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Three Major Plays

Page 9

by Lope de Vega


  Santiago, their Captain-General, 375

  Already rides against Girón,

  Who holds Ciudad Real. But yes,

  Jacinta is a decent girl.

  I do feel sorry for her.

  ESTEBAN. And Mengo too

  Was flogged?

  ALDERMAN. His body the colour of 380

  The blackest cloth or ink.

  ESTEBAN. I'll hear

  No more. It makes me boil to see

  Such wickedness. Everyone speaks ill

  Of him. As for myself, what use

  Is this rod of office?*

  ALDERMAN. But if 385

  His servants were to blame, why be

  Upset?

  ESTEBAN. You'd like to hear more? I'm told

  The other day they came across

  Pedro Redondo's wife, down in

  The valley, and when he'd had his way 390

  With her, he gave her to his servants.

  ALDERMAN. There's someone there! Who is it?

  FRONDOSO. It's me,

  Frondoso. I'd like permission to speak

  With you.

  ESTEBAN. Since when do family

  Require permission? Your father gave 395

  You life and I much love. I've seen

  You grow. To me you are a son.

  FRONDOSO. Then, trusting in your love, I'd ask

  -42-

  Of you the greatest favour. You know

  My father . . .

  ESTEBAN. Has this Fernán Gómez wronged you? 400

  FRONDOSO. He has.

  ESTEBAN. I thought as much.

  FRONDOSO. The fact is, sir,

  That knowledge of your love for me

  Makes me so bold as to declare

  I love Laurencia and wish

  To marry her. Forgive me if, 405

  In asking for her hand, my tongue

  Has run away with me or my

  Request seems over-bold.

  ESTEBAN. No, not

  At all, Frondoso. You give me another lease

  Of life, allaying my greatest fear. 410

  I thank the heavens that you do me

  This honour; am grateful to your love

  That you have shown such honesty.

  But now it's only right, of course,

  Your father is informed. If he 415

  Does not object, I am agreed.

  That being so, you have my blessing.

  ALDERMAN. Should not the girl be asked, before

  You agree to anything?

  ESTEBAN. Oh, don't

  You worry, they'll have seen to that, 420

  Agreed between themselves before

  It's gone this far. We could discuss

  The dowry if you want. I'd like

  To give you money.

  FRONDOSO. But I don't need

  A dowry, sir. It's not important. 425

  ALDERMAN. Be thankful, Esteban, he'll take

  -43-

  Her as God made her.

  ESTEBAN. I think it best

  I ask her what she thinks.

  FRONDOSO. Of course.

  No point in going against a person's wishes.

  ESTEBAN. Daughter! Laurencia!

  LAURENCIA. Yes, father? 430

  ESTEBAN. You see how she always obeys me?*

  Laurencia, my dear, there's something I'd like

  To ask you . . . (come over here a moment) . . .

  How do you feel about your friend, Gila,

  Taking Frondoso as a husband? 435

  He's an honourable boy, as good

  As any in Fuente Ovejuna.

  LAURENCIA. Gila . . . ?

  ESTEBAN. A deserving girl, a match

  For him in every respect.

  LAURENCIA. Well, yes, father,

  I have to agree.

  ESTEBAN. But even so, 440

  As ugly as sin! Frondoso's far

  Better off with you.

  LAURENCIA. Father, that's such

  A rotten trick, and at your age!*

  ESTEBAN. You love him?

  LAURENCIA. I'm very fond of him

  And have grown fonder still. But as 445

  You know . . .

  ESTEBAN. You want me to say 'yes'?

  LAURENCIA. On my behalf.

  ESTEBAN. It's in my hands?

  -44-

  All right, that's settled. Come on, we'll find

  My old friend in the square.

  ALDERMAN. Let's go.

  ESTEBAN. My boy, the question of the dowry. 450

  What shall we say to him? I'm quite prepared

  To give you four thousand maravedis.*

  FRONDOSO. But, sir, to accept it would offend me.

  ESTEBAN. Oh, come along. Such things are soon

  Forgotten. If there's no dowry, I tell 455

  You you'll regret it afterwards.

  [Exit ESTEBAN and the ALDERMAN. FRONDOSO

  and LAURENCIA remain

  LAURENCIA. Are you happy, Frondoso?

  FRONDOSO. Why would

  I not be? I'm head over heels with joy!

  My eyes reveal the feelings of

  My heart when they see you are mine, 460

  My sweet Laurencia!

  They leave. Enter the MASTER,*the COMMANDER,

  FLORES, and ORTUÑO.

  COMMANDER. You must escape. There's nothing else

  To do.

  MASTER. The wall was weak, the enemy

  Immensely powerful.

  COMMANDER. Even so,

  They paid for it in blood and lives. 465

  MASTER. Nor can they boast that their spoils Include the flag of Calatrava.*

  That would have crowned their enterprise

  And been their greatest victory.

