You are the better scholar.    1365
Now what a dunce was I to think it Ovid!
But hang me if it is not!  (Aside.)

 

Padre C.                Pass this way.
He was a very great man, was Cicero!
Pray you, go in, go in! no ceremony.    [Exeunt.

 

SCENE III. — A room in the PADRE CURA’S house. Enter the PADRE and HYPOLITO.

 

  Padre C.  So then, Señor, you come from Alcalá.    1370
I am glad to hear it. It was there I studied.

 

Hyp.  And left behind an honored name, no doubt.
How may I call your Grace?

 

Padre C.                Gerónimo
De Santillana, at your Honor’s service.

 

Hyp.  Descended from the Marquis Santillana?    1375
From the distinguished poet?

 

Padre C.            From the Marquis,
Not from the poet.

 

Hyp.            Why, they were the same.
Let me embrace you! Oh, some lucky star
Has brought me hither! Yet once more! — once more!
Your name is ever green in Alcalá,    1380
And our professor, when we are unruly,
Will shake his hoary head, and say, “Alas!
It was not so in Santillana’s time!”

 

Padre C.  I did not think my name remembered there.

 

Hyp.  More than remembered; it is idolized.    1385

 

Padre C.  Of what professor speak you?

 

Hyp.                        Timoneda.

 

Padre C.  I don’t remember any Timoneda.

 

Hyp.  A grave and sombre man, whose beetling brow
O’erhangs the rushing current of his speech
As rocks o’er rivers hang. Have you forgotten?    1390

 

Padre C.  Indeed, I have. Oh, those were pleasant days,
Those college days! I ne’er shall see the like!
I had not buried then so many hopes!
I had not buried then so many friends!
I ‘ve turned my back on what was then before me;    1395
And the bright faces of my young companions
Are wrinkled like my own, or are no more.
Do you remember Cueva?

 

Hyp.                Cueva? Cueva?

 

Padre C.  Fool that I am! He was before your time.
You ‘re a mere boy, and I am an old man.    1400

 

Hyp.  I should not like to try my strength with you.

 

Padre C.  Well, well. But I forget; you must be hungry.
Martina! ho! Martina! ‘T is my niece.
(Enter MARTINA.)

 

Hyp.  You may be proud of such a niece as that.
I wish I had a niece. Emollit mores.  (Aside.)    1405
He was a very great man, was Cicero!
Your servant, fair Martina.

 

Mart.                    Servant, sir.

 

Padre C.  This gentleman is hungry. See thou to it.
Let us have supper.

 

Mart.            ‘T will be ready soon.

 

Padre C.  And bring a bottle of my Valde-Peñas    1410
Out of the cellar. Stay; I ‘ll go myself.
Pray you, Señor, excuse me.    [Exit.

 

Hyp.                    Hist! Martina!
One word with you. Bless me! what handsome eyes!
To-day there have been Gypsies in the village.
Is it not so?

 

Mart.        There have been Gypsies here.    1415

 

Hyp.  Yes, and have told your fortune.

 

Mart. (embarrassed).    Told my fortune?

 

Hyp.  Yes, yes; I know they did. Give me your hand.
I ‘ll tell you what they said. They said, — they said,
The shepherd boy that loved you was a clown,
And him you should not marry. Was it not?    1420

 

Mart. (surprised).  How know you that?

 

Hyp.  Oh, I know more than that.
What a soft, little hand! And then they said,
A cavalier from court, handsome, and tall
And rich, should come one day to marry you,    1425
And you should be a lady. Was it not?
He has arrived, the handsome cavalier.
(Tries to kiss her. She runs off. Enter VICTORIAN, with a letter.)

 

Vict.  The muleteer has come.

 

Hyp.                    So soon?

 

Vict.                        I found him
Sitting at supper by the tavern door,
And, from a pitcher that he held aloft    1430
His whole arm’s length, drinking the blood-red wine.

 

Hyp.  What news from Court?

