The Resources Of Quinola Part 31

Don Fregose (aside) She is hateful, and yet I do not cease to love her.

Faustine I must have my revenge. Will you a.s.sist me?

Don Fregose Yes, and we will yet succeed in bringing him to ruin.

Faustine Ah! you love me in spite of all, don't you?

Curtain to the Fourth Act.

ACT V

SCENE FIRST

(The setting is the terrace of the town-hall of Barcelona, on each side of which are pavilions. The terrace looks on the sea and ends in a balcony in the centre of the stage; the open sea and the masts of vessels form the scenery. At the right of the spectator appear a large arm-chair and seats set before a table. The murmur of an immense crowd is heard. Leaning over the balcony Faustine gazes at the steams.h.i.+p.

Lothundiaz stands on the left, in a condition of utter stupefaction; Don Fregose is seated on the right with his secretary, who is drawing up a formal account of the experiment. The Grand Inquisitor is stationed in the middle of the stage.)

Lothundiaz, the Grand Inquisitor and Don Fregose.

Don Fregose I am undone, ruined, disgraced! Even if I were to fall at the feet of the king, I should gain no pity from him.

Lothundiaz At what price have I purchased my patent of n.o.bility! My son has been killed in an ambuscade in Flanders, and my daughter is dying; her husband, the governor of Roussillon, refused her permission to be present at the triumph of this devil of a Fontanares. How well she spoke when she said that I should repent of my willful blindness!

The Grand Inquisitor (to Don Fregose) The Holy Office has reminded the king of your past services; you will be sent as viceroy to Peru, where you will be able to repair your fortunes; but first finish your work here; let us crush this discoverer and check the progress of his dangerous innovation.

Don Fregose But how can we do so? The orders of the king must be obeyed, at least ostensibly.

The Grand Inquisitor We have taken such measures that obedience may be rendered both to the Holy Office and to the king. You have only to do as you are bidden.

(To Lothundiaz) Count Lothundiaz, as the first munic.i.p.al officer of Barcelona, you must offer to Don Ramon, in the name of the city, a crown of gold in honor of his discovery, whose result will secure to Spain the domination of the sea.

Lothundiaz (in astonishment) To Don Ramon!

The Grand Inquisitor and Don Fregose To Don Ramon.

Don Fregose You must address a eulogy to him.

Lothundiaz But--

The Grand Inquisitor It is the wish of the Holy Office that you do so.

Lothundiaz (kneeling) Pardon!

Don Fregose What is that the people are calling out?

(A cry is heard, "Long live Don Ramon!")

Lothundiaz Long live Don Ramon! Yes, indeed, and so much the better, for I shall be avenged for the wrong which I have done to myself.

SCENE SECOND

The same persons, Don Ramon, Mathieu Magis, the landlord of the Golden Sun, Coppolus, Carpano, Esteban, Girone, and all the people.

(All form a semicircle, in the centre of which is Don Ramon.)

The Grand Inquisitor In the name of the king of Spain, Castile and the Indies, I must express to you, Don Ramon, the congratulations of all upon the success of your mighty genius. (He leads him to the arm-chair.)

Don Ramon After all, he is but the hand, I am the head. The original idea is superior to the work of realizing it. (To the crowd) In such a moment as this, modesty would be an insult to the honors which I have attained through midnight vigils, and a man should openly show himself proud of his achievement.

Lothundiaz In the name of the city of Barcelona, Don Ramon, I have the honor to offer you this crown, due to your perseverance, as the author of an invention which will give you immortality.

SCENE THIRD

The same persons and Fontanares (his garments soiled with the work of his experiment).

Don Ramon I accept these honors, on condition that they be shared by the courageous artisan who has so well a.s.sisted me in my enterprise.

Faustine What modesty!

Fontanares Is this meant for a joke?

All Long live Don Ramon!

Coppolus In the name of the merchants of Catalonia, Don Ramon, we have come to beg your acceptance of this silver crown, a token of their grat.i.tude for a discovery which is likely to prove a new source of prosperity to them.

All Long live Don Ramon!

Don Ramon It is with the keenest pleasure that I see that commerce recognizes the future developments of steam navigation.

Fontanares Let my laborers come forth! You, the children of the people, whose hands have completed my work, bear witness for me! It was from me only that you received the models. Say now, whether it was Don Ramon or I who originated the new power which the sea has felt to-day?

Esteban By my faith, you would have been in a pretty fix without Don Ramon!

Mathieu Magis It was two years ago, in the course of a conversation with Don Ramon, that he begged me to furnish funds for this experiment.

Fontanares (to Fregose) My lord, what strange delusion has fallen upon the people and burgesses of Barcelona? I arrive here in the midst of the acclamations with which Don Ramon is being greeted. Yes, I arrive bearing the traces of the vigils and sweat of this great enterprise, and I find you contentedly sanctioning the most shameful act of robbery that can be perpetrated in the face of heaven and earth. (Murmurs from the crowd.) Alone and unprotected I have risked my life on this enterprise. I was the first who pledged its accomplishment to the king, and unaided I have kept my pledge, and yet here in my place I find Don Ramon--an ignoramus.

(More crowd murmurs.)

Don Fregose An old soldier knows very little about scientific matters and must accept plain facts. All Catalonia conceded to Don Ramon the priority in this invention, and everybody here declares that without him you would have accomplished nothing. It is my duty to inform his majesty, the king, of these circ.u.mstances.

Fontanares The priority! Where are the proofs of this?