Scene Four
The same persons, Padilla, Enrique
Padilla. (Coming quickly out of the church with Enrique) Stop! (The organ ceases to play. Songs of young girls are heard in the church.) Is it you, sorceress, who have plunged my daughter into this awful sleep from which even the prayers of the church cannot rouse her?
Zoraya. It is I! (Exclamations from the crowd.) And I alone can bring her out of it.
More exclamations from the crowd.
Padilla. Do it then, demon!
Zoraya. Obey you?—No!
Padilla. I will force you to do it!
Zoraya. You cannot burn me twice!
Padilla. Ah! wretch!
Zoraya. Like these monks you have had no pity for me! You added to my tortures by bringing my lover to hear me. Now, I will torture you by means of your daughter. Invoke these priests, ring your bells, swing your censers! Chant your canticles! She will awaken only at the sound of my voice! When my body is burned to ashes, she sleeps her last sleep.
Murmurs of indignation from the crowd. Zoraya makes a movement to go to the stake.
Padilla. (Descending the steps furiously) Seize her! (The gaolers move toward her.) No! Wait! (He motions them back.) Wait! (To Zoraya.) Ah! Wretch, I am at your mercy!—Is it a pardon and freedom that you want?
Zoraya. No! life would be only full of sorrow for me! I prefer death, which will give me an opportunity for revenge!
Enrique. (Standing between Zoraya and the pyre) No! No! Do not use her for revenge. And, in exchange for the life, which you will save, I give you mine—give him his daughter!
Zoraya. Ah! poor man, who implores of me a favor for this official—if you could know——
Enrique. (In a low voice) I know all!——
Zoraya. (Looking into his eyes, trembling) Oh!
Enrique. (Tenderly) All!—And it is for the life of this innocent girl that I want your own—Zoraya!
Zoraya. (Moved by his accent) Ah! that word is enough!—This time I have recognized your voice!—Very well, if the governor promises to pardon me.
Padilla. Absolutely!
Zoraya. On your oath!
Mutterings from the crowd.
Padilla. Before God!
Louder mutterings.
Zoraya. I am ready!
Enrique. Come, then!
He turns to enter the church. The Inquisitors at the entrance bar his way.
Calabazas. The sorceress cannot cross the threshold of the church!
Padilla. Very well!—They can bring my child here!
Calabazas and the Inquisitors. Governor——
Padilla. I will be obeyed!
He starts for the doorway. Enrique rushes into the church. Calabazas and the other Inquisitors surround Padilla, while Zoraya removes her cloak.
Calabazas. Padilla!—Such a bargain with this woman!
Albornos. It is a compact with a demon!
Padilla. My daughter! I want my daughter!
Molina. Do you want her before going to Hell, yourself?
Padilla. If that is the price!—Give her to me!
Ibarra. There goes the salvation of your soul!
Padilla. The salvation of my daughter!
Calabazas. It were better that she should die!
Padilla. Ah! priests, you have no children! But the King is a father, he—he will understand me!
Four girls from the convent of Mercy come out of the church followed by two nuns, Enrique and Fatoum, conducting lackeys wearing Padilla’s livery, who carry a kind of easy chair in which Joana is sleeping under a mantle of rich material ornamented with white flowers. The chair is deposited at the foot of the steps. The crowd, murmuring with interest and curiosity, draws near. Far in the church women are singing a canticle. Profound silence follows. All the assistants go forward, stretching their necks to see the women of the first rank. The nuns, the young girls, and Fatoum and Padilla on their knees, are under the portal. To the right, at the entrance of the alley, are Aisha and Zaguir, who witnessed Zoraya’s arrival. Zoraya stands on the steps behind Joana and raises her face to the crowd. They see the young girl pale as death, her eyes closed. Enrique stands at the left, apart from the others.
