Belisa.-Don't deceive yourself. The very last thing they would think would be that we were looking for you. Jimena. You gave us such a shock. Belisa. My nerves are all on edge. Jimena. Thank Heaven! I caught myself I can control myself now, but in a week the reaction will be terrible! Basilio. But, my dears, it was nothing. You are unreasonable. Bah! You draw too much on your imaginations. Shall we sit down? Belisa. No, let us take a turn through the Plaza; we can rest later. We are ahead of the crowd. Teodoro (Bowing).-Good morning, Don Basilio. Señoritas, good morning. (DON BASILIO and his daughters bow and pass out.) Guillermo. The rector of the university and his daughters, Jimena and Belisa. Campos. Are those names or jokes? Teodoro. They are no jokes. They call them Poetry and Rhetoric. The father inflicts them both on the community. Polito. They are thinking of marriage. They get no rest during the feria, when there are strangers in town. Campos. Whom have we here? A magnificent woman! Polito. And Esperanza Remolinos. Campos. Do you mean to tell me that woman is only a governor's wife? Why then do we have empires? (JOSEFINA, the MARCHIONESS OF TORRELODONES, DONNA O, ESPERANZA, DON BALDOMERO and MANOLO enter). Josefina. Look, Carmen, we are among friends. This is a reception! (The men rise and bow.) How do you do? Teodoro (To CAMPOS).-How is that for a corrida? Pimentón. A whole herd! Marquis. Are you on your way from the cathedral? How was the service? Marchioness of Torrelodones.-Everybody was there. Donna O.-You ought to have heard His Reverence. What a sermon! Baldomero. It wasn't a sermon, it was a sensible discourse. How did you like it, Josefina? Josefina. Splendid! I agreed with it in everything. Donna O.—I am so glad to hear you say so. Now it will be your duty to help us persuade your husband to stand with us and the decent people in the community upon the side of order and right. Josefina. Yes, that is true. But men do have their ideasat least they have what they call their ideas. They have their obligations. Santiago is not able to do whatever he pleases. Baldomero. With us upon his side he will be able to do whatever he pleases. He can afford to snap his fingers at the government. The respectable element of Moraleda is solidly with us. Manolo (Aside).-Perhaps I had better change the subject. (Aloud.) Josefina almost fainted in the Cathedral. Josefina. Oh, I had a dreadful quarter of an hour! Every eye was fixed upon me. Donna O.-You must have had a dreadful quarter of an hour. Donna O.-No indeed; I am too tired. Let us sit down here for a moment-that is, if you don't mind? (To JOSEFINA.) Josefina. Certainly not. (They seat themselves at a table.) Baldomero. We shall rejoin you presently. My dear Marquis, what do you say to a stroll? After mass, the promenade is superb. (THE MARQUIS and DON BALDOMERO go off to stroll.) Marchioness of Torrelodones (To CAMPOS).-I have picked the littlest one for you; I know you will be pleased. Have you had time to look them over? Reguera. He'll make the best of it. Marchioness of Torrelodones.-Leave it to me. You are going to make such a sensation that hereafter you will never want to kill any bulls but Papa's. Polito (To REGUERA).-The Marchioness knows. Reguera. I agree with her. Campos. I shall wear your cloak. I never intend to appear in it unless you are present. Marchioness of Torrelodones.-Tell me really, do you like it? Marchioness of Torrelodones.-I made it myself; I did all the embroidery. Campos. I shall keep it to be buried in. Marchioness of Torrelodones.-Heavens! Don't speak of such a thing! I want you to live and to kill many bulls. Reguera (To POLITO).-Bulls of Papa's. Marchioness of Torrelodones.-Naturally, people here are a little suspicious after that affair two years ago. You have very few admirers. But I get in a good word whenever I have an opportunity. Campos. So long as you are there, I don't care if they turn the whole herd loose in the plaza. Polito. The public likes to see toreros get hurt. Marchioness of Torrelodones.-For heaven's sake, don't you think of such a thing no matter what they like. Reguera. No, better not. You must deny yourself. Esperanza (To MANOLO).—I'll tell you later. Mamma is looking, and you know what that means. Manolo.-Aren't you coming to the Palace this evening to see the fireworks? Esperanza. I hope so. That's the reason I don't want to displease Mamma. Be careful! Marchioness of Torrelodones (Laughing).—That is a good story! It is as broad as it is long. Donna O (To JOSEFINA). What do you think of a woman who spends all her time flirting with a bull-fighter? She forgets she is not in Madrid, where everything goes. Josefina. But what can we do? Donna O. She ought to remember with whom she is and behave accordingly. Manolo (To TEODORO and GUILLERMO).