Authors: Lope de Vega,Gwynne Edwards
Tags: #Fiction, #Drama, #Classics, #English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, #Continental European
Don Alonso saw you at the
feria,
A peasant-girl as Venus, those
Fair eye-brows Cupid's bow,
*
your eyes
Themselves his fatal arrows. And so | 680 |
Became the victims of the ribbons on | 685 |
He writes to you, you write to him. | 690 |
So love him and be served by one | 695 |
The royal wedding. * In the bull-ring | 700 |
Achilles * in his armour, gazing at | 705 |
Marry a fool, and it's a disaster. | 710 |
INÉS. Good mother, you are driving me mad!
Oh, how can I become his wife
If father offers me to Don Rodrigo?
Even now he and Fernando discuss
-109-
The matter.
FABIA. You and your young man | 715 |
INÉS. How can
We with Rodrigo here?
FABIA. But he is just
A witness, not the judge!
INÉS. Leonor, can't
You advise me?
LEONOR. You would ignore me if
I did.
INÉS. Perhaps. Let's not discuss | 720 |
FABIA. Leave these matters in
My hands. Don Alonso shall be yours!
Happy ever after with the man
Who is in all Castile the jewel of
Medina, the flower of Olmedo! * | 725 |
-110-
Enter
TELLO
and
DON ALONSO.
ALONSO. Tello, I think it better that
I die than live, not seeing her.
TELLO. Master, what bothers me is that
This secret love will soon be known
To everyone, what with you travelling | 5 |
ALONSO. How can I not attempt to see
InÉs if I adore her?
TELLO. You need | 10 |
ALONSO. My love does not grow cool. It burns! | 15 |
It is because I am away from her. | 20 |
TELLO. But doesn't this coming and going get
You down?
ALONSO. Olmedo to Medina is
As nothing, Tello.
Leander * crossed | 25 |
-111-
To cool his passion. There is no sea
Between Olmedo and Medina, and so
My sacrifice is insignificant. | 30 |
TELLO. The man who faces danger such
As this sets out upon a different sea
From your Leander. Don Rodrigo knows,
As well as I, of your love.
I didn't know whose cloak it was, | 35 |
ALONSO. You fool!
TELLO. . . . as if it were
My own. Rodrigo spoke to me:
'Tell me, sir, who gave you the cloak?
It's rather familiar.' I said to him: | 40 |
A few nights back. In any case, | 45 |
Remember, sir, how dangerous | 50 |
Begin with witchcraft. I can't believe | 55 |
A tooth from the man they'd hanged. | 60 |
-112-
Below. And then it was the dead
Man spoke: ' Tello,' he said, 'no need
To be afraid. You come up here, | 65 |
My senses were restored to me. | 70 |
ALONSO. Tello, a love that's true ignores | 75 |
To do if, on account of this, | 80 |
One's merits and affection? Inés | 85 |
Her slave, * I cannot live without her. | 90 |
TELLO. Then you have to say 'I love
You, Inés'. And let's hope some good | 95 |
ALONSO. Go knock on the door.
It's time.
-113-
TELLO. Right, here we go.
ANA. Who's there?
TELLO. God, that was quick. It's me. Is
Melibea
*
in? Calisto's come to call
On her.
ANA. A moment, Sempronio.
TELLO. Now | 100 |
Enter
DOÑA INÉS.
INÉS. He's here in person?
ANA. He is, señora.
INÉS. My dear sir!
ALONSO. Most lovely Inés!
This is to be alive at last!
TELLO.
Go to it, sir! Strike the iron while | 105 |
INÉS. Friend Tello!
TELLO. My lovely queen!
INÉS. My dearest Alonso. Rodrigo has
Been here this afternoon. I am
Annoyed by his insistent claims,
And so consoled by your presence. | 110 |
ALONSO. Obedience to your father means
That you might marry him. But I
Shall not abandon hope until
That sentence has been passed.
I knew within my heart -- indeed, | 115 |
That I am here, you yourself confirm | 120 |
-114-
The truth of it. If this is so,
What will become of me?
INÉS. Do not
Believe it. I shall say 'no' to everyone
If I've said 'yes' to you. You alone
Shall be the master of my life, | 125 |
Annoys Leonor -- and spoke of love | 130 |
The sun in their heaven. I swear | 135 |
TELLO. That's what | 140 |
INÉS. And at
Such hours do I, as if I were | 145 |
ALONSO. God bless
The coral * of those lips, from whose | 150 |
-115-
With Tello, the flowers are a witness to
My love, my fears, my jealousy. | 155 |
TELLO. I've even seen him speak of love
To radishes.
*
All lovers seem
To want the stones, the wind to be
Their witnesses.
ALONSO. My thoughts are never alone,
Inés, nor can I keep them to myself. | 160 |
I even forget that I'm alive. | 165 |
Employment to a girl who shares | 170 |
TELLO. Believe me, my dear Inés, you have
Such power over both of us. | 175 |
A single stanza. It takes each line, | 180 |
' Inés, | 185 |
-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 |
Who sees, for she is heaven, | 200 |
'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 |
In the valley, laughing. | 210 |
And you, once you've set eyes on her, | 215 |
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 |
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