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Title: Los Amantes de Teruel Drama en cuatro actos en verso y prosa

Author: Hartzenbusch, Juan Eugenio

Release Date: February 2, 2004 [EBook #10909]

Language: Spanish

Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1

START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LOS AMANTES DE TERUEL

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[Ilustraci贸n: _JUAN EUGENIO HARTZENBUSCH_]

Heath's Modern Language Series

LOS AMANTES DE TERUEL

POR

JUAN EUGENIO HARTZENBUSCH

_WITH INTRODUCTION, NOTES, AND VOCABULARY_

BY

G.W. UMPHREY, PH.D.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ROMANCE LANGUAGES
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

1920.

PREFACE

The importance of Hartzenbusch in the history of the Spanish drama and the enduring popularity in Spain of Los Amantes de Teruel, his masterpiece, have assured this play a definite place in the work of advanced students of Spanish literature in our universities. For such students the many editions published in Spain and elsewhere have been perhaps sufficient, but for the much larger number who never reach the advanced literary classes an annotated edition is needed. That this play offers excellent material for the work of more elementary courses in the schools and colleges has long been the opinion of the present editor; and that it has not already found a place among the Spanish texts published in this country is difficult to understand. The old legend of Teruel, the embodiment of pure and constant love, is one that might well be expected to make a strong appeal to the youth of any country; the simple and direct presentation given to the legend by Hartzenbusch and the comparative freedom from textual difficulties, as the result of the careful revisions of the play by its scholarly author, bring it within the range of the understanding and appreciation of students who have studied Spanish one year in college or two years in high school, if it is put before them in a properly prepared edition.

The editor has kept in mind this class of students in the preparation of the Introduction, Notes, and Vocabulary. To those who consider the Introduction disproportionately long, the excuse is given that this will be the first Romantic play read by many students, and that if they are to understand it and appreciate its fine literary qualities, they must be enabled to view it in its proper historical perspective. It is to be hoped that this edition may serve as a safe approach to the systematic study, of the Romantic Movement in Spanish literature.

The text of the play is that of the annotated edition of Dr. Adolf Kressner, Leipsic, 1887 (_Bibliothek Spanischer Schriftsteller_), and is the same as the one contained in the definitive collection of the plays of Hartzenbusch, Teatro, Madrid, 1888-1892, Vol. I, pages 7-130 (_Colecci贸n de Escritores Castellanos_).

The indebtedness of the editor to Professor E.C. Hills of Indiana University for many helpful suggestions is gratefully acknowledged.

G.W. UMPHREY

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PREFACE

INTRODUCTION

I. The Legend

II. Authenticity of the Legend

III. The Legend in Spanish Literature

IV. Life of Hartzenbusch

V. Hartzenbusch's Treatment of the Legend

VI. Romanticism

VII. Romanticism in Los Amantes

VIII. Versification

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

TEXT

NOTES

VOCABULARY

INTRODUCTION

given undying fame to many legends and traditions. Among the famous lovers that have passed into legend and that stand as the embodiment of constant love in different ages and in different countries,--Pyramus and Thisbe, Hero and Leander, Tristam and Isolde, Romeo and Juliet,--are to be found Marsilla and Isabel. These Lovers of Teruel, as constant as any of the others, are especially notable because of the purity of their love and because of the absence of violence in their sudden departure from this life. Disappointed love, desperate grief at separation, was the only cause of their death.

The old city of Teruel, founded by the Aragonese in the latter half of the twelfth century at the junction of the Guadalaviar and the Alfambra as a stronghold in the territory recently recovered from the Moors, was the fitting scene for the action of the legend.... The pioneer life of the city, the depth of sentiment and singleness of purpose of its Aragonese inhabitants, the crusading spirit that carried to victory the armies of Peter II of Arag贸n and his more famous son, James the Conqueror, lend probability to a legend that would ordinarily be considered highly improbable from the point of view of historical authenticity. Stripped of the fantastic details that have gathered about it in the many literary treatments given to it by Spanish writers, the legend may be briefly told. In Teruel, at the beginning of the thirteenth century, lived Juan Diego Mart铆nez Garc茅s de Marsilla and Isabel de Segura. They had loved each other from childhood, but when it became a question of marriage, Isabel's father opposed the union because of the young man's lack of material resources and because a wealthy suitor, Rodrigo de Azagra, had presented himself for the hand of his daughter. All that the entreaties of the lovers could gain from him was the promise that if Marsilla went to the wars, gained fame and riches, and returned before a certain day, he would receive Isabel in marriage. This Marsilla did; but unfortunately he was unable to return until just after the expiration of the time set. When he reached Teruel, he found Isabel married to the wealthy rival. Disappointed in their hopes after so many years of constant love and continual struggle against adversity, Marsilla died of grief, and Isabel soon followed him; separated in life by cruel fate, they were united in death. Buried in the same tomb, they were later disinterred, and their mummified remains may now be seen in the old church of San Pedro in Teruel.

yet been found to the legend belong to the middle of the sixteenth century, that is, more than three centuries after the supposed death of the lovers. In 1555, when the church of San Pedro in Teruel was undergoing some repairs, two bodies, supposedly those of Marsilla and Isabel, were discovered in one tomb in a remarkably good state of preservation. They were reburied at the foot of the altar in the chapel of Saints Cosme and Damian, and the story of the unfortunate lovers began to spread far and wide. By the end of the century it was apparently widely known and attracted considerable attention to the old city of Teruel. When Philip III of Spain was journeying to Valencia in 1599 he was induced to turn aside to visit the church of San Pedro. In the official account of his journey, "Jornada de Su Majestad Felipe III y Alteza la Infanta Do帽a Isabel, desde Madrid, a casarse el Rey con la Reyna Do帽a Margarita, y su Alteza con el Archiduque Alberto," the story of the legend as then generally accepted is related so succinctly that it may well be quoted here: "En la iglesia de San Pedro, en la capilla de San Cosme y San Dami谩n, de la dicha ciudad, est谩 la sepultura de los Amantes que llaman de Teruel; y dicen eran un mancebo y una doncella que se quer铆an mucho, ella rica y 茅l al contrario; y como 茅l pidiese por mujer la doncella y por ser pobre no se la diesen, se determin贸 a ir por el mundo a adquerir hacienda y ella aguardarle ciertos a帽os, al cabo de los cuales y dos o tres d铆as m谩s, volvi贸 rico y hall贸 que aquella noche se casaba la doncella. Tuvo trazas de meterse debajo de su cama y a media noche le pidi贸 un abrazo, d谩ndose a conocer; ella le dijo que no pod铆a por no ser ya suya, y 茅l muri贸 luego al punto. Llev谩ronle a enterrar, y ella fu茅 al entierro, y cuando le quer铆an echar en la sepultura, se arrim贸 a la ata煤d y qued贸 all铆 muerta; y as铆 los enterraron juntos en una sepultura, sabido el caso."

