PADILLA. I will be obeyed!
[He starts for the doorway. Enrique rushes into the church. Calabazas
and the other Inquisitors surround Padilla, while Zoraya removes her
cloak.]
CALABAZAS. Padilla!--Such a bargain with this woman!
ALBORNOS. It is a compact with a demon!
PADILLA. My daughter! I want my daughter!
MOLINA. Do you want her before going to Hell, yourself?
PADILLA. If that is the price!--Give her to me!
IBARRA. There goes the salvation of your soul!
PADILLA. The salvation of my daughter!
CALABAZAS. It were better that she should die!
PADILLA. Ah! priests, you have no children! But the King is a father,
he--he will understand me!
[Four girls from the convent of Mercy come out of the church followed
by two nuns, Enrique and Fatoum, conducting lackeys wearing Padilla's
livery, who carry a kind of easy chair in which Joana is sleeping
under a mantle of rich material ornamented with white flowers. The
chair is deposited at the foot of the steps. The crowd, murmuring with
interest and curiosity, draws near. Far in the church women are
singing a canticle. Profound silence follows. All the assistants go
forward, stretching their necks to see the women of the first rank.
The nuns, the young girls, and Fatoum and Padilla on their knees, are
under the portal. To the right, at the entrance of the alley, are Aisha
and Zaguir, who witnessed Zoraya's arrival. Zoraya stands on the steps
behind Joana and raises her face to the crowd. They see the young girl
pale as death, her eyes closed. Enrique stands at the left, apart from
the others.]
ZORAYA. (Putting her fingers on Joana's eyelids, then upon her head)
Joana! Joana! (Joana moves. Zoraya breathes on her forehead.) Awaken!
(With authority.) I want you to!--(Joana moves with effort and opens
her eyes. Murmurs from the assistants.) Arise!
[With Zoraya's aid Joana raises herself, puts her feet on the ground
and stands. Clamors of admiration from the crowd. Joana looks about
with surprise.]
JOANA. Where am I? (She sees Zoraya.) The Mooress!--Fatoum!--My
sisters!
PADILLA. Joana!
JOANA. My father!
[She throws herself into his arms. Exclamations from the crowd.]
THE PEOPLE. A miracle! A miracle!
CALABAZAS. (Forcibly) Silence, people! (The crowd is intimidated.) No
miracle is performed by Satan!
PADILLA. (At the head of the steps) Go and thank God! (He places Joana
in the hands of the nuns, who conduct her into the church. He turns to
Zoraya.) Go in peace, Zoraya! And all of you let the Mooress depart.
She is free! (To Ramiro.) Ramiro, see her safely home!
[He enters the church followed by the Inquisitors. The organs intone
the Te Deum. Enrique, under the portal, exchanges a look of farewell
with Zoraya, who lingers, crossing to the alley. Before her, the crowd
draws back in fright and spreads out at the entrance of the alley to
let her pass. The monks quickly cross the scene and bar her egress.
Zoraya turns to leave by the other street, but other monks quickly
prevent her. All round her is a line of monks.]
A MONK. Christians! are you going to let this daughter of Hell go
free?
ALL. No! No!
[They crowd upon Zoraya, who retreats toward the church. Enrique, who
has seen the movement and heard the words, steps between her and the
monks.]
ENRIQUE. Out of here, monks!--Make way!
THE MONKS. No! No! Seize the sorceress!
THE CROWD. Upon the sorceress!
[The departing crowd, stopped by the movements of the monks, makes a
threatening circle, which advances upon Enrique and Zoraya, who
retreat toward the portal of the church.]
ENRIQUE. You cowardly wretches!
[He draws his sword, which checks them for an instant.]
A MONK. Palacios! You will not go free a second time!
ENRIQUE. Ramiro! Arias! My archers, help me!
[Instead of responding to Enrique's call for assistance, Ramiro,
Arias and the archers join the crowd and shout.]
ALL. (Encouraged by this move) To the stake! To the stake with the
sorceress!
ZORAYA. (Taking refuge above the steps of the church, then under the
portal) They will kill you--Save yourself!
ENRIQUE. (Covering his retreat, sword in hand) Go into the
church!--into the church!
[Zoraya runs to the closed door, which she shakes in vain.]
ZORAYA. Open! Open for us!
[No response is heard except singing and organ music. The mob laughs.]
THE CROWD. (Howling and drawing nearer) Death!--to the death!
[Enrique meanwhile, facing his assailants, finds himself on the steps.
Zoraya is behind him.]
ENRIQUE. Ah! Infamous villains!
RAMIRO. (Holding back the archers) My lord, we do not want to harm
you, but give us that woman!
ENRIQUE. No, ruffians!
THE CROWD. To the death!
A MAN IN THE CROWD. (To Torillo) Executioner, prepare your pyre. We
shall burn the sorceress in spite of him!
THE CROWD. Yes! Yes!
[All turn to look at Torillo and the stake.]
ZORAYA. (Seeing no one looking at her and Enrique) Here they will
kill both of us--Will you not save yourself?
ENRIQUE. To me life among such brutes would be horrible!