SCENE III.—_ALONSO sitting.

_Enter TORRIBIO._

_Torr._ Oh, uncle!

_Alon._ Well, what now?

_Torr._ Oh, such a thing! I suspected it!

_Alon._ Well, tell me.

_Torr._ Such a thing!

_Alon._ Speak, man.

_Torr._ When we were searching the house for the man cousin Clara told us of—

_Alon._ Well?

_Torr._ Passing by cousin Eugenia’s room, I saw— I have not breath to say it!

_Alon._ Speak, sir.

_Torr._ Those men in the house—those dandies about the door—I know how they get in now—when I found in my cousin’s room—behind her very bed—

_Alon._ Don Torribio!

_Torr._ The very ladder they climb up by!

_Alon._ A ladder?

_Torr._ Ah, and a very strong one too, all of iron and cord.

_Alon._ If this were true—

_Torr._ Wait till I show it you, then.

[_Exit._

_Alon._ Not in vain did Mari Nuño warn me of her dangerous disposition! If he have such a proof of her incontinence how will he marry her?

_Re-enter TORRIBIO with a fardingale._

_Torr._ There, uncle, there it is, hoops, and steps, and all!

_Alon._ This a ladder?

_Torr._ Ah, that, if it were all let out, would scale the tower of Babel, I believe.

_Alon._ I can scarce control my rage. Fool! this is a fardingale, not a ladder.

_Torr._ A what-ingale?

_Alon._ A fardingale, fool![10]

_Torr._ Why, that’s worse than the ladder!

_Alon._ You will fairly drive me out of my senses! Go, sir, directly, and put it back where you took it from, and for Heaven’s sake, no more of such folly!

[_Exit._

_Torr._ Well—to think of this! and my cousin that looked so nice too!

_Voices_ (_within_). Coach there! coach!

_Enter MARI NUÑO._

_Mari._ They are come back. I must get lights. Who’s this?

_Torr._ Nobody.

_Mari._ What are you doing with that fardingale; and where did you get it?

_Torr._ Nothing, and nowhere.

_Mari._ Come, give it me at once, lest I give you the fellow of the cuff I gave you before.

_Torr._ For fear of which, take that upon your wrinkled chaps. (_Strikes her, and calls out._) Help! help! Murder! murder! Help!

_Enter ALONSO, CLARA, EUGENIA, etc. in mantles._

_Alon._ What now?

_Torr._ Mari Nuño there, only because I wished her good night, laid violent hands on me.

_Mari._ Oh the wretch! he wanted to make love to me—and worse—declaring he would none of any who used such a thing as this. (_Showing fardingale._)

_Alon._ Let us hear no more of such folly. There is something else to-day to tell of. Well, (_to his daughters_,) you have seen this procession?

_Eug._ Ay, sir; the greatest sight, I believe, that Spain has seen since she was greatest of nations.

_Alon._ I, who could not go myself, am to see it, you know, in your recital.

_Eug._ As best we can, sir.

_Clara_ (_aside to MARI NUÑO_). Have you seen Don Felix?

_Mari_ (_aside_). Enough, he will be here. But when?

_Clara._ When the story is done, and all weary are gone to bed.

_Mari._ Good.

[_Exit; the rest sit down._

_Clara._ Begin you then, Eugenia, I will chime in.

_Eug._ This being the long-expected day When our fair Spain and fairest Mariana Should quicken longing hope to perfect joy, Madrid awoke, and dress’d her squares and streets In all their glory; through all which we pass’d Up to the Prado, where the city’s self, In white and pearl array’d, by ancient usage, Waited in person to receive the bride By a triumphal arch that rose heaven-high, The first of four all named and hung about With emblems of the four parts of the world, (Each with a separate element distinct,) Of which our sovereign lord was now to lay The four crowns at his sovereign lady’s feet.

_Clara._ And this first arch was Europe; typified By the wide Air, which temperatest she breathes, And which again, for double cognizance, Wore the imperial eagle for its crest; With many another airy symbol more, And living statues supplementary Of Leon and Castile, each with its crown, Austria, the cradle of the royal bride, And Rome, the mistress of the faith of all.

