Tales of the Wonder Club, Volume III

by M. Y. Halidom

[Inez commences binding up Pascual's head. The gipsies retire a few paces. The Gipsy Queen fetches water in a gourd.

Quaff from this gourd, young man. The flowing rill
Doth yield thee medicine. [Pascual drinks.
Ha! what is this?
Shade of my father Djâbel! it is he!
My long lost son! my own, my valiant boy:
Methought I knew that semi-gipsy form.
The very ring, too, wrought in virgin gold
And graven o'er with mystic hieroglyphics—
An heirloom of our tribe that I him gave
With my maternal blessing years gone by,
And he hath kept till now. God, I thank thee.
Oh, how I long to press him to this breast!
This breast that nurtured him and gave him strength!
But patience; too precipitous a step
May mar my plans. Enough, I've found my son.
Oh, ye great Powers that move earth and heaven,
Accept a mother's thanks! I faint for joy.
First Gipsy. How far'st thou, noble Queen? Thou art not well.
Gip. Q. Nay, marry, I am well. I'm over well. [Staggering.
Second Gipsy. Look to our queen. She faints. Art wounded, queen?
Gip. Q. (Mastering herself.) Nay, look, I faint not. I am very well.
Third Gipsy. Some strong emotion seems to have stirred our Queen
But yet she masters it. How brave a spirit!

[Gipsies retire some paces and converse in groups. Gipsy Queen remains a little distance off, watching Inez and Pascual. A hunter passes above unseen.

Hunter. (Aside.) What's this? Whom have the gipsies captured now?
A fair maid and a gallant cavalier;
And who is he, yon serving-man, bound there?
I ought to know his face. Why is not he
Don Silvio's servant Pedro? Sure it is,
For oft I've parleyed with him when at times
I've brought the game up to his master's hall.
And these two gentle-folks I ween must be
Guests at Don Silvio's castle. Ah, the knaves!
The arrant gipsy knaves! I'll dog them yet.
I've my own private wrongs that seek redress:
And I'll be even with them, by the saints!
At once I'll off unto Don Silvio's hall,
And warn him of the danger to his guests.
It may be he'll reward me slightly, though
They say that his is but a stingy house.
Still, this much for humanity I'll do. [Exit.
D. Pas. (to Inez.) Nay, I assure you, dearest——
Inez. Hush! Señor.
It ill becomes a maid of gentle blood
Unblushingly to listen to the vows
And fervid protestations of a knight
Upon such slight acquaintance.
D. Pas. Lovely child!
Bid me but hope, and I will rest content.
Inez. Nay, talk not thus, Señor. Pray calm yourself.
Bethink you that your wound is not yet healed.
You're faint from loss of blood. These ecstacies
May e'en prove fatal. Do thyself no harm.
D. Pas. I feel recovered in that thou bidst me live;
And so will do thy bidding, fairest maid,
And live but for thy service and thy love.
Inez. Good saints in Heaven! Will nothing calm thy tongue?
Hush, hush, Señor, I pray. I may not listen.
I am your debtor, or I'd take offence
At too much boldness.
D. Pas. Be not harsh, fair maid,
I meant not to be overbold. I swear
I would the tongue that could give thee offence
Were wrenched from out my throat. Oh, pity me!
It was thy beauty that inflamed me so.
Inez. If so, I must retire, and leave you to
The care and guidance of the gipsy queen.
D. Pas. Thou couldst not be so cruel. What! debar
Your wounded knight, in this wild barren spot,
From the sunshine of those heavenly orbs.
Then bid me bleed to death. My life is thine.
Inez. (Aside) Poor youth! How full of passion are his words!
I feel he loves me, and I do repent
That I have spoke too harshly. Woe is me!
(Aloud. ) Fret not. I did but threaten, gentle youth!
I will not leave thee.
D. Pas. Oh, say that again.
Thou wilt not leave me.
Inez. (Confused.) That is, not yet.
I mean——
D. Pas. Nay, qualify not what was once well said;
I hold thee to thy word. Thou must not leave me.
Inez. Thou wouldst extort a promise. Be but calm,
Obey my orders until thou be well,
And I know not what I may not promise.
D. Pas. I will obey thee, maid.
Inez. Then now be still.
Gip. Q. (Aside.) Drift on, young turtle doves, adown the stream
The balmy course the stars map out for ye.
Pepa can look on at the joys of others
That were denied herself, unenvying.
But mark, Pascual, if thou dost inherit
But one drop of thy hated father's blood,
Whose cursed name shall ne'er more pass my lips,
And thou, with subtle wile, like to thy sire,
Should first attempt to gain the trusting love
Of this fair damsel, and then betray her,
I, Pepa, though thy mother, with this hand
Will quench that spark of life I gave to thee.

