA

2771

Yet if the secretary lives up

2772

to what those letters promise,

2773

he’ll easily rival Camilo.

LEONARDA

2774

I’m sure he’ll be his equal,

2775

but the bird in hand was good.

JULIA

2776

What an uproar there’ll be

2777

throughout the city,

2778

when they see you’ve married

2779

in another kingdom!

LEONARDA

2780

It won’t matter. I’ll be gone.

Enter URBÁN

URBÁN

2781

(To LEONARDA)

Me, doing your bidding?

2782

Priceless.

LEONARDA

2783

Why the rush, Urbán?

URBÁN

2784

Now that gentleman

2785

has seen me walk your cousin to Mass.

LEONARDA

2786

And? How did he react?

URBÁN

2787

With a candle in each hand,

2788

he rushed up to see us,

2789

then crossed himself a thousand times,

2790

which proves that your plan worked.

2791

When we left,

2792

his servant gave me this sealed letter

2793

to hand to your cousin,

2794

as if she had anything at all

2795

to do with this.

LEONARDA

2796

We’ve played him well.

2797

Show me, let’s see what it says.

URBÁN

2798

No doubt he’ll tell her

2799

to stay away from him.

LEONARDA

2800

He’ll say he’s angry,

2801

and complain he has been tricked.

(She reads)

2802

“You old bag from hell,

2803

in love at seventy,

2804

and enjoying lusty lads,

2805

whom you entice with spells,

2806

by pretending to be

2807

a tender young girl.

2808

Today I saw your ancient face,

2809

your sooty brows, your grey hairs,

2810

your crooked nose, your dentures too,

2811

your hands like mortars through and through.

2812

Then I came to my senses and said, full of shame:

2813

“Farewell, oh Circe.”

2814

If you were to play instead Lancelot’s aged maid,

2815

you might look young, in truth.

2816

Just fool another as you fooled me,

2817

and make him wear that hood,

2818

you’ll be crowned as a witch soon enough.”

URBÁN

2819

He breathes fire,

2820

but it’s all smoke.

LEONARDA

2821

I’ve brought this upon myself.

2822

His every word burns me,

2823

because I take it to heart.

URBÁN

2824

No woman

2825

can stand being called ugly.

2826

Are you ashamed?

LEONARDA

2827

Not for a moment.

JULIA

2828

Can there be any worse insult?

URBÁN

2829

What insult?

2830

He thinks your old cousin

2831

is the one who tricked him!

LEONARDA

2832

Fortunately love inspires me

2833

to come to my own defense.

2834

Camilo is being a fool.

2835

He felt how tender I was,

2836

and now calls me a tough old bird.

URBÁN

2837

We should right this wrong at once,

2838

but talking won’t do the trick.

2839

What do you propose?

LEONARDA

2840

You’ll go to his inn tonight,

2841

for I have a better trick

2842

to show him what’s what.

URBÁN

2843

You’ll be the one tricked instead.

Exeunt

SCENE THIRTEEN

[In CAMILO’s house]

Enter CAMILO and FLORO

CAMILO

2844

Really, Floro?

FLORO

2845

I knew you would not like it, my lord,

2846

and God knows how painful

2847

it is to let my mouth

2848

speak such shameful words.

2849

Ever since this morning,

2850

when you gave me the message

2851

to hand to the squire,

2852

I’ve been trying to tell you,

2853

though I could not find the words.

2854

I know I was wrong, sir,

2855

but someone so reasonable,

2856

and who has read so much,

2857

should know that the effects of love

2858

must always be excused.

CAMILO

2859

I know, Floro.

2860

I do not blame you for that.

FLORO

2861

When I saw you had rejected Celia, my lord,

2862

and that she was so helpless,

2863

I went to visit and comfort her.

2864

Love descended upon me then,

2865

and I promised to marry her,

2866

as long as you agreed and gave permission.

2867

She, with no hope of seeing you again,

2868

and flattered by the talk of marriage,

2869

gave me her word and her oath.

2870

I pray you tell her that you agree

2871

to repay my services with such a favor.

2872

My parents raised you, you know,

2873

and I’ve been your slave since the start.

CAMILO

2874

Floro, I would never resent your marrying Celia

2875

because she was mine,

2876

or because I’m jealous,

2877

or I wished things had ended otherwise.

2878

No, it was only my love for you

2879

that made me want to find you a better match.

2880

If this is your wish, I will not contradict you.

2881

If this is God’s will, man should not interfere.

2882

Fetch Celia at her house, and I will talk to her.

FLORO

2883

She’s closer than that, sir.

CAMILO

2884

What?

FLORO

2885

She’s here.

2886

In my room.

CAMILO

2887

Go fetch her.

FLORO goes to fetch her

CAMILO

2888

What strange things blind love does!

2889

It drives me crazy for an old woman,

2890

while Floro marries my old flame.

2891

But that’s just fine, you see:

2892

at least she won’t chase after me.

FLORO enters again, and CELIA

FLORO

2893

Here is Celia,

2894

(pointing to himself)

and your slave.

