Spado. (Bows] Good madam !—I'll want for nothing I can lay my fingers on. (Aside.-Exit Spado. Isab. Heavens! what an honest soul it is! what a lucky discovery! Oh, here comes my darling girl! Enter LORENZA, magnificently dressed. Lor. Oh cara Madre! See, behold !--Can I fail of captivating Don Fernando ? Don't I look charming? Isab. Why, Lorenza, I must say the toilet has done its duty. I'm glad to see you in such spirits, my dear child ! Lor. Spirits! ever gay, ever sprightly, cheerful as a lark—but how shall I forget my Florence lover, my dear Ramirez ? Isab. I request, my dear, you'll not think of this Ramirez-even from your own account of him, he must be a person of most dissolute principles fortu. nately he knows you only by your name of Lorenza, I hope he won't find you out here. Lor. Then farewell, beloved Ramirez! In obedi. ence to your commands, madam, I shall accept of this Don Fernando ; and as a husband, I will love him if I can AIR VII.LORENZA. Love ! gay illusion ! ! Possesses the mind. Love with love meeting, We trust to the wind. Faith to faith plighted, Will cease to be kind. Enter VASQUEZ. Vas. Madam-my master and Don Fernando. Enter Don Scipio and FERNANDO. Don Scipio. Oh, my darling dame, and my delicate daughter, bless your stars that you see poor old Scipio alive again-Behold my son-in-law and the preserver of my life-Don Fernando, there's your spouse, and this is Donna Isabella, á lady of vast merit, of which my heart is sensible. Don Fer. Madam ! [Salutes: Isab. What an impudent fellow! [Aside. Don Scipio. Dear Fernando, you are as welcome to this castle as flattery to a lady; but there she is bill and coo-embracecaress her. [FERNANDO salutes LORENZA. Lor. If I had never seen Ramirez, I should think the man tolerable enough! (Aside. Don Scipio. Ha! ha! this shall be the happy night -Eh, dame Isabel, by our agreement, before the lark sings, I take possession of this noble tenement. Don Fer. Don Scipio, I hoped to have the honour of seeing your son. Don Scipio. My son! Who, Cæsar? Oh, lord ! He's-He was a--turned out a profligate-Sent him to Italy got into bad company-don't know what's become of him—My dear friend, if you would not offend me, never mention Don Cæsar in my hearing, Egad - Eh, my dainty dame, is not Don Fernando a fine fellow? Isab. Yes, he's well enough for a trumpeter. Don Scipio. Trumpeter! [With Surprise.] what the devil do you mean by that? Oh, because I sound his praise ; but, madam, he's a cavalier of noble birth, title, fortune, and valourIsab. Don Scipio, a word if you please. (Takes him aside. Lor: [To FERNANDO.) Si-Signor, our castle here is rather a gloomy mansion, when compared to the beautiful cassinos, on the banks of the Arno. Don Fer: Arno! true, Don Scipio said in his letter, that his daughter had been bred at Florence. Lor. You have had an unpleasant journey, signor: Don Fer. I have encountered some difficulties by the way, it is true, madam; but am amply repaid by the honour and happiness I now enjoy. [Bows. Lor. Sir I swear he's a polite cavalier! [Aside.) Won't you please to sit, sir? I fancy you must be somewhat weary: (Sits. Don Scipio. What the devil! Eh, sure what this fellow only Don Fernando's footman ! how! it can't be! Isab. A fact; and presently you'll see Don Fernando himself in livery. Don Scipio. Look at the impudent son of a gipsy -Sat himself down-Zounds! I'll Isab. Hold ! let him play off his airs. Don Scipio. A footman! Ay, this accounts for his behaviour in the forest-Don Fernando would never have accepted my purse-[Taps his shoulder.]–Hey, what, you've got there! Don Fer. Will you please to sit, sir ? Rises. Don Scipio. Yes, he looks like a trumpeter. [Aside. You may sit down, friend. [With contempt. Don Fer. A strange old gentleman ! Enter VASQUEZ. [Exit VASQUEZ. Isab. Servant Pedrillo! Ay, this is Fernando himself. [ Apart, joy fully to Scipio. Don Fer. Oh, then the fellow has found his way at last. Don Scipio—Ladies-excuse me a moment. [Exit FeRNANDO. Lor. What a charming fellow! Don Scipio. What an impudent rascal! Ped. [Without.] Is my master this way? Don Scipio. Master ! ay, this is Fernando. Enter PEDRILLO, with a Portmanteau. Ped. Oh dear! I've got among the gentlefolks I ask pardon. Isab. How well he does look and act the servant ! Don Scipio. Admirable; yet I perceive the gran. dee under the livery: Isab. Please to sit, sir. [With great respect. Ped. Sit down ! [Sits.] Oh, these must be the upper servants of the family-her ladyship here is the housekeeper, I suppose--the young tawdry tit, lady's maid-(Hey, her mistress throws off good clothes,) and old Whiskers, Don Scipio's butler. [Aside. Enter Don FERNANDO. Don Fer. Pedrillo! how ! seated ? what means this disrespect ? Ped. Sir. [Rises to him.] Old Whiskers the buta ler there asked me to sit down by Signora the waits ing maid here. Don Fer: Sirrah Egad-Eh, my dainty dame, is not Don Fernando a fine fellow? Isab. Yes, he's well enough for a trumpeter. Don Scipio. Trumpeter! [With Surprise.) what the devil do you mean by that? Oh, because I sound his praise ; but, madam, he's a cavalier of noble birth, title, fortune, and valourIsab. Don Scipio, a word if you please. (Takes him aside. Lor: [To FERNANDO.) Si-Signor, our castle here is rather a gloomy mansion, when compared to the beautiful cassinos, on the banks of the Arno. Don Fer: Arno! true, Don Scipio said in his letter, that his daughter had been bred at Florence. Lor. You have had an unpleasant journey, signor: Don Fer. I have encountered some difficulties by the way, it is true, madam; but am amply repaid by the honour and happiness I now enjoy. [Bows. Lor. Sir ! I swear he's a polite cavalier! [Aside.) Won't you please to sit, sir? I fancy you must be somewhat weary: [Sits. Don Scipio. What the devil! Eh, sure what this fellow only Don Fernando's footman ! how! it can't be! Isab. A fact; and presently you'll see Don Fernando himself in livery. Don Scipio. Look at the impudent son of a gipsy Don Scipio. A footman! Ay, this accounts for his behaviour in the forest-Don Fernando would never have accepted my purse-[Taps his shoulder.]-Hey, what, you've got there! Don Fer. Will you please to sit, sir? [Rises. Don Scipio. Yes, he looks like a trumpeter. [Aside. You may sit down, friend. [With contempt. Don Fer. A strange old gentleman! |