Enter FRANCISCO.

Well, Francisco,

What tidings from Don Juan?
Francisco.

He will be present.

Lara.

Good, my lord;

And the Duke of Lermos?

Francisco. Was not at home.

Lara.

Francisco.

How with the rest!

I've found

The men you wanted. They will all be there,
And at the given signal raise a whirlwind
Of such discordant noises, that the dance
Must cease for lack of music.

Lara

Bravely done.
Ah! little dost thou dream, sweet Preciosa,
What lies in wait for thee. Sleep shall not close

Thine

A

eyes this night! Give me my cloak and sword. [Exeunt.

SCENE VI.

retired spot beyond the city-gates. Enter VICTORIAN and HYPOLITO.

Victorian. O shame! O shame! Why do I walk abroad By daylight, when the very sunshine mocks me,

And

Cry

oices, and familiar sights and sounds,

Hide thyself!" Oh, what a thin partition
Doth shut out from the curious world the knowledge
Of evil deeds that have been done in darkness !
Disgrace has many tongues. My fears are windows,
Through which all eyes seem gazing. Every face
Expresses some suspicion of my shame,
And in derision seems to smile at me!

H

I was but half persuaded of her virtue ?
Victorian. And yet, Hypolito, we may be wrong,
We may be over-hasty in condemning!
The Count of Lara is a cursed villain.

polito. Did I not caution thee? Did I not tell thee

Hypolito. And therefore is she cursed loving him. Victorian. She does not love him! 'Tis for gold! for gold! He shows a golden ring the Gipsy gave him,Hypolito. Ay, but remember, in the public streets A serpent with a ruby in its mouth.

But I will be revenged! The hour is passed. Victorian. She had that ring from me! Oh! she is false ! Where stavs the coward?

Hypolito.

Nay, he is no coward;

A villain, if thou wilt, but not a coward.

I've seen him play with swords; it is his pastime.
And therefore be not over-confident;

He'll task thy skill anon. Look, here he comes.

(Enter LARA, followed by FRANCISCO.)
Good evening, gentlemen.

Lara.
Hypolito.

Good evening, Count.

Lara. I trust I have not kept you long in waiting. Victorian. Not long, and yet too long. Are you prepared? Lara. I am.

Hypolito. It grieves me much to see this quarrel Between you, gentlemen. Is there no way

Left open to accord this difference,

But you must make one with your swords?
Victorian.

No! none!

I do entreat thee, dear Hypolito,

Stand not between me and my foe. Too long

Our tongues have spoken. Let these tongues of steel
End our debate. Upon your guard, Sir Count!

(They fight. VICTORIAN disarms the COUNT.) Your life is mine; and what shall now withhold me From sending your vile soul to its account?

Lara. Strike! strike!

Victorian. You are disarmed. I will not kill you. I will not murder you. Take up your sword.

(FRANCISCO hands the COUNT his sword, and HYPOLITO interposes.)

Hypolito. Enough! Let it end here! The Count of Lara

Has shown himself a brave man, and Victorian

A generous one, as ever. Now be friends.

Put up your swords; for, to speak frankly to you,
Your cause of quarrel is too slight a thing

To move you to extremes.

Lara.

I am content.

I sought no quarrel. A few hasty words,
Spoken in the heat of blood, have led to this.
Victorian. Nay, something more than that.
Lara.
I understand you.

Therein I did not mean to cross your path.
To me the door stood open, as to others.
But had I known the girl belonged to you,
Never would I have sought to win her from you.
The truth stands now revealed; she has been false

To both of us.

Victorian.

Ay, false as hell itself!

Lara. In truth, I did not seek her; she sought me ; And told me how to win her, telling me

The hours when she was oftenest left alone.

Victorian. Say, can you prove this to me? Oh, pluck out
These awful doubts, that goad me into madness!
Let me know all! all! all!

Lara.

You shall know all.

Was it not so,

Here is my page, who was the messenger
Between us. Question him.
Francisco!

Francisco. Ay, my lord.

Lara.

If further proof

Is needful, I have here a ring she gave me.

Victorian. Pray let me see that ring! It is the same! (Throws it upon the ground, and tramples upon it.) may she perish who once wore that ring!

