Three Major Plays (22 page)

Alonso. Excuse me once again. I have to read

710

The last line written by those lovely hands.

[
Reads

'They say the King is coming to Medina,
And quite right too, for you will come,
And you are my king.'
The letter ends.

TELLO. As all things must.

715

Alonso. How fleeting are our joys! TELLO. It seems
To me a letter in three acts.
^*

Alonso. No, wait. A few more words, written in
The margin.

[
Reads

'Wear the ribbon * around your neck.

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If only I could be that ribbon!'

TELLO. A fine sight, sir! You in
The ring and Inés hanging around
Your neck!

Alonso. Where is the ribbon, TELLO?

TELLO. They gave me nothing.

Alonso. What are you saying? 725

TELLO. I mean, you've given me nothing either, sir.

Alonso. I see. Then take whatever suit
^*
of mine
You fancy.

TELLO. Oh, look, the ribbon!

Alonso. Quite exquisite!

TELLO. As are the hands
Which have embroidered it!

Alonso. Inform 730

The servants that we leave at once.

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Oh, Tello!

TELLO. What now?

ALONSO. I meant to tell you, I had a dream.

TELLO. You mean you put Your faith in dreams?

ALONSO. I don't believe them,

And yet they give me cause to be

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Afraid.

TELLO. Stuff and nonsense!

ALONSO. And some Would say they are reflections of The soul.

TELLO. But what could happen, sir, If all you have in mind is marriage?

ALONSO. Last night * my sleep was constantly

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Disturbed by dreams, and so I rose
At dawn, opening my window wide.
I gazed upon the fountains and
The flowers which there outside were such

A happy sight, and then I saw

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A goldfinch land upon a bush,
The yellow of its lovely wings
Like flowers, bright against dark green.
It stayed there, and from its tiny throat

There came untrained and beautiful

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Complaints of love, when suddenly
A hawk
^*
appeared from its hiding-place,
Swooped on the goldfinch from above, and since
The two were so unequal in their strength,

The air was quickly filled with feathers,

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The flowers stained bright red with blood.
The poor bird's dying cries were echoed by
The dawn, and there, not far away,
A second bird, companion to the first,

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Observed, forlorn, that terrible event.

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As for myself, it seemed a warning which,
Combined with what I dreamed last night,
Filled me with sudden fear. I know
Such things are meaningless, and yet

I lack the will to live, such is

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My sense of hopelessness.
^*

TELLO. Is this
How you repay Inés when she
Has shown such courage in the face
Of fortune's blows? Go to Medina.

Forget these dreams and auguries.

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Be bold as you are wont to be.
Think just of horses, lances, how you look.
Kill all those men with envy of your deeds.
Slay all the women with your looks.

Doña Inés will soon be yours, no matter what!

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ALONSO. You make good sense, Tello. She waits
For me. Let's go to Medina. They say
That sorrows thought of in advance
Are doubly sorrowful. Only Inés

Can cause me sorrow, but she is my

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Eternal joy.

TELLO. Let's go then, sir.
I'll have those bulls on their knees to her,
Beneath her window.

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The sound of drums. Enter DON RODRIGO and
DON FERNANDO, with SERVANTS and lances.

RODRIGO. No luck at all!

FERNANDO. It couldn't be worse!

RODRIGO. Such disappointment!

FERNANDO. What's to be done?

RODRIGO. This sword of mine, quite useless in
The service of Inés!

FERNANDO. I feel ashamed.

RODRIGO. And I embarrassed.

FERNANDO. Let's try once more.

5

RODRIGO. A waste of time for someone out
Of luck. It seems that fortune smiles
On this one from Olmedo.

FERNANDO. He hasn't put
A foot wrong.

RODRIGO. I promise you he shall.

FERNANDO. When someone has a run of luck,

10

Everything he touches turns to gold.

RODRIGO. Love opened its door to him and made
Quite sure her heart was cold to me.
Besides, a stranger is always attractive
To women.

FERNANDO. Your anger is quite justified.

15

Although he is a gallant knight,
What right has he to outshine Medina's best?
^*

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RODRIGO. This town is driving me mad. Just like
A woman, it despises what it knows,

And finds appealing what is unfamiliar.

20

FERNANDO. Nothing changes. Such was the case
In Greek and Roman times.*

[
Off-stage, shouting, the jingle of harnesses

FIRST VOICE. Bravo! Bravo!

SECOND VOICE. The lance
^*
is broken!
Bravo!

FERNANDO. Let's wait no longer!
RODRIGO. Let's go!

FIRST VOICE. Who else can equal him?

FERNANDO. Listen!

25

RODRIGO. I cannot stand it!

SECOND VOICE. All hail the Knight
From Olmedo!

RODRIGO. Fernando, how
Can I endure this?

FERNANDO. The praise
Of ignoramuses, the common herd!

FIRST VOICE. May God protect you! God protect you!

30

RODRIGO. The King himself would not receive
Much greater praise. But let them shout,
Let them lavish praise and do their worst!

FERNANDO. The way of the world, Rodrigo.
h

Some novelty always attracts

35

The easiest acclaim.

RODRIGO. He's changing horses.*

FERNANDO. But not his fortunes by the look of things.

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Enter
TELLO
with lance and livery,
and
DON ALONSO.

TELLO. By God, it's going well, sir!

ALONSO. Give me
The sorrel,
^*
Tello.

TELLO. Such praise for both
Of us!

ALONSO. You think so?

