Three Major Plays

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by Lope de Vega


  To tell the truth, while I was so

  Preoccupied with lance and sword,

  It gladdened me to know my son was here

  Instead of me, a prudent overlord. 290

  I offer thanks to God that when

  The Church's enemies* observed

  Our might, it was not long before

  They sought escape in cowardly flight.

  The Holy Father greeted me 295

  Triumphantly in Rome, and then

  The city joyously, as if

  I were some conquering Spanish Trajan.*

  On that account I am resolved

  To be a better man than I 300

  Have been and let my virtue, not

  My vices, now be seen by everyone.

  For when a man wins such applause,

  And all in virtue's name, he would

  Be foolish if his vices then 305

  Acquired even greater fame.

  RICARDO. Aurora and the Marquis wait

  On you, my lord.

  Enter AURORAand the MARQUIS.

  AURORA. I welcome you,

  My lord, as someone truly glad

  To see you home.

  MARQUIS. And I as someone whose 310

  Affection is already known.

  DUKE. I thank you and embrace you both.

  -244-

  The consolation for the tedious months

  Away is to anticipate

  The joy of such a day as this. 315

  But now, my dear friends, I need

  To rest. I guarantee that when

  Day comes, we'll spend the rest

  Of it in joyous celebration.

  FEDERICO. God bless the Duke and for eternity 320

  His glorious life prolong.

  [Exit all, except RICARDOand BATÍN

  BATÍN. Ricardo, good to see you!

  RICARDO. Good

  To see you too, Batín.

  BATÍN. How was

  It then? You know . . . I mean the fighting.

  RICARDO. A case of heaven protecting us, 325

  So in the end we simply had to be

  Victorious. You should see Lombardy.

  No, not a pretty sight, and all

  The enemy retreating fast

  To save their skins in shameful flight. 330

  The mighty lion* of the Church

  Roared loud -- and all of them at once

  Just disappeared in a cloud

  Of dust. The Duke's a famous man

  The length and breadth of Italy. 335

  They celebrate his victories

  As once upon a time they praised

  King Saul and David* for the way

  They routed all their enemies.

  Not only that; because of what he's done, 340

  The Duke's become a different man.

  He doesn't chase the women any more;

  He doesn't spend his time, as he

  Was wont to do, in idle pleasure.

  I swear that his entire thoughts 345

  -245-

  Are dedicated to Casandra; and,

  Of course, Federico. In short, the Duke's

  Become a real saint, I promise you.

  BATÍN. A likely story! Do you expect

  Me to believe the Duke's so heavenly? 350

  RICARDO. There are some men, Batín, who, when

  They see that fortune smiles on them,

  Grow proud and arrogant, and force

  The rest of us to do the things they want.

  The Duke, surprisingly, has turned 355

  Out different. The thing that marks him out's

  Humility, and how he now

  Despises all the praise that has

  Been lavished on him on account

  Of all his famous victories. 360

  BATÍN. Let's hope, then, that he'll always stay

  Like that, and not be like the cat

  They speak of in the well-known story.*

  It tells of how a certain Greek

  Desired that his cat -- I think 365

  It was a tabby -- be transformed

  Into a rather dishy lady.

  And so this lady, now arrayed

  With hairdo and expensive finery,

  Did see one day a tiny creature pass, 370

  I mean that paper-eating poet of

  The animals -- the friendly mouse --

  And straight away she jumped on him,

  So proving that we cannot change

  A thing as far as our natures are 375

  Concerned, and pussy will be always pussy,

  Doggie, doggie, for eternity, amen.

  RICARDO. I don't believe the Duke will be

  Again the profligate he was.

  Besides, when he has children he 380

  Will be transformed. You'll see them run

  Their fingers through the lion's mane,

  -246-

  And him lie at their feet, completely tame.

  BATíN. I hope that what you say is true.

  RICARDO. I'll say goodbye. I have to go. 385

  BATíN. Where are you going?

  RICARDO. To see a girl.

  I can't afford to keep her waiting.

  Exit RICARDO. Enter the DUKE with letters.

  DUKE. Is there no servant here?

  BATíN. There's me,

  My lord, a true example of

  Servility.

  DUKE. My good Batín. 390

  BATíN. May God protect you, sir. It's good

  To have you home with us again.

  DUKE. What are you doing here?

  BATíN. I was,

  Until you came, most entertained

  By young Ricardo, sir. He told 395

  Me of your recent history,

  Of how you are regarded as

  The Hector* of all Italy.

