[Pedro and Inez dismount.
Gip. Q. Come, no rough treatment to this young lady,
Or it will be the worse for some of you.
Tie up the mules and bind the serving man,
That he escape not, and so call for help.
As to this damsel, leave her all to me.
(To Inez) Young lady, have no fear, for I am one
Who can command th' entire gipsy band,
Who are my serfs and tremble at my frown.
An you be docile, they shall do no harm.
Raise but your voice, and I will have you bound.
But I, the gipsy queen, would be your friend;
And soon you shall acknowledge me as such;
But not just now. (To the gipsies) Bind not the young lady
Unless she call for help or attempt to escape.
(To Inez) And you, young lady, courage. Tremble not.
Think not I crave your pelf or trinkets rare.
I have no need. Thyself 'tis I'ld detain.
Inez. And why, O strange, O dread, mysterious queen,
All powerful amongst thy dusky band,
If, as thou sayst, thou hast no need of pelf,
And canst and wilt protect me from the hands
Of thy half-savage subjects, wherefore then
Detain a poor and simple maiden bound
For her paternal castle, having left
The Convent of St. Ursula this morn?
Gip. Q. Oh, of your story I am well informed.
Better, perchance, than what you are yourself.
For am I not a gipsy? Know we not
By the aspect of the heavenly bodies
All events that are about to happen?
As to my object in detaining you
Let it suffice you I have an object,
Which you shall know hereafter. (To gipsies) Guard her close.
Methought I did hear footsteps, but 'tis nought.
Enter hastily Pascual with a drawn sword.
Pas. This way I heard the cries. How now! What's this?
Hell and furies! A chaste and lovely maid
Attacked by dusky ruffians! Halt! Forbear!
For, by my soul, I swear I will not leave
One black hide whole among ye, an ye dare
To touch a single hair of her fair head.
Gip. Q. Disarm that vain and too hot-headed youth.
[Gipsies surround Pascual, who defends himself desperately, killing and wounding some of the nearest. Gipsies back a few paces. Pascual follows, and cuts through them.
Unto him, cowards! Seize the presumptuous fool.
Hear ye not, slaves? What! Is a single arm,
And that, too, of a pampered gentleman,
Too much for ye? Shame on ye, cowards, slaves!
First Gipsy. Yield, fellow! and put up thy silly skewer,
An thou be not a-weary of thy life.
Pas. Never! Whilst yet a drop of my heart's blood
Flows freely in my veins. By heaven, I swear
I will release yon damsel ere I die!
Second Gipsy. Why, who is this, though clad in costly gear,
Doth fight as desperately as one of us?
Third Gipsy. Beware, young man! We do not seek thy life;
Yield up thyself. Ask pardon of our queen,
And we will let thee live.
Pas. (Still fighting.) Base curs, avaunt!
My life is nothing. Take it an ye list,
Though ye shall buy it dearly. 'Twill console
My parting spirit somewhat but to know
That it hath rid the surface of the earth
Of even a few of such vile scum as ye.
First Gipsy. Such words to us! Have at thee then, proud youth.
[Wounds Pascual on the head, whilst others attempt to bind him, but he liberates himself and continues fighting.
Inez. He bleeds! he bleeds! Saints, help the noble youth
Who, at the cost of his young precious life,
Would save us both. I fear he's killed. Oh, help! [Screams and faints.
Gip. Q. Hush! minion, or that cry will be thy last.
A Wounded Gipsy. Look, she faints!
Another Gipsy. Bah! 'tis but a trick to 'scape
The easier in the confusion.
Look well to her.
Gip. Q. Make room for me, ye slaves.
I fear no mortal man. Leave him to me.
Sirrah! put down your sword.
Pas. Never, vile crone.
Gip. Q. (Disarming him with her staff.)
Then there it lies, thou vain, presumptuous youth.
[Murmurs of applause among the gipsies.
Pas. Disarmed! And by a woman! Ha! I faint. [Staggers and falls.
Gip. Q. He faints from loss of blood. Bind up his wounds.
He hath fought well. I tell ye, dusky slaves,
This youth to-day hath put ye all to shame.
Do him no hurt. I e'er respect the brave.
He in a sacred cause fought valiantly;
And, faithful to his generous Christian creed,
Did seek to wrest the innocent from wrong.
First Gipsy. Thou wert not wont to praise the Christians, Queen,
Gip. Q. I praise that creed that shows forth in its works
The principles of manhood. Would that thine
Had taught thee what this Christian's has taught him.
First Gipsy. (To Second Gipsy). The queen doth mock us, calls us cowards, slaves;
And yet we did our best; but, to say sooth,
He set upon us in such furious haste,
Such blind and desperate rage, that we did gape
With sheer wonder, and stand aghast with awe
At's prowess, when we should have been fighting.
Second Gipsy. Ay, none but a madman tired of his life
Had fought so desperately.
Third Gipsy. The maid recovers.
Inez. (Recovering.) Where am I? Ah! then 'tis no dream; 'tis true.
Where's my preserver? Let me straight to him,
That I may thank him on my bended knees
For all his deeds to-day.
A Gipsy. There, low he lies.
Inez. (Rising and advancing towards Pascual). What! dead! Oh, heavens! Grant it be not so.
Look, now he moves; then life is not extinct.
Thank God for this! Hail, generous friend! What cheer?
Pas. 'Tis but a bruise, fair maid; 'twill soon be well.
Inez. God grant it may.
Gip. Q. Here, girl, take this balsam.
It is a gipsy cure for all such wounds.
One fair action doth demand another:
For you he shed his blood, thinking that we
Did mean you harm. (How should he tell, poor youth?)
Return now you the courtesy, fair maid;
Bind up his wounds. Anon I will assist.