by Lope de Vega
Master!
DUKE. I would hear more, but find
Her words depress me so, I'm going home
To bed.
RICARDO. It's only ten o'clock. 220
It's far too early.
DUKE. There's nothing here
That pleases me.
RICARDO. Not even her?
DUKE. I am afraid of what she still
Might say of me.
RICARDO. Of you? What could
She say?
DUKE. A play, Ricardo, is 225
A mirror to all men,* in which
The fool, the wise, the young, the old,
The weak, the strong, the mild, the bold,
The king, the prince, the governor,
The girl, the bride, the lover, wife, 230
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Can by example learn of honour
And of life. We see our customs there,
Both bold and frivolous. It mixes
Comedy with seriousness and tragedy
With jokes.* But I have heard enough 235
To know her speech informs me of
Myself, and wish to know no more.
The truth is simply the majority of men
Would willingly ignore the truth
About themselves. 240
They leave. Enter FEDERICO, a handsome
young man. He is dressed in travelling clothes
and accompanied by his servant, BATÍN.
BATÍN. It beats me what you're up to, Federico.
Why have we stopped amongst these willow-trees?*
Why are their roots a pillow for your head
When there's important business still ahead?
FEDERICO. My mood does not allow me, as I ought, 245
To move with greater speed. I much prefer,
Oppressed by melancholy thoughts,* no other
Company but mine; to lie beneath this canopy
Of trees that listens to the water's sound
And in its silver mirror sees the cool 250
Green image of reflected foliage.
If I could but escape or find
Some refuge from the hideous prospect of
My father's marriage! I am his son and heir,
And now on this account must bear 255
The consequences of this deed.
I must pretend to those I know that I
Am pleased, when in reality my heart
Is heavy with disgust and bleeds
For everything I now consider lost. 260
My father bids me go to Mantua,
Where I shall meet my future stepmother,
And every step I take is one more reason
Why I should regard her as a fatal poison.
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BATÍN. The truth is, master, what was once 265
Your father's scandalous behaviour,
Condemned by strangers and by friends,
Has now surrendered at the feet of virtue.
For anyone who wants to settle down, you see,
By far the most effective bridle is 070
To marry. A loyal subject once*
Presented to the King of France a horse
Whose two great qualities were liveliness
Of spirit and outstanding beauty.
Its name was Swan, such was the snow- 275
White colour of its coat and mane
That, when it raised its lovely head,
Fell to its feet. It was as if,
Enjoying beauty and disdain,
It had been blessed by Nature's hand 280
With attributes that are by men
Considered feminine, and so,
If it were mounted by a man,
At once proclaimed itself unwilling.
The King, observing that the horse 285
Was beautiful but obstinate,
Commanded it be led into a cave
Where that great primate of the animals,
A proud and fierce lion, had his den.
Confronted by the lion's rage, 290
That mighty horse began to feel
Its courage quickly fade, and all its mane
And coat grow stiff as fear made
Each hair into a bright, sharp spear,
And what had been a sprightly nag, 295
Was suddenly a frightened hedgehog.
From each and every hair it sweated fear,
And soon became so calm and humble,
The smallest dwarf was master in the saddle.
That horse that hated to be ridden did 300
From that day forth what it was bidden.
FEDERICO. BatÍn, I know that marriage may well be
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The remedy to change my father's ways,
But am I not allowed regret
For having wasted all my hours, all my days 305
In foolish dreams? I know a woman can
Control the proudest and the fiercest man;
She is a lioness before whose gaze he seems
A lamb, his wildness at the very sight
Of his first-born transformed to such extremes 310
Of tenderness as will allow that man
To hold his babbling, gurgling child
And let it pull and tug his beard.
No humble peasant loves his grain
More dearly than a father loves 315
His family. For them he willingly
Abandons evil ways. But should I care
That my own father, having strayed
So far, should now regret the error of
His ways and by his change of heart ensure 320
That only sons who are legitimate
Can, as from now, lay claim to his estate?
I am a mere messenger,
My task to bring to him a lion bent
On my destruction. 325
BATÍN. My lord, the man who's wise and sensible,
And sees himself the object of
Intolerable ills, is best advised
To demonstrate his patience.
He needs to smile, put on a show 330
Of happiness, lest others think
He's envious, or has a mind to vengeance.
