[In the scenes which are here cited the poison of slander
begins to work. Don Severo, uttering the anonymous gossip of
the world, has implanted in the mind of his middle-aged
brother Don Julian the first suspicion of the honor of his
young wife Teodora and the loyalty of his adopted son Ernest.
Teodora, who has been warned by Mercedes, Don Severo's wife,
overhears the accusing words of her brother-in-law, who is
talking with her husband in an inner apartment; and
horror-struck, is about to fly from the room.]
_Julian_ [_inside_]--Let me go!
_Mercedes_ [_inside_]--No, for Heaven's sake!
_Julian_--It is they. I will go!
_Teodora_ [_to Ernest_]--Go! go!
_Severo_ [_to Ernest_]--You shall give me satisfaction for this!
_Ernest_--I will not refuse it.
_Enter_ Julian, _pale and disordered; wounded and seemingly
in a dying condition, supported by_ Mercedes. Don Severo
_stations himself at the right_, Teodora _and_ Ernest _remain
in the background_.
_Julian_--Together! Where are they going?--Stop them! They shun my
presence! Traitors!
[_He makes a movement as if to rush toward them, but his
strength fails him and he totters_.]
_Severo_ [_hurrying to his assistance_]--No, no.
_Julian_--They deceived me--they lied to me! Wretches! [_While he is
speaking, Mercedes and Severo lead him to the arm-chair on the
right._] There--look at them--she and Ernest! Why are they together?
_Teodora and Ernest_ [_separating_]--No!
_Julian_--Why do they not come to me? Teodora!
_Teodora_ [_stretching out her arms, but without advancing_]--My
Julian!
_Julian_--Here, on my heart! [_Teodora runs to Julian and throws
herself into his arms. He presses her convulsively to his breast.
Pause._] You see!--You see! [_To his brother._] I know that she
deceives me! I press her in my arms--I might kill her if I would--and
she would deserve it--but I look at her--_I look at her_--and I
cannot!
_Teodora_--Julian!
_Julian_--And he? [_Pointing to Ernest._]
_Ernest_--Sir!--
_Julian_--And I loved him! Be silent and come hither. [_Ernest
advances._] You see she is still mine. [_Presses her closer._]
_Teodora_--Yours--yours!
_Julian_--Do not act a part! Do not lie to me!
_Mercedes_--For God's sake! [_Trying to calm him._]
_Severo_--Julian!
_Julian_ [_to both_]--Peace. Be silent. [_To Teodora._] I divined your
secret. I know that you love him. [_Teodora and Ernest try to protest,
but he will not let them._] Madrid knows it too--all Madrid!
_Ernest_--No, father.
_Teodora_--No.
_Julian_--They would still deny it! When it is patent to all! When I
feel it in every fibre of my being, for the fever that consumes me has
illuminated my mind with its flame!
_Ernest_--All these fancied wrongs are the offspring of a fevered
imagination, of delirium! Hear me, sir--
_Julian_--You will lie to me again!
_Ernest_--She is innocent! [_Pointing to Teodora._]
_Julian_--I do not believe you.
_Ernest_--By my father's memory I swear it!
_Julian_--You profane his name and his memory by the oath.
_Ernest_--By my mother's last kiss--
_Julian_--It is no longer on your brow.
_Ernest_--By all you hold most sacred, father, I swear it, I swear it!
_Julian_--Let there be no oaths, no deceitful words, no protests.
_Ernest_--Well, then, what do you wish?
_Teodora_--What do you wish?
_Julian_--Deeds!
_Ernest_--What does he desire, Teodora? What would he have us do?
_Teodora_--I do not know. What can we do, what can we do, Ernest?
_Julian_ [_watching them with instinctive distrust_]--Ah, would you
deceive me to my very face? You are laying your plans together,
wretches! Do I not see it?
_Ernest_--These are the imaginings of fever.
