University of Virginia Library

SCENE II.

Another Apartment in De Silva Castle.
Enter Ferdinand.
FERDINAND.
Thank heav'n! a short reflection has convinc'd me
How nearly to the verge of shame and ruin
My too presumptuous hopes had tempted me.
The vain illusion which obscur'd my judgment
Is vanish'd, and I once more am myself.
But I am weak—I blush to think how weak,
How little able to oppose the tide
Of mast'ring passion. I must place a bar
Betwixt the dear temptation and myself.
Farewell, my Clara! I will fly those charms,
Whose potency my heart cannot resist.
Farewell for ever! Honour calls me from thee;
My sword shall be my fortune; I will use it
Against my country's foes, and either reap
A harvest of renown, or nobly die!

Enter Guzman.
GUZMAN.
Heyday! who talks of dying when I'm here?
What, Signor Ferdinand! Bless me, good sir,
What is the matter? Why you look as pale—

FERDINAND.
Away! no trifling now. I'm not dispos'd
To relish your buffoonery.

GUZMAN.
How's that?
Leave you alone? I'll tell you what, young sir,
I know not what you're pleas'd to think of me,
But this I know—there is not in Madrid
A pharmacopolist or surgeon, sir,
To whom I'd vail my bonnet. I have learnt—

FERDINAND.
It may be so; but there is one thing more
It might behove you still to learn.

GUZMAN.
What's that?

FERDINAND.
Discretion, sir, to know on whom and when
You may unbidden thus intrude yourself.
I choose to be alone.—What! more intruders!

Enter Don Lopez.
LOPEZ
(yawning).
Yaw! How my head's confus'd! That sack was naught,
Most villainously naught! I know not how
I was o'ertaken thus.—Whom have we here?
What, my young fighting sir?—I do remember
We had a tilting bout, but we're friends now.
Where is my lady, and my pretty Clara,
My bride that is to be?

FERDINAND.
Clara your bride?

LOPEZ.
Why not? There's nought so wonderful, methinks,
That a young sanguine fellow, like myself,
Should like a pretty girl. I warrant me,
We shall become a mighty happy couple.
Do you know, I'm monstrously in love with her?

FERDINAND.
Monstrous indeed! Lambs may consort with wolves,
And doves associate with the felon hawk,
Ere she unite with thee!

LOPEZ.
Phew! here's a noise!
I'll tell you what, young man—when I'm resolv'd,
'Tis not your pleasure, nor your big looks neither
Shall fright me from my purpose. Here, sir, here—
(Striking his pocket.
I carry arguments you can't confute—
Crowns, sir, pistoles, and good doubloons to boot,
Of wond'rous efficacy to remove
Obstructions—

GUZMAN.
Not so good as my elixir!
Talk of obstructions! Pshaw! Why now, sir, (to Lopez)
you
Shall judge of it yourself. I'm glad I thought on't;
'Twill suit you to a hair.— (To Ferdinand)
There, do you see him?
What a swoln belly, and two legs like millposts!
No subject can be more unpromising;
And yet, sir, I will lay you ten to one,
In half a dozen doses I'll bring down
That tun of his, in half a dozen more
Make him as lank and limber as a greyhound—

LOPEZ.
Why, thou half-witted puppy! Who art thou
That dares thus prate of me? Elixir truly!—
Physic my lady's lap-dog, an thou wil'st,
He may be sweeter for't.—Look on me, mongrel!
Survey this portly body. 'Tis well lin'd
With solid and substantial food. These legs, too,
Are firm and muscular, proportion'd columns
Well fitted to support such superstructure.
Why, I am made for immortality;
My very blood's a distillation
From gen'rous sack and fragrant malvoisie.
Away, thou quack! thou mingler of base drugs!
Thou lank anatomy!

Enter Margaretta.
MARGARETTA.
What's here to do?
I wonder, sir, you take upon you thus—

LOPEZ.
Nay, good madonna, I am not to blame.
This scurvy med'cine-monger took upon him—

GUZMAN.
Aye, aye, deny it; but I'll say't again—

LOPEZ.
Let me come at him! I will teach you manners!

