Don Manuel de Lara: Take your time, lady. When you have recovered your breath you will tell us what all this portends.
Sister Assumcion: Away! Away! Trotaconventos has been to Don Pedro ... she has a writ against you ... the alguaciles will take you to prison ... and Don Jaime comes to catch Sister Pilar ... fly! fly! ere ’tis too late.
Sister Pilar (dully): Caught up again on the wheel ... death’s wheel, and it will crush us.
Sister Assumcion (shaking her): Rouse yourself, sister! You yet have time.
Don Manuel de Lara: We are together, beloved ... do you fear?
Sister Pilar: No ... I neither fear, nor hope, nor breathe.
Sister Assumcion: Mad, both of them! I tell you, they come with the alguaciles.
Don Manuel de Lara: And if they came with all the hosts of Christendom and Barbary, yet should you see what you will see. I have a key, and I could lock the postern, but I’ll not do so. (He picks up his sword, girds it on, and draws it.) Why ... all the Spring flows in my veins to-day.... I am the Spring. What man can fight the Spring?
Sound of voices and hurrying steps outside the postern. Trotaconventos, Jaime Rodriguez, and three alguaciles come rushing in. Sister Assumcion shrieks.