FEDERICO. Must I endure a stepmother?
BATÍN. Perhaps you'll learn to love her, sir.
It's true you've had a family 335
Of stepmothers the Duke has introduced
You to. So what's so terrible about
Another one, not least when she's
A lady too?
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FEDERICO. What's that?
BATÍN. I think
It's voices on the river-bank. 340
FEDERICO. A woman's cry for help. I'll go and see.
BATÍN. Much safer if you stay with me, my lord.
FEDERICO. Don't be so cowardly, BatÍn.
It sounds as if our help is needed.
[Exit FEDERICO
BATÍN. A woman's voice, he's gone, as short 345
On common sense as great on speed.
I suppose I'd better go. If she
Needs him, he might need me. If only he
Had gone as eagerly as this
To meet his future stepmother. 350
[Exit BATÍN]
Enter FEDERICO with CASANDRA in his arms.*
FEDERICO. To carry you to this safe place,
These arms are more than honoured, madam.
CASANDRA. I am indebted to you, sir,
For such true courtesy and grace.
FEDERICO. And I to such good fortune as 355
Has brought me to this wood and led
Me from the tedious path I followed.
CASANDRA. Who are these people, sir?
FEDERICO. The servants who
Go with me. They understand
Your every wish is their command. 360
Enter BATÍN with LUCRECIA, a servant, in his arms.*
BATÍN. If women have the common fault
Of insubstantiality,
How can it be, my girl, that you
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Are so ridiculously weighty?
LUCRECIA. Good sir, where are you taking me? 365
BATÍN. Why, to a place that's free from all
This river mud, where there's no danger
Of you sinking. I think it's all
A devilish conspiracy.
The river, noting your sylph- 370
Like figure, thought you was a water-
Nymph he fancied for himself, and so
He turned your coach right over. Good
Thing I was near, otherwise
You'd be a gonner now, for sure. 375
FEDERICO. Madam, how can I offer such
Respect as is appropriate
To your person, unless I know
Who I am speaking to?
CASANDRA. There is
No reason, sir, why you should not. 380
I am Casandra, daughter of
The Duke of Mantua, and soon
To be the Duchess of Ferrara.
FEDERICO. My lady! Why are you alone?
CASANDRA. But I am not. To travel on my own 385
Would be too dangerous. Back there
You'll find the Marquis of Gonzaga.
I simply wished to spend the afternoon
Alone and took the path which brought
Me to the river-bank. The trees 390
Seemed thicker there, the air so cool,
But Fortune chose to play a trick
On me; the coach sank deep in mud,
And, unlike Fortune's wheel,* refused
To move. But tell me who you are, sir. 395
I fancy your appearance
Is proof of true nobility,
As well as witness to your bravery.
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And such assistance as you've given me
Is worthy of my warmest thanks. 400
I am obliged to you, as are
The Marquis and my father too.
FEDERICO. Before I tell you who I am, madam,
Please let me kiss your hand.
CASANDRA. You kneel to me? Why this is silliness 405
Indeed! I am the one in your debt.
FEDERICO. It is correct and proper, madam.
I am your son.
CASANDRA. I must confess,
It was extremely foolish of me not
To guess the truth. Who else 410
Would rescue me in my distress?
Let me embrace you!*
FEDERICO. It honours me
Sufficiently to kiss your hand.
CASANDRA. Not so. Count Federico, my arms
Repay my debt.
FEDERICO. I bid my soul 415
Sincerely acknowledge it.
I am at your service, madam.
[They engage in conversation
BATÍN. Now that by luck we've found her here,
And there's no further need to go
To Mantua, I have to know 420
If you are just plain lady or
Your excellency* -- so I can match
The things I say to your quality.
LUCRECIA. The truth is, friend, I've served
The Duchess since I was a child. 425
I help her both to dress and undress.
I cannot properly be called a lady,
More your lady-in-waiting.
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BATÍN. Are you in charge?
LUCRECIA. Oh, no.
BATÍN. That means
You'll still be waiting, then. I know 430
A good few noblemen with girls
Like you. It's difficult to tell
If they are maids or just old-maids.
So what's your name?
LUCRECIA. Lucrecia.
BATÍN. What?
Not her from Rome?*
LUCRECIA. Oh no, from Mantua. 435
BATÍN. Thank God! The thing is, ever since
I read her history, my head's
Been stuffed with thoughts of chastity
And other kinds of painful purgatory.
