The Wonder-Working Magician by Pedro Calderón de la Barca (thriller books to read .TXT) 📖

When there came to me the echo Of a sigh half heard, for half To its owner retroverted. Then collecting in mine ear All my senses joined together, I again heard more distinctly That weak cry, that faint expression, That mute idiom of the sad, Since by it they're comprehended. From a woman came that groan To whose sigh so low and gentle Followed a man's deeper voice, Who thus speaking low addressed her: "Thou first stain of noblest blood By my hands this moment perish, Ere thou meetest with thy death 'Neath the hands of infamous headsmen."- Then the hapless woman said In a voice that sobbed and trembled, "Ah, lament for thine own blood, But for me do not lament thee!"- I attempted then to reach them, That the stroke might be prevented, But I could not, since the voices At that moment ceased and ended, And a horseman rode away 'Mong the tree-trunks undetected. Loadstone of my deep compassion Was that voice which still exerted All its failing powers to speak Amid groans and tears this sentence,- "Dying innocent and a Christian I a martyr's death may merit."- Following the polar-star Of the voice, I came directly Where the gloom revealed a woman, Though I could not well observe her, Who in life's despairing struggle, Hand to hand with death contended. Scarcely was I heard, when she Summoning up her strength addressed me,- "Blood-stained murderer mine, come back, Nor in this last hour desert me Of my life." - "I am," said I, "Only one whom chance hath sent here, Guided it may be by heaven, To assist you in this dreadful Hour of trial." - "Vain," she said, "Is the favour that your mercy Offers to my life, for see, Drop by drop the life-stream ebbeth, Let this hapless one enjoy it, Who it seems that heaven intendeth, Being born upon my grave, All my miseries should inherit."- So she died, and then I . . .


* * * * *


SCENE VIII.

LIVIA, JUSTINA, and LYSANDER.

Enter LIVIA.

LIVIA. Sir, The same tradesman who so presses To be paid, comes here to seek you, By the magistrate attended. That you were not in, I told him: By that door you have an exit.

JUSTINA. This untimely interruption By their coming, how it frets me! For upon your tragic story Life, soul, reason, all depended!- But retire, sir, lest the justice Should here meet you, if he enters.

LYSANDER. Ah! with what indignities Poverty must be contented! [Exit.

JUSTINA. They are coming here, no doubt, Outside I can hear some persons.

LIVIA. No, they are not they. I see It is Cyprian.

JUSTINA. How? what sendeth Cyprian here?


* * * * *


SCENE IX.

Enter CYPRIAN, CLARIN, and MOSCON.

CYPRIAN. A wish to serve you Is the sole cause of my presence. For on seeing the officials Issuing from your house, the friendship Which I owe unto Lysander Made me bold herein to enter; But to know ([Aside.] Disturbed, bewildered Am I.) if by chance ([Aside.] What gelid Frost is freezing up my veins!) I in any way could help you. ([Aside.] Ah, how badly have I spoken!- Fire not frost my blood possesses!)

JUSTINA. May heaven guard you many years, Since in his more grave concernments, Thus you honour my dear father With your favours.

CYPRIAN. I shall ever Be most gratified to serve you. ([Aside.] What disturbs me, what unnerves me?)

JUSTINA. He is not just now at home.

CYPRIAN. Thus then, lady, I can better Tell you what is the true cause That doth bring me here at present; For the cause that you have heard Is not that which wholly led me Here to see you.

JUSTINA. Then, what is it?

CYPRIAN. This, which craves your brief attention.- Fair Justina, beauty's shrine,* To whose human loveliness Nature, with a fond excess, Adds such marks of the divine, 'Tis your rest that doth incline Hither my desire to-day: But see what the tyrant sway Of despotic fate can do,- While I bring your rest to you, You from me take mine away. Lelius, of his passion proud, (Never less was love to blame!) Florus, burning with love's flame, (Ne'er could flame be more allowed!) Each of them by vows they vowed Sought to kill his friend for you: I for you disturbed the two, (Woe is me!) but see the end; While from death I saved my friend, You my own death give in lieu. Lest the scandal-monger's hum Should be buzzed about your name, Here to speak with you I came, (Would that I had never come!) That your choice might strike it dumb, Being the umpire in the cause, Being the judge in love's sweet laws;- But behold what I endure, While I their sick hearts may cure, Jealousy mine own heart gnaws. Lady, I proposed to be Their bold spokesman here, that you Might decide betwixt the two Which you would select (ah, me!) That I might (oh, misery!) Ask you of your father: vain This pretence. No more I'll feign:- For you see while I am speaking About them, my heart is seeking But a vent for its own pain.


