Three Major Plays (28 page)

On us. I'll be the only stepson
To have claimed a stepmother as beautiful
As this.

BATÍN. I reckon, master, what
You really need is lots of patience.

If only her outstanding attribute

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Was good old-fashioned ugliness!

Exit both. Enter the
DUKE OF FERRARA
and
AURORA,
his niece

DUKE. If what the servants say is true,
And Federico left no earlier,
He will have met her on the way.

AURORA. I think he was at fault, my lord,

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If he delayed so long. When we
Received the news, he should have gone
At once and made quite sure that he'd
Escort her all the way from Mantua.

DUKE. I am convinced his sadness was

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The cause of such discourtesy.
The boy has long believed that one
Day he'll inherit my estates,
And with good cause, for, as you know,

He is my only son. I love

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Him dearly. But now I am
Embarked upon this marriage, he
Believes I do it of my own accord
And thinks it is some treachery

That I deliberately do

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To him, when, if the truth be known,
My subjects are the ones to blame
For forcing me to marry and,
In consequence, offending him.

They say they'd have him as their lord --

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Perhaps for love of him, perhaps
Of me -- and yet are overawed
By other members of my family

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Who, when I die, consider they

Can rightly press their claims to my

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Estate, and if they are denied,
Will be prepared to devastate
My lands by fire and by sword.
My subjects are the ones who'd suffer most

By this, and so I gave my word

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To them that would not be. The only choice
Then left to me was marriage.

AURORA. Then you, my lord, are not the one
To blame. The fault lies clearly

With Fortune. In any case, the Count

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Has much good sense, which leads me to believe
That if he exercises patience too
He'll find the problem will resolve
Itself. Though I, if I might be

So bold, my lord, would also offer you

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A remedy that might well ease
The deep concern you feel for him,
As well as his anxiety.
Forgive whatever boldness I

Display. My faith in your love

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Inspires me to say these things
As honestly as possible.
I am, my lord, the only daughter of
Your brother, who, though still so young,

Was cruelly cut down by death,

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Just as the budding flower of
The almond-tree is withered by
The north wind's cold and icy breath.
When, not long afterwards, I lost

My mother too, you took me into

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Your house and ever since have been
To me not just a father but
The precious thread of gold to guide
And help me find my way through this

Most complicated labyrinth *

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Of adverse fortunes. As well, you gave

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Me Federico, your son,
To be my brother, cousins both,
Always together throughout our youth.

I loved him just as truly and

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As honestly as he loved me,
Our life together one: one law,
One love, one will that joined us both
In such true harmony as now

Our marriage would make permanent

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By giving him to me and me
To him, thereby ensuring
That only death can ever break
A bond tied so securely.

My poor father's death has also left

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Me well provided for, which makes
Me think there is not in the rest
Of Italy a better match
For Federico's qualities,

Though it may prove the case that Spain

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Or Flanders may provide someone
To challenge me. Moreover, if
I marry him, why should some future heir
Cause him anxiety? My fortune is

Enough to free him from such cares.

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Tell me, my lord, if my advice is good.

DUKE. Let me embrace you, Aurora.
^*
You are the very light of heaven
That banishes and brightens my

Dark night; the dawn that offers me

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My remedy; the sun that helps
Me see, as in some clear glass,
The resolution of my deep
Anxiety. You have assured me

Of honour and of life, and so,

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If your love is equal to
Your eagerness, I now assure you
That I shall be a witness to
This perfect marriage. I have no doubt

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He loves you just as honestly

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As you deserve. If both of you
Are then of one accord, I give
My word that married you shall be.
As soon as he arrives, you'll see

Ferrara come alive with happy

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Celebration.

AURORA. My lord, I cannot say
How much today this daughter feels
Her sense of debt and obligation.

Enter
BATÍN.

BATÍN. My lord, I cannot say how much

You are today indebted both

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To me and to the wind, nor if
I am ahead of him or him of me;
Nor if I flew upon his back
Or he more speedily upon

My feet to bring the news I bear:

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Which is to say the Duchess fair
Will soon be here. Mind you,
There was a scare, as history
Shall one day tell, for Madam's coach

Fell over in a stream, but have

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No fear, Federico's there,
And there he comes to rescue her
And take her cleanly in his arms!
I tell you, sir, she really warms

To him because of that, as if

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To prove that stepmothers and step-
Sons
^*
thrown together is not like putting fat
Upon the fire. Just wait, my lord.
The sight of them will bowl you over.

You'd think she was his real mother.

