Through which all eyes seem gazing. Every face Expresses some suspicion of my shame,

And in derision seems to smile at me!

Hyp. Did I not caution thee? Did I not tell thee

I was but half persuaded of her virtue ?

Vict. And yet, Hypolito, we may be wrong, We may be over-hasty in condemning! The Count of Lara is a cursed villain.

Hyp. And therefore is she cursed, loving him. Vict. She does not love him! "T is for gold! for gold!

Hyp. Ay, but remember, in the public streets He shows a golden ring the Gypsy gave him, A serpent with a ruby in its mouth.

Vict. She had that ring from me! God! she is false !

But I will be revenged! The hour is passed.
Where stays the coward?

Hyp.

Nay, he is no coward;

A villain, if thou wilt, but not a coward.

I've seen him play with swords; it is his pastime.

And therefore be not over-confident,

He'll task thy skill anon.

(Enter LARA followed by FRANCISCO.)

Look, here he comes.

Good evening, Count.

Lara. Good evening, gentlemen.

Нур.

Lara. I trust I have not kept you long in wait

ing.

Vict. Not long, and yet too long. Are you prepared?

Lara. I am.

Hyp. It grieves me much to see this quarrel

Between you, gentlemen. Is there no way
Left open to accord this difference,

But you must make one with your swords?
Vict.

I do entreat thee, dear Hypolito,

No! none !

Stand not between me and my foe. Too long Our tongues have spoken. Let these tongues of

steel

End our debate. Upon your guard, Sir Count. (They fight. VICTORIAN disarms the COUNT.) Your life is mine; and what shall now withhold

me

From sending your vile soul to its account?

Lara. Strike! strike!

Vict.

You are disarmed.

I will not kill

you.

I will not murder you. Take up your sword.

(FRANCISCO hands the COUNT his sword, and HYPOLITO inter

poses.)

Hyp. Enough! Let it end here! The Count of

Lara

Has shown himself a brave man, and Victorian

A

generous one, as ever. Now be friends.

Put up your swords; for, to speak frankly to

you,

Your cause of quarrel is too slight a thing

To move you to extremes.

Lara.

I am content.

I sought no quarrel. A few hasty words,
Spoken in the heat of blood, have led to this.

Vict. Nay, something more than that.
Lara.
I understand you.
Therein I did not mean to cross your path.
To me the door stood open, as to others.

But, had I known the girl belonged to you,
Never would I have sought to win her from you.
The truth stands now revealed; she has been false
To both of us.

Vict.

Ay, false as hell itself!

Lara. In truth, I did not seek her; she sought

me;

And told me how to win her, telling me

The hours when she was oftenest left alone.

Vict. Say, can you prove this to me? Oh, pluck

out

These awful doubts, that goad me into madness! Let me know all! all! all!

Is needful, I have here a ring she gave me.

Vict. Pray let me see that ring! It is the same!

(Throws it upon the ground, and tramples upon it.) Thus may she perish who once wore that ring! Thus do I spurn her from me; do thus trample Her memory in the dust! O Count of Lara, We both have been abused, been much abused! I thank you for your courtesy and frankness. Though, like the surgeon's hand, yours gave me pain,

Yet it has cured my blindness, and I thank you. I now can see the folly I have done,

Though 't is, alas! too late. So fare you well!

To-night I leave this hateful town forever.
Regard me as your friend. Once more farewell!
Hyp. Farewell, Sir Count.

[Exeunt VICTORIAN and HYPOLITO.

Lara. Farewell! farewell! farewell!

Thus have I cleared the field of my worst foe!
I have none else to fear; the fight is done,
The citadel is stormed, the victory won!

[Exit with FRANCISCO.

SCENE VII.-A lane in the suburbs. Night. Enter CRUZADO and BARTOLOMÉ.

Cruz. And so, Bartolomé, the expedition failed. But where wast thou for the most part?

Bart. In the Guadarrama mountains, near San Ildefonso.

Cruz. And thou bringest nothing back with thee? Didst thou rob no one?

Bart. There was no one to rob, save a party of students from Segovia, who looked as if they would rob us; and a jolly little friar, who had nothing in his pockets but a missal and a loaf of bread.

Cruz. Pray, then, what brings thee back to Madrid?

Bart. First tell me what keeps thee here?
Cruz. Preciosa.

Bart. And she brings me back. Hast thou forgotten thy promise?

Cruz. The two years are not passed yet. Wait patiently. The girl shall be thine.

Bart. I hear she has a Busné lover.

Cruz. That is nothing.

Line 4. Farewell! farewell!

Bart. I do not like it. I hate him,

of a Busné harlot. He goes in and out, and speaks with her alone, and I must stand aside, and wait his pleasure.

Cruz. Be patient, I say. Thou shalt have thy When the time comes, thou shalt way

revenge.

lay him.

Bart. Meanwhile, show me her house.

Cruz. Come this way. But thou wilt not find her. She dances at the play to-night.

Bart. No matter. Show me the house. [Exeunt.

SCENE VIII. - The Theatre. The orchestra plays the cachucha. Sound of castanets behind the scenes. The curtain rises, and discovers PRECIOSA in the attitude of commencing the dance. The cachucha. Tumult; hisses; cries of "Brava!" and "Afuera!” She falters and pauses. The music stops. General confusion. PRECIOSA faints.

SCENE IX. The COUNT of LARA's chambers. LARA and his friends at supper.

Lara. So, Caballeros, once more many thanks! You have stood by me bravely in this matter. Pray fill your glasses.

Don J. Did you mark, Don Luis, How pale she looked, when first the noise began, And then stood still, with her large eyes dilated! Her nostrils spread! her lips apart! her bosom Tumultuous as the sea!

Don L.

I pitied her.

Lara. Her pride is humbled; and this very night

I mean to visit her.

Don J.

Will you serenade her?