Six One-Act Plays Part 8

GENERAL--(_Sneering._) Art thou a soldier or a troubadour that love is always on thy lips?

RODRIGUEZ--I am thy son.

GENERAL--I speak to Lieutenant don Rodriguez de Lerma.

RODRIGUEZ--Thy son.

GENERAL--(_Slowly._) I have no son!

(_CURTAIN_)

LATER IN THE SAME DAY

(_Lagrimas is discovered leaning far over the wall._)

LAGRIMAS--Brave little lad, brave little lad, the limb of the tree will hold thee, and then my hand. Come, steady, steady....

TARIK--My arm!

LAGRIMAS--Did I hurt? Steady, little lad. (_Tarik climbs over the wall._) Brave little lad--

LAGRIMAS AND TARIK--(_Together._) Thou art an infidel!

LAGRIMAS--I thought thou wast a Spanish boy.

TARIK--I thought thou wast my mother. The blood was in my eyes, I could not see. Now, I must throw myself down again.

LAGRIMAS--Little fool, is not once with death enough?

TARIK--I am Tarik, son of Hafiz the Moor, and Cafour his wife. I will not live to be the slave of a Christian.

LAGRIMAS--I won't eat thee, dirty infidel! (_Shakes Tarik and he all but faints on her hands. She is smitten with remorse and stanches the blood which flows from his head._)

LAGRIMAS--If thou wouldst not be a slave, why didst thou come back?

TARIK--There are soldiers in the valley.

LAGRIMAS--There are soldiers here, hundreds of them.

TARIK--(_Half sobbing._) I--I wanted my mother.

LAGRIMAS--(_Tenderly._) Little lamb, little lamb.

(_General and Pedro enter, closely followed by Feliciana. Lagrimas tries to get away with Tarik whom she shields with her dress. They escape to the turret._)

FELICIANA--Pedro, thou art unveiled!

PEDRO--Sh!

FELICIANA--Unveiled, and not an hour since thou didst swear--

PEDRO--I swore only to please thee.

GENERAL--Is the dancer always at thy side?

PEDRO--She is a dancer no longer, General.

FELICIANA--I am not so sure, Pedro. There was thy part to the bargain.

If thou failest, I shall not answer for my feet.

PEDRO--I pray thee, Feliciana,--

FELICIANA--Do not attempt to silence me, a bargain's a bargain. I promised to cover my feet, only if thou wouldst cover thy face. Where is the veil I gave thee?

PEDRO--Why must thou shame me before the General?

FELICIANA--(_Fumbling in Pedro's coat and bringing forth a veil._) There, put it on.

GENERAL--Why art thou veiled, Pedro?

PEDRO--I never meant to wear it. It is a whim of hers because I spoke against her dancing.

FELICIANA--Thou must learn not to break hearts. Handsome men are dangerous to be adventuring through the land in these days. It were better to veil them all, than have maidens' hopes go smashing.

GENERAL--Who will succ.u.mb to Pedro?

FELICIANA--There are women among the Moorish prisoners. Pedro will flaunt his tempting face before them every day. It were sinful if they should love a Christian, and die of hopeless affection.

PEDRO--(_Contemptuously._) Moriscoes!

FELICIANA--In the city, Senora Jacinta is pining for him already, and Lagrimas, the bull-fighter's daughter, will singe her wings on the altar of his beauty.

GENERAL--(_Aside._) Lagrimas!

PEDRO--Curse my alluring face!

FELICIANA--Nay, Pedro, thou canst show it to me at intervals, and I will let thee have a little peep at my ankles. It will refresh us in our modesty.

(_General withdraws to side of stage._)

PEDRO--Tsch! It is all an invention of thine to make me suffer for scolding thee. These tales of succ.u.mbing maidens are false. Thou dost know Senora Jacinta is a child of ten, and Lagrimas hath bestowed her heart ... elsewhere.

FELICIANA--Jacinta will grow up, and Lagrimas is free. She must be protected from thy subtle charms.

PEDRO--Lagrimas is not free. She hath a lover who is mad for her.

FELICIANA--The lover hath been discarded, Lagrimas will none of him.