University of Virginia Library

SCENE III.

—THE INTERIOR OF THE ALHAMBRA.
Enter DON JUAN DE MENDOZA and GARCES.
MENDOZA.
In reason, anger never doth excel.

GARCES.
Blame not yourself, since you did very well
To make him feel thy hand,
Since this new Christian thought he might demand
Immunity because of his old age,
Thus with a proud Mendoza to engage.

MENDOZA.
Many there are, because of their high state
Are haughty, proud, and inconsiderate.

GARCES.
It was for this, that the great constable
Don Iñigo bore (the thought was admirable)
One sword at his side,
And one in his hand which thus a staff supplied;
Being asked one day,
Why he carried two swords in this way,
He said, the one beside me, I prefer,
For him who doth a similar weapon bear;
The other, which as a staff I hold,
For him who does not bear one and is bold.

MENDOZA.
Well may cavaliers be cautioned by these words
That separate actions, call for separate swords;
So that I may have power to parry,
A thrust from either, give me the sword you carry;
That whatever may occur
I may not want a sword, although a prisoner.

GARCES.
I am delighted that I called to-day
So opportunely here, as now I may
Be able to serve you, should your foes presume.

MENDOZA.
How from Lepanto, Garces, did you come?

GARCES.
As one whose fortune it has been
To look upon that famous scene,
And act a soldier's part
In such a glorious proof of military art,
Humbly indeed, but guided by the word
Of him, the offspring of that royal bird
Who in his wondrous flight of conquest, flings
O'er all the world, the shadow of his wings.

MENDOZA.
How has Don John returned?

GARCES.
Content
With the exploit.

MENDOZA.
Was it great?

GARCES.
The event
I shall relate in full; the league with......

MENDOZA.
Wait,
For a veiled woman enters.

GARCES.
How unfortunate!
I play reverses thus with my romance,
The court-card enters and I lose my chance.

Enter DOÑA ISABEL TUZANÍ, veiled.
ISABEL.
My lord Don Juan de Mendoza,
May a woman, who comes hither,
But to see you in your prison,
Ask you of yourself, in private,
How, imprisoned here, you are?

MENDOZA.
Why not, lady?—leave us, Garces.

GARCES,
aside.
Look, my lord, perchance this person......

MENDOZA,
aside.
Vain your fears and your suspicions;
Since she spoke, I recognise her.

GARCES,
aside.
That being so I go.

[Exit.
MENDOZA.
You may:—
In a similar confusion
Eyes and ears this moment hold me,
For I know not of the two
Which tell truth or which speak falsely,
For, if I believe my eyesight,
You appear not what you are—
And if I believe my hearing
You are not what you appear,
Deign to let me see uplifted
This apparent subtle cloud
Of dark crape, that then the dazzling
Light which will come conquering through
May proclaim to sight and hearing
That to-day, the day dawns twice.

ISABEL.
Not to force your thoughts, Don Juan,
To doubt longer who is she
That thus seeks you, is the reason
Why I show thee who I am,
For my jealous heart disdaineth
That through guessing you should err
As to whom you owe this favour,
I am......

[Raises her veil.
MENDOZA.
Isabel! Señora!—
Can it be, that to my dwelling,
In this singular disguise,
You have deigned to come and see me?
How, oh! how can I indulge
Hopes so sweet and so fallacious?—
Since I know that I must doubt them.

ISABEL.
Scarcely I had learn'd what happened,
And that you were here confined,
When my love would not permit me
To wait longer here to come,
And before the going homeward
Of my brother, Don Alvaro
Tuzaní, I came to see thee,
With a single maid alone,
(Think now what it is you owe me)
Who doth wait at the door.

MENDOZA.
To-day
All my cares—my sorrows vanish
In this act of generous kindness,
Yes, dear Isabel, by them......

Enter IÑES veiled, hurriedly, and as if frightened.
INES.
Ah! Señora!

ISABEL.
What's this, Iñes?

INES.
Don Alvaro, even my lord
Hither comes.

ISABEL.
What! could he know me
Through this close disguise, as I
Came along?

MENDOZA.
What great misfortune!

ISABEL.
If he followed me, I die!—

MENDOZA.
If you are with me, what fear you?
Enter this adjoining hall,
Close the door, and if he seeketh
There to enter, ere he finds you
He must leave me dead and cold.

