The Resources Of Quinola Part 14

(Avaloros and Sarpi are confused.) I cry shame upon you! (To Quinola) You must explain to me exactly their schemes against your master.

Sarpi (to Faustine) My dear cousin, it does to need much penetration to divine what malady it is under which you have labored since the arrival of this Fontanares.

Avaloros (to Faustine) You owe me, senora, two thousand doubloons, and you will need to draw still further on my purse.

Faustine I? What have I ever asked of you?

Avaloros Nothing, but you never refuse anything which I am generous enough to offer you.

Faustine Your monopoly of the wheat trade is a monstrous abuse.

Avaloros Senora, I owe you a thousand doubloons.

Faustine Write me at once a receipt for the two thousand doubloons, and a check for the like sum which I do not intend to pay you. (To Sarpi) After having put you in the position in which you now flourish, I warn you that your best policy is to keep my secret.

Sarpi My obligations to you are too great to admit of my being ungrateful.

Faustine (aside) He means just the contrary, and he will make the viceroy furious with me.

(Exit Sarpi.)

SCENE SIXTH

The same persons, with the exception of Sarpi.

Avaloros Here they are, senora. (Handing her the receipt and the check.)

Faustine Very good.

Avaloros We shall be friends?

Faustine Your monopoly of the wheat trade is perfectly legal.

Avaloros Ah! senora.

Quinola (aside) That is what is called doing business.

Avaloros Senora, you are a n.o.ble creature, and I am--

Quinola (aside) A regular swindler.

Faustine (offering the check to Quinola) Here, Quinola, this is for the expenses of your master's machine.

Avaloros (to Faustine) Don't give it to him, senora, he may keep it for himself, and for other reasons you should be prudent; you should wait--

Quinola (aside) I pa.s.s from the torrid to the arctic zone; what a gamble is life!

Faustine You are right. (Aside) Better that I should hold in a balance the fortune of Fontanares. (To Avaloros) If you wish to keep your monopoly hold your tongue.

Avaloros There is nothing keeps a secret better than capital. (Aside) These women are disinterested until the day they fall in love. I must try to defeat her; she is beginning to cost me too much. (Exit.)

SCENE SEVENTH

Faustine and Quinola.

Faustine Did you not tell me he was despondent?

Quinola Everything is against him.

Faustine But he knows how to wrestle with difficulties.

Quinola We have been for two years half drowned in difficulties; sometimes we have gone to the bottom and the gravel was pretty hard.

Faustine But what force of character, what genius he has!

Quinola You see, there, senora, the effects of love.

Faustine And with whom is he in love now?

Quinola Still the same--Marie Lothundiaz.

Faustine A doll!

Quinola Yes, nothing but a doll.

Faustine Men of talent are all like that.

Quinola Colossal creatures with feet of clay!

Faustine They clothe with their own illusions the creature that entangles them; they love their own creation; they are egotists!

Quinola (aside) Just like the women! (Aloud) Listen, senora, I wish that by some honest means we could bury this doll in the depths of the--that is--of a convent.

Faustine You seem to me to be a fine fellow.

Quinola I love my master.

Faustine Do you think that he has noticed me?

Quinola Not yet.

Faustine Speak to him of me.

Quinola But then, he would speak to me by breaking a stick across my back. You see, senora, that girl--