The Resources Of Quinola Part 27

Fontanares (bending his knee before Marie) Thanks, radiant and spotless creature, through whose love I still am kept close to that heaven from which I draw my faith and hope; you have saved my honor.

Marie And is not your honor also mine? Your glory is yet to come.

Fontanares Alas! my work is dismembered and dispersed, held in a hundred avaricious hands, who will not give it back excepting at the price it cost to fabricate. To recover it I should double the amount of my indebtedness and fail to complete the enterprise in time. All is over!

Faustine (to Marie) Only sacrifice yourself for him and he is saved.

Marie What say you, father? And you, Count Sarpi? (Aside) It will be my death! (Aloud) Will you consent, on condition I obey you, to give Fontanares all that is necessary for the success of his undertaking?

(To Faustine) I shall devote myself to G.o.d, senora!

Faustine You are sublime, sweet angel. (Aside) And thus at last deliverance comes to me!

Fontanares Stay, Marie! I would choose the struggle and all its perils, I would choose death itself, rather than the loss of you from such a cause.

Marie Rather than glory? (To the viceroy) My lord, you will cause my gems to be restored to Quinola. I return to my convent with a happy mind; either I am his, or I must live for G.o.d alone.

Lothundiaz I believe he is a sorcerer.

Quinola This young maiden restores to me my love for womankind.

Faustine (to Sarpi, the viceroy and Avaloros) Can we not conquer him, in spite of all?

Avaloros I shall try it.

Sarpi (to Faustine) All is not lost. (To Lothundiaz) Take your daughter home; she will soon be obedient to you.

Lothundiaz G.o.d grant it! Come my daughter. (Exeunt.)

SCENE FOURTH

Faustine, Fregose, Avaloros, Fontanares, Quinola and Monipodio.

Avaloros I have studied you well, young man, and you have a great heart--a heart firm as steel. Steel will always be the master of gold. Let us frankly form a copartnership; I will pay your debts, buy up all that has been sold, give you and Quinola five thousand ducats, and, at my instance, the viceroy will be willing to forget your freedom with him.

Fontanares If, in my distress, I have ever failed in respect towards you, senor, I beg you will pardon me.

Don Fregose That is quite sufficient, senor. Don Fregose does not easily take offence.

Faustine You have done well, my lord.

Avaloros Thus you see, young man, that tempest is succeeded by calm, and at present all things smile upon you. The next thing for us to do is to unite, you and I, in fulfilling your promises to the king.

Fontanares I care not for fortune excepting for one reason; shall I be enabled to wed Marie Lothundiaz?

Don Fregose Is she the only woman in the world you love?

Fontanares The only one.

(Faustine and Avaloros talk together.)

Don Fregose You never told me that before. Henceforth, you may count on me, young man; I am your steadfast ally. (Exit.)

Monipodio They are coming to terms; we are ruined. I shall take myself off to France with the duplicate machine. (Exit.)

SCENE FIFTH

Quinola, Fontanares, Faustine and Avaloros.

Faustine (to Fontanares) Come, now; I also bear no malice, and you must come to the banquet I am giving.

Fontanares Senora, your first kindness concealed treachery.

Faustine Like all those lofty dreamers, who enrich humanity with their inventions, you know neither women, nor the world.

Fontanares (aside) I have scarcely eight days left. (To Quinola) I am going to make use of her.

Quinola Do so, as you make use of me.

Fontanares I will come to your house, senora.

Faustine I must thank Quinola for that. (She offers a purse to Quinola.) Take this. (To Fontanares) Till we meet again!

(Exeunt Faustine and Avaloros.)

SCENE SIXTH

Fontanares and Quinola.

Fontanares That woman is treacherous as the sun in winter. Unhappy am I that I sought her, for she has taught me to lose faith. Is it possible that there are virtues which it is for our advantage to discard?

Quinola How is it possible, senor, to distrust a woman who sets in gold her slightest words! She loves you; that's the secret. Is your heart so very small that it cannot harbor two affections?

Fontanares Nonsense! Marie has given me hope, her words have fired my soul. Yes, I shall succeed.

Quinola (aside) Where is Monipodio? (Aloud) A reconciliation, senor, is very easy with a woman who yields so easily as Senora Brancadori.

Fontanares Quinola!

Quinola Senor, you make me desperate! Would you oppose the perfidy of a useful love with the loyalty of a love that is blind? I need the influence of Senora Brancadori in order to get rid of Monipodio, whose intentions cause me anxiety. If only I can obtain this influence I will guarantee you success, and you shall then marry your Marie.

Fontanares By what means?

Quinola My dear senor, by mounting on the shoulders of a man who sees a long distance, as you do, any one can see farther still. You are an inventor, very good; but I am inventive. You saved me from--I needn't say what! I, in turn, will deliver you from the talons of envy and from the clutches of cupidity. Here is gold for us; come dress yourself, make yourself fine, take courage; you are on the eve of triumph. But above all things, behave graciously towards Senora Brancadori.