-Won't you have something? It was terribly hot in the Cathedral. Teodoro. Did His Reverence have much to say? Manolo. Yes, he was very eloquent. Guillermo. We were discussing the bulls and the Marquis's daughter. Pimentón.-Antonio don't know what to do take it from me! The poor fellow is done for. And he won't have any talk. Why, he can't sign a paper any more unless the Marquis's bulls are scratched all over it! Bah! And what bulls! Just to show you: last year a shower came up at Salamanca; there was a puddle in the middle of the ring. The bull ran out; the people yelledand the bull stuck his nose in the puddle. (All laugh.) (THE MARQUIS and DON BALDOMERO re-enter.) Baldomero. My dear Marquis, it is the old story. The province is rich, its resources are inexhaustible. But everything here is subordinated to Madrid. It is a calamity. This poor Santiago, with the best intentions in the world, has done nothing. Besides, between ourselves, his wife makes him ridiculous. Not that she is bad, but she is frivolous-educated in Madrid, and there you know everything is superficial. Ah! I beg your pardon; I forgot you were from Madrid. Marquis. But you will not find my daughter superficial; she has been brought up in the English fashion, with plenty of physical exercise and languages. She can keep books. Her training has been practical. When I tell you that she manages the bulls, you can judge for yourself. And she handles the men too. Yes sir! They are all mad over her. So are the toreros. (JIMENA, BELISA and DON BASILIO re-enter with the MARCHIONESS OF VILLAQUEJIDO and TERESA.) Basilio. Everybody seems to be ahead of us. Donna O.-My dear Marchioness! And Teresita! This is a great pleasure. (Greetings and kisses.) Do sit down. Esperanza. Sit down by me, Jimena. Here is a chair, Belisa. Marchioness of Villaquejido.—And I shall sit by Josefina. We have to conspire together, eh, Josefina? And with whom better? Now you mustn't denounce me to your poor husband! I haven't been in to see you since the beginning of the week. You have guests in the house, and I know what that means. Josefina. The Marquis and his daughter. I want you to meet them. Donna O.-Yes! If she ever gets through with that Campos. Marchioness of Torrelodones.-Polito! You know everybody. Who are those women who just came in? Polito. The Rector's daughters. Marchioness of Torrelodones.-Poetry and Rhetoric? I know them; I mean the others. Polito.-Oh! The Marchioness of Villaquejido and her daughter, Teresita. Marchioness of Torrelodones.-The girl who is going to be a nun? Polito. Her mother intends her to be one and so as to fortify her against temptation, she is taking her about now to show her life at first hand before she shuts her up in a cloister. Marchioness of Torrelodones.-A great thing for them both. Under the pretext of bidding farewell to the world, they contrive to cut a few capers. Campos. A sort of combination benefit and farewell. Marchioness of Torrelodones.-Naturally, people here are a little suspicious after that affair two years ago. You have very few admirers. But I get in a good word whenever I have an opportunity. Campos. So long as you are there, I don't care if they turn the whole herd loose in the plaza. Polito. The public likes to see toreros get hurt. Marchioness of Torrelodones.-For heaven's sake, don't you think of such a thing no matter what they like. Reguera. No, better not. You must deny yourself. Esperanza (To MANOLO). I'll tell you later. Mamma is looking, and you know what that means. Manolo.-Aren't you coming to the Palace this evening to see the fireworks? Esperanza. I hope so. That's the reason I don't want to displease Mamma. Be careful! Marchioness of Torrelodones (Laughing).—That is a good story! It is as broad as it is long. Donna O (To JOSEFINA). What do you think of a woman who spends all her time flirting with a bull-fighter? She forgets she is not in Madrid, where everything goes. Josefina. But what can we do? Donna O. She ought to remember with whom she is and behave accordingly. Manolo (To TEODORO and GUILLERMO).—Won't you have something? It was terribly hot in the Cathedral. Teodoro. Did His Reverence have much to say? Guillermo. We were discussing the bulls and the Marquis's daughter. Pimentón.-Antonio don't know what to do take it from me! The poor fellow is done for. And he won't have any talk. Why, he can't sign a paper any more unless the Marquis's bulls are scratched all over it! Bah! And what bulls! Just to show you: last year a shower came up at Salamanca; there was a puddle in the middle of the ring. The bull ran out; the people yelledand the bull stuck his nose in the puddle. (All laugh.) (THE MARQUIS and DON BALDOMERO re-enter.) Baldomero. My dear Marquis, it is the old story. The province is rich, its resources are inexhaustible. But everything here is subordinated to Madrid. It is a calamity. This poor |