LITMIR.BIZ

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Marchioness Keep watch, my cousin, so that I may be able to talk without being overheard. (To Quinola) Who are you, my friend?

      Quinola (aside)

      Her friend! As soon as you have a woman's secret, you are her friend.

      (Aloud) Madame, I am a man superior to all considerations and all circumstances.

      The Marchioness

      You have reached a pretty good height, at any rate.

      Quinola

      Is that a threat or a warning?

      The Marchioness

      Sir, you are very impertinent.

      Quinola Do not mistake farsightedness for impertinence. You must study me, before coming to a decision. I am going to describe my character to you; my real name is Lavradi. At the moment Lavradi ought to be serving a ten years' sentence in Africa, at the presides, owing to an error of the alcaldes of Barcelona. Quinola is the conscience, white as your fair hands, of Lavradi. Quinola does to know Lavradi. Does the soul know the body? You may unite the soul, Quinola, to the body, Lavradi, all the more easily because this morning Quinola was at the postern of your garden, with the friends of the dawn who stopped the Duke of Olmedo —

      The Marchioness

      What has happened to him?

      Quinola Lavradi would take advantage of this moment, which is full of promise, to ask a pardon; but Quinola is a gentleman.

      The Marchioness

      You are taken up too much with yourself —

      Quinola And not sufficiently with him – that is just. The duke took us for foul assassins; we were simply asking him, at a rather too advantageous hour, to make us a loan, pledged by our rapiers as collateral. The famous Majoral, who was in command of us, being close pressed by the duke, was forced to disable him by a little thrust, of which he knows the secret.

      The Marchioness

      O! My God! —

      Quinola

      Happiness is cheap at such a cost, madame.

      The Marchioness (aside)

      Hush! He knows my secret.

      Quinola When we saw that the duke had not a maravedi about him, we left him where he was. As I was the least culpable of all the gang, I was charged to take him home; in adjusting his pockets, which had been turned inside out, I found the letter which he had written to you, and, learning your position at the court, I understood —

      The Marchioness

      That your fortune was made?

      Quinola

      Not at all – that my life was in danger.

      The Marchioness

      Indeed?

      Quinola

      To whom are you speaking? Quinola or Lavradi?

      The Marchioness Lavradi shall have his pardon. What does Quinola desire? To enter my service?

      Quinola Foundling children are of gentle birth; Quinola will deliver your letter to you with asking a maravedi, without obliging you to do anything unworthy of you, and he expects that you will refrain from desiring the services of a poor devil who carries under his wallet the heart of the Cid.

      The Marchioness

      How dear you are going to cost me, fellow!

      Quinola

      You said to me just now, "my friend."

      The Marchioness

      Were you not my enemy?

      Quinola On account of that word I trust you, madame, and intend to tell you everything. But here – do not laugh – you must promise – I wish —

      The Marchioness

      You wish?

      Quinola I wish – to speak to the king – at the moment when he passes on his way to the chapel; I desire you to lend favor to my request.

      The Marchioness

      But what are you going to ask him?

      Quinola

      The most simple thing in the world – an audience for my master.

      The Marchioness

      Explain yourself, for time presses.

      Quinola Madame, I am the servant of a philosopher; and if the mark of genius is poverty, we have a great deal too much genius, madame.

      The Marchioness

      To the point.

      Quinola Senor Alfonso Fontanares has come here from Catalonia to offer the king our master the sceptre of the sea. At Barcelona he was taken for a madman; here he is considered a sorcerer. When it becomes known what he proposes, he is scoffed at in the antechambers. One wishes to protest for the sake of ruining him; another, a philosopher, throws a doubt on the existence of our secret, with the view of filching it; others again make him a business proposition – capitalists who wish to entangle him in their meshes. As things go at present we do not know how they will turn out. No one certainly can deny the forces of mechanics and geometry, but the finest theorems have very little bodily nourishment in them, and the smallest of ragouts is better for the stomach; but, really, science is not to blame for that. During the past winter my master and myself warmed ourselves over our projects, and chewed the end of our illusions… Well, madame, he is now in prison, for he has been accused of being on too friendly terms with the devil; and, unfortunately, the Holy Office is right, this time, for we have constantly seen him at the bottom of our purse. And now, madame, I implore you, inspire the king with curiosity to see a man who will give him a dominion as extended as that which Columbus gave to Spain.

      The Marchioness But since Columbus gave a new world to Spain, new worlds are being offered to us once in every fortnight!

      Quinola Ah! madame, every man of genius has one of his own to offer. By heavens, it is so rare that a man can make honestly a fortune both for himself and the state that the phenomenon deserves to be favored.

      The Marchioness

      But what is the project about?

      Quinola I must once more beg you not to laugh, madame. His plan is to make ships travel without sail or oar, against the wind, by means of a pot filled with water, which is kept boiling.

      The Marchioness What an idea! Where do you come from? What do you mean? Are you dreaming?

      Quinola That is just what they all say! Ah, common herd, ye are so constituted that the man of genius, who is right ten years before everybody else, passes for a madman for twenty-five years. I am the only one who believes in this man, and it is on this account I love him; to understand another is to be his equal.

      The Marchioness

      And you want me to repeat this nonsense to the king?

      Quinola Madame, you are the only person in the whole of Spain to whom the king will not say, "Be silent."

      The Marchioness You do not know the king, and I do. (Aside) I must get back my letter. (Aloud) There is one recent circumstance whose occurrence seems favorable to your master; news comes to the king that the Armada has been lost; wait for him on his way through to chapel and address him. (Exit.)

      SCENE SEVENTH

      The Captain of the Guards, the Courtiers and Quinola.

      Quinola (in the front of the stage) It is not sufficient to possess genius and to employ it, for there are plenty of people who make a false show to have it and meet excellent success. There is need also of opportunity and favoring circumstances; a picked up letter which puts a favorite in danger, in order to obtain an interceding tongue, and the loss of the mightiest of flotillas, in order to open the ears of a prince. Chance is an infamous wretch! And now, in the duel of Fontanares with his century, the hour has come for his poor second to appear. (Bells are heard; guard is mounted.) Is yon sound an omen of success?

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