Seventeen years later a long epic poem by the secretary of the city council of Teruel, Juan Yag眉e de Salas, aroused much discussion as to the authenticity of the legend. In 1619 the bodies were again exhumed and in the coffin of one of them were found written the words "�ste es Don Diego Juan Mart铆nez de Marsilla"; also a document, "papel de letra muy antigua," giving the story in detail. This document disappeared, but the copy that Juan Yag眉e claimed to have made may be seen in the archives of the church of San Pedro or in the transcription published in the Semanario Pintoresco for the week ending Feb. 5, 1837 (Vol. II, pages 45-47). The genuineness of the document and its copy is very doubtful. The first paragraph shows some linguistic peculiarities of old Aragonese; but these gradually disappear, until there is little left in the language to differentiate it from that of the good notary public and poet, Juan Yag眉e, who was so anxious to prove authenticity for the legend treated in his poem. Although there is no reliable evidence that the bodies exhumed in 1555 and again in 1619 were those of Marsilla and Isabel, the church of San Pedro has held them in special reverence. They attract many admirers to the old city on the Guadalaviar and the tourist who expresses incredulity when shown the remains of the lovers becomes thereby persona non grata in Teruel.

For three centuries the controversy has continued and has resulted in the spilling of much ink. The most complete and authoritative study of the sources and growth of the legend is that of the eminent scholar Cotarelo y Mori (Sobre el origen y desarrollo de la leyenda de Los Amantes de Teruel, 2d edition, 1907). His conclusions support the theory that the legend is the result of the localization in Teruel of the story of the unfortunate Florentine lovers, Girolamo and Salvestra, as related by Boccaccio in his Decameron, Book IV, Novel 8. He refutes the arguments advanced by the supporters of the authenticity of the legend, calls attention to the suspicious nature of all the documents, and maintains the thesis that Boccaccio's story found its way into Spain toward the end of the fourteenth century and took the form of the legend of the Lovers of Teruel about the middle of the sixteenth century, at which time it first appeared definitely in Spanish literature. The majority of literary critics and historians accept Cotarelo y Mori's conclusions; others, however, refuse to give up the historic basis of the legend. They cannot deny, of course, the evident similarity of the stories; they explain it by saying that the story of the constant lovers who died in Teruel in 1217 was carried to Italy by Aragonese soldiers or merchants, was heard by the Italian novelist, and used by him as the basis for his story of Girolamo and Salvestra.

legends of the world rest upon documentary evidence, and the fact that the legend of the Lovers of Teruel lacks historic proof has had little influence upon its popularity. It has been productive of much literature, the extent of which is indicated by the two hundred or more titles contained in the bibliography[l] published by Domingo Gasc贸n y Guimbao in 1907. Of the many poems, plays, and novels inspired by the legend only the most noteworthy can be mentioned here. The oldest literary treatment is apparently that of Pedro de Alventosa, written about the middle of the sixteenth century, Historia lastimosa y sentida de los tiernos amantes Marcilla y Segura. This was followed in 1566 by a Latin poem of about five hundred lines by Antonio de Ser贸n, published in 1907 by Gasc贸n y Guimbao, with a Spanish translation and an excellent bibliography. In 1581 the legend was given dramatic treatment by Rey de Artieda, who followed the story in its essential elements but modernized the action by placing it in the time of Charles V, only forty-six years earlier than the publication of the play. It has little literary value, but is important because of its influence on later dramatists. Passing over various treatments of the theme that serve merely to indicate its growing popularity, we come to the pretentious epic poem of Juan Yag眉e de Salas in twenty-six cantos, Los Amantes de Teruel, Epopeya tr谩gica, in which, besides adding many fantastic details to the legend, the author presented much extraneous matter bearing upon the general history of Teruel. Because of this widely known poem and the growing popularity of the Lovers, two dramatists of the Golden Age, Tirso de Molina and P茅rez de Montalb谩n, gave it their attention. Los Amantes de Teruel of the great Tirso de Molina, published in 1635, is disappointing, considering the dramatic ability of the author; it contains passages of dramatic effectiveness but is weak in construction. As in Rey de Artieda's play, the action is placed in the sixteenth century; Marsilla takes part in the famous expedition of Charles V against the Moors in Tunis, saves the Emperor's life, and, richly rewarded, returns, too late, to claim the promised bride. It is a better play than that of Artieda, but is itself surpassed by Montalb谩n's play of three years later. Although he was far from possessing the dramatic genius of Tirso, Montalb谩n succeeded in giving the story the form that it was to maintain on the stage for two centuries. Frequent performances and many editions of his play, as well as many other literary treatments and references that might be cited, attest the continued popularity of the legend.

[Footnote 1: Los Amantes de Teruel, Bibliograf铆a de los Amantes. Domingo Gasc贸n y Guimbao, Madrid, 1907.]

Finally, in the early days of Romanticism, it assumed the dramatic form that has remained most popular down to the present day. On the nineteenth of January of the year 1837 the theatergoing people of Madrid were moved to vociferous applause by a new treatment of the old theme, and a new star of the literary firmament was recognized in the person of Juan Eugenio Hartzenbusch. In his dramatic masterpiece Hartzenbusch eclipsed all the other plays that have dealt with the legend, and more than twenty editions stand as proof of its continued popularity. Besides these many editions of the play, numerous novels, poems, and operas have appeared from time to time. For the most complete bibliography down to 1907 the reader is again referred to that of the official historian of Teruel, Gasc贸n y Guimbao. We must now turn our attention to the author of the best dramatic treatment of the legend.

was the only son of a German cabinet-maker who had wandered to Spain from his home near Cologne, married a Spanish girl, and opened up a shop in Madrid. The son inherited from his German father and Spanish mother traits of character that were exemplified later in his life and writings. From his father he received a fondness for meditation, conscientious industry in acquiring sound scholarship, and the patience needed for the continual revision of his plays; from his mother came his ardent imagination and love of literature. Childhood and youth were for him a period of disappointment and struggle against adversity. Less than two years old when his mother died after a short period of insanity caused by the sight of bloodshed in the turbulent streets of Madrid in 1808, he was left to the care of a brooding father who had little sympathy with his literary aspirations, but who did wish to give him the best education he could afford. He received a common school education and was permitted to spend the four years from 1818 to 1822 in the College of San Isidro. As a result of the political troubles in Spain in 1823, the father's business, never very prosperous, fell away and the son had to leave college to help in the workshop. He was thus compelled to spend a large part of his time in making furniture, although his inclination was toward literature.