ISABEL.
In this mighty peril standing,
Aid me Heaven! in pity aid me!—

[Isabel and Iñes conceal themselves.
Enter DON ALVARO.
ALVARO.
My lord Don Juan de Mendoza,
I wish to speak with you in private.

MENDOZA.
You perceive I am alone.

ISABEL,
at the side.
Ah! how pale he looks and haggard!

ALVARO.
Then I may secure this door.

MENDOZA.
You can close it:— [aside]
Fortune aids us.

ALVARO.
Now that it is closed, I pray
That you hear me with attention.
I have learned through accident
That have now set out to seek you......

MENDOZA.
You heard truly.

ALVARO.
In this prison......

MENDOZA.
Your informant has not lied.

ALVARO.
In this action he offends me
Who has life or soul to answer.

ISABEL,
aside.
Can he speak with clearer meaning?

MENDOZA,
aside.
Heavens! my doubts are at an end!

ALVARO.
So I have in haste come hither
(Ere the others have arrived
With the intention of reviving
Friendships on disgraceful terms)
To defend my outraged honour.

MENDOZA.
This I do not understand.

ALVARO.
Then I shall explain more clearly.

ISABEL,
aside.
Once again my heart breathes freely,
Since it is not me he seeks.

ALVARO.
The Corregidor attempts with
Don Ferdinand de Valor,
Kinsman of Don Juan Malec,
To renew this broken friendship—
And it is my sole concern
To prevent it: and, my reason—
Though a hundred I could mention,
There is one I cannot tell:—
And in fine, even though my motive
Were but only a caprice,
Still it is enough to ask you
If thou art as brave with young men
As with old men thou art bold;
'Tis for this alone I seek thee,
Foot to foot to die, or kill.

MENDOZA.
You have done me a great favour,
Thus so briefly telling me
What you mean: because, this moment
Wildered in a thousand ways,
I conceived it was another
Matter more important far;
For the one that you have mentioned
Is with me of small account:
But since it is not my practice
To refuse to fight with him
Who desires with me to combat,
Ere those kind ambassadors
Who, you say, are coming, reach us,
If the present time doth suit you,
Draw your sword.

ALVARO.
For this I come;
'Tis more needful that I slay thee
Quickly, than you could have thought.

MENDOZA.
Well, the field is fair and open.

[They fight.
ISABEL,
aside.
From one trouble to another
My misfortunes make me fall;
Who, a lover and a brother
Could see fighting thus, without
Any power to separate them?

MENDOZA.
What true courage!

ALVARO.
What great skill!

ISABEL,
aside.
What indeed to do, I know not,
Since I see two skilful players,
And I wish the two success,
Since they both alike affect me,
Howsoe'er they win or lose.

[DON ALVARO trips against a chair and falls; DOÑA ISABEL enters still veiled, and detains DON JUAN.
ALVARO.
Tripp'd up by this seat I've fallen.

ISABEL.
Oh! Don Juan, hold thy hand;—
But what have I done? The impulse
[Aside.
Hurried me to act this way.

[Retires.
ALVARO.
You did wrong in hiding from me,
People were within that room.

MENDOZA.
If it was thy life to give thee,
Do not thou complain, 'tis I
Who have better grounds to do so,
Fighting two:—since she came forth
Not for mine, but thine assistance;
Though 'twas needless, since I know
Knighthood's law too well: for seeing
That thy fall was accidental,
I myself had let thee rise.

ALVARO.
Then a double obligation
Do I owe unto this lady,
Since she came to give me life
Ere I had been forced to take it
From thy hands: because to thee
I am not for this indebted:—
Now I feel my anger ripen
To resume the fight once more.

MENDOZA.
Don Alvaro, who detains thee?

[They fight.
ISABEL,
aside.
Oh! for power to call for aid!

[A loud knocking is heard at the door.
ALVARO.
At the door there is a knocking.—

MENDOZA.
What's to be done?

ALVARO.
Let either die,
And the survivor then may open.

MENDOZA.
You say well.

Enter DOÑA ISABEL and INES.
ISABEL.
I first shall open
Wide the door, and let them in.

ALVARO.
Do not so:—

MENDOZA.
You must not open!