CELIA

2895

Heaven knows, sir,

2896

that I am mortified to come to you.

2897

But I hope for your blessing

2898

for such a fitting end.

CAMILO

2899

Celia, heaven has smiled on you

2900

by giving you such a gift as Floro,

2901

who is not my servant, but my friend.

2902

I will be like a father to you,

2903

and on the day you marry, Celia,

2904

beyond dresses and jewels,

2905

I’ll give you a thousand ducats.

2906

Take her back to your room, Floro.

CELIA

2907

May God give you a long life.

FLORO

2908

Let me kiss your feet, sir.

CAMILO

2909

Get up.

CELIA

2910

There’s no prince like him.

FLORO

2911

No one can compare.

Exeunt FLORO and CELIA

2912

CAMILO Happy Floro, who saw clearly what he wanted,

2913

not like the great fool,

2914

who took his pleasure in the dark.

SCENE FOURTEEN

Enter FLORO

FLORO

2915

It’s not even dark yet,

2916

and that masked man of yours is at the door.

2917

He gave me this message for you to read.

CAMILO

2918

Will these masks never leave me alone?

2919

Is that old woman still after me?

FLORO

2920

Read it. Let’s see what she says.

CAMILO

2921

(He reads)

“It’s madness to believe so readily,

2922

and leads to your own harm.

2923

This is no trick, be not alarmed,

2924

for no deceit can last so steadily.

2925

Come, Camilo, witness my faith so true.

2926

You’ll find the truth this very night.

2927

At least, before you propose to fight,

2928

take the full measure of what you do.

2929

I’m not who you think I am, and so,

2930

though I must protect my reputation,

2931

I propose to you a revelation:

2932

in truth, your choice was not so bad, no.

2933

Your beloved was no magic Circe,

2934

but rather like you, if a bit more gutsy.”

2935

Have you ever heard anything like it?

2936

Either I’ve lost my mind, or she’s a witch.

2937

Is she at it again?

2938

Does she want to bewitch me anew?

2939

In for a penny, in for a pound.

2940

Get me a horse.

FLORO

2941

I’m going.

CAMILO

2942

Hurry.

2943

She wants to protect her reputation?

2944

Tonight I’ll carry a light even if they kill me.

2945

Put a candle in a lantern for me.

FLORO

2946

Unlit?

CAMILO

2947

Lit, you idiot, but covered.

2948

With luck they won’t see me carrying it.

2949

That hag still wants to pretend she’s a beauty!

Exeunt

SCENE FIFTEEN

[At LEONARDA’s house]

Enter LUCENCIO, LEONARDA, and JULIA

LUCENCIO

2950

I hadn’t learned of this

2951

until today, niece,

2952

and now I’m beside myself.

LEONARDA

2953

How badly have they injured him?

LUCENCIO

2954

What do you mean, injured?

2955

Had he not been in Valencia, he would not have survived.

2956

We have the best doctors here,

2957

so he should be fine.

2958

A fine reward he got that night

2959

when he left us

2960

with the letters we wrote!

LEONARDA

2961

He must have done something to deserve it.

LUCENCIO

2962

He swears he spoke to no one,

2963

nor does he know why they attacked him.

LEONARDA

2964

And he does not know who they were?

LUCENCIO

2965

I would give half my wealth to know.

LEONARDA

2966

Are you taking care of him?

LUCENCIO

2967

I shall take him home,

2968

and make sure no one finds out,

2969

as your honor demands.

2970

Is there ink and paper here?

2971

I must let his noble master know.

LEONARDA

2972

You there!

2973

Light some candles in my room.

LUCENCIO

2974

Right away.

Exeunt JULIA and LUCENCIO

LEONARDA

2975

I cannot get rid of this old man tonight!

2976

I am to see Camilo,

2977

yet my uncle hangs around like a shadow.

2978

They should not run into each other, though.

2979

I’ll find a way to hide him.

SCENE SIXTEEN

Enter JULIA

JULIA

2980

The old man is writing away.

LEONARDA

2981

Urbán must be back by now.

Enter URBÁN and CAMILO

URBÁN

2982

You cannot say

2983

I didn’t bring you your blind man.

LEONARDA

2984

Just seeing him offends me.

CAMILO

2985

Can I take this off now?

LEONARDA

2986

Take these lights away.

CAMILO

2987

Still with this dark lady business?

2988

I will not put up with it.

2989

Here, I am taking this off.

2990

Why should I remain blind,

2991

if everything shall be revealed?

LEONARDA

2992

Then I will hide from you,

2993

as I am who I am.

2994

But you shall not leave here tonight

2995

without knowing the truth.

2996

You have greatly offended me

2997

for thinking such things.

2998

You were mad not to notice

2999

that the lady you enjoyed

3000

was not so very tough and awful.

3001

A man is not so blind

3002

as to let his hands deceive him,

3003

and then to vainly suppose

3004

he has happpened on the truth.

3005

But you are inexperienced, it seems,

3006

and quite sure of yourself.

