The Resources Of Quinola Part 16

SCENE ELEVENTH

Faustine (alone) And yet so many women wish that they were men.

SCENE TWELFTH

Faustine, Paquita, Lothundiaz and Marie.

Paquita Senora, here are Senor Lothundiaz and his daughter. (Exit.)

SCENE THIRTEENTH

The same persons, excepting Paquita.

Lothundiaz Ah! senora, you have turned my palace into a kingdom!

Faustine (to Marie) My child, seat yourself by me. (To Lothundiaz) Be seated.

Lothundiaz You are very kind, senora; but permit me to go and see that famous gallery, which is spoken of throughout Catalonia.

(Faustine bows a.s.sent and Lothundiaz leaves the room.)

SCENE FOURTEENTH

Faustine and Marie.

Faustine My child, I love you and have learned of the position in which you stand. Your father wishes you to marry my cousin Sarpi, while you are in love with Fontanares.

Marie And have been for five years, senora.

Faustine At sixteen one knows not what it is to love.

Marie What does that matter, if I love him?

Faustine With us, sweet girl, love is but self-devotion.

Marie I will devote myself to him, senora.

Faustine What! Would you give him up if that were for his interest?

Marie That would be to die, but yet my life is wholly his.

Faustine (aside as she rises from her seat) What strength in weakness and innocence! (Aloud) You have never left your father's house, you know nothing of the world nor of its hards.h.i.+ps, which are terrible! A man often dies from having met with a woman who loves him too much, or one who loves him not at all; Fontanares may find himself in this situation. He has powerful enemies; his glory, which is all he lives for, is in their hands; you may disarm them.

Marie What must I do?

Faustine By marrying Sarpi, you will a.s.sure the triumph of your dear Fontanares; but no woman would counsel such a sacrifice; it must come, it will come from you. At first you must dissemble. Leave Barcelona for a time. Retire to a convent.

Marie And never see him again? Ah! If you knew--he pa.s.ses every day at a certain hour under my windows, and that hour is all the day to me.

Faustine (aside) She stabs me to the heart! Oh! She shall be Countess Sarpi.

SCENE FIFTEENTH

The same persons and Fontanares.

Fontanares (to Faustine) Senora. (He kisses her hand.)

Marie (aside) What a pang I feel!

Fontanares Shall I live long enough to testify my grat.i.tude to you? If I achieve anything, if I make a name, if I attain to happiness, it will be through you.

Faustine Why that is nothing! I merely tried to smooth the way for you. I feel such pity for men of talent in misfortune that you may ever count upon my help. Yes, I would go so far as to be the mere stepping-stone over which you might climb to your crown.

Marie (drawing Fontanares by his mantle) But I am here, I (he turns around), and you never saw me.

Fontanares Marie! I have not spoken to you for ten days! (To Faustine) Oh!

senora, what an angel you are!

Marie (to Fontanares) Rather say a demon. (Aloud) The senora was advising me to retire to a convent.

Fontanares She!

Marie Yes.

Faustine Children that you are, that course were best.

Fontanares I trip up, it seems, on one snare after another, and kindness ever conceals a pitfall. (To Marie) But tell me who brought you here?

Marie My father!

Fontanares He! Is he blind? You, Marie, in this house!

Faustine Sir!

Fontanares To a convent indeed, that she might dominate her spirit, and torture her soul!

SCENE SIXTEENTH

The same persons and Lothundiaz.