Tales of the Wonder Club Volume III Part 11

INEZ. Ah! _he_, The n.o.ble youth whose bandaged head I still Was tending when you did separate us, And bore me off? Did you not see him then?

D. DIE. Ay, some such b.a.s.t.a.r.d gipsy dog I saw.

What! _he_ of n.o.ble blood! _He_ a Castilian!

Some half-bred gipsy. Lady, sure it was A worse breed, far, than the pure gipsy born.

What! think you, that because of borrowed plumes The jay will pa.s.s for peac.o.c.k? Or that he, A base-born mongrel gipsy, just because Decked in the garments of some plundered lord, Could e'er deceive the eyes of men like us?

Nay, lady, I do compa.s.sionate you.

You are young, and the world to you is fresh, You know not of its wiles, its vice, its crimes, But take all men to be just as they seem.

Take my experience, lady. I am old.

Not _old_; but old enough to know the world And all its hollowness; and so most fit To guide and counsel inexperienced youth.

Lean then on me, lady. I'll be your staff; And trust me faithfully when I tell you Not all the learning of the convent cell Is worth one ace of that we gain by age.

INEZ. Enough, sir. That the world is full of sin And treachery I ever have been told.

My aunt, the Lady Abbess, oft would say We ever should distrust the tongue of men When most persuasive, be they young or old.

D. SIL. Come, Inez, thou art tired, and need rest After thy troubles and fatigues. (_To Don Diego._) My friend, You will excuse my daughter for a while, I've much to say to her in private.

D. DIE. Good. [_Exeunt Don Silvio and Inez._ Now for my ally. What ho! Rodriguez!

_Enter_ RODRIGUEZ.

ROD. Here I am, good my lord.

D. DIE. (_Caressingly._) Good Rodriguez, I know that thou'rt a good and trusty friend Unto this house. That thou lov'st well thy lord And also thy young mistress, unto whom From childhood thou hast acted as a mother.

ROD. Well, sir, I've always tried to do my best.

D. DIE. I know it. I know it both by report And mine own observation. Wherefore, now Full persuaded of thy many virtues----

ROD. Oh, my lord!

D. DIE. Nay, 'tis nothing but the truth.

I say, once more, persuaded beyond doubt Of thy rare merits and good qualities And of the value of one such as thou To my old and long loved friend Don Silvio, I do repent me of the hasty words That lately 'scaped my too impatient tongue.

ROD. My lord, pray say no more. Rodriguez ever Remains your humble servant. (_Aside._) Really he Is not so bad as once I thought he was.

D. DIE. Believe me, that those words but rose in haste, From o'er anxiety about the fate Of thy young mistress, whom thou lovest so well.

Whom I, too, love so well. I, too, Don Diego.

ROD. I doubt not, sir, with a true father's love.

D. DIE. Hark ye! Rodriguez, I must not waste time In coming to the point; but silence keep.

ROD. Ay, my lord. Who better than Rodriguez At a secret.

D. DIE. Ha! Sayest thou so, brave wench?

Then list to me, and thou shalt never want For bit or sup, kirtel, or farthingale, As long thou livest. First accept this purse.

[_Gives a heavy purse._

ROD. Oh, my good lord! My generous, n.o.ble, lord!

What can I do to deserve your bounty?

(_Aside._) Well, I remember to have heard folks say, "The devil's not so black as he is painted."

D. DIE. Rodriguez, hark! What thou hast in that purse Is nothing unto that which thou may'st earn, If thou succeedest in the task I set.

ROD. Proceed, my lord. I'm all attention. Speak.

D. DIE. Know then that I love thy mistress Inez.

Ay, with the pa.s.sion of a younger man.

Count not my age--the heart is never old.

I've sought her of her father, and 'twas settled She should be mine on her arrival home After her studies at St. Ursula's, Ay, on the very day. So ran the 'pact.

The marriage, therefore, I have said takes place This very night, at midnight, in my chapel.

All is prepared.

ROD. 'Tis over soon, my lord.

D. DIE. Peace! peace! I'll brook no waiting, no delay; I've sworn it shall be so, and it shall be.

What care I, think'st thou, if the wedding dress, Or this or that be ready, so _I_ be?

Thou knowest our acquaintance is but short; She scarce has seen my face. No matter that.

Now listen. What I ask of thee is this: Do thou use all thy influence with the child, T'induce her to look kindly on my suit, And to her father's prayers and tears add thine.

But leave her not until she do consent.

And should she e'en at the eleventh hour Be obdurate, why then, as last resource, Tell her her father's life hangs on a thread.

Say that his castle and all that he hath Will instantly be sold over his head; And he and she, and you two servants both Sent all adrift at once, to beg your bread.

If that work not, then must I fain use force, And that were against me. So, Rodriguez, Kind Rodriguez, I pray thee do thy best.

ROD. My lord, you ever shall have my good word What I can do I will. Albeit, I think Your grace is over hasty in the matter.

A little time----

D. DIE. No, faith, not one minute Past the hour fixed. So see to't. I will now Off to the castle, leaving thee one hour T'exercise thy powers of persuasion On thy young n.o.ble mistress. After that I shall appear again and try what I Myself can do to win her virgin heart.

Use all thy art and strength. Till then, adieu. [_Exit._

ROD. A pretty fix, forsooth! _Use all my art!_ I love the dear child well, and would, I'm sure, Do all I could to help her to a state Worthy the better days of this old house.

The Lady of Don Diego! That sounds well.

Mistress of his castle and his servants, But wedded to a man who's old enough To be her grandsire! Had he been a gallant-- Yet his money's good. Humph! I suppose I must.

[_Exit slowly; counting her money._

SCENE II.--_The Ravine. Time: Sunrise. Don Pascual sleeping. The Gipsy Queen standing near, watching him. The Gipsy Camp in the background._

D. PAS. (_In his sleep._) Oh, Inez, Inez! (_Waking with a start._) Ha!

was that a dream?

GIP. Q. He wakes.

D. PED. Oh, that I had thus slumbered on, Feeling her soothing presence, and so died, Rather than waken to this cold, bleak, world.

GIP. Q. (_Aside._) How I do long to open all my heart!

Unmask this stern exterior, and make Him master of the secret of his birth.

His wound's but slight, I think he'll bear the news.

I'll try. (_To Don Pascual_) Young man! Say, how goes it with thee?