LAF. Yes. Speak to Darblee if you can. He is one of my men and will come to the rescue.
MAR. Yes, yes. (she pushes Lafitte into the mask niche, following him out of the room; Pedro, Manuel and the guard enter.)
PED. An empty room! There has been treachery somewhere. (noise in the niche.) What was that? (he rushes to the door beneath the mask; tries to open it; to burst it.)
MAN. That door is built against a wall; an annex made to the house after it was completed.
PED. (to the guard.) Knock the lock off. (they knock it off; the door is swung open and reveals a solid brick wall.)
MAN. Just as I told you.
PED. Search the house. (enter Mariana.)
MAR. (in feigned joyful surprise, to Pedro.) Pedro! (going to him) Alive!
PED. (catching her arm; roughly.) Where is Lafitte? Come, now. I’ll stand no fooling.
MAR. (quietly.) I am in no mood for fooling either. I have not seen Lafitte. (softening.) But you—