  COMMANDER. But still, Girón, your hopes now lie 470

  In ruins.

  -45-

  MASTER. What can I do if Fortune is

  So blind that he who tastes success

  Today, must see it snatched away

  Tomorrow?

  VOICES [off]. All hail Castile's great victory!

  MASTER. Their torches crown the battlements. 475

  The flags of victory adorn

  The windows of the highest towers.*

  COMMANDER. They could as easily adorn

  Them with their blood. This is more tragedy

  Than celebration.

  MASTER. I shall return 480

  To Calatrava.

  COMMANDER. And I to Fuente Ovejuna.

  You must decide if you'll pursue

  Your kinsman's cause or now accept

  The Catholic Kings.

  MASTER. I'll write and let

  You know.

  COMMANDER. Time will help you make the right 485

  Decision.

  MASTER. Unless, as often happens in

  Our youth, it proves the agent of deception.

  They leave. Enter the wedding party: MUSICIANS,

  MENGO, FRONDOSO, LAURENCIA, PASCUALA,

  BARRILDO, ESTEBAN, MAGISTRATE, and JUAN ROJO.*

  MUSICIANS. Long life to them,

  The newly-weds!

  Long life! 490

  MENGO. Come on, you lot! It's the song that needs

  More life.

  BARRILDO. No doubt you think you could write

  A better one!

  -46-

  FRONDOSO. Mengo knows more

  Of whipping than composing.

  MENGO. That's true,

  But there down in the valley there's 495

  A chap the Commander . . .

  BARRILDO. No! Say

  No more! The man's an animal,

  Dishonours all of us!

  MENGO. He had

  A hundred soldiers beat me! I had

  A sling, that's all. It was terrible! 500

  But not as bad as this other fellow, who shall

  Be nameless. They pumped* black ink

  And stones right up his backside. Can you

  Imagine?
/>   BARRILDO. It must have been a joke!

  MENGO. Since when are enemas a joke! 505

  They may be good for you, but I think

  It would kill me.

  FRONDOSO. Anyway, let's hear

  The song now, let's see how good it is.

  BARRILDO [sings]. I pray to God that their life

  Be long and always happy; 510

  That they will never come to blows

  On account of jealousy.

  Oh, let them go to their graves,

  Worn out by being carefree.

  I pray to God that their life 515

  Be long and always happy.

  MENGO. And the devil take the author of

  Such dreadful poetry!*

  BARRILDO. I had to get

  It written quickly!

  MENGO. I'll tell you what

  -47-

  I think of such poets. You must 520

  Have seen a fellow making fritters.

  He throws great lumps of dough into

  A pan of boiling oil until its full.

  Some come out swollen, some deformed,

  Some totally misshapen, some 525

  Are fine, others not, some burnt to death,

  Some soggy. And that's your poetry too.

  The subject matter is the poet's dough.

  He throws it in the pan, which is

  His paper, and after it spoonfuls 530

  Of honey to cover up the taste

  And make it sweeter. Trouble is,

  There's no one wants to try it when

  It's done. So he's the one who's left

  With indigestion.

  BARRILDO. Stop fooling about. 535

  Let the young lovers speak.

  LAURENCIA. Let me kiss

  Your hand.

  JUAN ROJO. My hand? But why, Laurencia?

  You should kiss your father's hand,

  In gratitude for what he's done

  For you and for Frondoso.

  ESTEBAN. My friend, 540

  I pray that Heaven will offer them

  Its hand and constant blessing.

  FRONDOSO. Why don't

  The two of you bless both of us?

  JUAN ROJO. Come on! Let's have some music. Sing!

  They are as one!* 545

  MUSICIANS [sing]. The village-girl* came down the path

  From Fuente Ovejuna.

  She was soon followed by the knight

  Who came from Calatrava.

  -48-

  She hid amongst the branches there, 550

  She felt such shame and fear;

  Pretending she had not seen him,

  She drew the leaves around her.

  'Why try to hide yourself away?

  You really are quite pretty. 555

  My eyes can see through walls of stone

  When someone takes my fancy'.

  And so the knight went up to her,

  And she grew still more terrified;

  She used the trees to form a screen, 560

  Behind which she could safely hide.

  But, as you know, a man in love

  Can conquer any mountain;

  There's nothing can keep him at bay,

  And so he spoke to her again: 565

  'Why try to hide yourself away?

  You really are quite pretty;

  My eyes can see through walls of stone

  When someone takes my fancy'.

  Enter the COMMANDER*, FLORES, ORTUÑO, and CIMBRANOS.

  COMMANDER. Stop these celebrations now! 570

  Let no one cause any trouble here.

  JUAN ROJO. This is a serious business, sir,

  But if that's what you want. Perhaps

  You'd like to join us? But why this show

  Of arms? I take it you have been 575

  Victorious.

  FRONDOSO. Heaven help me! I'm as good

  As dead!