_Eug._ Here then, when done the customary rite Of kissing hands and due obeisance, Drum, trumpet, and artillery thundering, With that yet lordliest salute of all, A people’s universal acclamation; (And never in the world were subjects yet So proud, and bow’d, and with so good a cause;) Under a golden canopy she moved Tow’rd San Geronimo, whose second arch, Of no less altitude and magnificence, Deckt with the sixty crowns of Asia, Received her next, wearing for cognizance Earth, of which Asia is the largest piece; Which Earth again carried a lion’s mane, As proclamation of her noblest growth.

_Clara._ Thence passing on, came to where Africa, Her waste of arid desert embleming By Fire, whose incarnation, the Sun, Burn’d on this arch as in his house in heaven, Bore record of the trophies two great Queens Upon the torrid continent had won, Who, one with holy policy at home, The other in Granada by the sword, Extirpated deadly Mahometism.

_Eug._ Last, to the Holy Virgin dedicate, From whose cathedral by the holy choir Chaunted Te Deum, rose in splendid arch America, wearing for her device The silver image of the Ocean, That roll’d the holy cross to the New World. And so all pass’d to the Escurial, In front of which, in two triumphal cars, Two living statues were—one Mercury, Who, as divine ambassador, thus far Had brought the royal bride propitiously; The other, Hymen, who took up the charge Mercury left, and with unquenching torch, While cannon, trumpet, choir, and people’s voice Thunder’d her praises, took the palfrey’s rein, Who gloried in the beauty that he bore, And brought and left her at her palace door.

_Alon._ Well done, well done, both of you, in whose lively antiphony I have seen it all as well as if I had been there.

_Torr._ Well, for my part I neither wanted to see it nor hear of it.

_Alon._ No? why so, nephew?

_Torr._ Lord, I’ve seen twice as good as that down in my country many a time, all the boys and girls dancing, and the mayor, and the priest, and—

_Alon._ Peace, peace. Come, Brigida, light me to my room, I am sleepy.

_Eug._ And I; with sight-seeing, and sight-telling, I suppose. (_Aside._) And with a heavy heart, alas!

[_Exeunt ALONSO, EUGENIA, and BRIGIDA._

_Clara._ Will not you to bed too, sir?

_Torr._ Not till I’ve had my supper, I promise you. Oh, I don’t care for all your sour looks, not I, nor your threats of revenge neither.

_Clara._ You don’t?

_Torr._ No, I defy you.

_Clara._ Not if I were to prove to you that she you slighted me for loves another?

_Torr._ Oh, cousin Clara!

_Clara._ Shall I prove it to you?

_Torr._ Oh, if my ancestors could hear this, what would they say?

_Clara._ I don’t know. But you may hear if you like what she says to your rival.

_Torr._ Ha!

_Clara._ Go into this balcony, and you will hear her talking to him in the street.

_Torr._ I knew! I guessed! the ladder! (_He goes into the balcony and she shuts him in._)

_Clara._ There cool yourself in the night till I let you out. And now to have _you_ safe too. (_Locks EUGENIA’S door._) And now, all safe, for the first time in my life Love and I meet in fair field. Mari Nuño! (_Enter MARI._) Where is the Cavalier?

_Mari._ Waiting in my chamber.

_Clara._ Bring him. You understand it is all for Eugenia’s good?

_Mari._ I understand.

[_Exit, and returns with FELIX._

_Fel._ I fly, madam, to your feet. (_Kneels._)

_Clara._ Rise, sir, ’tis about your letter I sent to you.

_Fel._ Alas, madam, all is worse than ever!

_Clara._ What has happened?

_Fel._ Not only did my two friends fall out with each other, as I expected, but with me for the very good services I was doing them; insulted me till I could withhold my sword no longer; we went out to fight; were seen, pursued, and disperst by the alguazils. I returned home to await them, but as yet know nothing more of them.

_Clara._ Alas, sir, what do I not owe you for your care on my behalf?

_Fel._ More perhaps than you imagine.

_Clara._ Tell me all at least, that I may at least know my debt, if unable to repay it.

_Fel._ Alas, I dare not say what is said in not saying.

_Clara._ Said, and not said? I do not understand.

_Fel._ I, alas, too well!

_Clara._ Explain to me then, sir.

_Fel._ No, madam. If what I feel is so much on my friends’ account, it is still more for their sakes that I keep it unsaid.