GUZMAN.
Aye, you may bluster—

LOPEZ.
An I catch thee, sirrah!

GUZMAN
(dodging about, pursued by Lopez).
Pray stand between us—If I had thee once
Fairly in hand, I'd work thee into shape—
I'd ply thee with elixirs, lotions, potions—
Pray keep him off—Cathartics—

LOPEZ.
By Saint Anthony!
I'll maul thee—I've no breath to follow him—

GUZMAN.
Thou'rt one disease from head to foot—a mountain
Of bodily infirmity—a mass—

LOPEZ.
Let me get at him—

MARGARETTA.
(She pushes Guzman out.)
Nay you shall retire.
And you, Don Lopez, too—

LOPEZ.
A paltry knave!
An I lay hold of him—

MARGARETTA.
Prithee be calm,
And get yourself accoutred as befits you.
My lady and her niece would think it strange
To see you thus.

LOPEZ.
Why truly, as thou say'st,
My raiment is rather in deshabille.
I'll to my chamber and refresh it.—Gomez!
To physic me indeed!—What, Gomez, ho!
[Exit Lopez.

FERDINAND.
Tell me, good Marg'ret, what did the wretch mean
By talking about Clara as his bride?
An old debauch'd voluptuary like him
To form such expectation!

MARGARETTA.
He has broach'd it
However to my lady.

FERDINAND.
Well, what said she?

MARGARETTA.
Nay, look not so alarm'd. One might suppose
You had more int'rest in the question than
You care to avow.

FERDINAND.
An int'rest? Aye, the strongest,
In what relates so mainly to her welfare.
You cannot think it strange.

MARGARETTA.
Oh no! quite natural.
I warrant me, she'd feel the same for you,
Were any antiquated dame to court you.
Ah Ferdinand! if you would keep a secret,
Learn to command your looks, and teach your eyes
A little stricter discipline.

FERDINAND.
Indeed
You go too far—Nay, prithee, jeer me not.
If a presumptuous hope e'er glanc'd across me—

MARGARETTA.
You welcom'd it.—You see I've made remarks.
Well, things may turn out other than you look for.

FERDINAND.
What mean you?

MARGARETTA.
What I'm not at leisure now
To tell you more of. I expect my lady,
Who has some orders for me. But I've giv'n you
Food for reflection.

FERDINAND.
If I might presume
To entertain such hopes—

MARGARETTA.
Nay, if you will not
Believe me when I bid you entertain them—

FERDINAND.
I know you for my friend, and will believe you.

MARGARETTA.
That's well.—But go—I hear my lady coming—
Go—say no more.

[Exit Ferdinand.
Enter Victoria.
VICTORIA.
Is ev'ry thing prepar'd
As I directed? Roderigo tells me
Montalban is about to walk abroad,
And, from his manner and some words he utter'd,
Conjectures 'tis his purpose to escape.
We have no time to lose. Set Roderigo
And Guzman on the watch; let them take heed
He do not scale the wall. As for the gates,
They are securely fastened.

MARGARETTA.
Had you done
As I advis'd you, and reveal'd yourself
When you was with him, you had 'scap'd this trouble.

VICTORIA.
While there remains a doubt of his affection,
He ne'er shall know me. 'Tis his heart I aim at;
If that prove true, my pains are well bestow'd.

MARGARETTA.
What more can you devise to ascertain it?

VICTORIA.
Love has a thousand ways to work his ends.
Here is an engine which he bids me use—
[Giving her a portrait case.
Take it—Upon the spreading orange tree,
Which overhangs the fountain, place it so
He may not fail to see it. Make good haste.
[Exit Margaretta.
Now comes th'eventful crisis of my fate.
Aid me, kind heav'n, and arm my lab'ring heart
With fortitude the trial to sustain
On which my bliss or mis'ry must depend!

[Exit.