SCENE IV.—_A Room in CRESPO’S House.

_Enter JUAN pursuing ISABEL with a dagger._

_Isab._ Help, help, help!

[_Exit._

_Juan._ You must not live!

_Enter CRESPO, who arrests him._

_Cres._ Hold! What is this?

_Juan._ My father! To avenge our shame—

_Cres._ Which is to be avenged by other means, and not by you. How come you here?

_Juan._ Sent back by Don Lope last night, to see after some missing soldiers, on approaching the town I heard some cries—

_Cres._ And drew your sword on your officer, whom you wounded, and are now under arrest from me for doing it.

_Juan._ Father!

_Cres._ And Mayor of Zalamea. Within there!

_Enter Constables._

Take him to prison.

_Juan._ Your own son, sir?

_Cres._ Ay, sir, my own father, if he transgressed the law I am made guardian of. Off with him! (_They carry off JUAN._) So I shall keep him out of harm’s way at least. And now for a little rest. (_He lays by his wand._)

_Lope._ (_calling within_). Stop! Stop!

_Cres._ Who’s that calling without? Don Lope!

_Enter LOPE._

_Lope._ Ay, Peter, and on a very confounded business too. But at least I would not put up any where but at your friendly house.

_Cres._ You are too good. But, indeed, what makes you back, sir, so suddenly?

_Lope._ A most disgraceful affair; the greatest insult to the service! One of my soldiers overtook me on the road, flying at full speed, and told me—Oh, the rascal!

_Cres._ Well, sir?

_Lope._ That some little pettifogging mayor of the place had got hold of a captain in my regiment, and put him in prison! In prison! ’Fore Heaven, I never really felt this confounded leg of mine till to-day, that it prevented me jumping on horseback at once to punish this trumpery Jack-in-office as he deserves. But here I am, and, by the Lord, I’ll thrash him within an inch of his life!

_Cres._ You will?

_Lope._ Will I!

_Cres._ But will he stand your thrashing?

_Lope._ Stand it or not, he shall have it.

_Cres._ Besides, might your captain happen to deserve what he met with?

_Lope._ And, if he did, _I_ am his judge, not a trumpery mayor.

_Cres._ This mayor is an odd sort of customer to deal with, I assure you.

_Lope._ Some obstinate clodpole, I suppose.

_Cres._ So obstinate, that if he’s made up his mind to hang your captain, he’ll do it.

_Lope._ Will he? I’ll see to that. And if you wish to see too, only tell me where I can find him.

_Cres._ Oh, close here.

_Lope._ You know him?

_Cres._ Very well, I believe.

_Lope._ And who is it?

_Cres._ Peter Crespo. (_Takes his wand._)

_Lope._ By God, I suspected it.

_Cres._ By God, you were right.

_Lope._ Well, Crespo, what’s said is said.

_Cres._ And, Don Lope, what’s done is done.

_Lope._ I tell you, I want my captain.

_Cres._ And I tell you, I’ve got him.

_Lope._ Do you know he is the king’s officer?

_Cres._ Do you know he ravished my daughter?

_Lope._ That you are out-stripping your authority in meddling with him?

_Cres._ Not more than he his in meddling with me.

_Lope._ Do you know my authority supersedes yours?

_Cres._ Do you know I tried first to get him to do me justice with no authority at all, but the offer of all my estate?

_Lope._ I tell you, _I’ll_ settle the business for you.

_Cres._ And I tell you I never leave to another what I can do for myself.

_Lope._ I tell you once more and for all, I must have my man.

_Cres._ And I tell you once more and for all, you shall—when you have cleared him of the depositions.

_Lope._ The depositions! What are they?

_Cres._ Oh, only a few sheets of parchment tagged together with the evidence of his own soldiers against him.

_Lope._ Pooh! I’ll go myself, and take him from the prison.

_Cres._ Do, if you like an arquebuss ball through your body.

_Lope._ I am accustomed to that. But I’ll make sure. Within there!

_Enter Orderly._

Have the regiment to the market-place directly under arms, I’ll see if I’m to have my prisoner or not.

[_Exit._

_Cres._ And I—Hark ye!

[_Exit, whispering to a Constable._