The Resources Of Quinola Part 8

SCENE SEVENTH

Monipodio and Dona Lopez (at the door of the Lothundiaz Mansion.)

Dona Lopez What is it you desire?

Monipodio The brothers of our order have received tidings of your dear Lopez--

Dona Lopez That he was living?

Monipodio As you conduct the Senorita Marie to the convent of the Dominicans, take a turn round the square; you will meet there an escaped Algerian captive, who will tell you about Lopez.

Dona Lopez Merciful heavens! Would that I could ransom him!

Monipodio Be careful, first of all, when you approach on that subject; suppose that he were a Mussulman?

Dona Lopez Dear Lopez! I must go and prepare the senorita for her journey.

(Dona Lopez re-enters the house.)

SCENE EIGHTH

Monipodio, Quinola and Fontanares.

Fontanares At last, Quinola, we stand beneath her windows.

Quinola Yes, but where is Monipodio? Has he allowed himself to be beaten off?

(He turns to the friar) Sir Beggar?

Monipodio All goes well.

Quinola SanG.o.demy! What perfection of mendicancy! t.i.tian ought to paint you.

(To Fontanares) She will come. (To Monipodio) How do you find things?

Monipodio Most favorable.

Quinola He shall be a grandee of Spain.

Monipodio Oh! That is nothing. There is something still better than that!

Quinola (to Fontanares) Now, sir, you must above all things be prudent. Let us have no sighing, which might open the eyes of the duenna.

SCENE NINTH

The same persons, Dona Lopez and Marie.

Monipodio (to the duenna, pointing to Quinola) This is the Christian who escaped from captivity.

Quinola (speaking to the duenna) Ah! madame, I recognize you from the portrait of your charms which Senor Lorenzo drew for me.

(He takes her aside.)

SCENE TENTH

Monipodio, Marie and Fontanares.

Marie Is it really you?

Fontanares Yes, Marie, I have so far succeeded; our happiness is a.s.sured.

Marie Ah! If you only knew how I have prayed for your success!

Fontanares I have millions of things to say to you; but there is one thing which I ought to say a million times, to make up for all the weary time of my absence.

Marie If you speak thus to me, I shall believe you do not know the depth of my attachment; for it is fed less upon flattering words than upon the interest I feel in all that interests you.

Fontanares What I am most interested in now, Marie, is to learn before engaging in so important an undertaking, whether you have the courage to resist your father, who is said to contemplate a marriage for you.

Marie Do you think then that I could change?

Fontanares With us men, to love is to be forever jealous! You are so rich, I am so poor. When you thought I was ruined, you had no perturbation for the future, but now that success has come we shall have the whole world between us. And you shall be my star! And shall s.h.i.+ne upon me though from so great a distance. If I thought that at the end of my long struggle I should not find you at my side, oh! in the midst of all the triumph I should die for grief!

Marie Do you not know me yet? Though I was lonely, almost a recluse while you were absent, the pure feeling which from our childhood united me with you has grown greater with your destiny! When these eyes, which with such rapture look on you again, shall be closed forever; when this heart which only beats for G.o.d, for my father and for you shall be reduced to dust, I believe that on earth will survive a soul of mine to love you still! Do you doubt now my constancy?

Fontanares After listening to such words as these, what martyr would not receive new courage at the stake?

SCENE ELEVENTH

The same persons and Lothundiaz.

Lothundiaz That cursed duenna has left my door open.

Monipodio (aside) Alas, those poor children are ruined! (To Lothundiaz) Alms is a treasure which is laid up in heaven.

Lothundiaz Go to work, and you can lay up treasures here on earth. (He looks round) I do not see my daughter and her duenna in their usual place.

Monipodio (to Lothundiaz) The Spaniard is by nature generous.

Lothundiaz Oh! get away! I am a Catalonian and suspicious by nature. (He catches sight of his daughter and Fontanares.) What do I see? My daughter with a young senor! (He runs up to them) It is hard enough to pay duennas for guarding children with the heart and eyes of a mother without finding them deceivers. (To his daughter) How is it that you, Marie, heiress of ten thousand sequins a year, should speak to--do my eyes deceive me? It is that blasted machinist who hasn't a maravedi.

(Monipodio makes signs to Quinola.)