Three Major Plays
Page 17
FERNANDO. The way of the world, Rodrigo.
h
Some novelty always attracts 35
The easiest acclaim.
RODRIGO. He's changing horses.*
FERNANDO. But not his fortunes by the look of things.
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Enter TELLOwith lance and livery,
and DON ALONSO.
TELLO. By God, it's going well, sir!
ALONSO. Give me
The sorrel,* Tello.
TELLO. Such praise for both
Of us!
ALONSO. You think so?
TELLO. For me on foot, 40
For you on horseback! Both of us
Have done our bit.
ALONSO. Everyone has seen
How brave you are!
TELLO. Six bulls I've chopped,*
As if their legs were home-grown radishes!
FERNANDO. Let's enter the ring* again, Rodrigo. 45
You may not wish to, but they expect us.
RODRIGO. You, perhaps, not me. Or if they do,
They merely want to see if I
Make some mistake, or if I'm gored
Or killed, so they can laugh as they 50
Recount it.
[Exit DON RODRIGOand DON FERNANDO
TELLO. They are watching you.
ALONSO. Indeed they are, both envious of
The triumphs I enjoy, and jealous too
Of my good fortune with Inés.
TELLO. You, sir, were the constant object of 55
Her smiles. They are, you know, the silent words
That tell us what goes on inside
A person's heart. Whenever you
Approached her balcony, I thought
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She'd throw herself into your arms. 60
ALONSO. Oh, Inés, if only fortune willed
That I could give my parents such
A precious gift as you!
TELLO. And so you will,
As soon as Don Rodrigo's sun
Has set. No doubt about it, sir. 65
Inés is all ablaze for you!
ALONSO. Fabia's at the house. I'll take a walk
Towards the ring, and you'll inform
Her that I wish to see Inés
Tonight before I leave. I must 70
Go to Olmedo, or else my parents will
Believe I'm dead. To worry them
Without good cause would be unjust.
It's only fair that they should sleep
At night.
TELLO. Quite right too, sir. At times 75
Like these they have good cause to worry.
Let them sleep in peace!
ALONSO. I'll go, then.
TELLO. God
Be with you, master.
[Exit DON ALONSO
Now I can speak
More freely. I have to see Fabia.
I have a plan to get the chain* 80
From her, in spite of all her cunning.
Medea, Circe, Hecate,* none
Of those famous women could match
Her for her knowledge. The key to her heart,
You'd have to turn it thirty times 85
At least, and yet I think I have
The master-key, which is to say
I love her, which opens every woman's heart,
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Especially those her age. They only have
To hear a few sweet words of love, 90
And there you are, they think that they
Are young again and, more than that,
Eternally desirable. So here
We are, I'll call her. Oh, what a fool
I am. She knows I only want the chain, 95
And also I can't stand old women.
I expect Old Nick will have told her that himself.
Enter FABIA.
FABIA. Good God, Tello! What's all this? It's not
The way to serve good Don Alonso!
Has something happened?
TELLO. Remember you're 100
Supposed to be a holy woman!
It's because of you I've come. I've brought
A message from my master.
FABIA. Was he
Successful?
TELLO. Of course he was! He had
Me with him!
FABIA. You always were a terrible boaster! 105
TELLO. Just ask the King. He'll tell you which
Of us was best. Whenever I
Went past his balcony, he leaned
Right over, almost fell on top
Of me to see me all the better. 110
FABIA. A favour indeed!
TELLO. I'd much prefer yours!
FABIA. Can I believe what I am hearing?
TELLO. Such beauty as I see before me now
Convinces me I am Orlando!*
Medina's bulls to me are nothing! 115
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You should have seen me, twisting, turning,
Giving them all a real pasting!
Why, in the middle of it all,
This bull is on his knees and begging me
To stop: 'Please, Mr Tello, stop,' 120
He says. 'I've had enough!''Enough?'
I said. 'I haven't started yet,'
And gave him such a smack, his leg
Flew off, and landed on a neighbouring rooftop.
FABIA. The roof must be a real mess. 125
TELLO. Ask the owner. I couldn't care less.
Now listen, Fabia. You have to tell
Your mistress that the boy who worships her
Comes here tonight to take his leave.
He has to go back home in case 130
His parents think he's dead. Make sure
She gets the message. I have to go,
Before the King observes my absence.
