Scene I.
A magnificent apartment in Count Rodolph's palace.
Enter Count Rodolph, Count Alvar and Theresa.
Count Rodolph
I understand Don Carlos was the man.
Count Alvar
He was, my lord. He had the impudence
To chide me to my face.
Count Rodolph
Not in the street!
Count Alvar
No, in this very house, my lord.
Count Rodolph
By Jove,
I would have crushed the villain where he stood!
Count Alvar
I would have slain the recreant in his tracks.
Theresa, being nigh, prevented me—
Theresa
I saw
The fellow who addressed you yesterday
With some strange accusation, which has been
A puzzle to my senses ever since.
Count Alvar
Nay—Carlos was not conscious what he said;
And, doubtless, had been tasting, too much wine.
Count Rodolph
But had you no dispute before?
Count Alvar
Before,
My lord? He had not seen my face before?
Count Rodolph
Perhaps he may have seen you when in Spain.
Count Alvar
He may have seen me casually in Spain.
Count Rodolph
But who was thy companion in the tour?
Count Alvar
Alvino, one who loved me well; a youth
Of promise, who disdained the very earth
He trod upon. He was a noble soul.
But she, of whom Don Carlos spoke, was young
Alvino's cousin.
Theresa
She it was, my lord,
Whom Carlos mentioned when he said to you,
I think, “Thou wilt not hate Leoni's love.”
And when you drew your sword upon him there,
I saw him brighten with an evil fire,
As if he wished he had his own with him,
Which, having, there is no doubt he had used.
Count Alvar
I knew that well, therefore prepared for him,
I told Don Pedro from that moment forth,
To watch the prowling of the cursed wolf;
And if he found him straying from his path,
To cut the life strings from his iron heart,
And dash him to the dogs!
Theresa
Then he is dead!
I would not hesitate to swear that some
Foul mischief is now breeding in the world!
Count Alvar
Oh yes—some mischief. Some foul, devilish thought
Is always uppermost in woman's mind.
Theresa
But has he not been absent now too long?
You may depend upon it, he is not
The man he seems to be.
Count Rodolph
It may be so;
She may have seen more of his thoughts than you;
For women oftener see more faults in men,
Than they see in themselves.
Count Alvar
By Jove! What if
He has beheld Elvira? Sight of her
Would change the purpose of his amorous soul,
And make the hardness of his iron heart
As soft as down upon the turtle's wing,
For love will cool the fever of revenge.
Theresa
Revenge, my lord? On whom?
Count Alvar
When Pedro comes
The message of his mission will be read.
Theresa
Now written with an iron pen in blood!
Count Alvar
The fancies always paint some cloud upon
The dawn of thine expectancy.
Count Rodolph
Revenge!
Count Alvar
That same infernal Carlos, whom our friend,
Don Pedro hates, is brother to his love,
Who, having sworn that they shall meet no more,
Don Pedro swears that he shall die. That's all.
Theresa
May Heaven protect the innocent from harm!
Count Rodolph
Amen to that!
Count Alvar
(Aside.)
Who cares, so Carlos dies.
(Exeunt omnes.)