Thus

Thus

do I spurn her from me; do thus trample

Ithank

Her memory in the dust! O Count of Lara,
We both have been abused, been much abused!
you for your courtesy and frankness.
Though like the surgeon's hand yours gave me pain,
Yet it has cured my blindness, and I thank you.
Inow can see the folly I have done,
Though 'tis, alas! too late. So fare you well!
To-night I leave this hateful town for ever.

Regard

me as your friend. Once more, farewell!

Hypolito. Farewell, Sir Count.

Lara.

[Exeunt VICTORIAN and HYPOLITO
Farewell! farewell!

Thus have I cleared the field of my worst foe!
I have none else to fear; the fight is done,
The citadel is stormed, the victory won!

SCENE VII.

A lane in the suburbs. Night.

BARTOLOM É,

[Exit with FRANCISCO.

Enter CRUZADO and

where wast thou for the most part?

Cruzado. And so, Bartolomé, the expedition failed. But

Bartolomé. Ildefonso.

In the Guadarrama mountains, near San

E

Cruzado. And thou bringest nothing back with thee? Didst thou rob no one?

Bartolomé. There was none to rob, save a party of students from Segovia, who looked as if they would rob us; and a jolly little friar, who had nothing in his pockets but a missal and a loaf of bread.

Cruzado. Pray, then, what brings thee back to Madrid ? Bartolomé. First tell me what keeps thee here? Cruzado. Preciosa.

Bartolomé. And she brings me back. Hast thou forgotten thy promise?

Cruzado. The two years are not passed yet. Wait patiently. The girl shall be thine.

Bartolomé. I hear she has a Busné lover.

Cruzado. That is nothing.

Bartolomé. I do not like it. I hate him,--the son of a Busné harlot. He goes in and out, and speaks with her alone; and I must stand aside, and wait his pleasure. Cruzado. Be patient, I say. Thou shalt have thy revenge. When the time comes, thou shalt waylay him.

Bartolomé. Meanwhile, show me her house.

Cruzado. Come this way. But thou wilt not find her. She dances at the play to-night.

Bartolomé. No matter. Show me the house. [Exeunt.

SCENE VIII.

The Theatre. The orchestra plays the cachucha. Sound of castanets behind the scenes. The curtain rises, and discovers PRECIOSA in the attitude of commencing the dance. The cachucha. Tumult; hisses; cries of "Brava !" and “Afuera!" She falters and pauses. The music stops. General confusion. PRECIOSA faints.

SCENE IX.

The COUNT of LARA's chambers. LARA and his friends at supper.

Lara. So, Caballeros, once more many thanks! You have stood by me bravely in this matter.

Pray fill your glasses.

Don Juan.

Did you mark, Don Luis,

How pale she looked, when first the noise began,
And then stood still, with her large eyes dilated

Her nostrils spread! her lips apart! her bosom
Tumultuous as the sea?

Don Luis.

Lara.

I pitied her.

Her pride is humbled; and this very night

I mean to visit her.

Don Juan.

Will you serenade her?

Lara. No music! no more music!

Don Luis.

It softens many hearts.

Lara.

Why not music!

Not in the humour

She now is in. Music would madden her.

Don Juan. Try golden cymbals.

Don Luis.

A mighty

Yes, try Don Dinero ;
wooer is your Don Dinero!

Lara. To tell the truth, then, I have bribed her maid.
But, Caballeros, you dislike this wine.
A bumper, and away; for the night wears.
A health to Preciosa!

All.

Preciosa!

(They rise and drink.)

Lara (holding up his glass).
Thou wonderful magician! who hast stolen
Thou bright and flaming minister of Love!
My secret from me, and 'mid sighs of passion
Her Precious name! Oh, never more henceforth
Caught from my lips, with red and fiery tongue,

Shall

A mormortal lipe whispered in thine ear.

mortal lips press thine; and never more

Go! k

eep my secret! (Drinks, and dashes the goblet down.)
Ite! missa est!
(Scene closes.)

Don Juan.

SCENE X.

Street and garden wall. Night. Enter CRUZADO and

BARTOLOMÉ

Creado. This is the garden-wall, and above it, yonder,

her window. But we will not go in now. Cruzado. Because she is not at home. Barolomé. Why not? The gate is bolted. (Sound of guitars and voices in a neighBartolomé. No matter; we can wait. But how is this! bouring street.) Hark! There comes her lover with his in

The window in which thou seest the light is

fernal

Serenade! Hark!