_Clara._ Hark! what noise is that? Mari Nuño, what is the matter?

_Enter MARI NUÑO._

_Mari._ Oh, madam, some one is getting over the garden wall! Your father has heard the noise; and is got up with his sword.

_Clara._ If he should find you!

_Fel._ He need not. This balcony—

_Clara._ No, no!

_Torribio_ (_within_). Thieves! Murder! Help! (_He opens the balcony; TORRIBIO falls forward on him, pushed in by JUAN with his sword drawn._)

_Torr._ Murder! Murder! ⎫ ⎪ _Juan_ (_to FELIX_). Thou too here, traitor! ⎬ All at once. ⎪ _Fel._ (_drawing his sword_). Who are these? ⎭

(_Confusion, in which enter ALONSO with drawn sword, OTAÑEZ, BRIGIDA, etc._)

_Alon._ Two! Torribio, to my side!

_Fel._ Wait! wait! Let me explain.

_Alon._ Don Felix!

_Fel._ Listen to me, all of you, I say! I was sent for to prevent, not to do, mischief, by Donna Eugenia herself—

_Enter EUGENIA._

_Eug._ By _me_, sir!

_Clara._ Hold, hold, Eugenia!

_Eug._ I will _not_ hold when my name is in question without my—Sent for by me, sir!

_Fel._ Not by you, madam; by Donna Eugenia, (_pointing to CLARA_) to prevent—

_Alon. and Eug._ Clara!

_Torr._ Ah, ’twas she put me to freeze in the balcony, too.

_Clara_ (_to FELIX_). Sir, you come here to save another from peril. Leave me not in it.

_Fel._ _I_ leave you, madam, who would lay down my life for you! and all the rather if you are _not_ Donna Eugenia.

_Alon._ None but her father or her husband must do that.

_Fel._ Then let me claim to do it as the latter. (_Kneels to CLARA._)

_Alon._ But Clara?

_Clara._ Sir, I am ready to obey my father—and my husband.

_Eug._ And I, sir. And to prove my duty, let me marry my cousin at once, and retire with him to the mountains.

_Torr._ Marry me! No, indeed! No Capacities, and ladders, and—what-d’ye-call-’ems—for me. I’ll e’en go back as I came, with my ancestors safe in my saddle-bags, I will.

_Juan_ (_to ALONSO_). Permit me, sir. I am Don Juan de Mendoza; a name at least not unknown to you. I have loved your daughter long; and might have had perchance favourable acceptation from her mother long ago, had not you yourself been abroad at the time.

_Alon._ I now remember to have heard something of the kind. What say you, Eugenia?

_Eug._ I am ready to obey my father—and my husband. With which at last our comedy shall close, Asking indulgence both of friends and foes.

_Clara._ And ere we part our text for envoy give,— Beware of all smooth waters while you live!

This Comedy seems an Occasional Piece, to celebrate the marriage of Philip IV. with Anna Maria of Austria, and the pageants that Calderon himself was summoned to devise and manage. This marriage was in 1649; when Calderon, as old as the century, was in his prime; and I think the airy lightness of the dialogue, the play of character, the easy intrigue, and the happily introduced wedding rhapsodies, make it one of the most agreeable of his comedies.

As I purposely reduced the swell of Isabel’s speech in the last play, I must confess that the present version of these wedding pageants, though not unauthorised by the original, had perhaps better have been taken in a lighter tone to chime in with so much common dialogue. But they were done first, to see what could be made of them: and, as little dramatic interest is concerned, are left as they were; at least not the less like so much in Calderon, where love and loyalty are concerned; and to be excused by the reader as speeches _spouted_ by boys on holiday occasions.

THE MIGHTY MAGICIAN

TAKEN FROM CALDERON’S

EL MAGICO PRODIGIOSO

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

AURELIO _Viceroy of Antioch._

LELIO _his Son._

FABIO _a chief Officer in Antioch._

FLORO _his Son._

LISANDRO _an aged Christian._

JUSTINA _his Daughter._

LIVIA _their Servant._

CIPRIANO _a Professor of Learning._

EUSEBIO ⎫ ⎬ _his Scholars._ JULIAN ⎭

LUCIFER _the Evil Spirit._

CITIZENS, SOLDIERS, etc.