Tales of the Wonder Club Volume III Part 17

SCENE IV.--_A Wood of chestnuts. Moonlight. Gipsies in ambush. Don Diego's castle seen towering above the trees._

_Enter_ GIPSY QUEEN _and_ PASCUAL.

GIP. Q. Behold the spot I told thee of, from whence We must begin th' ascent. (_To Gipsies._) Is all prepared?

GIPSIES TOGETHER. Ay, Queen.

GIP. Q. And Father Miguel?

A GIPSY. He comes anon.

D. PAS. What, even Father Miguel! Will he join?

GIP. Q. He is, as ever, our most staunch ally, And doth possess a keen and ready wit In time of need. A soft and oily tongue And gentle manner, that may well disarm All base suspicion. Such sound policy As may enable him to win the day, When all such brainless braggadocio As thine might fail.

D. PAS. Bravo, Father Miguel!

An he be practised in the use of 's tongue, As I am in the use of my good blade We shall do well together.

GIP. Q. See, he comes.

_Enter_ FATHER MIGUEL. _He walks straight up to_ GIPSY QUEEN.

F'TH. M. Pepa, well met. Is this young man your son?

D. PAS. (_Stepping forward._) Ay, holy father. Dost remember me?

F'TH. M. But little, son. It is so many years We have not met, and thou art altered much.

Thou wert then but a lad--a naughty lad, A very naughty lad.

D. PAS. Ha, ha! Ha, ha!

The accusation, I admit, is just, But hope, after to-night, that we may learn To know each other better.

F'TH. M. So say I.

And now, for what doth most concern us all.

TO GIPSY QUEEN. I doubt not this youth's courage. Nay, his fault, An I remember right in days gone by.

Was being too precipitous and rash.

Now listen, both of ye, to what I say; We must not mar our plot with useless show Of ill-timed valour, but h.o.a.rd well our strength Till needed, and if possible dispense With blood and slaughter, which G.o.d grant we may.

D. PAS. How, holy father? I don't understand.

Are we not here a.s.sembled to attack The tyrant's stronghold. Are the men-at-arms That guard the castle made of such poor stuff, As let a powerful and armed band Approach without resistance. Think you, _he_ The man that I blush to call my father, Is so utterly without resources As let us tamely rob him of his prize, Under his very nose, and not resent?

Too old a fox, I ween, our veteran foe, For to be caught asleep.

F'TH. M. Nay, hear me, son.

GIP. Q. Ay, true my, son. Have patience and attend To the good father's counsel.

D. PAS. Father, speak.

F'TH. M. I have bethought me of a scheme, which, if Well carried out, will bring us through the guard Without the loss of blood. Once entered in, And pa.s.sed the threshold, let me lead the way.

Your mother will present herself anon, a.s.sert her rights in presence of them all; _You_ then will follow, ready to protect Yourself and us, should an a.s.sault be made Upon our persons. (_To Gipsies._) You bold gipsies all, Keep close at hand a little in the rear Ready for action, but beware to lift A finger until called upon to fight Through grim necessity. D'ye hear me all?

GIPSIES (_Together._) Ay, ay, Sir Priest.

D. PAS. You have not told us yet The means you will adopt to pa.s.s the guards Without resistance.

F'TH M. Listen, then, awhile.

I have to aid me in this daring plot A tried and trusty friend, a mountaineer; This peasant hath across his shoulders slung A keg of choicest wine, by me well drugged With such a potent powder, that one drop But taken on the tongue were full enough In a few minutes to induce a sleep So dull, lethargic, heavy, and profound, That earth might quake, winds blow, and thunder growl, And yet the victims of this potent drug Would still sleep on, their long and death-like sleep, And much I doubt me if the archangel's trump Would fully wake them.

D. PAS. 'Tis not poison, father?

F'TH. M. Nay, 'tis harmless. How could you think that I, As priest, could do aught to take human life?

I come to hinder carnage, not to slay.

D. PAS. This may be difficult, though, nevertheless, The men are many. There are always dogs That bark and bellow at the foe's approach.

F'TH. M. Leave all to me, my son. As for the dogs, I've poison brought, most instantaneous, With which I've baited meat, that I have now About my person, whilst this peasant here.

What ho! Felipe!

_Enter a_ PEASANT _with a keg of wine slung round him_.

This same honest man Will go ahead with me, but as we near The castle we will separate, and choose Two divers paths, so that in case we meet With any man we seem not to belong One to the other. He will chant an air Such as our mountaineers are wont to sing, And go his way, as one who's light of heart; Myself, will pa.s.s on by another route, To meet the peasant at a given point Close to the castle and within the hearing Of all the soldiers; and if accosted, I have my answer ready. Do not fear.

When within hearing of the men-at-arms, I shall call out to this same mountaineer, As to a stranger: "Hold, friend. Where bound?"

"To the next village, father," shall he say?

"Trav'lling with wine. A buyer wants to try A sample, and I bring him of the best."

"Ha!" shall I say, "then, prithee, let me taste.

I, too, would buy a barrel, but for _me_ It must be good indeed, else, keep your wine."

Then shall I feign to drink and smack my lips, Swearing 'tis nectar worthy of a king, And straight make offer to buy all he has, While trudging on together by the way.

Presently we will come upon the guards, Some of whom know me well. Suspecting nought, These men will easily be lured to try The vaunted liquor. Having gone the round Of seneschal and warder and the rest, I shall find access to the castle hall Without much trouble, offr'ing as excuse, I come to let Don Diego taste the wine.

Once entered fairly in the castle hall, Ere long all hands will sound as dead men sleep, Then shall I blow this whistle. At the sound, March on, and fear not, for the game is ours.

D. PAS. Hail! Father Miguel! once again I say.

F'TH. M. Now to our task. 'Tis just about the hour, And better be too early than too late.

D. PAS. True, holy father.

F'TH. M. Well, go softly on Ahead, whilst you all keep well in the rear, Advance ye not until ye hear this call.

[_Exeunt_ FATHER MIGUEL _and_ FELIPE.

D. PAS. Why, what an acquisition to our cause Is this same priest! I vow I know not how We should have done without him.

GIP. Q. You say well.

Besides our cause, that he has much at heart, He revels in all plotting and intrigue.

D. PAS. It suits his peculiar genius. Why, He might have been prime minister of Spain, This same poor unknown priest.

[_A distant mountaineer's chant is heard._

GIP. Q. Hark! Do you hear?