His leisure was given to study and to the acquirement of a practical knowledge of the dramatic art, gained for the most part from books, because of his father's dislike of the theater and because of the lack of money for any unnecessary expenditure. He translated several French and Italian plays, adapted others to Spanish conditions, and recast various comedias of the Siglo de Oro, with a view to making them more suitable for presentation. He tried his hand also at original production and succeeded in getting some of his plays on the stage, only to have them withdrawn almost immediately. Undiscouraged by repeated failure, he continued studying and writing, more determined than ever to become a successful dramatist and thus realize the ambition that was kindled in him by the first dramatic performance that he had witnessed when he had already reached manhood.

At the time of his marriage in 1830 he was still helping his ailing and despondent father in the workshop; more interested undoubtedly in his literary pursuits, but ever faithful to the call of duty. Until success as a dramatist made it possible for him to gain a living for his family by literature, he continued patiently his manual labor. At his father's death he closed the workshop and for a short time became dependent for a livelihood on stenography, with which he had already eked out the slender returns from the labor of his hands.

Meanwhile, during these last years of apprenticeship in which Hartzenbusch was gaining complete mastery of his art by continual study and practice, the literary revolution known as Romanticism was making rapid progress. The death of the despotic Ferdinand VII in 1833 removed the restraint that had been imposed upon literature as well as upon political ideas. The theories of the French and English Romanticists were penetrating Spanish literary circles, to be taken up eagerly by the younger dramatists; political exiles of high social and literary prestige, such as Mart铆nez de la Rosa and the Duque de Rivas, were returning to Spain with plays and poems composed according to the new theories; the natural reaction from the logical, unemotional ideals of the Classicists was developing conditions favorable to the revolution. The first year of the struggle between the two schools of literature, 1834, gave the Romanticists two important victories in the Conjuraci贸n de Venecia of Martinez de la Rosa, and the Mac铆as of Jos茅 de Larra, two plays that show clearly Romantic tendencies but that avoid an abrupt break with the Classical theories. They served to prepare the way for the thoroughly Romantic play of the Duque de Rivas, Don �lvaro o la fuerza del sino, a magnificent, though disordered, drama that gained for the Romanticists a decisive victory in 1835, a victory over Classicism in Spain similar to that gained in Paris five years earlier by the famous Hernani of Victor Hugo, leader of the French Romanticists. In 1836 the equally successful performance of El Trovador, the Romantic play of Garc铆a Guti茅rrez, confirmed the victory gained by the Romanticists with Don �lvaro, and gave clear indication that the literary revolution was complete. The temper of the time was decidedly Romantic, and the wholehearted applause that resounded through the Teatro del Pr铆ncipe on the night of Jan. 19, 1837, at the first performance of Los Amantes de Teruel put an end to the long and laborious apprenticeship of Hartzenbusch.

A few days later the warm reception given the play and its continued popularity were justified in a remarkable piece of dramatic criticism by the rival playwright and keen literary critic, Jos茅 de Larra, known better by his journalistic pen-name, F铆garo, and greatly feared by his contemporaries for his mordant criticism and stinging satire. In the opening words of his review of the play, we may see the highly favorable attitude of the critic and realize the suddenness of the fame that came to Hartzenbusch. "Venir a aumentar el n煤mero de los vivientes, ser un hombre m谩s donde hay tantos hombres, o铆r decir de s铆: 'Es un tal fulano,' es ser un 谩rbol m谩s en una alameda. Pero pasar cinco o seis lustros oscuro y desconocido, y llegar una noche entre otras, convocar a un pueblo, hacer tributaria su curiosidad, alzar una cortina, conmover el coraz贸n, subyugar el juicio, hacerse aplaudir y aclamar, y o铆r al d铆a siguiente de s铆 mismo al pasar por una calle o por el Prado: 'Aqu茅l es el escritor de la comedia aplaudida,' eso es algo; es nacer; es devolver al autor de nuestros d铆as por un apellido oscuro un nombre claro; es dar alcurnia a sus ascendientes en vez de recibirla de ellos."[2] Other contemporary reviews were just as favorable, and all expressed with F铆garo great hopes in the career of a dramatist that had thus begun with an acknowledged masterpiece. The Semanario Pintoresco, for example, a literary magazine in its second year of publication, ended its review of the play with these words: "El joven que, saliendo de la oscuridad del taller de un artesano, se presenta en el mundo literario con los Amantes de Teruel por primera prueba de su talento, hace concebir al teatro espa帽ol la fundada esperanza de futuros d铆as de gloria, y de verse elevado a la altura que un d铆a ocup贸 en la admiraci贸n del mundo civilizado." (Feb. 5, 1837.)

[Footnote 2: Obras completas de F铆garo. Paris, 1889. Vol. III, page 187.]

Thus encouraged by popular applause and by the enthusiastic praise of literary critics, Hartzenbusch produced at varying intervals many excellent plays, but none of them surpassed or even equaled his Amantes de Teruel. Many of them, characterized by careful workmanship, dramatic effectiveness, and fine literary finish, are well worth studying, and deserve more attention than can be given them here. They offer all kinds of drama: tragedies such as Do帽a Menc铆a, in which the exaggerations of Romanticism are given free rein; historical plays, in which striking incidents in Spanish history or legend are given dramatic treatment; fantastic plays, such as La redoma encantada, in which magic plays an important part; comedies of character and manners, such as La coja y el encogido, in which contemporary life found humorous presentation. The best of them may be read in the three volumes published in the well-known series Colecci贸n de Escritores Castellanos. For literary criticism the student is referred to the books mentioned later in the bibliography.

The love of study grew stronger in Hartzenbusch as the opportunity to devote himself to it became greater, so that after he had had several plays presented with considerable success, scholarship began to absorb more and more of his time and the intervals between plays began to lengthen. Literary criticism, editorial work in connection with new editions of the Spanish classics, his duties as assistant and, later, chief librarian of the Biblioteca Nacional, these, with the production from time to time of a new play, made him a well-known figure in the literary life of Madrid. His was the quiet life of the modern man of letters, to whom the incidents of greatest interest are of the intellectual order: the production of a new play, the publication of a new book of literary or scholarly value, the discovery of an old manuscript or the announcement of a new theory, the admission of a new member to the Spanish Academy. Serenely tolerant in his outlook upon life, of gentle disposition and ready sympathy, unaffectedly modest, indifferent to the accumulation of property beyond the needs of his simple mode of living, conscientious in the performance of all his duties, he retained to the end of his life the personal esteem of his many friends. When death put an end in 1880 to the long illness that saddened the last years of his life, his mortal remains were conducted to the tomb with all due ceremony by the Spanish Academy, to which membership had been granted him in 1847 as a recognition of his excellent work as dramatist and scholar.