I am, you see, Master of Bull
Appointed to His Majesty. As such, 135
I'm guaranteed to be the object of
Much praise and adulation. Now,
Before I leave, grant me a favour.
FABIA. What sort of favour?
TELLO. Reward my love.
FABIA. You mean I am the inspiration* for 140
Your deeds? What is it you like the most
About me?
TELLO. Those lovely eyes!
FABIA. Then what
You want is a pair of blinkers.*
TELLO. I am an ass, it's perfectly true.
FABIA. A suitable present, then.
TELLO. But more 145
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Dark-brown than bay.*
FABIA. Be careful how
You go. A break like this could make
You lose your concentration. Some bull
Could have your trousers off, and everyone
Be treated to a private viewing. 150
Quite funny, that. A bull helps Tello with
Undressing!
TELLO. I'll fix my braces, protect
My modesty.
FABIA. I doubt a bull will give
Much thought to your braces.
TELLO. I tell
You I don't fear them.
FABIA. Remember that 155
Medina's bulls get quite upset
With servants from Olmedo.*
TELLO. This arm
Of mine defeats them all.
FABIA. Let's hope,
Then, Tello, you aren't gored where no
Bull's horn has ever been before. 160
[Exit FABIAand TELLO. Shouting from the bullring
FIRST VOICE. Don Rodrigo's fallen!
SECOND VOICE. Don Alonso goes
To help him! Such bravery!
FIRST VOICE. See how
He now dismounts!
SECOND VOICE. He draws his sword.
FIRST VOICE. The bull is wounded fatally!
Enter DON ALONSO, supporting DON RODRIGO.
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ALONSO. Take
This horse. The others have gone wild, 165
; Are running loose inside the ring.
Are you alright?
RODRIGO. Yes, thanks to you.
I fell so heavily.
ALONSO. Best not enter
The ring again. Your servants will
Assist you. I must go back and find 170
The horse I left there. God be with you!
Exit DON ALONSO. Enter DON FERNANDO.
FERNANDO. Rodrigo, what's happened? Are you hurt?
RODRIGO. Everything goes badly. First, a fall,
But, more than that, I owe my life*
To someone I'm so jealous of, 175
I long to see him dead.
FERNANDO. The King
A witness to it all, and now
Inés has seen her brave young man
Put down the bull to save your life.
RODRIGO. It drives me mad! Can there be anyone 180
In this entire world less fortunate
Than I? I am insulted, offended,
Rejected, driven mad with jealousy,
Now dishonoured.* I looked towards
Inés to see if in her eyes 185
I could detect the slightest sign
Of sympathy. Why do I worship her
When she shows such ingratitude?
I doubt that Nero showed as much
Disdain while he observed Rome burn,* 190
As did Inés when she looked down on me!
But then, when she observed Alonso,
Her jasmine cheeks began to blush
As bright as any pink carnation.
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Her rose-red lips revealed those pearls* 195
Which were the sweet reward for his
Success, the joy of seeing me
Prostrate at Don Alonso's feet,
The helpless victim of misfortune.
I swear to God that smile of hers, 200
Before Apollo* ushers in the dawn
And turns the sky to gold, shall be
Transformed to tears if I should meet
This so-called gentleman of hers
Between Medina and Olmedo. 205
FERNANDO. He knows how to defend himself.
RODRIGO. You underestimate my jealousy.
FERNANDO. The greatest monster, so it's said.
But matters of great consequence
Must be approached with common sense. 210
Exit both. Enter the KING, the CONSTABLE,
and ATTENDANTS.
KING. The festivities have finished late.
But still, I have not seen better.
CONSTABLE. I have informed them that you leave
Tomorrow. However, they are anxious that
You see the tournament arranged 215
In your honour. Medina begs
Your Majesty to stay just one
More day.
KING. It would be interesting.
CONSTABLE. And your presence much appreciated.
KING. Then I agree to it. Remember, though, 220
We have to reach Toledo in good time
And meet the Infante* as arranged.
CONSTABLE. The Knight from Olmedo has performed
Superbly.
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KING. He has, indeed, enjoyed
Good fortune.
CONSTABLE. It's difficult to know 225
Which is the greater: good fortune or
His valour. He is certainly brave.
KING. He seems to excel at everything.
CONSTABLE. Your Majesty is right to favour him.
KING. No more than he deserves, or that, 230
For your part, you favour him too.