  DUKE. And would you say, Batín, that while

  I've been away, the Count has handled my 400

  Affairs as properly as I would like?

  BATíN. You could say, sir, his triumphs here

  Have been in every way as great

  As yours in war.

  DUKE. And what about

  Casandra? Did he treat her kindly? 405

  BATíN. I'd put it much more strongly, sir.

  I'd say there's never been a stepmother

  -247-

  That favoured any stepson more

  Than she has done. It must have been

  Her saintliness and virtue, sir, 410

  That won him over.

  DUKE. Then I am glad If, as you say, they get on well

  Together. I love the Count above

  All else. I know how sad he was

  When I was forced to go away 415

  To war, and so on that account

  Am glad to hear that both of them

  Have learned at last to love each other.

  How good it is to know that in

  This house we celebrate today 420

  Two famous victories: my own

  In Italy, Casandra's triumph here.

  I am indebted to her for

  Such warm consideration of

  My son, and promise that in future I 425

  Shall spurn all other women. What's past

  Is past; the life that I propose

  To lead now matters most.

  BATíN. It seems

  To me a miracle, my lord, that one

  Who couldn't get enough of it 430

  Should now come back to us and plan To live more like a hermit. You ought

  To found, if you are really good,

  Some new religious brotherhood.*

  DUKE. I promise you, Batín, that all 435

  Of you shall see how I've reformed.

  BATíN. Of course we shall, my lord. But I

  Don't understand why you aren't yet

  In bed when half an hour ago

  You said you felt half-dead.

  DUKE. And so 440

  -248-

  I do, Batín.
But on my way

  Upstairs they gave me documents

  And letters which reminded me

  That I should deal with cares of state

  As soon as possible. I plan 445

  To solve them first and then sleep easily.

  Why let them cause me pointless worry?

  Go now. I must attend to them.

  The man who rules should feel that everything

  Is worthy of his full attention. 450

  BATíN. No doubt heaven will reward you for

  The care with which you deal with your

  Affairs. You shall enjoy eternal fame,

  And centuries to come shall celebrate

  Your name.

  [Exit BATíN

  DUKE [reads]. What have we here? 'My lord, 455

  I am your palace gardener.

  I've cultivated seeds, together with

  Six sons, and for the eldest of them now

  Request . . .' I know the cheeky fellow.

  We'll let his soil lie fallow for a while. 460

  What's this? A begging-letter from

  A widow called Lucinda. May

  The Devil take her! Another from

  A fellow called Albano, not

  To mention Julio Camilo. To hell 465

  With all of them! This from a woman calls

  Herself Paula de San Germán.

  Describes herself as chaste young maid.

  Why write to me unless she thinks

  That I can satisfy her need? 470

  What's this that comes so tightly sealed?

  The fellow gave it to me seemed

  So scared, I swear he thought he'd seen

  A ghost. So what's it say? [Reads] 'My lord,

  While you have been away, the Count 475

  -249-

  And Duchess have . . .' I might have known;

  I half suspected this, that they

  Did not do things as properly

  As I would like! [Reads] '. . . offended both

  Your honour and your bed by means 480

  Of their infamy.' How can

  I bear such news as this! [Reads] 'You shall

  Have certain proof of it if you

  Observe them carefully.' What can

  This letter be that so offends 485

  My eyes and asks them to believe

  That this is true? I am convinced

  That lies like these do not consider how

  A father feels when he is told

  His wife and son deprive him of 490

  His honour! Am I to think Casandra could

  Offend me so? Must I believe

  Such shameful things of Federico?

  And yet, the fact that they are man

  And woman leads me to suspect 495

  It might be true! There is no sin

  Of which man is not capable,

  And I am tempted to believe

  That heaven, to punish me for all

  My sins, has made this possible. 500

  It was the punishment inflicted on

  King David* by the prophet Nathan,

  Which means that Federico has

  Become another Absalom.

  But this is punishment far worse, 505

  For David's women were but concubines,

  While here Casandra is my wife.

  It is as if the wickedness

  Of my own irresponsible

  And sinful life has now been sent 510

  To punish me, though I have not,

  As David did, obtained a wife

  By murder and by treachery.

  It is my son who is now guilty of

  -250-

  Such treachery! Must I believe 515

  That any son is capable

  Of infamy as terrible

  As this against the very man

  Responsible for his own birth?

  If this is true, I pray that heaven, 520

  When I have killed him once, will grant

  Him life again, so I may have

  The chance to kill him one time more.

