SCENE VII.

Viceroy: Sancho----

Sancho: Enter sir! So great an honor!--

V.: I have already told you, Sancho, that I love you as a son. It is not the Viceroy of Mexico, who comes now to your house. I enter it as a friend. Receive me as such.

S.: And--to what, then, do I owe this pleasure? Seat yourself, sir, seat yourself.

(The Viceroy seats himself.)

V.: I come to you, Sancho, because I am most unhappy.

S.: (With pleasure.) You, most unhappy!

V.: Yes. If you knew----

S.: And what has happened to you? Let me know--but allow me to close this door because a draught enters. (He bolts the door that communicates with the interior and through which Blanca had passed.) Ah, well! sir! what makes you unhappy? It seems incredible; a man, powerful, rich, immensely rich, cradled from infancy in the arms of fortune--Perhaps, your wife!----

V.: My wife?--No! My wife has never been able to make me unhappy, just as she has never made me happy. We have never loved. I married her for family reasons and, in fine----

S.: I do not understand, then----

V.: Hear me, Sancho! For many years my only good, my only joy, my sole delight in this world, has been a lovely girl----

S.: Yes, yes,--a lovely girl who has grown up, receiving her education, in the Convent of Seville.

V.: You know it! (Profoundly surprised.)

S.: And whom you brought with you to Mexico, two years ago.

V.: Yes.

S.: You lodged her with the Sisters of the Conception where you caused her to be loved and respected as if she were your daughter.

V.: That is true!

S.: You visited her daily, secretly, at evening----

V.: Yes, because----

S.: You have already said it. Because you loved her with all your soul----

V.: With all my soul! but----

S.: But they have robbed you of her. (Very brief pause.)

V.: (Approaching Sancho, with great emotion.) And you, you Sancho, know this also!

S.: As I tell you----

V.: And, who, who has been--? Who--? Do not tell me his name, that matters nothing! Tell me where he is,--tell me that--because I desire his life’s blood.

S.: Calm, Señor Viceroy, more calm!

V.: Calm! and she is not at my side--Calm! and the hours pass.--Calm! and the grief increases and the suffering grows stronger, and despair kills!

S.: You suffer greatly!

V.: Tell me who it is, Sancho! You know it. I see it in your eyes.--Tell me.--You know that here I am the equal of the King! The King, himself, is not more powerful than I! Ask, from me, riches, honor, position,--all, all, for your single word! Speak! You know! Is it not so?

S.: Yes. It is true.

V.: Oh, joy! And you will tell me!

S.: No.

V.: (Furious.) No?--You will not tell me, _you_? (He directs himself toward the door, raising his voice)--Halloa, here!

S.: (Gently detaining him.) Ah! I will close this door because a draught enters. (Locks the door with a key. The Viceroy looks at him with frightened surprise.)

V.: Sancho!--Are you making sport of me? Are you trifling with my agony?--But, no, no, you would not be capable of that, impossible.--You are not an ingrate.

S.: Seat yourself, Señor Viceroy, and hear me.

V.: Seat myself?--Good, I obey you--Now, you see--I seat myself.--But you must tell it me.

S.: Listen. Only last night, Señor Viceroy, I told you that Juan de Paredes,--the person who has been recommended to you----

V.: My God! but--and, what has this to do?

S.: If you are not calm----!

V.: Sancho!

S.: If you are not calm, I will say nothing and then you would know nothing, even if you put me to the torture.

V.: Well! well!--I am silent--I listen--What anxiety!

S.: Juan de Paredes, unhappy orphan, entrusted to a friend--very intimate--in fact a second self--the mission of avenging his wrongs upon the person who dishonored his mother, Doña Mencia, and assassinated his father--and this firm friend finally discovered the scoundrel--ah, he was a man of great power!

V.: And you know his name?

S.: If you interrupt----

V.: I am silent.

S.: The good friend of Juan de Paredes succeeded in approaching--then in speaking with--and, later, in introducing himself into the house of--and, soon in ingratiating himself in the heart of the criminal.--He spied upon him as the wolf-hunter spies upon his prey,--scrutinized his movements--informed himself of his most insignificant actions. He studied his character, his most hidden motives; he followed him everywhere and at all times and at last discovered the place--the place in which the lair of the beast was hidden! He had but a single love on earth!--And there he fixed his eyes, because fixing his eyes there he thrust a dagger into the assassin’s heart.--Not into his heart, no,--into his very soul!--Because, that love was his daughter--a lovely maiden!----

V.: Continue----!

S.: She gave him evidences of her love.

V.: Continue----!

S.: She loved him with all the blindness and strength of a first love.

V.: And he----?

S.: He did not love her!

Blanca: (From within, with a feeble cry.) Aye!

V.: That cry----

S.: A cry?--Did you hear a cry?

V.: I thought--perhaps, no--I deceived myself,--continue.

S.: And one night--at night!

V.: I know it, now!--Be still! his name!

S.: He stole her--to dishonor her----

V.: Silence.

S.: To defile her----

V.: To defile her!--and, she?

Blanca: (Within.) Open. (Violently shakes the door.)

S.: Hear her.

V.: There--she, there! Wretch--! What have you done? You shall die. (Placing his hand on his swordhilt.)

S.: Yes, yes! Come on, infamous assassin; because, I abhor you as I do her.