The productivity of Hartzenbusch, as well as his versatility, would be remarkable in any country but Spain. The Bibliograf铆a de Hartzenbusch, prepared by his son and published in 1900,[3] stands as proof of the great extent and diversity of his productions; four hundred pages are needed for the bibliographical data connected with his many publications and for a few extracts from his unpublished writings. Hundreds of titles of dramas, poems, addresses, essays, literary criticism, scholarly commentaries, indicate the versatility of his talent and his tireless industry.

[Footnote 3: Bibliograf铆a de Hartzenbusch. Eugenio Hartzenbusch. Madrid, 1900.]

had given much study and thought to the famous legend of the Lovers of Teruel. At first it was his intention to use it in an historical novel, but only the first few pages of this have been preserved (_Bibliograf铆a de Hartzenbusch_). Believing that the legend could be better treated in dramatic form, he applied himself enthusiastically to the construction of the play in accordance with the new theories that were becoming popular, and had it ready for production when a copy of Jos茅 de Larra's Mac铆as came into his hands. What was his astonishment to find that the plot of his play was so similar to that of Mac铆as that no one would be likely to accept the similarity as a mere coincidence. Patiently he reconstructed it and had it published in 1836, if the date on the title page of the oldest edition is to be accepted as accurate.[4] If published in 1836, the author remained in obscurity until the first performance of the play, January 19 of the following year, made him famous.

[Footnote 4: Los Amantes de Teruel, drama en cinco actos en prosa y verso por Juan Eugenio Hartzenbusch. Madrid. Imprenta de D. Jos茅 Mar铆a Repull茅s. 1836.]

Many difficulties beset the dramatist in the construction of the play. The legend that served as plot was already known to all, so that the element of suspense could not be used to any great extent. Moreover, the climax was not in itself dramatic; the death of two lovers through grief at separation, pathetic though it be, lacked the tragic element of other similar stories in which death resulted from violence. The d茅nouement, the probability of which would not be generally accepted, had to be retained in the treatment of a legend so widely known, a legend in which the essential originality consisted in this very improbability. Careful preparation throughout the whole play was needed, then, for this improbable d茅nouement, pathetic, rather than tragic; dramatic incidents had to be supplied by the author's own inventiveness, the characters had to be carefully delineated, the motivation carefully considered. How successfully the author was able to overcome these difficulties, with what dramatic skill he was able to succeed where dramatists such as Tirso de Molina and Montalb谩n were only partially successful, careful study of the play will reveal.

The play as given in this edition differs in many ways from the play as first presented in 1837. More than once the author returned to it, and the numerous editions needed to supply the popular and continuous demand gave him the opportunity to revise it and give it the most artistic finish of which he was capable. Changed literary conditions after Romanticism had run its course are reflected in the more sober dress of the revised play; there are reflected in it, too, the greater restraint, the more scholarly and critical attention to character delineation and literary finish befitting a man who had passed from the warm impulsiveness of youth to the calm rationality of middle age. The student who takes the trouble to compare the text of this edition with that of the first will see many changes: the five acts are reduced to four; some of the prose scenes are now in poetic form; the diction is much improved generally and obscure passages are made clear; some changes in motivation are to be noted, especially in the scenes leading up to the voluntary marriage of Isabel with Azagra; the mother's character is notably ennobled. On the whole, the play has gained by these revisions; what it has lost in freshness and spontaneity has been more than counterbalanced by the more careful delineation of character, improved motivation of action, correctness of diction, and literary finish. The play in its first form is undoubtedly a better example of Romanticism in all its phases, its tendencies toward exaggeration, its crudities of thought and expression, combined with qualities unsurpassed in any other period of literature; in its revised form it is a more artistic production, is still a Romantic play, and one of the best in Spanish literature.

age and country, is moved by the prevalent ideas and sentiments; his outlook upon life is similar to that of the majority of his contemporaries. Ordinarily then, a piece of literature of a past age is understood and fully appreciated only by the student who is able to view it in its proper historical perspective, to see it through the eyes of those for whom it was written. Especially is this true of Romantic literature, the production of ardent and youthful enthusiasts who found themselves suddenly emancipated from the rigid rules and formalism of French pseudo-Classicism of the eighteenth century. The tendency in literature, as in political and social life, is to pass in a pendulum swing from one extreme to the other, so that to appreciate the fine and enduring qualities of Romantic literature and to make due allowance for its exaggerations and other apparent faults, the student must know something of the Romantic movement and of the Classicism that immediately preceded it. Moreover, his purpose in reading a literary masterpiece is not merely to understand and appreciate it in itself, but also to gain through it some understanding of the age or literary movement of which it is a representative. In order, then, that Los Amantes de Teruel may be more fully appreciated as a dramatic masterpiece, and in order that through it the student may come to a fuller understanding of Romanticism, his attention is now directed to the essential characteristics of this important literary movement.

Romanticism in Spanish literature is the name given to the literary revolt that began about 1830 against pseudo-Classicism. A similar revolt had already freed the other literatures of Europe, so that the many Spanish exiles who had been forced to seek refuge for political reasons in England or on the Continent there became familiar with the new ideas in literature. Ardent converts to the new literary ideals, these political exiles, when permitted to return to Spain at the death of the despotic Ferdinand VII in 1833, became the leaders in a literary revolution that soon swept away all opposition. The logical reaction from the rigid rules and formalism, new ideas in political and social life weakened opposition so rapidly and effectively that the Romantic poetry and plays of the Duque de Rivas, Espronceda, Garc铆a Guti茅rrez, Hartzenbusch, and others found a ready and enthusiastic welcome.

In the comparison that is to be made of Romanticism and Classicism, romantic and classic are to be used in their technical, literary sense. As ordinarily used, romantic means the extreme opposite of prosaic or commonplace; in literary history, Romantic is used to describe the movement known as Romanticism. Classic, in its oldest and ordinary acceptation, means the best of its class or kind; in its literary sense, classic, or classical, is usually applied to the type of literature that harmonized so completely with eighteenth century rationalism, the Classicism, or rather pseudo-Classicism, which, enthroned in France, ruled all literary Europe until the closing years of the century. In the following comparison, Classic, Classicist, and Classicism are the opposites of Romantic, Romanticist, and Romanticism.

Romanticism, in its general application to all kinds of literature and to the literatures of all countries where it made itself effectively felt, shows the following characteristics:

1. Subjectivity, the introduction of the personal note, the expression by the author of his own individual feelings and ideas. The Classicist, aiming at universality and completeness, considered only the typical and eternal as suitable material for literature and carefully excluded whatever seemed peculiar to himself; his ideal was to give perfect literary form to ideas and sentiments acceptable to mankind generally, truths of universal application. Originality of idea or sentiment was not of prime importance with him; his aim was rather to give finished form to "what oft was said, but ne'er so well expressed." The aim of the Romanticist, on the other hand, was to turn to literary uses his own individual experiences, to give forceful and effective, rather than elegant, expression to his own peculiar feelings and ideas. This subjectivity led naturally to many abuses; it also led to the production of some of the masterpieces of literature. Lyric poetry, that had almost died of inanition during the period of Classicism, took on new and vigorous life and became again one of the most important literary genres. The mere mention of such famous poets as Byron, Shelley, Heine, Musset, Leopardi, Espronceda, indicates the extent and importance of lyric poetry in the first half of the nineteenth century.

