Tales of the Wonder Club Volume III Part 9

[_Drawing his sword and seizing Don Silvio by the throat._

Traitor! tell me where hast hid thy daughter.

ROD. (_Rallying, and throwing herself between them._) Help! Murder! Help! Oh, help! What ho! Help! Help!

Don Silvio to the rescue! Help! I say.

D. DIE. (_Leaving hold of Don Silvio, fells Rodriguez with the pommel of his sword._) Peace, harlot, or this blade shall make thee dumb.

Arise, and tell me whence thou hadst this news.

Beware now how thou tell me aught but truth, For by this hand! an thou dost play me false, I'll have thee burnt alive, or gibbetted From the highest turret of this castle.

ROD. My n.o.ble liege, would that it were not true.

A hunter, an eye-witness of the scene, Did bring the news unto your servant Juan.

D. DIE. My servant Juan! Why, then the tale is true!

No serf of mine would dare tell _me_ a lie.

Go, call him hither.

ROD. He is at the door. [_Exit Rodriguez._

_Enter_ JUAN.

D. DIE. How now, Juan! Say, can this wild tale be true?

What has happened to the Lady Inez?

JUAN. My lord, as I heard it you shall hear it.

A certain hunter----

D. DIE. Stay, where is this man?

JUAN. He is without, my lord.

D. DIE. Then call him here.

[_Exit Juan and re-enter with hunter._

HUNTER. (_Bowing to Don, Diego and Don Silvio._) My n.o.ble lords----

D. DIE. Hold! sirrah. Say, can'st thou Upon thy oath affirm, thy hopes of Heaven, That thou wert an eye-witness to this scene?

If so, relate to us in fewest words How the case happened, and the where, the when.

HUNT. Then thus it came about, my liege. As I Was wandering, towards mid-day, among the Many rocks and fissures of these mountainous ranges, Armed with my carbine, in search of game, As is my daily wont, I came upon A deep ravine, yet hidden from my sight By thorns and bushes and like obstacles, When soon I heard the hum of human voices.

The spot, if I may judge well, I should say Was half-way 'twixt St. Ursula's and here.

Well, trampling down the brambles, I stood firm Upon the brink of a steep precipice; And lo! beneath me was the gipsy gang, And chief amongst them, one tall stately form, A woman's that would seem to be their queen.

D. DIE. (_Confused_) Ahem! Didst say the queen?

HUNT. Ay, my good lord.

And 'mongst the tribe I saw as captives, soon, A gentle damsel and young cavalier.

D. DIE. How, sayest thou, Sirrah? A young cavalier!

Sure, 'twas an aged servitor you saw.

HUNT. An aged serving-man, 'tis true, there was, And tightly-bound that he could not escape; I knew him instantly. 'Twas Pedro here, Don Silvio's servant.

D. SIL. Alas! alas! 'tis true. I was in hopes, When the hunter spoke of a young gallant, That he had mistaken some other travellers For my daughter Inez and my servant.

But since he saith he knoweth Pedro----

D. DIE. Hold!

The case is not quite clear to me e'en now, Silvio! Who's this gallant, as ye term him?

Speak, for ye ought to know.

D. SIL. No, faith, not I.

D. DIE. Proceed then, hunter, with thy story. Quick.

HUNT. Well then, my lord, knowing good Pedro's face, I did presume that the young gentle pair Were visitors, bound for Don Silvio's castle.

D. DIE. (_Musingly._) Young gentle pair--ahem! Well, man, proceed.

HUNT. I watched in silence, and they saw me not; But still, from out my ambush I did take The whole scene in, and it appeared to me That the young knight must have resistance made, For low he lay, sore wounded in the head, While ever and anon the gentle maid Would dress his wound, and gaze with tearful eye And such a fond affection on her knight.

D. DIE. (_Aside to Don Silvio._) Traitor, thou shalt account to me for this.

(_Aloud to Hunter._) Well, man, proceed. Hast thou ought more to say?

HUNT. But little good, my lord; but as I stood Watching this trusting, loving, pair----

D. DIE. (_Aside._) d.a.m.nation!

HUNT. I thought my heart would bleed from tenderness.

D. DIE. (_Laughs diabolically_). Ha, ha! Ha, ha!

HUNT. So, rising to my feet, But still unseen of any, I did haste, As was my bounden duty, to this castle, T'inform my lord, Don Silvio, of the fate Impending both his servant and his guests.

D. DIE. Good; look ye, fellow. An thy tale be true, Prepare to marshal me the way thyself, Without loss of a moment, and may be That thou shalt taste my bounty.

HUNT. Good, my lord; The sun hath set, and it is growing dark.

D. DIE. No matter, thou shalt have the better pay.

HUNT. As my lord wills.

D. DIE. And Juan, see my charger Be forthwith saddled. Bid my men-at-arms To mount, armed cap-a-pie; whilst such amongst The populace as thou canst muster, quick Arm thou with pikes and loaded carabines, And bid them follow me, their lord, Don Diego.

Lose not one precious moment, but set forth.

[_Exeunt Juan and Hunter._ What, gipsies! vagrants! b.a.s.t.a.r.d heathen dogs!

_I'll_ clear the country of this filthy sc.u.m, Were it but for the sake of Christendom; Maybe that some day they will dub me saint. [_Exit._

[_Don Silvio makes a gesture of despair, and curtain falls._

END OF ACT II.