Three Major Plays (24 page)

Have been disgraced by bawds and witchcraft!
^*
Fabia is capable of moving mountains,
Of stopping rivers in full flood.

She rules the evil ministers

425

Of Acheron,
^*
as does a lord
His servants. Fabia, on whose account
A man can be transported through
The air from here to places far

Away -- to burning equatorial lands,

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To freezing Poles -- and she instructs Inés!
Could anything be more ironic!

FERNANDO. The very reason why I would
Not seek revenge!

RODRIGO. In God's name,

Would you have me be a coward too?

435

FERNANDO. Much better if you were indifferent.

RODRIGO. Perhaps you could be that. I cannot.

MENDO. My lord, listen! The echo tells
Us people come on horseback.

RODRIGO. If others come

With him, it means he is afraid.

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FERNANDO. Do not believe it. He is quite fearless.

RODRIGO. Everyone hide, and not a word!
You, Mendo, behind the tree, your musket
^*
at
The ready.

FERNANDO. How fickle is good fortune!

How unpredictable success!

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Today he dazzled in the presence of
The King, admired for his deeds
By all. And now death lies in wait
For him. We are about to see his fall.

They hide. Enter
Don ALONSO.

ALONSO. Never before have I felt fear such

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As this. And yet I think it caused
By sadness. The sound of running water,
Of leaves that gently rustle in
The wind, increase this sadness, and though

I journey on, I am persuaded to

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Return. It is no proof of bravery,
But love and loyalty to both
My parents contradict my fears,
And so I am resolved, though I

Admit, to leave Inés so suddenly

460

Was harsh. How dark it is! So full
Of fearful shadows till the dawn
Begins to place its golden feet
On bright and flowered carpets. But now

The sound of someone singing.

465

Who can it be? A shepherd, perhaps,
Who now goes to his flock, the song
Still far away but coming closer.
The instrument he plays is sweet

And sonorous, not rustic. Oh, when

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One's thoughts are overcome by sadness,
How melancholy music sounds!

[
Singing off, backstage, and coming nearer

PEASANT.
For at night they killed
^*
That noble soul,

The jewel of Medina,

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The flower of Olmedo.

ALONSO. Heavens! Are my ears deceiving me?
If this is how you choose to warn
Me of what lies ahead, it is

Too late. I cannot now turn back.

480

This must be one of Fabia's tricks.
Inés has asked her to devise
Some plan to stop me going to Olmedo.

PEASANT. A shadow warned He should not go,

485

And it advised

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He should not go,
The jewel of Medina,
The flower of Olmedo.

ALONSO. You there, you, the singer!

PEASANT. Who calls

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To me?

ALONSO. I seem to have lost my way.

PEASANT. I'm coming.

Enter the
PEASANT.

PEASANT. Ask what you will.

ALONSO. Everything
Now frightens me. Where are you going?

PEASANT. My work beckons.

ALONSO. Who taught you that song,
So full of sadness?

PEASANT. I learned it in

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Medina, sir.

ALONSO. But I am from
Olmedo, the man the song refers to,
And, as you see, I'm still alive.

PEASANT. I cannot tell you more about

The song than what was told to me

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By one called Fabia.
^*
You heard its words.
Turn back! Do not go further than
This stream.

ALONSO. I am of noble birth.
To turn back would be cowardice.

PEASANT. And not to do so would be folly.

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Go back, go back to Medina!

ALONSO. Accompany me!

PEASANT. I cannot.

-157-

[
Exit
the PEASANT

ALONSO. But these
Are phantoms, visions conjured up
By fear. Listen, wait! He's gone,

And yet no sound of footsteps! Wait!

510

The only reply my echoing words!
The songs says I am dead. It must
Refer to something in the past,
When someone from Olmedo
^*
was,

Upon this very road, murdered

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By others from Medina. I'm half-
Way there. What would be said of me
If I turned back? I hear footsteps.
If these are people going to

Olmedo, I'll gladly join them.

520

Enter
DON RODRIGO, DON FERNANDO, and
their HENCHMEN.

RODRIGO. Who goes there?

ALONSO. A man, as you can see.

FERNANDO. Stop at once!

ALONSO. Gentlemen, if lack
Of money forces you to actions such
As these, my house is close at hand.

I've money there. In fact, it is

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My custom and my honour to give alms
To those in need.

RODRIGO. Remove your sword.
^*

ALONSO. But why?

RODRIGO. Because I say so.

ALONSO. You know
Who you are speaking to?

FERNANDO. That person from

Olmedo, the slayer of bulls, who in

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His foolish arrogance, offends
The people of Medina,
^*
and who,
By using infamous bawds, insults
Don Pedro.

ALONSO. If you were truly men

Of noble blood, you would have challenged me

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Before, not now, when I'm alone.
Why not the time you ran away
And left your cloak behind, instead
Of now, at dead of night, a group

Of you, courageous only in

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Your arrogance? But even so,
I am indebted, for though you seem
So many, in truth you are but few,
And villains all!

[They fight

RODRIGO. I come to kill

You, not to challenge you! If that

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Were so, this would be single combat!
Shoot him!