2. Emotional appeal. Classicism made its appeal to the intellect; Romanticism to the emotions. The aim of the Classicist being to give perfect literary expression to the accumulated wisdom of mankind or to reform social, moral, or political conditions by means of ridicule, he accepted logic as his guide. The Romanticist, whose aim it was to express his individual sentiments and ideas, rebelled against the restraints of logic and common sense; his purpose was not to persuade his reader or hearer by logical reasoning, but rather to carry him off his feet by the onrush of his passions and sentiments. The Classicist mistrusted the imagination for fear that it might lead him away from common sense and moderation; the Romanticist turned to it eagerly as the most effective means of conveying to reader or hearer his ardent sentiments and vague aspirations. For the reason then that the Classicist made his appeal to the intellect, mistrusted the imagination, and usually avoided all strong passions except that of indignation, Classicism tended to become more and more prosaic. Romanticism, because of its appeal to the emotions and to the imagination, put new life and power into literature, and immeasurably widened its range. On the other hand the tendency on the part of writers of little ability and less judgment to go to absurd extremes in their efforts to express strange and original ideas and sentiments, to get as far away as possible from the logical and commonplace, led to the production of much absurd writing. This and the attempt of many of them to apply the extreme principles of Romanticism to daily life as well as to literature resulted in the derogatory sense that the word romantic came to have in its ordinary acceptation. The results of Romanticism in its exaggerated form may be seen in the satirical article written in 1837 by Mesonero Romanos, El Romanticismo y los Rom谩nticos. This article, highly recommended in this connection, may easily be found in his collected writings Obras, Madrid, 1881, or, better still, it may be studied in the excellent edition of Professor G.T. Northup, Selections from Mesonero Romanos.

3. Spiritual awakening. The latter half of the eighteenth century was a materialistic age. The realities of life were limited to such as could be understood by the five senses and the reasoning faculty. Life and literature for the Classicist meant reasoned submission to things as they were; achievement was the accepted basis of judgment for his life or literature. The Romanticist rebelled against this materialistic view of life; for him the real truths lay beyond the apparent realities; he grasped at the impalpable and infinite, and wished to have his life and literature judged by his aspirations, rather than by his achievements. Hence, too, the vague longings, the gentle melancholy or violent revolt, the spiritual uplift. The new sense of the wonder and glory of the universe, as well as the spiritual reality behind the material, has suggested as a definition of Romanticism the "Renascence of Wonder."

4. Revival of the Middle Ages and national traditions. The Romanticists were inclined to turn away from the prosaic present and to seek material for their writings in the Middle Ages, the time of unrestrained feelings and emotions, of chivalrous adventure and romance, of strong religious faith, of miracles and superstition. The historical novel, in which the powerful imagination of a Walter Scott made the past live again, became popular throughout Europe; innumerable dramas sought their plots in medieval history and legend. Spain, with her rich literature of popular ballads and drama, a storehouse of picturesque legends and traditions, attracted the attention of Romanticists everywhere, so that for Spaniards the movement came to have a patriotic significance. The best Romanticists did not limit themselves to the Middle Ages; they broadened their vision to include the whole past of the human race, whereas the Classicists, fixing their eyes steadily upon ancient Greece and Rome, whenever they were inclined to turn away from the present, ignored entirely the medieval period and the early modern.

5. Picturesqueness. Seeking to give polished expression to the probable and typical, the Classicist abhorred exaggeration and violent contrasts. The Romanticist, on the other hand, was attracted to the grotesque, mingled the ugly and the beautiful, the commonplace and the fantastic; he delighted in striking antitheses.

6. Love of inanimate nature. The Classicist, instead of going directly to Nature for individual inspiration, was content to repeat in new ways the generally accepted ideas regarding natural scenery. His interest lay almost wholly in mankind, so that inanimate Nature usually served as a merely conventional background. The Romanticist loved Nature for its own sake, and many masterpieces of lyric poetry were due to its inspiration. He loved Nature in all her aspects and moods; if these were grandiose or violent, the greater was his admiration.

7. Freedom from rule and conventionality in literary forms and technique. The foregoing characteristics, concerned mainly with the content of Romantic literature, would naturally mean a corresponding revolution in literary form and technique. Rules and conventions had kept accumulating about literature, until by the middle of the eighteenth century, when French Classicism dominated literary Europe, they were so rigid that only a few of the many men of letters were able to produce literature that was not wholly artificial and uninspired. Each kind of literature was supposed to be written in a certain way; narrative poetry had a certain prescribed meter; lyric poetry another; tragedy and comedy should be carefully kept apart. The Romanticist proceeded at once to throw overboard all these rules and conventionalities. Each literary production was to be judged upon its own merits as literature, not upon the closeness of its adherence to any set of rules, and each author was to be at liberty to get his results in any way that he might choose. Hence we find the mingling of literary genres, the neglect of the dramatic unities, the invention of new meters and the revival of old ones.

8. Richness of language. Because of the continual elimination of words considered unsuitable for literary expression, the language of the Classicists was becoming more and more impoverished, diction was becoming more and more stereotyped and artificial. The Romanticists, with their revolutionary ideas as to content, rebelled against any rule or convention that would restrict their choice of words or diction; seeking complete and effective self-expression, they turned to literary use all the resources of the language of their own time and of any other age as well. The result was a great enrichment of language through the effective use of highly colored, picturesque words and diction, as fresh and bright as newly coined pieces of gold.

