by Lope de Vega
' Inés, 185
In the valley, laughing.
If you see her, Andrés,
I beg you to tell her
I'm dying.'*
-116-
INÉS. Did you say Alonso wrote it? 190
TELLO. It's not at all bad for a poet from
Olmedo.
ALONSO. But inspired by love!
TELLO. 'Andrés, when Inés's lovely feet*
Had touched the valley's flowers,
They grew in such profusion, 195
The heavens exchanged their stars for them.
And so the valley is now heaven,
With everything in springtime bloom,
And he will see true heaven in this,
Who sees, for she is heaven, 200
Inés.
'With fear and true respect I place
My feet where hers have left their mark.
For what greater beauty could we wish
To make Medina's fields now flourish? 205
I saw her flee from love
And everything she gazed on die.
Her harsh disdain so chilling,
I left her, while I was weeping,
In the valley, laughing. 210
'Tell her, Andrés, I long to see
Her perfect beauty once again;
Though by the time you speak to her,
I think my life may well be over.
And you, once you've set eyes on her, 215
Cannot expect a happy future.
For anyone who sees Inés
Is doomed to die, as you will be,
If you see her, Andrés.
'But should she omit to destroy you 220
Because she's simply ignored you,
Then ask her why she murders me,
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When I'm the one who loves her dearly.
Tell her I don't deserve to die,
And she'll regret it afterwards. 225
But now this life of mine is over.
What else is there to say, except
I beg you to tell her.
'In matters of love, it's very true,
A lover takes an age to die, 230
For every time you think he's gone,
He sees the girl and is reborn.
But if I live or if I die,
I shan't regret my love for her.
The greatest pleasure lies in knowing 235
That, on account of serving her,
I'm dying.'*
Inés. If that's your work, it doesn't tell
The truth about my love for Don Alonso.
ALONSO. No poem can ever tell 240
The truth about such love as mine.
How can my feelings be expressed
In mere verse?
INÉS. My father's coming.
ALONSO. What, here?
INÉS. Quickly, you have to hide!
ALONSOandTELLOexit. Enter DON PEDRO.
PEDRO. Inés, my dear. I thought you'd be 245
In bed by now. What keeps you up?
INÉS. I was saying my prayers, father.
I haven't forgotten what you told
Me yesterday: that I should pray
That God might help me choose what's best. 250
PEDRO. Whenever I think of what is best
For you, Inés, I cannot think
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You'll find a better husband than
Rodrigo.
INÉS. It seems that everyone
Thinks well of him. I have no doubt 255
That, if I were to marry, no one else
Would be more suitable either in
Medina or in all Castile.
PEDRO. What's this 'if I were to marry'?
INÉS. Father, I wanted to avoid 260
Upsetting you. The truth is, I am
Already married.*
PEDRO. Married? It's news
To me!
INÉS. To you, yes! To me my heart's
Desire. And now that I've confessed,
Perhaps you'll have a habit made 265
For me, so I no longer have
To wear these lavish dresses. I think
It best to dress more suitably
While I am learning Latin. You still
Have Leonor, and she, I know, 270
Will give you grandchildren. As far
As I'm concerned, I beg you, for
My mother's sake, do not oppose
This heartfelt wish. Please find a good
And saintly woman who can teach 275
Me everything I need to know;
And a tutor to instruct me in Latin,
As well as singing.
PEDRO. Can I believe,
Inés, what I am hearing?
INÉS. My words
Are less important, father, than 280
My will.
PEDRO. My heart is moved* by what
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You say, Inés, but, on the other hand,
Is turned to stone. I'd hoped you'd give
Me grandchildren in my old age.
But if you think that you are called 285
To this, then God forbid that I
Should stand in your way. Do as you
Think fit. Your wishes are not mine,
But, as we know, each individual
May wish for things that Heaven does not. 290
Even so, because we are by nature vain
And prone to change our minds -- a fault,
I think, more commonly the case
In women, who are easily persuaded,
And, lacking firmness, rarely do 295
What they have said they'll do --
I beg you do not throw away
These dresses. They will not interfere with
Your singing or your Latin classes,
Or anything you wish to do. 300
Continue, then, to dress with style
And elegance. I would not wish
Medina to be astonished now
By your other-worldliness, and then
To laugh at you should you decide 305
To turn your back on it once more.