[
Gunshot off-stage

ALONSO. Traitors all! If you did not
Have guns, you'd not have killed me.

FERNANDO. Well
Done, Mendo!

[
Exit
DON RODRIGO, DON FERNANDO, and their HENCHMEN

ALONSO. Little did I heed

Heaven's warnings. I have been deceived

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By my own pride and murdered by
The jealousy of others. Who
Will help me in this solitary place?

Enter
TELLO.

TELLO. Those riders galloping towards

Medina! I asked them if they'd seen

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My master. They did not answer me.
The signs are ominous. I can't
Stop shaking!

ALONSO. Please God, have pity! I'm dying!
You know my sole intention was
To marry her. Oh, Inés!

TELLO. What voice

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Is that? Its echo seems so full
Of sadness. It came from over there,
Just off the road. Why, every drop
Of blood has drained from me! My hair

Is stood on end so much, my hat

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No longer needs my skull to offer it
Support! Sir!

ALONSO. Who is it?
TELLO. Oh, God!
Why doubt what I am seeing? My master, Don
Alonso!

ALONSO. Tello, it's good to see you!

TELLO. Why good if I have come too late?

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Why good if, now I'm here, I find
You bathed in blood? You traitors, dogs
And villains! Come and kill me too!
You've killed the noblest, bravest, and

Most handsome knight who ever wore

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A sword in all Castile!

ALONSO. Tello! Tello!
Such little time remains, think of
My soul. Quickly, help me on to
Your horse! Take me to see my parents!

TELLO. What? To bring them these glad tidings from

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The fiesta? What will your noble father say,
Your mother, the people of the town?
Oh, merciful Heaven! Vengeance, I beg you!

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Exit
TELLO and DON ALONSO.
Enter
DON
PEDRO, DOÑA INÉS, DOÑA LEONOR, FABIA,
and
ANA.

INÉS. So many favours from the King?

PEDRO. Today his Majesty revealed

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His heart's nobility through all
His generous rewards. Medina thanks
Him, and I, for what I have received,
Now bring you both to kiss his hand.

LEONOR. He's leaving, then?

PEDRO. He is, Leonor.

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The Infante awaits him in Toledo.
I cannot thank his Majesty
Enough, both for myself and for
The two of you who later on

Will profit from his kindness.

595

He has made me Warden of Burgos.
^*
You must kiss his royal hand.

INÉS. Fabia,
This means I shall be far away
From him.

FABIA. Fortune, it seems, still does
Not favour you.

INÉS. Since yesterday

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I've felt the strangest kind of sadness.

FABIA. Don't be surprised if there's still worse
To come. Who can predict with certainty
What lies in store for us?

INÉS. What can

Be worse than absence? I think not even death

605

Itself.

PEDRO. Inés, this plan of yours . . .
Nothing would give me greater joy
Than if you now abandoned it.

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It's not that I'd oblige you to,

Simply that I'd like to see you married.

610

INÉS. To change my mind would not be just
Because you wish it, father. There'd be
Another reason.

PEDRO. Well, what is it?
^*
*
LEONOR. Let me speak on your behalf, Inés.

The marriage you have in mind for her

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Is one she doesn't want. There, I've said it.

PEDRO. Then, knowing of my love, you should
Have said so. If I had only known,
I'd never have considered it.

LEONOR. She loves a certain gentleman

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The King has honoured with a cross.
^*
Her love is honourable, and honest too.

PEDRO. Then if he has such qualities,
And you're in love with him, what can

I say? Marry him, Inés! You have

625

My blessing! Who is this gentleman?

LEONOR. Don Alonso Manrique.

PEDRO. Why, this
Is excellent news! You mean from Olmedo?

LEONOR. Yes, father.

PEDRO. A man of worth, quite clearly!

You've chosen wisely. I never thought

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You suited to a convent! Come
Along, Inés! Speak up!

INÉS. Leonor
Exaggerates. My true intentions aren't . . .

PEDRO. Let's not go into it. It's time

To celebrate the wisdom of

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Your choice. Consider him your husband as
From now. I shall be honoured by

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A son-in-law so rich, so well-
Regarded, so nobly born.

INÉS. Thank you, thank

You, father. Fabia, I'm so happy.

640

FABIA. Let me congratulate you now,
Commiserate afterwards.

LEONOR. The King!

PEDRO. Approach, and kiss his royal hand.

INÉS. I do so happily!

Enter the
KING,
the
CONSTABLE,
ATTENDANTS, DON RODRIGO,
and
DON FERNANDO.

PEDRO. Your Majesty.

I offer humble thanks. You honour both

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My daughters and myself in making me
Warden of Burgos.
KING. I have been pleased,
Don Pedro, both by your valour and
Your loyalty.

PEDRO. My one desire is
To be of service.

KING. Are you married?

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INÉS. No, your Majesty.
KING. Your name?

INÉS. Inés.
KING. And yours?

LEONOR. Leonor.
CONSTABLE. Your Majesty.
Don Pedro merits sons-in-law
Of worth such as are present here.

On their behalf I now request

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