University of Virginia Library

SCENE VIII.

Part of the same Walk.
Don Gabriel Lucerna and Don Florez Zava.
DON GABRIEL.
'Twill goad him till he roar, I hope.

DON FLOREZ.
Beware—
The bull has horns.

DON GABRIEL.
Then you shall see a bull feast.
He comes this way.

DON FLOREZ.
And by his side, his calf.

DON GABRIEL.
You may take charge of him.

DON FLOREZ.
Their faces say
Our tale, though false, is old.

DON GABRIEL.
So much the better:
It will be credited the more.

[Enter Arezzi and Cimbelli.
DON GABRIEL.
Arezzi!
O! now for words to conjure with! The dreams
Which waking Love remembers, Cupid's smiles,
And Hymen's promises—the things which were,
And now are not—deep vows, warm thoughts, fond whispers—
Grant me this first request.

AREZZI.
Be brief then with it:
My patience suffers with my health to-day.

DON GABRIEL.
Do one fair service which may grace all three.
Don Florez is but slow at rhymes, and I
Have little friendship from the amorous Muse—
We lisp long prayers in prose.

CIMBELLI.
And you would have
Still less from Love, if Love had eyes or ears.

DON GABRIEL.
Now who is this?

AREZZI.
Go on.

DON GABRIEL.
More practised thou
To mingle incense with melodious verse,
Shall teach us how to charm Cicilia's couch
From grief and barrenness.

CIMBELLI.
The marquis brought
These pleasant words from Spain.

DON FLOREZ.
Be quiet! dost mark me!

CIMBELLI.
I do—most heedfully.

AREZZI.
You have talked much
Of me, and of yourself, elsewhere—Don Gabriel;
Extoll'd some happier skill that practice lends you,
And prayed a time to prove it?—Answer me this.

DON GABRIEL.
If so indeed—what then?

AREZZI.
I might have blushed
To baffle a wish so fair—and would have staked—
With one whose hopes and honors matched mine own—
The days to come: but now—go home and triumph;
I have no equal pledge, nor can I lose
More than I wish was gone.

DON GABRIEL.
Well, write instead
This epithalamium for the duke.

AREZZI.
Farewell—
Let me pass on, Lucerna—do not strike
One reeling with the plague.

CIMBELLI.
It were a sin
To send this cid-sperm back!—the Count Arezzi
Is sick to day.

DON GABRIEL.
Perhaps he loaths his company,
As I do too.

DON FLOREZ.
When thou shalt speak with nobles,
Take off the covering from that pate, and turn
(Cimbelli takes off his hat.)
The plume below. Lower—still lower, I say—
(Cimbelli throws it on the ground.)
So—that will do.

CIMBELLI.
I need it for my health;
Now go, and pick it up.

DON FLOREZ.
Your page forgets
His place and wits, Arezzi.

CIMBELLI.
By my soul
Thou shalt be fain to bring it where I stand,
And give it on thy knee with fear and reverence,
Or lie beside it. (Draws.)


DON FLOREZ.
I will draw my sword
On none like thee.

CIMBELLI.
Then make the better haste
To pick me up my hat—dost loiter, sirrah!
Let this teach diligence. (Strikes him.)


DON GABRIEL.
Florez, we will make
The calf a sacrifice. (They draw.)


CIMBELLI.
So—keep in front,
And both together if you will.

AREZZI
(drawing.)
Stand back—
Coward as thou art! didst dream my scorn was fear?
Thou leperous seven-fold liar—knave, pandar, Spaniard!
Now let us hear those boastings—mock me now—
O! that the fool which sent thee stood beside thee!
Look up—we fight for life—I will not take
Nor render mercy. (They fight, Don Gabriel falls.)


CIMBELLI.
That goes near his ribs—
Nay, do not strike him twice—enough, Arezzi—
His jests are spent to day—be quiet, and cool
The devil within! (To Florez)
Thou shouldest go help thy friend—
But I have sworn—first pick me up my hat.

DON FLOREZ.
Well, take it then

CIMBELLI.
Ay, lower—mine oath!—still lower—
So, that will do. Now let us lift him gently—
He faints—make haste Arezzi—help! some help!

[Exeunt.