3007

And so you have proved yourself unwise

3008

in word and in deed.

3009

Yet I want to forgive you,

3010

if only because I love you.

CAMILO

3011

If I was wrong,

3012

I hope to excuse myself

3013

but if there is no light,

3014

how can we see the truth?

3015

She who put on that show

3016

will try many others.

LEONARDA

3017

Light is out of the question.

CAMILO

3018

That’s that, then?

LEONARDA

3019

Though I may lose you,

3020

you will not enjoy me in the light.

CAMILO

3021

Well, neither is it just, my lady,

3022

to deceive a gentleman.

3023

I have unfortunate news for you:

3024

I have a light, and I will see you.

(He uncovers the light)

3025

Jesus! Are you not the widow

3026

I have seen so many times?

LEONARDA

3027

Oh no!

CAMILO

3028

At last my luck has changed.

LEONARDA

3029

Is this how a gentleman behaves?

CAMILO

3030

Move your hand away from your face.

LEONARDA

3031

How could you be so cuel?

SCENE SEVENTEEN

Enter LUCENCIO

LUCENCIO

3032

Leonarda, I came as soon as I heard your voice.

3033

What’s this? A man here,

3034

a man with a naked sword!

CAMILO

3035

It was covered until now.

3036

It is only naked because of you.

LUCENCIO

3037

Get a light, call the others.

JULIA gets a torch

LEONARDA

3038

Sir, this is done now.

3039

Discretion is the better part of valor.

3040

This gentleman is Camilo,

3041

whom you know so well.

3042

He cares for me,

3043

and I for him.

3044

And if he is willing,

3045

I want to be his wife.

LUCENCIO

3046

If you both agree,

3047

I’ll be glad to make it so.

3048

Go easy, fearsome warrior,

3049

I knew you when you were this tall.

CAMILO

3050

You are my father and my master.

3051

Please, do as requested of you.

LUCENCIO

3052

Go, Urbán, and call some witnesses.

URBÁN

3053

I will go as fast as I can.

Exeunt CAMILO and URBÁN

LUCENCIO

3054

What is this?

3055

While I am home, my dear niece,

3056

you bring enemies into the house?

3057

Why did you have me write a letter,

3058

if this is what you were up to?

SCENE EIGHTEEN

Enter URBÁN, OTÓN, LISANDRO, VALERIO and FLORO

LEONARDA

3059

You might as well

3060

have brought the whole city!

URBÁN

3061

They were almost at the door.

LUCENCIO

3062

A good choice!

3063

These are honorable gentleman.

3064

Now you can witness the betrothal

3065

of Camilo and Leonarda,

3066

who swear to marry each other.

VALERIO

3067

As well they should,

3068

noble as he is, and beautiful as she is.

3069

May God in heaven

3070

give you many good years,

3071

and shower you with treasure.

FLORO

3072

You and I are both married, my lord,

3073

on the very same day.

LISANDRO

3074

Such an honorable marriage

3075

makes me forget my own love.

3076

Instead of leaving for distant lands,

3077

you can stay here,

3078

to relish what you have,

3079

and so enjoy one another

3080

for many years to come.

URBÁN

3081

Won’t you give Julia to me?

LEONARDA

3082

From now on she will be your wife.

OTÓN

3083

I’ve ended up a witness,

3084

although I was a suitor.

3085

I confess he is my better—

3086

you have chosen well.

3087

And so enjoy one another

3088

for many years to come.

LISANDRO

3089

When is the wedding?

LUCENCIO

3090

Tomorrow.

VALERIO

3091

So soon?

LUCENCIO

3092

It is best that way.

CAMILO

3093

And with that, I say,

3094

ends The Widow of Valencia.

Félix Lope de Vega y Carpio, La viuda valenciana

The Widow of Valencia

ACT I

SCENE ONE

SCENE TWO

SCENE THREE

SCENE FOUR

SCENE FIVE

SCENE SIX

SCENE SEVEN

SCENE EIGHT

SCENE NINE

SCENE TEN

SCENE ELEVEN

SCENE TWELVE

SCENE THIRTEEN

SCENE FOURTEEN

SCENE FIFTEEN

SCENE SIXTEEN

ACT II

SCENE ONE

SCENE TWO

SCENE THREE

SCENE FOUR

SCENE FIVE

SCENE SIX

SCENE SEVEN

SCENE EIGHT

SCENE NINE

SCENE TEN

SCENE ELEVEN

SCENE TWELVE

SCENE THIRTEEN

SCENE FOURTEEN

SCENE FIFTEEN

ACT III

SCENE ONE

SCENE TWO

SCENE THREE

SCENE FOUR

SCENE FIVE

SCENE SIX

SCENE SEVEN

SCENE EIGHT

SCENE NINE

SCENE TEN

SCENE ELEVEN

SCENE TWELVE

SCENE THIRTEEN

SCENE FOURTEEN

SCENE FIFTEEN

SCENE SIXTEEN

SCENE SEVENTEEN

SCENE EIGHTEEN