Scene III.—Study of Don Silvio. D. Silvio is discovered pacing up and down dejectedly.

D. Sil. The day wears on, and still there is no sign
Of Pedro and my daughter. 'Tis full time.
It wants an hour to sundown; and ere then
I dread another visit from Don Diego;
Before this sand is spent he will be here.
He never yet did come behind his time.
Hark! I hear footsteps in the corridor.
'Tis he. He's come for news about my daughter.
This the very night, too, of the wedding.
What shall I say to him, or how shall I——?

An abrupt knock at the door of the study, and enter Don Diego.

D. Die. Well, friend Silvio, well. Art thou nigh prepared?
Where is the gentle Inez? Bring her forth.
D. Sil. (Humbly.) Worthy Don Diego, I do much regret
My daughter Inez has not yet arrived.
D. Die. Not yet arrived! Why it's long past the time.
D. Sil. I doubt not but what she will soon be here.
D. Die. Soon! Didst thou say soon? Ay, marry ought she,
An she left St. Ursula's at daybreak.
Stay, this casement that opens towards the west
Ought to command a wide extensive view.
Lo! yonder lies the road that she should come;
My sight is good, an yet I see no one.
(Suspiciously) Hark ye, Don Silvio. Some new wile is this.
D. Sil. Nay, on mine honour, Diego. Think not thus.
Be patient yet awhile and thou shalt see——
D. Die. Patience! What, patience! But I'll have my bond.

Enter Rodriguez frantically.

Rod. Oh, holy Virgin and good saints in Heaven!
Oh, blessed martyrs! Souls in Purgatory!
Would that Rodriguez ne'er had seen this day!
Oh, holy saints! Have mercy on us now!
D. Sil. How now, Rodriguez! What means all this riot?
Rod. Oh, peace! my master! Hold me ere I faint.
D. Sil. Speak! Rodriguez.
Rod. Alack! Alack! the day.
D. Sil. Nay, cease thy sobs, and more explicit be.
Rod. Oh, holy San Antonio be our guide!
My master, what ill luck's befallen the house!
D. Die. Explain thyself, vile hag, and prate no more!
Rod. Oh, mercy on us! I can't speak for sobbing.
Oh, what disaster! Oh, what dire mishap!
Help us, ye saints.
D. Die. This is past all bearing!
Speak out, thou limb of Satan, or I swear
By the foul fiend that 'gat thee, I will force
The lying words from out thy strumpet's throat.
Rod. Nay, good my liege, be calm. I'll tell you all.
The Lady Inez——
D. Die. Ha! and what of her?
Rod. In sooth, my lord, but I am very faint.
D. Sil. and D. Die. (Angrily.) Speak out! Speak out!
Alack! and well-a-day!
D. Die. Zounds!
Rod. The Lady Inez and good Pedro
Started from St. Ursula's this morning
Upon their mules, and were about half-way
Upon their journey, when from ambush sprang
Some dusky ruffians of the gipsy band,
Who, having bound, robbed, and detained the pair——
D. Sil. My daughter captured by the gipsies! Oh! [Groans bitterly.
D. Die. Foul hag, thou liest. Now hark ye, Silvio.
This is some farce got up to play me false.
But think not, sirrah, to elude me thus.