(Enter LARA, followed by FRANCISCO.) Lara. Good evening, gentlemen. Good evening, Count. Lara. I trust I have not kept you long in waiting. Give me my [Exeunt. Hyp. SCENE VI.-A retired spot beyond the city gates. Enter VICTORIAN and HYPOLITO. Vict. O shame! O shame! Why do I walk abroad By daylight, when the very sunshine mocks me, And voices, and familiar sights and sounds Cry, "Hide thyself!" O what a thin partition Doth shut out from the curious world the knowledge Of evil deeds that have been done in darkness! Disgrace has many tongues. My fears are windows, Through which all eyes seem gazing. Every face Expresses some suspicion of my shame, And in derision seems to smile at me. Hyp. Did I not caution thee? Did I not tell thee I was but half-persuaded of her virtue? Vict. And yet, Hypolito, we may be wrong, We may be over-hasty in condemning! The Count of Lara is a cursed villain. Hyp. And therefore is she cursed, loving him. Vict. She does not love him! 'Tis for gold! for gold! Hyp. Ay, but remember, in the public streets He shows a golden ring the Gipsy gave him, A serpent with a ruby in its mouth. Vict. She had that ring from me! But I will be revenged! The hour is passed. Where stays the coward? Hyp. Nay, he is no coward: A villain, if thou wilt, but not a coward. Vict. Not long, and yet too long. Are you prepared?" Lara. I am. Hyp. It grieves me much to see this quarrel Between you, gentlemen. Is there no way Though, like the surgeon's hand, yours gave me pain, Yet it has cured my blindness, and I thank you. I now can see the folly I have done, Though 'tis, alas! too late. So fare you well! To-night I leave this hateful town for ever. Regard me as your friend. Once more, farewell! Hyp. Farewell, Sir Count. [Exeunt VICTORIAN and HYPOLITO. Lara. Farewell! farewell! Thus have I cleared the field of my worst foe! I have none else to fear; the fight is done, The citadel is stormed, the victory won! [Exit with FRANCISCO. SCENE VII.-A lane in the suburbs. Night. Enter CRUZADO and BARTOLOMÉ. Cruz. And so Bartolomé, the expedition failed. But where wast thou for the most part? Bart. In the Guadarrama mountains, near San Ildefonso. Cruz. And thou bringest nothing back with thee? Didst thou rob no one? Bart. There was no one to rob, save a party of students from Segovia, who looked as if they would rob us; and a jolly little friar, who had nothing in his pockets but a missal and a loaf of bread. Cruz. Pray, then, what brings thee back to Madrid? Bart. First tell me what keeps thee here? SCENE VIII. - The Theatre. The orchestra plays the cachucha. Sound of castanets behind the scenes. The curtain rises and discovers PRECIOSA in the attitude of commencing the dance. The cachucha. Tumult; hisses; cries of "Brava!" and "Afuera!" She falters and pauses. The music stops. General confusion. PRECIOSA faints. SCENE IX.-The COUNT OF LARA'S chambers. LARA and his friends at supper. Lara. So Caballeros, once more many thanks! You have stood by me bravely in this A bumper and away; for the night wears. A health to Preciosa! (They rise and drink.) All. Preciosa! Lara (holding up his glass). Thou bright and flaming minister of Love! Thou wonderful magician! thou hast stolen My secret from me, and, 'mid sighs of passion, Caught from my lips, with red and fiery tongue, Her precious name! O never more henceforth Shall mortal lips press thine; and never more A mortal name be whispered in thine ear. Go! keep my secret! (Drinks and dashes the goblet down.) Don J. Ite! missa est! (Scene closes.) SCENE X.-Street and garden wall. Night. Enter CRUZADO and BARTOLOMÉ. Cruz. This is the garden wall, and, above it, yonder, is her house. The window in which thou seest the light is her window. But we will not go in now. Bart. Why not? Cruz. Because she is not at home. Bart. No matter; we can wait. But how is this? The gate is bolted. (Sound of guitars and voices in a neighbouring street.) Hark! There comes her lover with his infernal serenade! Hark! |