Such are the general characteristics of the movement that had such a profound effect upon the literatures of western Europe in the closing years of the eighteenth century and the first half of the nineteenth. All of them may be observed in the literature produced in Spain during the twenty years from 1830 to 1850, although, naturally, they do not all have the same importance there as in other countries. In a general way it may be said that the movement was not so revolutionary as in France, for example, where Classicism had taken deeper root. Moreover, in Spain, Romanticism meant the revival of some of the literary ideals of the Siglo de Oro, and to this extent at least could hardly be considered revolutionary. The most complete representative of Romanticism in Spanish dramatic literature is the Don �lvaro of Angel de Saavedra, better known as the Duque de Rivas; in this play are to be found all the above-mentioned characteristics, even those that have to do more naturally with lyric poetry, subjectivity and love of nature. Not only does it present Romanticism in its most effective form; it also shows the pitfalls of exaggeration and improbability that even the greatest Romanticists failed to avoid when the check of common sense was removed and free rein was given to the imagination. But since we are here concerned mainly with Los Amantes de Teruel, a play that demands for its understanding and appreciation much less familiarity with the Spanish language than that required by Don �lvaro, the extent to which the masterpiece of Hartzenbusch is representative of Romanticism will now be briefly noted.[5]

[Footnote 5: In order that the student may discover for himself the essential differences between the two schools of drama, it is recommended that he read a classical play such as Moratin's El S铆 de las Ni帽as before reading Los Amantes de Teruel. In comparing the two plays he should bear in mind that, for the reason that they are both artistic masterpieces, they avoid the extremes of Classicism and Romanticism, and that they do not illustrate entirely the opposite characteristics of the less artistic examples of the two kinds of drama.]

mainly to the emotions and imagination is quite evident. The plot is based on a legend that owes its chief interest to the unusual and even improbable ending; and the exceptional and improbable, if they are to be effectively treated in literature, must appeal to the imagination, must so stir the sentiments of the reader or hearer that the reasoning faculty may be kept from becoming too active. Not only is the d茅nouement itself improbable; the somewhat melodramatic figure of Zulima and the important part she plays in keeping apart the lovers until it is too late, would hardly be convincing if the main appeal of the play were to the intellect. These improbabilities are willingly ignored by the reader or spectator as he allows himself to be carried along in the current of passion to the final scene of deep emotion and intense pathos. Melodious verse and poetic imagery help to make effective this emotional appeal.

The spiritual appeal of the play is apparent. To Marsilla and Isabel love is so spiritualized that materialism can find in it no place. Their love for each other is the "encarnaci贸n del cari帽o anticipado al nacer," life means for them "seguir con el cuerpo amando, como el esp铆ritu am贸." Love is life itself; and when no longer permitted to love each other in this life for the reason that Isabel, believing her lover to be dead and wishing to sacrifice herself in order that her mother's good name may be preserved, has become the wife of Rodrigo de Azagra, they willingly return to the spiritual world from which together they had come into the world of materiality.

The dramatization of a medieval legend is typical of the newly awakened interest in the Middle Ages. Five years before the beginning of the supposed action of the play, shortly after Marsilla had left home to gain name and fortune in the wars against the infidels, was fought at Navas de Tolosa one of the most decisive battles between Christianity and Mohammedanism. The year after his departure from Teruel there ascended the throne of Arag贸n the boy that was to be known to history as Jaime el Conquistador because of his reconquest of southeastern Spain for Christianity. In the lull that preceded the approaching storm the Christians and Moslems in the eastern part of the peninsula were at peace, so that in the play they mingle freely, treating each other with the chivalrous respect that was characteristic of the Middle Ages. The numerous references to contemporary historic personages and events and the careful attention to local color bring vividly before us the life of that part of Arag贸n recently recovered from the Moors. The d茅nouement is made less improbable by placing the action of the play in that age of deep convictions, exalted idealism, chivalrous customs, and in that part of Spain where tenacity of purpose has always been regarded as a characteristic trait.

Picturesqueness, in its literary sense is not very apparent in the play as we now have it. In the first version there were examples of striking contrasts, a mingling of the tragic and comic, the noble and base, but these were toned down or eliminated by the author in his revisions of the play. For an example of exaggerated picturesqueness, with its violent contrasts, mingling of the sublime and vulgar, the grotesque and beautiful, the student is referred to Don �lvaro.

The classical conventionality that each kind of literature should have its prescribed form and that the various literary genres should be kept apart was disregarded by Hartzenbusch. In this play we see a mingling of scenes in prose with those in verse, we find the versification varied according to the nature of the scenes, a mingling of dramatic dialogue and lyrical expression of sentiment and passion. The action of the play in its first form was impeded by the excessive lyricism of some of the scenes; although notably reduced, this lyric element is still quite apparent in the scene between Marsilla and Zulima in the first act, for example; or between Marsilla and Isabel in the last. In the first version Mari-G贸mez, later changed to Teresa with the suppression of most of her garrulity, was made to serve as a graciosa and thus relieve the tenseness of the serious scenes.

As to the three dramatic unities so dear to the Classicists, those of time and place are disregarded. The action shifts from Valencia to Teruel; the time occupied covers the last six days of the plazo given Marsilla in which to gain name and fortune and return home to claim Isabel for wife. The unity of action, the one essential unity in any work of art, is carefully preserved. In the first version could be seen something of the Romantic tendency to complicate the plot by the introduction of an excessive number of characters and needless episodes, but in its final form the plot is simple and nothing is permitted to interfere with its dramatic development.

In the first version there was also some tendency to abuse the new freedom from conventionality in language, a tendency to seek out unusual words and phrases for the sake of their picturesqueness, rather than for their artistic appropriateness. In the polishing and toning-down process, such words and phrases were eliminated, so that the play in its final form serves as a good illustration of the permanent enrichment of the literary language by the Romanticists. Likewise, in its versification, it offers a good example of the metrical variety found in the Spanish dramatists of the Golden Age and revived by the Romanticists.

versification will be noted here. For a more adequate treatment the student is referred to such works as Andr茅s Bello's Ortolog铆a y m茅trica (Vol. IV of Obras completas, Madrid, 1890), or the Prosodia castellana y versificaci贸n of E. Benot; or to the more easily accessible notes on Spanish versification in Hills and Morley's Modern Spanish Lyrics or Ford's Spanish Anthology.

Some knowledge of two of the essential differences between Spanish and English versification is needed for the appreciation of the poetry of this play. Whereas in English poetry the number of feet to the line is essential, in Spanish the basis of meter is the number of syllables; moreover, in syllable-counting there are certain rules (too complicated to be given here) regarding the treatment of contiguous vowels as one syllable or more than one. Another difference that should be noted is that in Spanish poetry there are two kinds of rime, consonantal rime and assonance. Consonantal rime is the same as that used in English poetry, identity of the last stressed vowel sound as well as all following vowel or consonant sounds in two or more verses; as for example, in lines 127-130, Act I, clemencia, Valencia: favor, mejor. Assonance is identity in a series of verses of the last stressed vowel and of a following unstressed vowel, if there be one, but not of a consonant; in other words, assonance is the correspondence of the vowels, but not of the consonants, in the riming syllables. Thus, in the first 110 lines of the play, all the even verses have the same vowel in the last stressed syllables: volver, administr茅, fiel, pie, Adel, partir茅, el, rey, etc. Only the strong vowel in a diphthong is recognized, so that in these 110 lines the assonance of the alternate verses is in e. In the first 148 lines of Act IV all the even verses have one and the same vowel in the last accented syllable and one and the same vowel in the unaccented syllable: pueblo, bandoleros, prenderlos, tiempo, vinieron, provecho, etc. The assonance is, therefore, 茅-o.