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DUKE. This is great news, Batín. That they
Should truly like each other! Not only that;
If, as you say, the Count shows signs
Of happiness, the news must also be

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Considered novelty. I pray

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To God that Federico has
The sense to treat Casandra well.
You are quite sure he impressed
Her favourably?

BATÍN. Oh, yes, my lord.

I think they took each other's fancy.

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AURORA. And have you news as well for me,
Batín?

BATÍN. Oh, Miss Aurora, such
A heavenly name! You make the flame
Of poetry dawn in me! What would
You have of me?

AURORA. I wish to know

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How beautiful Casandra is.

BATÍN. I think such curiosity
Sits very awkwardly upon
Your ladyship and more befits

The Duke. You know what fame

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Has so far said of her . . . but why
Repeat what fame has said when she
Is here?

DUKE. Batín, this golden chain
Proclaims my gratitude.

Enter, with pomp and splendour,
RUTILIO,
the
MARQUIS OF GONZAGA, FEDERICO,
CASANDRA,
and
LUCRECIA.

FEDERICO. My lady, this pavilion in

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The garden is reserved for you,
So that the Duke may meet you there
With all the ceremony you deserve.
Meanwhile, Ferrara waits to greet

You with such pomp and majesty

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As may to you seem miserly or mean,
But is more lavish than the whole

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Of Italy has ever seen.

CASANDRA. The lack of welcome did disturb me,
I admit.

FEDERICO. Then I must hope that I've

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Explained the cause of it. Aurora and
The Duke are here to welcome you.

DUKE. Most beautiful Casandra, mistress of
My soul and my estate, I bid

Heaven grant you long and happy life,

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That you may bring to this great family
A greater honour as my wife.

CASANDRA. To serve you well, my lord, is all
I wish. Your glorious name confers

Both fame and privilege upon

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My family. I only trust
That any qualities I have
May prove deserving of your own.

DUKE. My dear Marquis, let me embrace you.

I am indebted to you for

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This loveliest of gifts.

MARQUIS. Such thanks
Repay the debt in part, my lord,
Though you'll agree your wedding-day
Must add to it substantially.

AURORA.

Casandra, let me introduce

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Myself. I am Aurora.

CASANDRA. Amongst
The many gifts good fortune now
Confers on me, to have you as
My friend is easily the best.

AURORA. You may rely on me to serve

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You well. Consider everything
I have at your disposal. Ferrara is
Most fortunate to have you celebrate

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Its future glory.

CASANDRA. As soon as I

Arrive, I am the object of

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Such favour and such flattery
As promises my future happiness.

DUKE. I pray, be seated. The members of
My household pay their homage.

CASANDRA. Thank You, sir. No sooner do you speak

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Than I obey.

[
The
DUKE, CASANDRA,
the
MARQUIS,
and
AURORA
sit beneath a canopy

CASANDRA. Federico, you shall sit with us.

DUKE. The boy insists he'll be the first
To kiss your hand.

CASANDRA. But this is quite

Ridiculous. Must I permit

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Humility like this?

FEDERICO. Deny
It, madam, you insult my love
And mock my true desire to obey.

CASANDRA. But this . . .

FEDERICO. Give me your hand.

CASANDRA. Is foolishness.

FEDERICO. And this the proof that everything

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You wish is my command. I kiss
Your hand three times: the first
Must be regarded as a sign
That I, as long as I shall live,

Intend to be the image of

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Unrivalled loyalty; the second is
The mark of my obedience to
The Duke, whose wishes I observe

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Respectfully; the third is for

Myself, for when both fatherly respect

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And loyalty are set aside,
My soul speaks for itself and any words
That issue forth, unshaped by other wills,
Must be regarded as the gentle voice
Of true sincerity.

CASANDRA. Then let

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These arms become a chain
^*
to bind
The willing neck of one who promises
Such constancy.

DUKE. The boy shows signs
Of more maturity.

MARQUIS. Most beautiful

Aurora. Everything that I

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Had heard of you inspired me
To want to see you for myself.
It falls to my good fortune now
To find myself in such proximity,

And since my deepest wishes have

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Come true, I swear that beauty such
As you possess obliges me
To put my life at your service.

AURORA. My dear Marquis, flattery

Like this is precious spoken by

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A man whose name throughout the whole
Of Italy is commonly
Associated with his fame
Upon the battlefield. I had not thought

Of you in terms of gallantry;

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And yet I should, for are not gallantry
And bravery essential arms
For any man connected with
The military life, not least

In one of such distinguished line

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And family?

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