[DOÑA ISABEL opens the door and wishes to escape, but is detained by the CORREGIDOR, who enters with DON FERNANDO VALOR.
ISABEL.
Cavaliers, most opportunely
Have you come: these two here standing
Seek to kill each other.

CORREGIDOR.
Stay:—
Since to find things in this manner—
They contending—you being present—
Says the matter, very clearly,
That you are the cause.

ISABEL,
aside.
Ah, me!
Since I planned mine own destruction,
When I thought to set me free.

ALVARO.
That the slightest inconvenience
May not happen to a lady
Unto whom I owe my life,
I the simple truth will tell you:—
For the cause that so hath moved me
To this duel, is not love.
No, but being the relation
Of Don Juan Malec—thus
I for him sought satisfaction.

MENDOZA.
It is true: it chanced this lady
Came to see me the same time.

CORREGIDOR.
Since we trust the disagreements
By the means we have concerted
Will be ended, let all cease;
It is best that this be settled
Without blood, since he doth conquer
Best who conquers without blood:—
Go, in God's name, fair Señoras.

ISABEL,
aside.
'Tis my fortune's only gain.

[Exeunt ISABEL and INES.
VALOR.
Señor Don Juan de Mendoza,
To your kindred, it appeareth,
And to ours, that this occurrence
Should be settled within doors,
(As the Castilian proverb has it)—
And cemented by new ties,
Since by giving Doña Clara,—
She the phenix of Granada,
Your betrothéd hand, as part
Of the....

MENDOZA.
Cease this bootless language,
Señor Fernando de Valor,
For it doth the affair embarrass:
If Doña Clara is a phenix,
She may be so in Arabia,
But in the mountains of Castile
A phenix is by no means needed.
And my kindred well should know
Men like me ne'er form connections
To secure a stranger's honour;
Neither do I know 'twere fitting
The Mendozas mixed their blood
With the blood of Malec; never
Can they blend in happy union
The Mendozas and Malecas.

VALOR.
Don Juan Malec is a man....

MENDOZA.
Like you:—

VALOR.
Like me, a proud descendant
Of the monarchs of Granada—
Since ascending to his fathers,
You will find them kings like mine.

MENDOZA.
Mine, indeed, without being monarchs,
Were still more than Moorish kings,
Being unconquered mountaineers.

ALVARO.
What his lordship Don Fernando
Has expressed upon this matter—
I shall hold upon the field.

CORREGIDOR.
Here my magisterial duty
Ceases, and I take instead
The cavalier's, which suits me better;—
I, a Zuniga in Castile,
Ere a justice in Granada.
And so laying down this staff,—
When and where you please, thou'lt find me
Standing at Don Juan's side.

Enter a SERVANT.
SERVANT.
Visitors the house have entered.

CORREGIDOR.
Let us all dissemble now;
I resume my civil duties:—
Here, Don Juan, still remain
In confinement.

MENDOZA.
I, in all things
Will obey you.

CORREGIDOR,
to ALVARO and VALOR.
You retire.

MENDOZA.
And if further satisfaction
You require....

CORREGIDOR.
Acquaint Don Juan
And myself when you have chosen....

MENDOZA.
You will find us with the sword....

CORREGIDOR.
And by the cloak alone protected.

[Exeunt the CORREGIDOR and MENDOZA.
VALOR,
aside.
This, my honour can consent to!

ALVARO,
aside.
This, my valour can endure!

VALOR.
Is it for becoming Christian
That I must receive this wrong?

ALVARO.
For embracing their religion,
Is it, I am treated thus?

VALOR.
As God liveth, it is craven
Not to seek for instant vengeance!

ALVARO.
As Heaven lives, 'tis infamous
That I wait yet to avenge me!

VALOR.
Heaven but give me the occasion....

ALVARO.
Give me but the occasion, Fortune....

VALOR.
If the Destinies assist me....

ALVARO.
If the Fates in pity grant it....

VALOR.
I will act, that very quickly....

ALVARO.
Spain will weep a thousand times....

VALOR.
The strong valour....

ALVARO.
The bold daring
Of this arm so strong and powerful....

VALOR.
Of the haughty-souled Valores.

ALVARO.
Of the valiant Tuzanís.

VALOR.
Have you heard me?

ALVARO.
Yes, and echoed.

VALOR.
Let us end the tongue's weak language,
And with hands begin to speak!

ALVARO.
Who opposes such beginning?

[Exeunt.