Vict. Yet I fain would die! Hyp. We shall all be soon. Vict. It cannot be too soon; for I am weary Of the bewildering masquerade of Life, Where strangers walk as friends, and friends as strangers; Hyp. I confess, Vict. Hyp. Yet thou shalt not perish. The strength of thine own arm is thy salvation. Above thy head, through rifted clouds, there shines A glorious star. Be patient. Trust thy star! [Sound of a village-bell in the distance.] Vict. Ave Maria! I hear the sacristan And bids the labouring hind a-field, the shepherd And all the crowd in village streets, stand still, Vict. This path will lead us to it, Over the wheat fields, where the shadows sail Across the running sea, now green, now blue, Whistles the quail. Come, let us hasten on. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Public square in the village of Guadarrama. The Ave Maria still tolling. A crowd of villagers, with their hats in their hands, as if in prayer. In front, a group of Gipsies. The bell rings a merrier peal. A Gipsy dance. Enter PANCHO, followed by PEDRO CRESPO. Pan. Make room, ye vagabonds and Gipsy thieves! Cres. Keep silence all! I have an edict here Which I shall publish in the market-place. Open your ears and listen! [Enter the PADRE CURA at the door of his cottage.] Padre Cura, Good day! and, pray you, hear this edict read. Padre. Good day, and God be with you. Pray, what is it? Pan. Silence! [Agitation and murmurs in the crowd.] Cres. [reads]. "I hereby order and command You hear the law! Obey and disappear! Pan. And if in seventy days you are not gone, Dead or alive I make you all my slaves. [The Gipsies go out in confusion, showing signs of fear and discontent. PANCHO follows.] Padre. A righteous law! A very righteous law! Pray you, sit down. Cres. I thank you heartily. [They seat themselves on a bench at the PADRE CURA's door. Sound of guitars heard at a distance, approaching during the dialogue which follows.] A very righteous judgment, as you say. Now tell me, Padre Cura,-you know all things, How came these Gipsies into Spain ? Padre. Cres. Good reasons, good, substantial reasons, all! They should be burnt, I see it plain enough,- Padre. [Enter VICTORIAN and HYPOLITO playing.] And pray, whom have we here? You must be he. Padre. I am. Pray, what's your pleasure? Hyp. We are poor students, travelling in vacation. You know this mark? [Touching the wooden spoon in his hat-band.] Padre [joyfully]. Ay, know it, and have worn it. Padre Cura, [Exit. Cres. [aside]. Soup-eaters! by the mass! The worst of vagrants! And there's no law against them. Sir, your servant. Padre. Your servant, Pedro Crespo. Hyp. From the first moment I beheld your face, I said within myself, "This is the man!" There is a certain something in your looks, A certain scholar-like and studious something,You understand,-which cannot be mistaken; Which marks you as a very learned man, In fine, as one of us. Vict. [aside]. What impudence! Hyp. As we approached, I said to my companion, "That is the Padre Cura; mark my words! Meaning your grace. The other man," said I, 46 Who sits so awkwardly upon the bench, Must be the sacristan." Padre. Ah! said you so? Why, that was Pedro Crespo, the alcalde! Hyp. Indeed! you much astonish me! His air Was not so full of dignity and grace As an alcalde's should be. That is true. Padre. Hyp. The Padre Cura will excuse our boldness, We crave a lodging for the night. Padre. I pray you! To speak with scholars; and Emollit mores, Hyp. 'Tis Ovid, is it not? Hyp. Your Grace is right. No, Cicero. You are the better scholar. Now what a dunce was I to think it Ovid! Padre. Pass this way. [Exeunt. He was a very great man, was Cicero ! SCENE III-A room in the PADRE CURA's house. Enter the PADRE and HYPOLITO. Padre. So then, Señor, you come from Alcalá, I am glad to hear it. It was there I studied. Hyp. And left behind an honoured name, no doubt. How may I call your Grace? Padre. Gerónimo De Santillana, at your Honour's service. Hyp. Descended from the Marquis Santillana ? From the distinguished poet? Padre. From the Marquis, Why, they were the same. Let me embrace you! O some lucky star Has brought me hither! Yet once more!—once more! Your name is ever green in Alcalá, And our professor, when we are unruly, Will shake his hoary head, and say, "Alas! It was not so in Santillana's time!" Padre. I did not think my name remembered there. Hyp. More than remembered; it is idolized. Padre. Of what professor speak you? Нур. Padre. I don't remember any Timoneda. Timoneda. Hyp. A grave and sombre man, whose beetling brow O'erhangs the rushing current of his speech Padre. Indeed, I have. O those were pleasant days — I had not buried then so many hopes! I had not buried then so many friends! I've turned my back on what was then before me; Are wrinkled like my own, or are no more. Do you remember Cueva? Hyp. Cueva? Cueva? Padre. Fool that I am! He was before your time. You're a mere boy, and I am an old man. Hyp. I should not like to try my strength with you. Padre. Well, well. But I forget; you must be hungry. Martina! ho! Martina! "Tis my niece. [Enter MARTINA.] Hyp. You may be proud of such a niece as that. I wish I had a niece. Emollit mores. He was a very great man, was Cicero ! Your servant, fair Martina. Mart. Servant, sir. Padre. This gentleman is hungry. See thou to it. Let us have supper. Mart. "Twill be ready soon. Padre. And bring a bottle of my Val-de-Peñas Out of the cellar. Stay; I'll go myself. Pray you, Señor, excuse me. Hyp. Hist! Martina! One word with you. Bless me! what handsome eyes! Is it not so? Mart. There have been Gipsies here. Hyp. Yes, and they told your fortune. [Aside. [Exit. Told my fortune? Hyp. Yes, yes; I know they did. Give me your hand. He has arrived, the handsome cavalier. O, I know more than that. [Tries to kiss her. She runs off. Enter VICTORIAN with a letter. Vict. The muleteer has come. |