Ever heard of Tarquin, have you? 440
Now there's a feller greatly fancied*
By Lucrecia.
LUCRECIA. I fancy you. . .
BATÍN. Oh, good!
LUCRECIA. . . . have got a wife already.
BATÍN. Hey, steady on! Why would you want
To know?
LUCRECIA. So I, my friend, can go 445
And ask her if she thinks you trustworthy.
BATÍN. I'd never have believed you'd play
A dirty trick like that on me.
I suppose you know just who I am.
LUCRECIA. I've no idea.
BATÍN. Do you mean to say 450
BatÍn's great fame has never spread
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As far as Mantua?
LUCRECIA. What are
You famous for? You must be one
Of those who always boast of big
Accomplishments and great, outstanding 455
Qualities, but when examined close
At hand, are best described as small,
Or even worse, extremely puny.
BATÍN. Come on, I'm never one of those,
Nor would I ever criticize 460
Another man's outstanding virtues.
It was a joke, a bit of fun.
You musn't think I'm someone likes
To boast and brag. I'm just a bloke
Who longs to have his name well known 465
And toasted by celebrities
In all the sciences and arts.
For lesser folk than me, you see, true fame
Is but a harvest reaped by fools
From seeds once sown by silly farts. 470
CASANDRA. I cannot say what meeting you
Like this has meant to me, except
To say that all I've heard of you
Falls short of actual reality.
Your speech and manner are the proof, 475
My son and lord, of noble personage;
Your words and deeds the sign that true
Heroic acts speak of a soul
Whose hallmark is its boundless courage.
I am convinced my straying from 480
My chosen path was luck indeed:
A timely error* so designed
To make us meet with greater speed
Than otherwise seemed possible.
As sometimes happens when a storm 485
Breaks out at sea, and in the dark
Of night St Elmo's fire* burns
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And flashes brilliantly, so was
My own predicament the night,
The river sea, my coach a ship, 490
Myself its captain, you the brightest star
In my dark firmament. From this
Day forth I'll be a mother to you,
Federico, and you shall have respect
For me, as any boy must have 495
For his dear mother. You please me so,
You fill my heart with so much joy,
I think I'd rather have you as my son
Than now become the Duchess of Ferrara.
FEDERICO. To have set eyes on you fills me 500
With fear, lovely lady, and so
Much flattery prevents my saying
What I must. I think my father now
Divides in two my very being,
For if I owe my origin to him, 505
Which is to say my flesh and blood,
To you I owe my very soul,
Which is to say that I am born again.
For these two births the victory
Is yours, for if man's soul comes down 510
To him from God, I cannot say
I knew until today where my
Soul was; and so, if I now owe
To you this sudden recognition of
My soul, then ****you alone can claim 515
You have achieved my resurrection.
Consider too
that if, as I
Now claim, you give me life, the Duke
Must see me as his first-born son
When you, my lady, are his wife. 520
And if you think it strange that I,
A full-grown man, can thus be born
Again, I offer you as my excuse
That brilliant star we call the sun,
Which, having lived so many thousand years, 525
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Must witness its new birth with every dawn.
Enter the MARQUIS GONZAGA, RUTILIO,
and SERVANTS.
RUTILIO. I can't think where they are, my lord.
I left them here.
MARQUIS. It would have been
A great misfortune if the man
You speak of had not seen and rescued her. 530
RUTILIO. I swear, she wanted me to leave
Her there. No doubt she thought her feet
Could turn the happy stream to snow,*
Or where the water froths and swirls,
Transform it into gleaming pearls, 535
Such is these modern girls' conception of
Their beauty! And so I couldn't get
To her as quickly as necessity
Would have me do, now could I?
Instead, she suddenly appeared in 540
The arms of the aforsesaid gentleman,
And I, since they were safe and sound,
Rushed here, to give you this account
Of what I saw, exactly as it happened.
MARQUIS. The coach stands there between 545
The water and the sand. Was there
No sign of her?
RUTILIO. The willow-trees
Were in my way. I couldn't really see
Her properly. Hey, there she is,
His servants as her company. 550
CASANDRA. My people seem to be coming.
MARQUIS. My dear lady!
CASANDRA. My dear Marquis!