I'll find a woman who can teach
You Latin. Why should I complain
If you obey a father much
Superior to myself? So God 310
Be with you, daughter. I'll say goodnight
And let my tears flow where you
Will not be witness to my grief.
Exit DON PEDRO. Enter DON ALONSO and TELLO.
INÉS. I'm sorry if I've caused you pain.
ALONSO. What pain, Inés, if what you've done 315
Has offered me the certainty of death?
Was there no other remedy
-120-
Less painful?
INÉS. In danger such as this,
Love is a light which shows true lovers how
They may escape.
ALONSO. Is this escape 320
For us?
INÉS. In part it is. It puts
An end to Don Rodrigo's hopes
Of marriage. Delay is also much
To our advantage. We live in hope
If I'm not sentenced for a second time. 325
TELLO. She's quite right, master. While she learns
To read and sing, the two of you
Are planning to get to the church yourselves.
No longer can Rodrigo make
Don Pedro keep his word to him.* 330
Nor can he feel affronted by
Inés rejecting him for who
She says she wants to marry. What's more,
It gives me access to this house.
I can come and go just as I please. 335
ALONSO. I don't quite follow. What do you mean?
TELLO. If she's to study Latin, sir,
Then I'll become her Latin teacher!
Believe me, I shall use my skill
In teaching her to read your letters. 340
ALONSO. A brilliant
plan, Tello! I see
My salvation* close at hand.
TELLO. I think, too,
That Fabia could attend her, sir,
Disguised as a good and holy woman,
And offer her instruction.
INÉS. Well said, 345
Tello. Fabia shall instruct me
-121-
In virtue.
TELLO. She's an expert in
That field, alright!
ALONSO. My dear Inés,
Love pays no heed to passing time.
The hours fly, and dawn has overtaken us. 350
I fear, as I depart, I might
Be recognized, which makes me think
I ought to stay -- oh, if I could!
What sweet imprisonment! But no,
I cannot. Medina celebrates 355
The Festival of the Cross of May.*
I must prepare for it. Not only shall
I do you honour when I fight
The bulls. I am informed the King
Don Juan attends. The Constable's 360
Invited him * to spend some time
With him on his estate outside
Toledo. At his request he also plans
To honour our town, and so
Our noblemen must honour him. 365
God keep you, Inés. I take my leave.
INÉS. Wait, I'll open the door and make
Quite sure it's safe.
ALONSO. I curse the dawn!
It comes too soon, eager to put
An end to lovers' pleasures.
TELLO. Let's go 370
Before it's light.
ALONSO. But why?
TELLO. Because
It will be day!
ALONSO. Only if you
Are speaking of Inés. How can
It be day if, when we leave, the sun*
-122-
Has set?
TELLO. It's already rising, sir, 375
But you, it seems, are set to stay.
[Exit DON ALONSOand TELLO
Enter DON RODRIGOand DON FERNANDO.
RODRIGO. I have observed him carefully,
Fernando, prompted by this jealous heart.
He is a handsome fellow, his face
Contains a certain gravity. 380
FERNANDO. You act, my friend, like a true lover.
No sooner do you see a man,
Whom you consider handsome, than
You start to think that, should your lady see
Him too, she might desire him. 385
RODRIGO. The fact is that, although Medina is
Quite small, his fame is great. You will
Recall the youth I saw the other day,
The one who wore the cloak I'd lost,
As if he mocked my name and reputation. 390
I spoke to him and then made some
Enquiries. His master, it seems,
Is Don Alonso of Olmedo, a brave
And noble swordsman, feared by men
And bulls alike. If he now serves 395
Inés, my cause is lost. If she
Loves him, how can I hope that she
Will favour me?
FERNANDO. But why are you
Convinced that she loves him?
RODRIGO. I know
She does, and he is worthy of 400
Her love. What can I do if she
Despises me?
FERNANDO. Jealousy is, my friend,
-123-
A kind of monster* conjured up
By envy, wind, and darkness. The things
That we imagine take on solid form, 405
Appear like a phantom in the night,
Become a thought that drives us mad,
A lie that we believe is truth.
RODRIGO. So what explains Alonso's visits to
Medina? He goes there frequently. 410
And why at night so often standing on
Some corner? I want to marry her.
