 | The Painter of His Own Dishonour |  |
Scene IV.
A garden leading down to the sea; on one side a Portico.—Masks singing and dancing; in the course of which enter and mix with them, Juan, Serafina, Leonelo, and Flora, and afterwards Alvaro; all masked.Chorus.
Tantara, tantara, come follow me all,
Carnival, Carnival, Carnival,
Follow me, follow me, nobody ask;
Crazy is Carnival under the mask.
Follow me, follow me, nobody knows;
Under the mask is under the rose.
Tantara, tantara, &c.
Juan.
How like you all this uproar?
Ser.
O quite well.
Juan
(aside).
And so should I,
Did not a shadow from that darken'd room
Trail after me. But why torment myself!
Leon.
My lord, the dancers wait.
Juan
(to the musicians).
Pardon me. Strike up!
Voices.
Strike up! strike up!
A Voice.
The castanets!
Voices.
The castanets! the castanets!
Musician.
What will you have?
Voices.
The Tarazana! the Tarazana!
[A dance, during which Alvaro observes Serafina.
Fab.
You recognise her?
Alv.
Yes, Fabio,my heart
Would recognise her under any dress,
And under any mask.
Fab.
Now is your time.
Alv.
(to Serafina).
Mask, will you dance with me?
Ser.
No, Cavalier;
You come too late.
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Too late?
Ser.
I am engag'd.
Alv.
Nevertheless—
Ser.
Nay, sir, I am not apt
To change my mind.
Alv.
I hop'd that in my favour
You might perhaps.
Ser.
'Twas a delusion.
Alv.
But,
Fair Mask, didst never change your mind before?
Ser.
Perhaps once—to such purpose that that once
Forbids all other.
Juan.
Serafina, the Mask
Has askt your hand to dance. On these occasions
You must permit him, whether known or not.
Unknown, the usage of the time allows;
If known, 'twere more discourteous to refuse.
Ser.
My lord, 'twas chiefly upon your account
That I refus'd to dance with him; if you
Desire it, I am ready.
Juan.
How, my love,
On my account?
Ser.
Liking your company
Much better.
Juan.
Nay, take the humour of the time,
And dance with him. (Aside.)
I marvel who it is
That follows Serafina, and to whom,
The very indisposition that she shows,
Argues a kind of secret inclination.
Alv.
Well, do you still reject me?—
Ser.
I am bidden
To dance with you; what measure will you call?
Alv.
Play “Love lies bleeding!”
Ser.
But why that?—
Alv.
Because
The spirit of the tune and of the words
Moves with my heart, and gives me leave beside
Amid its soft and slow divisions
To gaze on you and whisper in your ear.
(A minuet by the Masks: during which Alvaro constantly whispers Serafina, who seems distrest; after some time, they return in the figure to the front of the Stage.)
Ser.
I've heard enough, sir; save for courtesy
Too much. No more.
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Brief as the happiness
That once was mine! But—
Ser.
Stay, sir, I will hear
No more. I had not danc'd with you at all,
But that I wish'd to tell you once for all
How hopeless is your passion—the great danger
Your coming hither put and puts me to,
And that not my honour only, but my life,
Depends upon your quitting me at once,
Now and for ever.
Alv.
Serafina!
Ser.
(aloud).
I am tired;
Pardon me, friends, I cannot dance.
Juan.
My love,
What is't? Unwell?
Ser.
I know not.
A Woman.
Stop the ball!
Another.
All in her honour too!
Another.
What is the matter?
Juan.
You are but tir'd with dancing.
Ser.
No, no, no,
Let us go home.
Juan.
Pardon us, friends,
Continue you your revels; we will go
Into the house awhile, and rest; I think
The heat and dancing have distrest her much,
But she'll be better. To your dance again.
Come, Serafina. (Aside.)
Leonelo! hither!
Find out the Mask that with your lady danc'd.
Leon.
I'll watch him to the world's end—or beyond,
If need be.
Juan.
Good—Come, Serafina.
[Exeunt Juan and Serafina.