Of the many verse-forms, i.e., definite combinations of line and rime, to be found in Spanish poetry, we find the following in this play: romance, romance heroico, redondilla, quintilla, d茅cima, copla de arte mayor, and silva.

The romance, or ballad meter, is the most thoroughly national of all Spanish meters and has always been very popular with the dramatists. It has, regularly, eight syllables to the line, with a regular rhythmic accent on the seventh, and has assonance in the alternate lines. The seventh syllable may or may not be followed by one or two unstressed syllables, but the line is called octosyllabic; one unstressed syllable is counted whether it be present or not. The first 110 lines of Act I, for example, are in romance. Note that the regular rhythmic stress of each line is on the seventh syllable; that the odd lines have seven or eight syllables; that all the even lines have seven metrical syllables each, and have assonance in e. In the first 148 lines of Act IV, all of the even lines have eight syllables each, for the reason that each seventh syllable is followed by an unaccented syllable, the assonance being 茅-o. This is the normal romance line, eight-syllabled and in assonance.

The romance heroico or real differs from the ordinary romance in that the lines are hendecasyllabic (eleven-syllabled). Lines 269-474, Act IV, are in romance heroico, with assonance in 谩-a.

The redondilla consists of four octosyllabic lines, with consonantal rime, usually arranged thus: abba. In Act I, for example, lines 111-458 consist of 87 redondillas.

The quintilla consists of five octosyllabic lines, with two consonantal rimes, arranged so that no more than two may come together: ababa, abbab, abaab, etc. In Act III lines 62-226 consist of 33 quintillas. The last one has a very unusual combination of rimes: abbba.

The d茅cima consists of ten octosyllabic lines, with four consonantal rimes usually arranged as in lines 761-770, or 771-780, Act II: abbaaccddc. The d茅cima is not properly considered as two quintillas, since there should be a pause at the end of the fourth line of a d茅cima.

The copla (stanza) de arte mayor contains eight lines with three consonantal rimes arranged thus: abbaacca. Each line is divided into two hemistitches, with rhythmic stress on the fifth syllable of each hemistich. The sixth syllable of either hemistich or of both may be lacking, so that there may be a total of 10, 11, or 12 syllables in a line. Lines 179-282, Act II, are made up of thirteen coplas de arte mayor. Most of the lines have 11 or 12 syllables; note that verses 187, 200, 215, etc., have only ten each.

The silva is usually composed of eleven-syllabled lines, intermingled with lines of seven syllables. There is consonantal rime, but without regularity; and many lines are left unrimed. An example of the silva may be found in lines 309-437, Act III.

SCHEME OF VERSIFICATION

Act  I.    1-110 Romance (_e_)
111-458 Redondillas
Act II.    1-178 Romance (_a_)
179-282 Coplas de arte mayor
283-466 Redondillas
467-573 Prose
574-760 Romance _(茅-a)_
761-780 D茅cimas
Act III.    1-61 Prose
62-226 Quintillas
227-308 Prose
309-437 Silva
Act IV.    1-148 Romance _(茅-o)_
149-268 Redondillas
269-474 Romance heroico _(谩-a)_

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

The most important books and articles that treat of Hartzenbusch and the legend of the Amantes de Teruel have already been mentioned. In them may be found many references and extensive bibliographical data. The best of the writings of Hartzenbusch are contained in the five volumes published in the well-known series Colecci贸n de Escritores Castellanos. Three volumes contain his best plays: Teatro, Madrid, 1888-1892. The first volume, Poes铆as, 1887, contains a good study of his life and writings by A. Fern谩ndez-Guerra. The Romantic movement in Spain is treated at length in El Romanticismo en Espa帽a, by Enrique Pineyro, Paris, 1904; and in Vol. I, of La Literatura Espa帽ola en el Siglo XIX, by F. Blanco-Garc铆a, 3d edition, 1909.

LOS AMANTES DE TERUEL,

DRAMA REFUNDIDO EN CUATRO ACTOS Y EN VERSO Y PROSA

Estrenado en Madrid en el teatro del Pr铆ncipe a 19 de enero de 1837

PERSONAS

JUAN DIEGO MART�NEZ GARC�S DE MARSILLA, O MARSILLA.
ISABEL DE SEGURA.
DO�A MARGARITA.
ZULIMA.
DON RODRIGO DE AZAGRA.
DON PEDRO DE SEGURA.
DON MART�N GARC�S DE MARSILLA.
TERESA.
ADEL.
OSM�N.

Soldados moros, cautivos, damas, caballeros, pajes, criados, criadas.

El primer acto pasa en Valencia, y los dem谩s en Teruel. A帽o de 1217.

LOS AMANTES DE TERUEL

ACTO PRIMERO

Dormitorio morisco en el alc谩zar de Valencia. A la derecha del espectador una cama, junto al proscenio; a la izquierda, una ventana con celos铆as y cortinajes. Puerta grande en el fondo, y otras peque帽as a los lados.

ESCENA PRIMERA

ZULIMA, ADEL; JUAN DIEGO MARSILLA, adormecido en la cama: sobre ella un lienzo con letras de sangre.

ZULIMA. No vuelve en s铆.

ADEL. Todav铆a tardar谩 mucho en volver.

ZULIMA. Fuerte el narc贸tico ha sido.

ADEL. Poco ha se lo administr茅.-- D铆gnate de o铆r, se帽ora, la voz de un s煤bdito fiel, que orillas de un precipicio te ve colocar el pie.

ZULIMA. Si disuadirme pretendes, no te fatigues, Adel. Partir de Valencia quiero, y hoy, hoy mismo partir茅.

ADEL. 驴Con ese cautivo?

ZULIMA. T煤 me has de acompa帽ar con 茅l.

ADEL. 驴As铆 al esposo abandonas? 15 隆Un Amir, se帽ora, un Rey!

ZULIMA. Ese Rey, al ser mi esposo, me prometi贸 no tener otra consorte que yo. 驴Lo ha cumplido? Ya lo ves. 20 A traerme una rival march贸 de Valencia ayer. Libre a la nueva sultana mi puesto le dejar茅.

ADEL. Considera....

ZULIMA. Est谩 resuelto. 25 El renegado Za茅n, el que aterra la comarca de Albarrac铆n y Teruel, llamado por m铆 ha venido, y tiene ya en su poder 30 casi todo lo que yo de mis padres hered茅, que es dem谩s para vivir con opulencia los tres. De la alcazaba saldremos 35 a poco de anochecer.

ADEL. Y ese cautivo, se帽ora, 驴te ama? 驴Sabes t煤 qui茅n es?