You are a prudent man. Advise
Me now. What can I do, apart
From killing him?
FERNANDO. I think you ought 415
To ask yourself: if Doña Inés
Does not love you, why now assume
That she loves him?
RODRIGO. It must be that
He's luckier or better-looking.
FERNANDO. More likely, I think, she has no wish 420
To marry, and you persist in asking her.
RODRIGO. I swear I'll kill a man who makes
Me live dishonoured.* Her cold disdain
Cannot proceed from honest motives.
I lost my cloak and now I lose 425
My reason.
FERNANDO. No doubt the cloak has spurred
Him on. Arrange the marriage, Rodrigo.
He has the cloak but you achieve
The victory.
RODRIGO. My love for her
Is overcome by jealousy 430
And rage.
FERNANDO. Be bold. Attend the fiesta.
We'll go together. The presence of
-124-
The King demands we take the chestnut and
The bay. Such entertainment makes
Our troubles seem much less.
RODRIGO. If Don 435
Alonso comes, what chance do you think
Medina has against Olmedo?
FERNANDO. Have you gone mad?
RODRIGO. Love has made me so!
Exit DON RODRIGOand DON FERNANDO.
Enter DON PEDRO, DOÑA INÉS, and
DOÑA LEONOR.
PEDRO. But why do you persist?
INÉS. You will
Not change my mind.
PEDRO. Daughter, you wish 440
To poison me? There is still time.
INÉS. What difference does it make wearing
The habit now if I intend
To wear it always.
LEONOR. It's foolish.
INÉS. Be quiet, Leonor!
LEONOR. The fiesta demands 445
Something much more elegant.
INÉS. No girl
Who longs for those could possibly
Be pleased by these. As for myself,
These heavenly garments are my one
Ambition.
PEDRO. Do not my wishes count 450
For anything?
INÉS. To obey is only right.
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Enter FABIA with a rosary and walking-stick
and wearing spectacles.
FABIA. God bless this household!
PEDRO. God bless you, madam.
FABIA. So which of you is Doña Inés,
About to give herself in marriage to
Our Lord?* Who is it chooses to be 455
His bride and offer Him her love
Throughout eternity?
PEDRO. Good mother, she stands
Before you. I am her father.
FABIA. May
You be so for many years to come,
And may she come into the presence of 460
Her Lord long before you, good sir.
I pray that you are moved to grant
Her such a husband, such a noble
And virtuous bridegroom.
PEDRO. Indeed He is,
Mother!
FABIA. Knowing that Inés has need 465
Of someone who can guide her youth
Along the path of moderation, teach her
The ways of our Lord, help her
To take the first halting steps that lead
To love, I prayed. It was revealed 470
To me that I should come, offer to complete
This noble task, sinner that I am.
PEDRO. This, Inés, is the woman you need.
INÉS. This is truly the woman I need.
Embrace me, mother.
FABIA. Gently, my dear! 475
The hair-shirt* chafes my skin!
-126-
PEDRO. Whoever saw
Such humilit
y!
LEONOR. Her virtue is written in
Her face.
FABIA. Such grace, such perfect beauty!
Oh, may your qualities be blessed
With all that I desire on your behalf! 480
Is there a chapel here?
INÉS. Mother,
I feel more virtuous already.
FABIA. Sinner that I am, I am afraid
Your father might obstruct our plans.
PEDRO. I'll not oppose a calling as 485
Divine as this.
FABIA. In vain, oh Satan, did
You seek to bring about this girl's
Destruction! There's to be no marriage in
Medina; rather a convent in
Olmedo. Domine ad juvandum me 490
Festina.*
PEDRO. The woman is an angel!
Enter TELLO wearing a scholar's cap.*
TELLO. If he's at home, he'll be glad to know
I've come to offer my assistance.
The teacher you seek is here, Don Pedro.
For Latin and for other things 495
Whose benefits will soon become
Apparent. I understand your daughter is
Intended for the Church, and so
You need an expert in religious matters.
Look no further, sir. I am a stranger, true, 500
But a student of the things she needs
To know.
PEDRO. It seems that everything
-127-
Is falling into place miraculously.
The will of God, no doubt. Good mother, you
Shall live with us, and you, young man, 505
Instruct my daughter. I'll leave you to
Arrange things here. Where are you from,
Young man?