TELLO. For me on foot,

40

For you on horseback! Both of us
Have done our bit.

ALONSO. Everyone has seen
How brave you are!

TELLO. Six bulls I've chopped,*
As if their legs were home-grown radishes!

FERNANDO. Let's enter the ring* again, Rodrigo.

45

You may not wish to, but they expect us.

RODRIGO. You, perhaps, not me. Or if they do,
They merely want to see if I
Make some mistake, or if I'm gored

Or killed, so they can laugh as they

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Recount it.

[
Exit
DON RODRIGO
and
DON FERNANDO

TELLO. They are watching you.

ALONSO. Indeed they are, both envious of
The triumphs I enjoy, and jealous too
Of my good fortune with Inés.

TELLO. You, sir, were the constant object of

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Her smiles. They are, you know, the silent words
That tell us what goes on inside
A person's heart. Whenever you
Approached her balcony, I thought

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She'd throw herself into your arms.

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ALONSO. Oh, Inés, if only fortune willed
That I could give my parents such
A precious gift as you!

TELLO. And so you will,
As soon as Don Rodrigo's sun

Has set. No doubt about it, sir.

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Inés is all ablaze for you!

ALONSO. Fabia's at the house. I'll take a walk
Towards the ring, and you'll inform
Her that I wish to see Inés

Tonight before I leave. I must

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Go to Olmedo, or else my parents will
Believe I'm dead. To worry them
Without good cause would be unjust.
It's only fair that they should sleep
At night.

TELLO. Quite right too, sir. At times

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Like these they have good cause to worry.
Let them sleep in peace!

ALONSO. I'll go, then.

TELLO. God
Be with you, master.

[
Exit
DON ALONSO

Now I can speak

More freely. I have to see Fabia.

I have a plan to get the chain *

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From her, in spite of all her cunning.
Medea, Circe, Hecate,
^*
none
Of those famous women could match
Her for her knowledge. The key to her heart,

You'd have to turn it thirty times

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At least, and yet I think I have
The master-key, which is to say
I love her, which opens every woman's heart,

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Especially those her age. They only have

To hear a few sweet words of love,

90

And there you are, they think that they
Are young again and, more than that,
Eternally desirable. So here
We are, I'll call her. Oh, what a fool

I am. She knows I only want the chain,

95

And also I can't stand old women.
I expect Old Nick will have told her that himself.

Enter
FABIA.

FABIA. Good God, Tello! What's all this? It's not
The way to serve good Don Alonso!
Has something happened?

TELLO. Remember you're

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Supposed to be a holy woman!
It's because of you I've come. I've brought
A message from my master.

FABIA. Was he
Successful?

TELLO. Of course he was! He had
Me with him!

FABIA. You always were a terrible boaster!

105

TELLO. Just ask the King. He'll tell you which
Of us was best. Whenever I
Went past his balcony, he leaned
Right over, almost fell on top

Of me to see me all the better.

110

FABIA. A favour indeed!

TELLO. I'd much prefer yours!

FABIA. Can I believe what I am hearing?

TELLO. Such beauty as I see before me now
Convinces me I am Orlando!
^*

Medina's bulls to me are nothing!

115

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You should have seen me, twisting, turning,
Giving them all a real pasting!
Why, in the middle of it all,
This bull is on his knees and begging me

To stop: 'Please, Mr Tello, stop,'

120

He says. 'I've had enough!''Enough?'
I said. 'I haven't started yet,'
And gave him such a smack, his leg
Flew off, and landed on a neighbouring rooftop.

FABIA. The roof must be a real mess.

125

TELLO. Ask the owner. I couldn't care less.
Now listen, Fabia. You have to tell
Your mistress that the boy who worships her
Comes here tonight to take his leave.

He has to go back home in case

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His parents think he's dead. Make sure
She gets the message. I have to go,
Before the King observes my absence.
I am, you see, Master of Bull

Appointed to His Majesty. As such,

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I'm guaranteed to be the object of
Much praise and adulation. Now,
Before I leave, grant me a favour.

FABIA. What sort of favour?

TELLO. Reward my love.

FABIA. You mean I am the inspiration* for

140

Your deeds? What is it you like the most
About me?

TELLO. Those lovely eyes!

FABIA. Then what
You want is a pair of blinkers.
^*

TELLO. I am an ass, it's perfectly true.

FABIA. A suitable present, then.

TELLO. But more

145

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Dark-brown than bay.
^*

FABIA. Be careful how
You go. A break like this could make
You lose your concentration. Some bull
Could have your trousers off, and everyone

Be treated to a private viewing.

150

Quite funny, that. A bull helps Tello with
Undressing!

TELLO. I'll fix my braces, protect
My modesty.

FABIA. I doubt a bull will give
Much thought to your braces.

TELLO. I tell
You I don't fear them.

FABIA. Remember that

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Medina's bulls get quite upset
With servants from Olmedo.
^*

TELLO. This arm
Of mine defeats them all.

FABIA. Let's hope,
Then, Tello, you aren't gored where no

Bull's horn has ever been before.

160

[
Exit
FABIA
and
TELLO.
Shouting from the bullring

FIRST VOICE. Don Rodrigo's fallen!

SECOND VOICE. Don Alonso goes
To help him! Such bravery!

FIRST VOICE. See how
He now dismounts!

SECOND VOICE. He draws his sword.

FIRST VOICE. The bull is wounded fatally!

Enter
DON ALONSO,
supporting
DON RODRIGO.

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