 

Vict.  He brought this letter only.  (Reads.)
Oh, cursèd perfidy! Why did I let
That lying tongue deceive me! Preciosa,    1435
Sweet Preciosa! how art thou avenged!

 

Hyp.  What news is this, that makes thy cheek turn pale,
And thy hand tremble?

 

Vict.                Oh, most infamous!
The Count of Lara is a worthless villain!

 

Hyp.  That is no news, forsooth.

 

Vict.                    He strove in vain    1440
To steal from me the jewel of my soul,
The love of Preciosa. Not succeeding,
He swore to be revenged; and set on foot
A plot to ruin her, which has succeeded.
She has been hissed and hooted from the stage,    1445
Her reputation stained by slanderous lies
Too foul to speak of; and, once more a beggar,
She roams a wanderer over God’s green earth,
Housing with Gypsies!

 

Hyp.                To renew again
The Age of Gold, and make the shepherd swains    1450
Desperate with love, like Gasper Gil’s Diana.
Redit et Virgo!

 

Vict.        Dear Hypolito,
How have I wronged that meek, confiding heart!
I will go seek for her; and with my tears
Wash out the wrong I ‘ve done her!

 

Hyp.                        Oh, beware!    1455
Act not that folly o’er again.

 

Vict.                        Ay, folly,
Delusion, madness, call it what thou wilt,
I will confess my weakness, — I still love her!
Still fondly love her!
(Enter the PADRE CURA.)

 

  Hyp.            Tell us, Padre Cura,
Who are these Gypsies in the neighborhood?    1460

 

Padre C.  Beltran Cruzado and his crew.

 

Vict.                        Kind Heaven,
I thank thee! She is found! is found again!

 

Hyp.  And have they with them a pale, beautiful girl,
Called Preciosa?

 

Padre C.        Ay, a pretty girl.
The gentleman seems moved.

 

Hyp.        Yes, moved with hunger,    1465
He is half famished with this long day’s journey.

 

Padre C.  Then, pray you, come this way. The supper waits.    [Exeunt.

 

SCENE IV. — A post-house on the road to Segovia, not far from the village of Guadarrama. Enter CHISPA, cracking a whip, and singing the cachucha.

 

  Chispa.  Halloo! Don Fulano! Let us have horses, and quickly. Alas, poor Chispa! what a dog’s life dost thou lead! I thought, when I left my old master Victorian, the student, to serve my new master Don Carlos, the gentleman, that I, too, should lead the life of a gentleman; should go to bed early, and get up late. For when the abbot plays cards, what can you expect of the friars? But, in running away from the thunder, I have run into the lightning. Here I am in hot chase after my master and his Gypsy girl. And a good beginning of the week it is, as he said who was hanged on Monday morning.
(Enter DON CARLOS.)

 

Don C.  Are not the horses ready yet?

 

Chispa.  I should think not, for the hostler seems to be asleep. Ho! within there! Horses! horses! horses!  (He knocks at the gate with his whip, and enter MOSQUITO, putting on his jacket.)    1470

 

Mosq.  Pray, have a little patience. I ‘m not a musket.

 

Chispa.  Health and pistareens! I ‘m glad to see you come on dancing, padre! Pray, what ‘s the news?

 

Mosq.  You cannot have fresh horses; because there are none.

 

Chispa.  Cachiporra! Throw that bone to another dog. Do I look like your aunt?

 

Mosq.  No; she has a beard.    1475

 

Chispa.  Go to! go to!

 

Mosq.  Are you from Madrid?

 

Chispa.  Yes; and going to Estramadura. Get us horses.

 

Mosq.  What ‘s the news at Court?

 

Chispa.  Why, the latest news is, that I am going to set up a coach, and I have already bought the whip.
(Strikes him round the legs.)    1480

 

Mosq.  Oh! oh! you hurt me!

 

Don C.  Enough of this folly. Let us have horses.  (Gives money to MOSQUITO.)  It is almost dark; and we are in haste.