Exit both. Enter Don ALONSOand TELLO.
It is night.*
TELLO. Master, we've waited far too long.
It's much too late to start.
ALONSO. My parents will
Be waiting anxiously. I have
To go, however late it is. 235
TELLO. If you start talking to Inés,
You'll soon forget your parents. You'll still
Be here at daybreak.
ALONSO. I doubt I shall.
My soul will tell me when it's time
To leave.
TELLO. I hear voices. Leonor's, 240
I think.
ALONSO. See how the stars shine brighter still
As my Inés approaches.
LEONORat the window.
LEONOR. Is that Don
Alonso?
ALONSO. It is.
LEONOR. My sister will soon
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Be here. She's with my father, discussing
The fiesta. Tello can come inside. 245
Inés has a present for him.
ALONSO. Tello, go
Ahead.
TELLO. If I don't appear again, sir,
Just start without me. I'll catch you up.
[Exit TELLO
ALONSO. Oh, when, Leonor, will I be allowed
To come inside?
LEONOR. I think quite soon. 250
My father is full of praise for you,
And well disposed. When he's informed
You love Inés and she loves you,
He'll welcome you with open arms.
INÉSappears at the window.*
INÉS. Who are you speaking with?
LEONOR. Why, Don 255
Rodrigo.
INÉS. You lie, it is my lord.
ALONSO. No, not your lord, Inés. I am
Your slave.
INÉS. You cannot be if you
Are my true master.
LEONOR. I'll leave you.
Who would want to disturb lovers 260
Other than someone truly jealous?
[Exit LEONOR
INÉS. So are you well, Alonso?
ALONSO. It was
As if I had no life, and so,
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To live, I come to see you once again.
INÉS. I think the sadness of our parting now 265
Is meant to temper all the joy
I felt on seeing you the paragon
Of knights, the torment of all ladies.
I am so jealous of each one
Of them. I wanted them to sing 270
Your praises, then regretted it
In case they fell in love with you.
So many names and titles were
Conferred on you through envy in
The men and admiration in 275
The women. My father longs that you
Should marry Leonor and so
Become his son-in-law, a thought
That gratifies my love for him
But fills my heart with jealousy. 280
'You shall be mine,' I tell myself,
The words contained, my soul proclaiming it
Quite openly. But how can I
Be happy if you now depart?
ALONSO. I go only to see my parents. 285
INÉS. And go you should, but that does not
Prevent my sadness.
ALONSO. Nor mine, Inés.
But, going to Olmedo, I leave
My soul here in Medina. How strange!
To leave, yet not to leave. Love fears 290
Such absences, and fear in turn
Inspires jealousy. And so I go,
Half dead and yet still half alive.
What can I say as I prepare to leave,
My foot already in the stirrup?* 295
My lady, all my days are spent
Amongst such harsh imaginings,
That sometimes I am happy in
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The midst of sadness, yet most sad
When I feel greatest happiness. 300
I am obsessed by darkest thoughts
Of losing you, and when I think
Such thoughts, imagination proves
So strong, no matter how I try,
I am convinced I am to die. 305
I know my rivals envy me,
And fear so much that, though I am<
br />
Convinced I can defeat them all,
I spend my anxious days between
Conflicting thoughts of love and fear. 310
I think perhaps we shall not meet
Again, and so I live obsessed
By thoughts that death is close at hand.
I imagine the words I'll put on paper,
And so now write this farewell letter. 315
To be thought of as your husband is
For me the greatest happiness;
And so, for one so loved and favoured as
Myself, it seems but just reward
That I should feel the greatest sadness. 320
To leave is surely to die, to write
Is to describe my death though I still live.
Believe me, Inés, when I return,
I shall be dead when I arrive,
If leaving is to cease to be alive. 325
I know that this is mere sadness,
And yet, Inés, its hold is such,
It speaks to me and tells me this:
'If you are dead when you depart,
How can it be that you'll return?' 330
I go, then, to my death,* although
To die, I know, is not to lose you.
For if you still possess my soul,
How can I then depart and be alive?
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How can I not be dead when I arrive? 335
INÉS. My lord, these fears you express
Have saddened me. If they are caused
By jealousy, it means your love
For me lacks faith. In part, I understand,
But you, it seems, have failed to understand 340
My love.
ALONSO. I promise you, my fears are