Alv.
So end my hopes for ever. Fool! who seeking
For what once lost could never more be found,
Like to a child after a rainbow running—
Leaving my father, who had only just
Recover'd me to his old, heart again,
Without adieu—equipp'd this Brigantine
(Down to the bottom may she go with me!)
In chase of this—not Serafina—no—
But this false Siren,
Who draws me with the music of her beauty,
To leave me in destruction.
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(watching him).
This must be some monk, who
knows of some better entertainment elsewhere.
Alv.
And after all,
Not one kind word of welcome or of thanks,
But that her life depended on my leaving her,
Who would for her have sacrificed my own
In any way but that. But it is done!
Henceforward I renounce all hope; henceforth—
And why not all despair?—the world is wide,
Eh, Fabio? and the good old saw says well
That fortune at the worst must surely mend.
Let us to sea, the ship is ready; come
Away with all this foolery. (Throws off mask, &c.)
Leon.
Here is a harlequin sailor!
Fabio.
Well resolv'd.
Alv.
Wear them what other fool may list,
I'll straight aboard, and if the wind and sea
Can rise as they were wont, I'll stretch all sail
Toward the perdition she consigns me to.
Halloa there! (Whistles.)
Enter Sailors.
Sail.
Captain?
Alv.
How is't for a cruise?
Sail.
Oh, never better; just a breeze to keep
The ship from looking in her glass too long.
Alv.
Aboard, aboard then! Farewell all my hopes;
My love, farewell for ever!
Voices
(within).
Fire! fire! fire!
All.
What's this?
Voices.
Fire! fire! in Don Diego's palace!
Help! help!
Alv.
She there! my life shall save the life
She said it jeopardied.
As he is going out, enter Juan with Serafina fainted in his arms.
Juan.
Friends! Gentlemen! if you would help in this
calamity, take charge for a moment of this most precious
thing of all, till I return.
Alv.
(taking Serafina in his arms).
Trust me, sir.
[Juan rushes off.
Leon.
Stop, my lord, stop a moment—he is gone, and this man—
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Serafina in my arms! my ship at hand!
O love, O destiny!—aboard, aboard—
O 'tis the merriest proverb of them all,
How one man rises by his neighbour's fall.
[Exit, carrying off Serafina.
Leon.
Halloa! stop him! stop him! it is my mistress;
Don Juan! my lord! my lord! the rascal has carried her off!
my lord! my lord!
[Runs after Alvaro.
1st Voice in the crowd.
The fire is getting under.
2nd Voice.
No lives lost?
3rd voice.
Only, they say, one poor girl of the lady Serafina's.
Enter Don Juan hurriedly.
Juan.
I thought I heard Leonelo calling me—But where
is Serafina? This is the place—yes—Serafina! I left them
here—taken her perhaps fainting as she was for help.
Gentlemen, have you seen any here with a lady, fainted,
in their charge—a sailor, I think?
1st Man.
Not I, sir.
2nd Man.
Nor I.
3rd Man.
Stay, I think there were some sailors with a
lady in their arms.
Juan.
And where—
Enter Leonelo breathless.
Leon.
Oh, my lord, my lord!
Juan.
Speak!
Leon.
The Mask who danced with my lady—
Juan.
Where is she?
Leon.
Was the sailor you gave her in charge to—He has
carried her off.
Juan.
The Mask! the sailor!
Leon.
I saw him throw off his disguise, and now he has
carried her off—to the shore—to sea—to the ship there now
spreading her sails in the harbour.
Juan.
Man! beware lest I blast thee!
Leon.
As if I were the sailor! I tell you I ran after them,
shouted, struggled, but was pushed aside, knocked down—
Juan.
To the shore, to the shore! follow me!
Voices.
What is the matter?
Juan.
What I dare not name till it be avenged; Pirate!—
Ruffian! Oh fool, I might have guessed—but I will find
them through water and fire too. To the shore!
[Exit Juan, Leonelo after him; confusion, &c.
| The Painter of His Own Dishonour | |