_Julian_--Fever, yes! The fire of fever has consumed the bandage with
which you both blindfolded me, and at last I see clearly! And now why
do you gaze on each other? why, traitors? Why do your eyes shine,
Ernest? Speak. Their brightness is not the brightness of tears. Come
nearer--nearer still.
[_Draws Ernest to him, bends his head, and so forces him to
his knees. Don Julian thus remains between Teodora, who
stands at his side, and Ernest, who kneels at his feet. Don
Julian passes his hand over Ernest's eyes._]
_Julian_--I was right--It is not with tears! They are dry!
_Ernest_--Pardon!--Pardon!
_Julian_--You ask my pardon? Then you confess your guilt.
_Ernest_--No!
_Julian_--Yes!
_Ernest_--It is not that!
_Julian_--Then look into each other's eyes before me.
_Severo_--Julian!
_Mercedes_--Sir!
_Julian_ [_to Teodora and Ernest_]--You are afraid, then? You do not
love each other like brother and sister, then? If you do, prove it!
Let your souls rise to your eyes and in my presence mingle their
reflection there, that so I may see, watching them closely, if that
brightness is the brightness of light or of fire. You too, Teodora--I
will have it so. Come--both; nearer still!
[_Forces Teodora to kneel before him, draws their faces
together, and compels them to look at each other._]
_Teodora_ [_freeing herself by a violent effort_]--Oh no!
_Ernest_ [_also tries to release himself, but Julian holds him in his
grasp_]--I cannot!
_Julian_--You love each other! You love each other! I see it clearly!
[_To Ernest._] Your life!
_Ernest_--Yes.
_Julian_--Your blood!
_Ernest_--All!
_Julian_ [_keeping him on his knees_]--Remain there.
_Teodora_--Julian! [_Restraining him._]
_Julian_--Ah, you defend him, you defend him.
_Teodora_--Not for his sake.
_Severo_--In Heaven's name--
_Julian_ [_to Severo_]--Silence! Bad friend! bad son! [_Holding him at
his feet._]
_Ernest_--Father!
_Julian_--Disloyal! Treacherous!
_Ernest_--No, father.
_Julian_--Thus do I brand you as a traitor on the cheek--now with my
hand, soon with my sword! [_With a supreme effort he raises himself
and strikes Ernest on the face._]
_Ernest_ [_rises to his feet with a terrible cry and retreats,
covering his face with his hands_]--Ah!
_Severo_--Justice! [_Stretching out his hand toward Ernest._]
_Teodora_--My God! [_Hides her face with her hands and falls into a
chair._]
_Mercedes_ [_to Ernest, exculpating Julian_]--It was delirium!
[_These four exclamations in rapid succession. A moment of
stupor; Julian still standing and regarding Ernest, Mercedes
and Severo trying to calm him._]
_Julian_--It was not delirium, it was chastisement, by Heaven! What!
Did you think your treachery would go unpunished, ingrate!
_Mercedes_--Let us go, let us go!
_Severo_--Come, Julian.
_Julian_--Yes, I am going.
[_Walks with difficulty toward his room, supported by Severo
and Mercedes, stopping from time to time to look back at
Ernest and Teodora._]
_Mercedes_--Quick, Severo!
_Julian_--Look at them, the traitors! It was justice! Was it not
justice? So I believe.
_Severo_--For God's sake, Julian! For my sake!
_Julian_--You, you alone, of all the world, have loved me truly.
[_Embraces him_.]
_Severo_--Yes, I alone!
_Julian_ [_stops near the door and looks at them again_]--She weeps
for him--and does not follow me. She does not even look at me; she
does not see that I am dying--yes, dying!
_Severo_--Julian!
_Julian_--Wait, wait! [_Pauses on the threshold._] Dishonor for
dishonor!--Farewell, Ernest! [_Exeunt Julian, Severo, and Mercedes._]
Translation made for 'A Library of the World's Best Literature,'
by Mary J. Serrano