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Three Major Plays

Page 15

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,

  -117-

  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

  -118-

  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

  -119-

  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.

  -125-

  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?

 

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