Three Major Plays (20 page)

When I'm the one who loves her dearly.
Tell her I don't deserve to die,

And she'll regret it afterwards.

225

But now this life of mine is over.
What else is there to say, except
I beg you to tell her.

'In matters of love, it's very true,

A lover takes an age to die,

230

For every time you think he's gone,
He sees the girl and is reborn.
But if I live or if I die,
I shan't regret my love for her.

The greatest pleasure lies in knowing

235

That, on account of serving her,
I'm dying.'
^*
Inés. If that's your work, it doesn't tell
The truth about my love for Don Alonso.

ALONSO. No poem can ever tell

240

The truth about such love as mine.

How can my feelings be expressed
In mere verse?

INÉS. My father's coming.

ALONSO. What, here?

INÉS. Quickly, you have to hide!

ALONSO
and
TELLO
exit. Enter
DON PEDRO.

PEDRO. Inés, my dear. I thought you'd be

245

In bed by now. What keeps you up?

INÉS. I was saying my prayers, father.
I haven't forgotten what you told
Me yesterday: that I should pray

That God might help me choose what's best.

250

PEDRO. Whenever I think of what is best
For you, Inés, I cannot think

-118-

You'll find a better husband than
Rodrigo.

INÉS. It seems that everyone

Thinks well of him. I have no doubt

255

That, if I were to marry, no one else
Would be more suitable either in
Medina or in all Castile.

PEDRO. What's this 'if I were to marry'?

INÉS. Father, I wanted to avoid 260
Upsetting you. The truth is, I am
Already married.
^*

PEDRO. Married? It's news
To me!

INÉS. To you, yes! To me my heart's
Desire. And now that I've confessed,

Perhaps you'll have a habit made

265

For me, so I no longer have
To wear these lavish dresses. I think
It best to dress more suitably
While I am learning Latin. You still

Have Leonor, and she, I know,

270

Will give you grandchildren. As far
As I'm concerned, I beg you, for
My mother's sake, do not oppose
This heartfelt wish. Please find a good

And saintly woman who can teach

275

Me everything I need to know;
And a tutor to instruct me in Latin,
As well as singing.

PEDRO. Can I believe,
Inés, what I am hearing?

INÉS. My words
Are less important, father, than 280
My will.

PEDRO. My heart is moved
^*
by what

-119-

You say, Inés, but, on the other hand,
Is turned to stone. I'd hoped you'd give
Me grandchildren in my old age.

But if you think that you are called

285

To this, then God forbid that I
Should stand in your way. Do as you
Think fit. Your wishes are not mine,
But, as we know, each individual

May wish for things that Heaven does not.

290

Even so, because we are by nature vain
And prone to change our minds -- a fault,
I think, more commonly the case
In women, who are easily persuaded,

And, lacking firmness, rarely do

295

What they have said they'll do --
I beg you do not throw away
These dresses. They will not interfere with
Your singing or your Latin classes,

Or anything you wish to do.

300

Continue, then, to dress with style
And elegance. I would not wish
Medina to be astonished now
By your other-worldliness, and then

To laugh at you should you decide

305

To turn your back on it once more.
I'll find a woman who can teach
You Latin. Why should I complain
If you obey a father much

Superior to myself? So God

310

Be with you, daughter. I'll say goodnight
And let my tears flow where you
Will not be witness to my grief.

Exit DON PEDRO. Enter DON ALONSO and TELLO.

INÉS. I'm sorry if I've caused you pain.

ALONSO. What pain, Inés, if what you've done

315

Has offered me the certainty of death?
Was there no other remedy

-120-

Less painful?

INÉS. In danger such as this,
Love is a light which shows true lovers how
They may escape.

ALONSO. Is this escape

320

For us?

INÉS. In part it is. It puts
An end to Don Rodrigo's hopes
Of marriage. Delay is also much
To our advantage. We live in hope

If I'm not sentenced for a second time.

325

TELLO. She's quite right, master. While she learns
To read and sing, the two of you
Are planning to get to the church yourselves.
No longer can Rodrigo make

Don Pedro keep his word to him. *

330

Nor can he feel affronted by
Inés rejecting him for who
She says she wants to marry. What's more,
It gives me access to this house.

I can come and go just as I please.

335

ALONSO. I don't quite follow. What do you mean?

TELLO. If she's to study Latin, sir,
Then I'll become her Latin teacher!
Believe me, I shall use my skill

In teaching her to read your letters.

340

ALONSO. A brilliant plan, Tello! I see
My salvation
^*
close at hand.

TELLO. I think, too,
That Fabia could attend her, sir,
Disguised as a good and holy woman,
And offer her instruction.

INÉS. Well said,

345

Tello. Fabia shall instruct me

-121-

In virtue.

TELLO. She's an expert in
That field, alright!

ALONSO. My dear Inés,
Love pays no heed to passing time.

The hours fly, and dawn has overtaken us.

350

I fear, as I depart, I might
Be recognized, which makes me think
I ought to stay -- oh, if I could!
What sweet imprisonment! But no,

I cannot. Medina celebrates

355

The Festival of the Cross of May.
^*
I must prepare for it. Not only shall
I do you honour when I fight
The bulls. I am informed the King

Don Juan attends. The Constable's

360

Invited him
_*
to spend some time
With him on his estate outside
Toledo. At his request he also plans
To honour our town, and so

Our noblemen must honour him.

