Tales of the Wonder Club Volume III Part 7

GIP. Q. (_Disarming him with her staff._) Then there it lies, thou vain, presumptuous youth.

[_Murmurs of applause among the gipsies._

PAS. Disarmed! And by a woman! Ha! I faint. [_Staggers and falls._

GIP. Q. He faints from loss of blood. Bind up his wounds.

He hath fought well. I tell ye, dusky slaves, This youth to-day hath put ye all to shame.

Do him no hurt. I e'er respect the brave.

He in a sacred cause fought valiantly; And, faithful to his generous Christian creed, Did seek to wrest the innocent from wrong.

FIRST GIPSY. Thou wert not wont to praise the Christians, Queen,

GIP. Q. I praise that creed that shows forth in its works The principles of manhood. Would that thine Had taught thee what this Christian's has taught him.

FIRST GIPSY. (_To Second Gipsy_). The queen doth mock us, calls us cowards, slaves; And yet we did our best; but, to say sooth, He set upon us in such furious haste, Such blind and desperate rage, that we did gape With sheer wonder, and stand aghast with awe At's prowess, when we should have been fighting.

SECOND GIPSY. Ay, none but a madman tired of his life Had fought so desperately.

THIRD GIPSY. The maid recovers.

INEZ. (_Recovering._) Where am I? Ah! then 'tis no dream; 'tis true.

Where's my preserver? Let me straight to him, That I may thank him on my bended knees For all his deeds to-day.

A GIPSY. There, low he lies.

INEZ. (_Rising and advancing towards Pascual_). What! dead! Oh, heavens! Grant it be not so.

Look, now he moves; then life is not extinct.

Thank G.o.d for this! Hail, generous friend! What cheer?

PAS. 'Tis but a bruise, fair maid; 'twill soon be well.

INEZ. G.o.d grant it may.

GIP. Q. Here, girl, take this balsam.

It is a gipsy cure for all such wounds.

One fair action doth demand another: For you he shed his blood, thinking that we Did mean you harm. (How should he tell, poor youth?) Return now you the courtesy, fair maid; Bind up his wounds. Anon I will a.s.sist.

[_Inez commences binding up Pascual's head. The gipsies retire a few paces. The Gipsy Queen fetches water in a gourd._

Quaff from this gourd, young man. The flowing rill Doth yield thee medicine. [_Pascual drinks._ Ha! what is this?

Shade of my father Djabel! it is _he_!

My long lost son! my own, my valiant boy: Methought I knew that semi-gipsy form.

The very ring, too, wrought in virgin gold And graven o'er with mystic hieroglyphics-- An heirloom of our tribe that I him gave With my maternal blessing years gone by, And he hath kept till now. G.o.d, I thank thee.

Oh, how I long to press him to this breast!

This breast that nurtured him and gave him strength!

But patience; too precipitous a step May mar my plans. Enough, I've found my son.

Oh, ye great Powers that move earth and heaven, Accept a mother's thanks! I faint for joy.

FIRST GIPSY. How far'st thou, n.o.ble Queen? Thou art not well.

GIP. Q. Nay, marry, I am well. I'm over well. [_Staggering._

SECOND GIPSY. Look to our queen. She faints. Art wounded, queen?

GIP. Q. (_Mastering herself._) Nay, look, I faint not. I am very well.

THIRD GIPSY. Some strong emotion seems to have stirred our Queen But yet she masters it. How brave a spirit!

[_Gipsies retire some paces and converse in groups. Gipsy Queen remains a little distance off, watching Inez and Pascual. A hunter pa.s.ses above unseen._

HUNTER. (_Aside._) What's this? Whom have the gipsies captured now?

A fair maid and a gallant cavalier; And who is he, yon serving-man, bound there?

I ought to know his face. Why is not he Don Silvio's servant Pedro? Sure it is, For oft I've parleyed with him when at times I've brought the game up to his master's hall.

And these two gentle-folks I ween must be Guests at Don Silvio's castle. Ah, the knaves!

The arrant gipsy knaves! I'll dog them yet.

I've my own private wrongs that seek redress: And I'll be even with them, by the saints!

At once I'll off unto Don Silvio's hall, And warn him of the danger to his guests.

It may be he'll reward me slightly, though They say that his is but a stingy house.

Still, this much for humanity I'll do. [_Exit._

D. PAS. (_to Inez._) Nay, I a.s.sure you, dearest----

INEZ. Hush! Senor.

It ill becomes a maid of gentle blood Unblushingly to listen to the vows And fervid protestations of a knight Upon such slight acquaintance.

D. PAS. Lovely child!

Bid me but hope, and I will rest content.

INEZ. Nay, talk not thus, Senor. Pray calm yourself.

Bethink you that your wound is not yet healed.

You're faint from loss of blood. These ecstacies May e'en prove fatal. Do thyself no harm.

D. PAS. I feel recovered in that thou bidst me live; And so will do thy bidding, fairest maid, And live but for thy service and thy love.

INEZ. Good saints in Heaven! Will nothing calm thy tongue?

Hush, hush, Senor, I pray. I may not listen.

I am your debtor, or I'd take offence At too much boldness.

D. PAS. Be not harsh, fair maid, I meant not to be overbold. I swear I would the tongue that could give thee offence Were wrenched from out my throat. Oh, pity me!

It was thy beauty that inflamed me so.

INEZ. If so, I must retire, and leave you to The care and guidance of the gipsy queen.

D. PAS. Thou couldst not be so cruel. What! debar Your wounded knight, in this wild barren spot, From the sunshine of those heavenly orbs.

Then bid me bleed to death. My life is thine.

INEZ. (_Aside_) Poor youth! How full of pa.s.sion are his words!

I feel he loves me, and I do repent That I have spoke too harshly. Woe is me!

(_Aloud._ ) Fret not. I did but threaten, gentle youth!

I will not leave thee.