The Castle of Andalusia Part 5

_Ah, solitude, take my distress,_ _My griefs I'll unbosom to thee,_ _Each sigh thou canst gently repress,_ _Thy silence is music to me._

_Yet peace from my sonnet may spring,_ _For peace let me fly the gay throng,_ _To soften my sorrows I sing,_ _Yet sorrow's the theme of my song._

[_Exit VICTORIA._

_Catil._ I quit this castle as soon as ever Donna Victoria enters a nunnery--Shall I go with her? No, I was never made for a nun--Ay, I'll back to the vineyard, and if my sweetheart, Philippo, is as fond as ever, who knows--I was his queen of all the girls, though the charming youth was the guitar, flute, fiddle, and hautboy of our village.

AIR VI.--CATILINA.

_Like my dear swain, no youth you'd see_ _So blithe, so gay, so full of glee,_ _In all our village, who but he_ _To foot it up so featly--_ _His lute to hear,_ _From far and near,_ _Each female came,_ _Both girl and dame,_ _And all his boon_ _For every tune,_ _To kiss 'em round so sweetly._

_While round him in the jocund ring,_ _We nimbly danced, he'd play or sing,_ _Of May the youth was chosen king,_ _He caught our ears so neatly._ _Such music rare_ _In his guitar,_ _But touch his flute_ _The crowd was mute,_ _His only boon,_ _For every tune,_ _To kiss us round so sweetly._

[Exit.

_Enter VASQUEZ, introducing SPADO._

_Vas._ I'll inform Dame Isabel, sir--please to wait a moment.

[_Exit VASQUEZ._

_Spado._ Sir!--This Dame Isabel is, it seems, a widow-gentlewoman, whom Don Scipio has retained ever since the death of his lady, as supreme directress over his family, has such an ascendancy, prevailed on him even to drive his own son out of his house, and, ha! ha! ha! is now drawing the old don into a matrimonial noose, ha! ha! ha! Egad, I am told, rules the roast here in the castle--Yes, yes, she's my mark--Hem!

Now for my story, but my scheme is up, if I tell her a single truth--Ah, no fear of that.--Oh, this way she moves--

_Enter DAME ISABEL and VASQUEZ._

_Isab._ Don Scipio not returned! a foolish old man, rambling about at this time of night! Stay, Vasquez, where's this strange, ugly little fellow you said wanted to speak with me?

_Vas._ [_Confused._] Madam, I did not say--

_Spado._ No matter, young man--Hem!

[_Exit VASQUEZ._

_Isab._ Well, sir, pray who are you?

_Spado._ [_Bowing obsequiously._] Madam, I have the honour to be confidential servant and secretary to Don Juan, father to Don Fernando de Zelva.

_Isab._ Don Fernando! Heavens! is he arrived? Here, Vasquez, Lopez, Diego!

[_Calling._

_Spado._ Hold, madam! he's not arrived: Most sagacious lady, please to lend your attention for a few moments to an affair of the highest importance to Don Scipio's family. My young master is coming--

_Isab._ Well, sir!

_Spado._ Incog.

_Isab._ Incog!

_Spado._ Madam, you shall hear--[_Aside._]--Now for a lie worth twenty pistoles--The morning before his departure, Don Fernando calls me into his closet, and shutting the door, "Spado," says he, "you know this obstinate father of mine has engaged me to marry a lady I have never seen, and to-morrow, by his order, I set out for Don Scipio, her father's castle, for that purpose; but," says he, striking his breast with one hand, twisting his mustaches with the other, and turning up his eyes--"if, when I see her, she don't hit my fancy, I'll not marry her, by the----"--I sha'n't mention his oath before you, madam.

_Isab._ No, pray don't, sir.

_Spado._ "Therefore," says he, "I design to dress Pedrillo, my arch dog of a valet, in a suit of my clothes, and he shall personate me at Don Scipio's castle, while I, in a livery, pa.s.s for him--If I like the lady, I resume my own character, and take her hand; if not, the deceit continues, and Pedrillo weds Donna Victoria, just to warn parental tyranny how it dares to clap up marriage, without consulting our inclinations."

_Isab._ Here's a discovery! so then, it's my poor child that must have fallen into this snare--[_Aside._] Well, good sir.

_Spado._ "And, (continued he) Spado, I appoint you my trusty spy in this Don Scipio's family; to cover our designs, let it be a secret that you belong to me, and I sha'n't seem even to know you--You'll easily get a footing in the family (says he) by imposing some lie or other upon a foolish woman, I'm told, is in the castle. Dame Isabel I think they call her."

_Isab._ He shall find I am not so easily imposed upon.

_Spado._ I said so, madam; says I, a lady of Dame Isabel's wisdom must soon find me out, was I to tell her a lie.

_Isab._ Ay, that I should, sir.

_Enter VASQUEZ._

_Vas._ Oh, madam! my master is returned, and Don Fernando de Zelva with him.

[_Exit VASQUEZ._

_Isab._ Don Fernando! Oh, then, this is the rascally valet, but I'll give him a welcome with a vengeance!

_Spado._ Hold, madam! Suppose, for a little sport, you seem to humour the deceit, only to see how the fellow acts his part; he'll play the gentleman very well, I'll warrant; the dog is an excellent mimic; for, you must know, ma'am, this Pedrillo's mother was a gipsy, his father a merry andrew to a mountebank, and he himself five years trumpeter to a company of strolling players.

_Isab._ So, I was likely to have a hopeful son-in-law! Good sir, we are eternally indebted to you for this timely notice of the imposition.

_Spado._ Madam, I've done the common duties of an honest man--I have been long in the family, and can't see my master making such a fool of himself, without endeavouring to prevent any mischance in consequence.

_Isab._ Dear sir, I beseech you be at home under this roof; pray be free, and want for nothing the house affords.

_Spado._ [_Bows._] Good madam! I'll want for nothing I can lay my fingers on. [_Aside._]

[_Exit SPADO._

_Isab._ Heavens! what an honest soul it is! what a lucky discovery! Oh, here comes my darling girl!

_Enter LORENZA, magnificently dressed._

_Lor._ Oh, cara Madre! See, behold!--Can I fail of captivating Don Fernando? Don't I look charming?

_Isab._ Why, Lorenza, I must say the toilet has done its duty; I'm glad to see you in such spirits, my dear child!

_Lor._ Spirits! ever gay, ever sprightly, cheerful as a lark--but how shall I forget my Florence lover, my dear Ramirez?

_Isab._ I request, my dear, you'll not think of this Ramirez--even from your own account of him, he must be a person of most dissolute principles--fortunately he knows you only by your name of Lorenza.

I hope he won't find you out here.