6 Never did I behold thee so attired And garmented in beauty as to-night! What hast thou done to make thee look so fair? Vict. Ay, and so fair I heed them not; Prec. Vict. There's nothing fair nor beautiful, but takes Something from thee, that makes it beautiful. Prec. And yet thou leavest me for those dusty books. Vict. Thou comest between me and those books too often! I see thy face in everything I see! The paintings in the chapel wear thy looks, The canticles are changed to sarabands, And with the learned doctors of the schools Prec. In good sooth, I dance with learned doctors of the schools To-morrow morning. Vict. And with whom, I pray? Prec. A grave and reverend Cardinal, and his Grace Vict. Is this? Prec. It is no jest; indeed it is not. What mad jest Why, simply thus. Vict. Prithee explain thyself. Prec. Thou knowest the Pope has sent here into Spain To put a stop to dances on the stage. Vict. I have heard it whispered. Prec. Now the Cardinal, Who for this purpose comes, would fain behold With his own eyes these dances; and the Archbishop Has sent for me Vict. That thou mayest dance before them! Now viva la cachucha! It will breathe The fire of youth into these gray old men! Prec. Saving one. And yet I fear these dances will be stopped, And Preciosa be once more a beggar. Vict. The sweetest beggar that e'er asked for alms; When first we met? Vict. Dost thou remember It was at Cordova, In the cathedral garden. Thou wast sitting Under the orange trees, beside a fountain. Prec, 'Twas Easter-Sunday. The full-blossomed trees Filled all the air with fragance and with joy. It was the elevation of the Host. We both of us fell down upon our knees, I never had been happy till that moment. Prec. And when thou wast gone I felt an aching here. I did not speak To any one that day. But from that day Vict. Remember him no more. Let not his shadow I loved thee even then, though I was silent! Prec. I thought I ne'er should see thy face again. Thy farewell had a sound of sorrow in it. Vict. That was the first sound in the song of love! Scarce more than silence is, and yet a sound. Hands of invisible spirits touch the strings Of that mysterious instrument, the soul, And play the prelude of our fate. We hear The voice prophetic, and are not alone. Prec. That is my faith. Dost thou believe these warnings? Vict. So far as this. Our feelings and our thoughts Tend ever on, and rest not in the Present. As drops of rain fall into some dark well, And from below comes a scarce audible sound, So fall our thoughts into the dark Hereafter, And their mysterious echo reaches us. Prec. I have felt it so, but found no words to say it! I cannot reason; I can only feel! But thou hast language for all thoughts and feelings. We cannot walk together in this world! Henceforth thy pathway lies among the stars; Vict. Thou little sceptic! The intellect is finite; but the affections Are infinite, and cannot be exhausted. Compare me with the great men of the earth; Which most becomes a woman, calm and holy, Thou sittest by the fireside of the heart, Is pure. It cannot change nor hide its nature. But burns as brightly in a Gipsy camp As in a palace hall. Art thou convinced? Prec. Yes, that I love thee, as the good love heaven, But not that I am worthy of that heaven. How shall I more deserve it? Vict. Loving more. Prec. I cannot love thee more; my heart is full. As in the summer-time the thirsty sands A Watchman (in the street). Ave Maria Vict. Hear'st thou that cry? To scare thee from me! Vict. It is a hateful sound, Doth scare the timid stag, or bark of hounds Prec. As the hunter's horn Pray do not go! Fear not! Vict. I must away to Alcalá to-night. Think of me when I am away. Prec. I have no thoughts that do not think of thee. Vict. (giving her a ring). And to remind thee of my love, take this; A serpent, emblem of Eternity; A ruby,—say, a drop of my heart's blood. Prec. It is an ancient saying, that the ruby Brings gladness to the wearer, and preserves The heart pure, and, if laid beneath the pillow, Drives away evil dreams. But then, alas! It was a serpent tempted Eve to sin. Vict. What convent of barefooted Carmelites Taught thee so much theology? Prec. (laying her hand upon his mouth). Hush! hush! Good night! and may all holy angels guard thee! Vict. Good night! good night! Thou art my guardian angel! 