Zoraya. (Putting her fingers on Joana’s eyelids, then upon her head) Joana! Joana! (Joana moves. Zoraya breathes on her forehead.) Awaken! (With authority.) I want you to!—(Joana moves with effort and opens her eyes. Murmurs from the assistants.) Arise!
With Zoraya’s aid Joana raises herself, puts her feet on the ground and stands. Clamors of admiration from the crowd. Joana looks about with surprise.
Joana. Where am I? (She sees Zoraya.) The Mooress!—Fatoum!—My sisters!
Padilla. Joana!
Joana. My father!
She throws herself into his arms. Exclamations from the crowd.
The People. A miracle! A miracle!
Calabazas. (Forcibly) Silence, people! (The crowd is intimidated.) No miracle is performed by Satan!
Padilla. (At the head of the steps) Go and thank God! (He places Joana in the hands of the nuns, who conduct her into the church. He turns to Zoraya.) Go in peace, Zoraya! And all of you let the Mooress depart. She is free! (To Ramiro.) Ramiro, see her safely home!
He enters the church followed by the Inquisitors. The organs intone the Te Deum. Enrique, under the portal, exchanges a look of farewell with Zoraya, who lingers, crossing to the alley. Before her, the crowd draws back in fright and spreads out at the entrance of the alley to let her pass. The monks quickly cross the scene and bar her egress. Zoraya turns to leave by the other street, but other monks quickly prevent her. All round her is a line of monks.
A Monk. Christians! are you going to let this daughter of Hell go free?
All. No! No!
They crowd upon Zoraya, who retreats toward the church. Enrique, who has seen the movement and heard the words, steps between her and the monks.
Enrique. Out of here, monks!—Make way!
The Monks. No! No! Seize the sorceress!
The Crowd. Upon the sorceress!
The departing crowd, stopped by the movements of the monks, makes a threatening circle, which advances upon Enrique and Zoraya, who retreat toward the portal of the church.
Enrique. You cowardly wretches!
He draws his sword, which checks them for an instant.
A Monk. Palacios! You will not go free a second time!
Enrique. Ramiro! Arias! My archers, help me!
Instead of responding to Enrique’s call for assistance, Ramiro, Arias and the archers join the crowd and shout.
All. (Encouraged by this move) To the stake! To the stake with the sorceress!
Zoraya. (Taking refuge above the steps of the church, then under the portal) They will kill you—Save yourself!
Enrique. (Covering his retreat, sword in hand) Go into the church!—into the church!
Zoraya runs to the closed door, which she shakes in vain.
Zoraya. Open! Open for us!
No response is heard except singing and organ music. The mob laughs.
The Crowd. (Howling and drawing nearer) Death!—to the death!
Enrique meanwhile, facing his assailants, finds himself on the steps. Zoraya is behind him.
Enrique. Ah! Infamous villains!
Ramiro. (Holding back the archers) My lord, we do not want to harm you, but give us that woman!
Enrique. No, ruffians!
The Crowd. To the death!
A Man in the Crowd. (To Torillo) Executioner, prepare your pyre. We shall burn the sorceress in spite of him!
The Crowd. Yes! Yes!
All turn to look at Torillo and the stake.
Zoraya. (Seeing no one looking at her and Enrique) Here they will kill both of us—Will you not save yourself?
Enrique. To me life among such brutes would be horrible!
Zoraya. Then a last kiss!—Give me your lips!——
She puts between her teeth the wax pill. Their lips join. Torillo appears at the pyre, torch in hand, amid shouts of approval from the crowd, which turns menacingly towards Zoraya and Enrique. Suddenly Enrique falls and rolls down the steps of the church, causing the mob to recoil with exclamations of astonishment.
Ramiro. (Seeing Zoraya, who has fallen, on her knees beside Enrique) To the stake with her! The sorceress still lives!
He starts toward her.
Zoraya. (Partly rising) Too late, wild beast!
She falls and dies.
All. To the stake with her body! To the stake!
(Curtain)