365

God keep you, Inés. I take my leave.

INÉS. Wait, I'll open the door and make
Quite sure it's safe.

ALONSO. I curse the dawn!
It comes too soon, eager to put
An end to lovers' pleasures.

TELLO. Let's go

370

Before it's light.

ALONSO. But why?

TELLO. Because
It will be day!

ALONSO. Only if you
Are speaking of Inés. How can
It be day if, when we leave, the sun
^*

-122-

Has set?

TELLO. It's already rising, sir,

375

But you, it seems, are set to stay.

[
Exit
DON ALONSO
and
TELLO

Enter
DON RODRIGO
and
DON FERNANDO.

RODRIGO. I have observed him carefully,
Fernando, prompted by this jealous heart.
He is a handsome fellow, his face

Contains a certain gravity.

380

FERNANDO. You act, my friend, like a true lover.
No sooner do you see a man,
Whom you consider handsome, than
You start to think that, should your lady see

Him too, she might desire him.

385

RODRIGO. The fact is that, although Medina is
Quite small, his fame is great. You will
Recall the youth I saw the other day,
The one who wore the cloak I'd lost,

As if he mocked my name and reputation.

390

I spoke to him and then made some
Enquiries. His master, it seems,
Is Don Alonso of Olmedo, a brave
And noble swordsman, feared by men

And bulls alike. If he now serves

395

Inés, my cause is lost. If she
Loves him, how can I hope that she
Will favour me?

FERNANDO. But why are you
Convinced that she loves him?

RODRIGO. I know
She does, and he is worthy of 400
Her love. What can I do if she
Despises me?

FERNANDO. Jealousy is, my friend,

-123-

A kind of monster
^*
conjured up
By envy, wind, and darkness. The things

That we imagine take on solid form,

405

Appear like a phantom in the night,
Become a thought that drives us mad,
A lie that we believe is truth.

RODRIGO. So what explains Alonso's visits to

Medina? He goes there frequently.

410

And why at night so often standing on
Some corner? I want to marry her.
You are a prudent man. Advise
Me now. What can I do, apart
From killing him?

FERNANDO. I think you ought

415

To ask yourself: if Doña Inés
Does not love you, why now assume
That she loves him?

RODRIGO. It must be that
He's luckier or better-looking.

FERNANDO. More likely, I think, she has no wish

420

To marry, and you persist in asking her.

RODRIGO. I swear I'll kill a man who makes
Me live dishonoured.
^*
Her cold disdain
Cannot proceed from honest motives.

I lost my cloak and now I lose

425

My reason.

FERNANDO. No doubt the cloak has spurred
Him on. Arrange the marriage, Rodrigo.
He has the cloak but you achieve
The victory.

RODRIGO. My love for her
Is overcome by jealousy 430
And rage.

FERNANDO. Be bold. Attend the fiesta.
We'll go together. The presence of

-124-

The King demands we take the chestnut and
The bay. Such entertainment makes
Our troubles seem much less.

RODRIGO. If Don

435

Alonso comes, what chance do you think
Medina has against Olmedo?

FERNANDO. Have you gone mad?

RODRIGO. Love has made me so!

Exit
DON RODRIGO
and
DON FERNANDO.
Enter
DON PEDRO, DOÑA INÉS,
and
DOÑA LEONOR.

PEDRO. But why do you persist?

INÉS. You will
Not change my mind.

PEDRO. Daughter, you wish

440

To poison me? There is still time.

INÉS. What difference does it make wearing
The habit now if I intend
To wear it always.

LEONOR. It's foolish.

INÉS. Be quiet, Leonor!

LEONOR. The fiesta demands

445

Something much more elegant.

INÉS. No girl
Who longs for those could possibly
Be pleased by these. As for myself,
These heavenly garments are my one
Ambition.

PEDRO. Do not my wishes count

450

For anything?

INÉS. To obey is only right.

-125-

Enter
FABIA with a rosary and walking-stick
and wearing spectacles.

FABIA. God bless this household!

PEDRO. God bless you, madam.

FABIA. So which of you is Doña Inés,
About to give herself in marriage to

Our Lord? * Who is it chooses to be

455

His bride and offer Him her love
Throughout eternity?

PEDRO. Good mother, she stands
Before you. I am her father.

FABIA. May
You be so for many years to come,

And may she come into the presence of

460

Her Lord long before you, good sir.
I pray that you are moved to grant
Her such a husband, such a noble
And virtuous bridegroom.

PEDRO. Indeed He is,
Mother!

FABIA. Knowing that Inés has need

465

Of someone who can guide her youth
Along the path of moderation, teach her
The ways of our Lord, help her
To take the first halting steps that lead

To love, I prayed. It was revealed

470

To me that I should come, offer to complete
This noble task, sinner that I am.

PEDRO. This, Inés, is the woman you need.

INÉS. This is truly the woman I need.

Embrace me, mother.

FABIA. Gently, my dear!

475

The hair-shirt
^*
chafes my skin!

-126-