[footnote] * The five-lined rhymed stanza here recommences, and continues to the end of the scene.


JUSTINA. Half in wonder and dismay At the vile address you make me, Reason, speech, alike forsake me, And I know not what to say. Never in the slightest way Have your clients had from me Encouragement for this embassy - Florus never - Lelius no:- Of the scorn that I can show Let then this a warning be.

CYPRIAN. If I, knowing that you loved Some one else, would dare to seek Your regard, my love were weak, And could justly be reproved. But here seeing you stand unmoved, Like a rock mid raging seas, No extraneous miseries Make me say I love you now. 'Tis not for my friends I bow, So your warning hear with ease. - To Lelius what shall I say?

JUSTINA. That he Well may trust the boding fears Of his love of many years.

CYPRIAN. To Florus?

JUSTINA. Not my face to see.

CYPRIAN. And to myself?

JUSTINA. Your love should be Not so bold.

CYPRIAN. Though a god should woo?

JUSTINA. Will a god do more for you Than for those I have denied?

CYPRIAN. Yes.

JUSTINA. Well then, I have replied To Lelius, Florus, and to you. [Exeunt JUSTINA and CYPRIAN at opposite sides.


* * * * *


SCENE X.

CLARIN, MOSCON, and LIVIA.

CLARIN. Livia, heigh!

MOSCON. And Livia, ho!- List good lass.

CLARIN. We're here, we two.

LIVIA. Well, what WANT you, sir? and YOU, What do you want?

CLARIN. We both would show, If perchance you do not know, That we love you to distraction. On a murderous transaction We came here, to kill each other:- So to put an end to the bother, Just choose one for satisfaction.

LIVIA. Why the thing that you're demanding Is so great, it hath bereft me Of my wits. My grief hath left me Without sense or understanding. Choose but one! My heart expanding, Beats so hard a strait to shun! I one only! 'Tis for fun That you ask me so to do. For with heart enough for two, Why require that I choose one?

CLARIN. Two at once would you have to woo? Would not two embarrass you, pray?

LIVIA. No, we women have a way To dispose of them two by two.

MOSCON. What's the way? do tell us, do;- What is it? speak.

LIVIA. You put one out!- I would love them, do not doubt . . . .

MOSCON. How?

LIVIA. ALTERNATIVELY.

CLARIN. Eh, What's ALTERNATIVELY?

LIVIA. 'Tis to say, That I would love them day about. [Exit.

MOSCON. Well, I choose to-day: good-bye.

CLARIN. I, to-morrow, the better part. So I give it with all my heart.

MOSCON. Livia, in fine, for whom I die, To-day love me, and to-day love I. Happy is he who so much can say.

CLARIN. Hearken, my friend: you know my way.

MOSCON. Why this speech? Does a threat lie in it?

CLARIN. Mind, she is not yours a minute After the clock strikes twelve to-day. [Exeunt.


* * * * *


SCENE XI.

THE STREET BEFORE LYSANDER'S HOUSE: NIGHT

Enter FLORUS and LELIUS at opposite sides, not seeing each other.

LELIUS [aside]. Scarcely has the darksome night O'er the brow of heaven extended* Its black veil, when I come hither To adore this sacred threshold; For although at Cyprian's prayer, I my sharp sword have suspended, I have not my love, for love Cannot be suspended ever.


[footnote] *Asonante in e-e, to the end of the Act.


FLORUS [aside]. Here the dawn will find me waiting:- Here, because 'tis force compels me To go hence, for I, elsewhere, Am away from my true centre. Would to love the day had come, And with it the dear, expected Answer Cyprian may bring me, Risking all upon that venture.

LELIUS [aside]. I have surely in that window Heard a noise.

FLORUS [aside]. Some sound descends here From that balcony.


* * * * *


SCENE XII.

The Demon appears at a window in the house of LYSANDER.

LELIUS [aside]. A figure Issues from it, whose dim presence I distinguish.

FLORUS [aside]. Through the darkness I can there perceive some person.

DEMON [aside]. For the many persecutions O'er Justina's head impending, Her pure honour to defame Thus I make a bold commencement. [He descends by a ladder.

LELIUS [aside]. But, O woe! what's this I witness!-

FLORUS [aside]. What do I see! Oh, wretched! wretched!-

LELIUS [aside]. From the balcony to the ground The dark figure has descended.

FLORUS [aside]. From her house a man comes forth!- Jealousy kill me not, preserve