  LAURENCIA. That way, Frondoso! Run!

  COMMANDER. Get hold of him and tie him up!

  JUAN ROJO. Best give yourself up, lad!

  FRONDOSO. You mean

  You'll let them kill me?

  -49-

  JUAN ROJO. Why should they 580

  Do that?

  COMMANDER. I'm not the kind of man

  To kill someone who's innocent.

  In any case, if he were guilty,

  My men would have put an end to him.

  Take him away and lock him up! 585

  His father* shall be his judge and so

  Pass sentence.

  PASCUALA. But can't you see, my lord,

  He's getting married?

  COMMANDER. You think that matters?

  There must be someone else to take

  His place.

  PASCUALA. If he's offended you, 590

  You should forgive him, being the man

  You are.

  COMMANDER. Pascuala, I've no authority

  In this. His crime* has been against

  Téllez Girón, the Master; against

  The Order and its sacred honour. 595

  The punishment must serve as an

  Example, just in case others in

  The future choose to rise against him.

  You know already that he aimed

  The crossbow at myself, the Grand 600

  Commander -- proof enough, I think,

  Of his true loyalty!

  ESTEBAN. I am

  His father-in-law and therefore speak

  On his behalf. Are you surprised

  That someone so in love should act 605

  As he has done? If you attempted to

  Abduct his wife, it's natural

  That he should want to save her.

  -50-

  COMMANDER. You are

  An idiot, magistrate.

  ESTEBAN. I appeal

  To your virtuous nature,* sir.

  COMMANDER. I did 610

  Not try to take his wife. She wasn't his wife.

  ESTEBAN. Of course you did! There's nothing more

  To say. There are new rulers in

  Castile who'll introduce such laws

  And orders as will put an end 615

  To all disorder.* When they have ceased

  To be engaged in war, they would

  Do well to rid their villages

  And towns of men whose power comes

  From wearing crosses.* The King alone 620

  Should be allowed to wear the cross.

  COMMANDER. Seize his rod of office!

  ESTEBAN. My lord,

  You are most welcome.

  COMMANDER. Just the thing

  To beat him with, as if he were

  Some over-frisky horse!

  ESTEBAN. Then beat me! 625

  I bow to you as overlord.*

  PASCUALA. You'd make an old man suffer?

  LAURENCIA. You do

  This now because he is my father.

  What wrong have I done you that you

  Must punish him?

  COMMANDER. Take her away! 630

  And let ten soldiers guard her!

  [He and his men exit

  ESTEBAN. Let Heaven administer its justice!

  -51-

  [He exits

  PASCUALA. The wedding's become a wake.

  BARRILDO. Will no

  One here speak out?

  MENGO. Exactly what

  I did. I've got the marks to prove it. 635

  Someone else can test his anger.

  JUAN ROJO. We need

  To talk, all of us.

  MENGO. Much better bite

  Your tongue. My kettle-drums* ache,

  And both as red as salmon steaks.

  -52-

  ACT THREE

  Enter ESTEBAN,* ALONSO, and BARRILDO.

  ESTEBAN. Haven't they come yet?

  BARRILDO. No, not yet.

  ESTEBAN. Everything goes from bad to worse.

  BARRILDO. Most of them know about the meeting.
/>
  ESTEBAN. Frondoso locked up in the tower,

  Laurencia in such terrible danger . . . 5

  We need God's help in this!

  Enter JUAN ROJOand the ALDERMAN.*

  JUAN ROJO. Esteban, keep

  Your voice down! This meeting must be secret,

  For all our sakes!

  ESTEBAN. The wonder is

  I do not shout much louder.

  Enter MENGO.

  MENGO. Alright,

  I'm here. Let the meeting begin. 10

  ESTEBAN. Honourable friends, I speak to you

  As someone whose grey beard is bathed

  In tears, and ask what final rites

  We can perform in honour of

  This town, so damaged and destroyed. 15

  What honourable rites indeed,

  If there is not a single one

  Of us whose life that criminal

  Has not dishonoured? Tell me now if there

  Is someone here whose honour is 20

  Unscathed. You are as one, I think,

  -53-

  In your complaints. And so I say

  To you: if you have common cause,

  What are you waiting for? Is not

  What has befallen us the greatest of 25

  Misfortunes?

  JUAN ROJO. The greatest the world

  Has ever seen. But now, we have

  Been told, the King and Queen bring peace

  To all Castile. Soon they will be

  In Córdoba,* so why not send 30

  Two aldermen to state our case

  And beg them to put right these wrongs?

  BARRILDO. But Fernando is still at war

  With many enemies. He won't

  Have time for our complaints. It's best 35

  We think of something else.

  ALDERMAN. If you

  Ask me, I think we should evacuate

  The town.

  JUAN ROJO. There isn't time.

  MENGO. And once

  He gets to know our plans, it's going

 

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