1 have no other saint than thou to pray to! (He descends by the balcony.) Prec. Take care, and do not hurt thee! Art thou safe? Vict. (from the garden). Safe as my love for thee! But art thou safe? Others can climb a balcony by moonlight As well as I. Pray shut thy window close; I am jealous of the perfumed air of night That from this garden climbs to kiss thy lips. Prec. (throwing down her handkerchief). Thou silly child! take this to blind thine eyes. It is my benison! Vict. And brings to me Sweet fragrance from thy lips, as the soft wind To-morrow night Of the beloved land he leaves behind. Watchman (at a distance). Ave Maria Purissima! SCENE IV.-An inn on the road to Alcalá. bench. Enter CHISPA. BALTASAR asleep on a Chispa. And here we are, half-way to Alcalá, between cocks and midnight. Body o' me! what an inn this is! The lights out, and the landlord asleep. Holá! ancient Baltasar ! Bal. (waking). Here am I. Chispa. Yes, there you are, like a one-eyed Alcalde in a town without inhabitants. Bring a light, and let me have supper. Bal. Where is your master? Chispa. Do not trouble yourself about him. We have stopped a moment to breathe our horses; and if he chooses to walk up and down in the open air, looking into the sky as one who hears it rain, that does not satisfy my hunger, you know. But be quick, for I am in a hurry, and every man stretches his legs according to the length of his coverlet. What have we here? Bal. (setting a light on the table). Stewed rabbit. Chispa (eating). Conscience of Portalegre! Stewed kitten, you mean! Bal. And a pitcher of Pedro Ximenes, with a roasted pear in it. Chispa (drinking). Ancient Baltasar, amigo! You know how to cry wine and sell vinegar. I tell you this is nothing but Vino Tinto of La Mancha, with a tang of the swine-skin. Bal. I swear to you, by Saint Simon and Judas, it is all as I say. Chispa. And I swear to you by Saint Peter and Saint Paul, that it is no such thing. Moreover, your supper is like the hidalgo's dinner, very little meat, and a great deal of table-cloth. Bal. Ha! ha! ha! Chispa. And more noise than nuts. Bal. Ha! ha ha! You must have your joke, Master Chispa. But shall I not ask Don Victorian in, to take a draught of the Pedro Ximenes? Chispa. No; you might as well say, "Don't-you-want-some ?” to a dead man. Bal. Why does he go so often to Madrid? Chispa. For the same reason that he eats no supper. He is in love. Were you ever in love, Baltasar? Bal. I was never out of it, good Chispa. It has been the torment of my life. Chispa. What are you on fire, too, old haystack? Why, we shall never be able to put you out. Vict. (without). Chispa! Chispa. Go to bed, Pero Grullo, for the cocks are crowing. Chispa. Ea! Señor. Come with me, ancient Baltasar, and bring water for the horses. I will pay for the supper to-morrow. [Exeunt. SCENE V.-VICTORIAN'S chambers at Alcalá. HYPOLITO asleep in an arm-chair. He awakes slowly. Hyp. I must have been asleep! ay, sound asleep! Open thy silent lips, sweet instrument! Padre Francisco 11 What do you want of Padre Francisco? I will shrive her from every sin. (Enter VICTORIAN.) Vict. Padre Hypolito! Padre Hypolito! Hyp. What do you want of Padre Hypolito? I am the greatest sinner that doth live. I will confess the sweetest of all crimes, A maiden wooed and won. Hyp. The same old tale Of the old woman in the chimney corner, Who, while the pot boils, says, "Come here, my child; Vict. Nay, listen, for my heart is full; so full That I must speak. Hyp. Alas! that heart of thine Is like a scene in the old play, the curtain Rises to solemn music, and lo! enter The eleven thousand virgins of Cologne! Vict. Nay, like the Sibyl's volumes, thou shouldst say; |