  Oh, this is true disloyalty!

  Oh, this the very worst offence! 525

  A man cannot leave home without

  His son abusing what he thought

  Was safe, entrusted to his care.

  How can I, then, be sure that

  I learn the truth and not expect 530

  The witnesses I call to draw

  Attention* to the full extent

  Of my ignoble fall? And yet

  It is quite possible that not

  A soul will be prepared to speak 535

  Of something quite so horrible.

  But if they do, it follows that

  The revelation of the crime

  Is only possible because 540

  It's true, and as its consequence

  My own disgrace is unavoidable.

  To punish him is not to take

  Revenge, nor can the man who punishes

  Be properly avenged. To force

  The truth from him could also be 545

  The source of my undoing. Honour lies

  Far less in what is done than in

  The dreadful things that may be spoken.

  Enter FEDERICO.

  FEDERICO. My lord, I knew you were not yet

  Asleep. I wish to speak with you. 550

  -251-

  DUKE. May God protect you, Federico.

  FEDERICO. I come because there is a favour I

  Would ask of you.

  DUKE. There is no need.

  You know my love is such, it favours you

  Before you ask.

  FEDERICO. It was your wish 555

  Not long ago, that I should ask

  Aurora for her hand in marriage.

  Although I shared that wish, I was

  On that occasion most discouraged by

  The Marquis's love of her, and so 560

  Did not pursue my own. But when

  You'd gone to Italy, it was as if

  Aurora, seeing how I really loved

  Her, changed; began to favour me

  Again, and I to hope our marriage could, 565

  Once you came back, soon be arranged.

  I come to ask that you agree

  To our wedding and, of course,

  Confer upon us both your blessing.

  DUKE.My son, there's nothing else would give 570

  Me greater pleasure. Even so,

  You must discuss the matter with

  Your mother too, as you have done

  With me. What matters most is that

  We are a happy, caring family. 575

  FEDERICO. But she does not have our blood.

  Why should I therefore ask advice

  Of her, my lord?

  DUKE. I would have thought,

  Because the lady is your mother.

  FEDERICO. My mother was Laurencia. 580

  DUKE. So does that mean you are ashamed

  To call Casandra mother? They tell

  -252-

  Me, while I was away, the two

  Of you got on extremely well

  Together.

  FEDERICO. My lord, I do not wish 585

  To contradict the story others tell.

  I know you love her dearly.

  But if she was for them the angel they

  Describe, she was not so with me.

  DUKE. Then I am sorry if what I 590

  Have heard is so untrue. They said

  That nothing ever pleased her more

  Than seeing you.

  FEDERICO. She favoured me

  At times, but also made me feel

  As if to be another woman's son 595

  Was something of a feckless crime.

  DUKE. I do admit I am inclined

  To think there is some truth in it.

  I would have been more pleased if she

  Had shown you even greater love 600

  Than me, for that would surely

  Consolid
ate this kingdom's harmony.

  May God go with you.

  FEDERICO. And with you, my lord.

  [Exit FEDERICO

  DUKE. How could I bear to listen to

  Such hideous lies, and see how he 605

  Prepares a marriage to Aurora to

  Disguise the truth! How eagerly

  He blames Casandra, thinking I

  Will therefore think the worse of her!

  How foolishly are criminals 610

  Convinced that they conceal their crimes,

  When everything they say and do

  Is of their guilt the clearest sign!

  -253-

  He cannot bring himself to call

  Her mother -- how could he when his father's wife 615

  Is now his own devoted lover?

  But why am I so easily

  Convinced* that such a foul offence

  Is true? Is it not possible

  Some enemy of mine now plots 620

  His own revenge on me by making me

  Believe my son's committed such

  An act of treachery? That I

  Should even think he is to blame

  Is both a source of punishment and shame. 625

  Enter CASANDRA and AURORA.

  AURORA. To grant me this, my lady, is

  To grant me life itself.

  CASANDRA. To choose

  So wisely is to guarantee

  Yourself both wealth and happiness.

  AURORA. The Duke comes here.

  CASANDRA. My lord, I had 630

  Not thought to find you wide-awake.

  DUKE. Because I've been away so long,

  I feel I have to give attention to

  Affairs of state. And yet this letter here

  Makes mention of the way you and 635

  The Count both make most excellent

  Administrators. Your deeds, it seems,

  Have made their mark, and won unstinted praise

  From others.

  CASANDRA. It is the Count, not me,

  To whom you owe most gratitude. 640

 

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