ZULIMA. Es noble, es valiente, en una mazmorra iba a perecer 40 de enfermedad y de pena, de fr铆o, de hambre y de sed: yo le doy la libertad, riquezas, mi mano: 驴qui茅n rehusa estos dones? 隆Oh! 45 Si ofendiera mi altivez con una repulsa, caro le costara su desd茅n conmigo. Tiempo hace ya que este acero emponzo帽茅, 50 furiosa contra mi aleve consorte Zeit Abenzeit: quien es capaz de vengarse en el Pr铆ncipe, tambi茅n escarmentara al esclavo, 55 como fuera menester.

ADEL. 驴Qu茅 habr谩 escrito en ese lienzo con su sangre? Yo no s茅 leer en su idioma; pero puedo llamar a cualquier 60 cautivo....

ZULIMA. �l nos lo dir谩, yo se lo preguntar茅.

ADEL. 驴No fuera mejor hablarle yo primero, t煤 despu茅s?

ZULIMA. Le voy a ocultar mi nombre: 65 ser Zoraida fingir茅, hija de Merv谩n.

ADEL. 隆Merv谩n! 驴Sabes que ese hombre sin ley conspira contra el Amir?

ZULIMA. A 茅l le toca defender 70 su trono, en vez de ocuparse, contra la jurada fe, en devaneos que un d铆a lugar a su ruina den. Mas Ramiro no recobra 75 los sentidos: buscar茅 un esp铆ritu a prop贸sito.... (_Vase_.)

ESCENA II

OSM�N, por una puerta lateral.--ADEL, MARSILLA

OSM�N. 驴Se fu茅 Zulima?

ADEL. Se fu茅. T煤 nos habr谩s acechado.

OSM�N. He cumplido mi deber. 80 Al ausentarse el Amir, con este encargo qued茅. Es m谩s cauto nuestro due帽o que esa liviana mujer.-- El lienzo escrito con sangre, 85 驴d贸nde est谩?

ADEL. All铆. (_Se帽alando la cama_.)

OSM�N. Venga.

ADEL. Ten. (_Le da el lienzo, y Osm铆n lee_.) Mira si es que dice, ya que t煤 lo sabes leer, d贸nde lo pudo escribir; porque en el encierro aquel 90 apenas penetra nunca rayo de luz: verdad es que rotas esta ma帽ana puerta y cadenas hall茅: debi贸, despu茅s de romperlas, 95 el subterr谩neo correr, y hallando el lienzo....

OSM�N (_asombrado de lo que ha le铆do_.) 隆Es posible!

ADEL. 驴Qu茅 cosa?

OSM�N. 隆Oh, vasallo infiel! Avisar al Rey es fuerza, y al p茅rfido sorprender. 100

ADEL. 驴Es 茅ste el p茅rfido? (_Se帽alando a Marsilla_.)

OSM�N. No; ese noble aragon茅s hoy el salvador ser谩 de Valencia y de su Rey.

ADEL. Zulima viene.

OSM�N. Silencio 105 con ella, y al punto ve a buscarme. (_Vase_.)

ADEL. Norabuena. As铆 me har谩s la merced de explicarme lo que pasa.

ESCENA III

ZULIMA.--ADEL, MARSILLA

ZULIMA. D茅jame sola.

ADEL. Est谩 bien. (_Vase_.) 110

ESCENA IV

ZULIMA, MARSILLA

ZULIMA. Su pecho empieza a latir m谩s fuerte; as铆 que perciba.... (_Apl铆cale un pomito a la nariz_.)

MARSILLA. 隆Ah!

ZULIMA. Volvi贸.

MARSILLA (_incorpor谩ndose_.) 隆Qu茅 luz tan viva! no la puedo resistir.

ZULIMA (_corriendo las cortinas de la ventana_). De aquella horrible mansi贸n 115 est谩 a las tinieblas hecho.

MARSILLA. No es esto piedra, es un lecho. 驴Qu茅 ha sido de mi prisi贸n?

ZULIMA. Mira este albergue despacio, y abre el coraz贸n al gozo. 120

MARSILLA. 隆Se帽ora!.... (_Reparando en ella_.)

ZULIMA. Tu calabozo se ha convertido en palacio.

MARSILLA. Di (porque yo no me explico milagro tal), di, 驴qu茅 es esto?

ZULIMA. Que eras esclavo, y que presto 125 vas a verte libre y rico.

MARSILLA. 隆Libre! 隆Oh divina clemencia! Y 驴a qui茅n debo tal favor?

ZULIMA. 驴Qui茅n puede hacerle mejor que la Reina de Valencia? 130 Zulima te proporciona la sorpresa que te embarga dulcemente: ella me encarga que cuide de tu persona: y desde hoy ning煤n af谩n 135 permitir茅 que te aflija.

MARSILLA. 驴Eres?....

ZULIMA. Dama suya, hija del valeroso Merv谩n.

MARSILLA. 驴De Merv谩n? (_Aparte_. 隆Ah! 隆qu茅 recuerdo!) (_Busca y recoge el lienzo_.)

ZULIMA. 驴Qu茅 buscas tan azorado? 140 驴Ese lienzo ensangrentado?

MARSILLA (_aparte_.) Si 茅sta lo sabe, me pierdo.

ZULIMA. 驴Que has escrito en 茅l?

MARSILLA. No va esto dirigido a ti; es para el Rey.

ZULIMA. No est谩 aqu铆. 145

MARSILLA. Para la Reina ser谩. Haz, pues, que a mi bienhechora vea: por Dios te lo ruego.

ZULIMA. Conocer谩s aqu铆 luego a la Reina tu se帽ora. 150

MARSILLA. 隆Oh!....

ZULIMA. No est茅s con inquietud. Olvida todo pesar: trata solo de cobrar el sosiego y la salud.

MARSILLA. Defienda pr贸vido el cielo 155 y premie con altos dones los piadosos corazones que dan al triste consuelo. Tendr谩 Zulima, tendr谩s t煤 siempre un cautivo en m铆; 160 hermoso es el bien por s铆, pero en una hermosa, m谩s. Ayer, hoy mismo, 驴cu谩l era mi suerte? Sumido en honda c谩rcel, estrecha y hedionda, 165 sin luz, sin aire siquiera; envuelto en infecta nube que h煤medo engendra el terreno; paja corrompida, cieno y piedras por cama tuve. 170 --Hoy ... si no es esto so帽ar, torno a la luz, a la vida, y espero ver la florida margen del Guadalaviar, all铆 donde alza Teruel, 175 se帽oreando la altura, sus torres de piedra oscura, que est谩n mir谩ndose en 茅l. No es lo m谩s que me redima la noble princesa mora: 180 el bien que me hace, lo ignora aun la propia Zulima.

ZULIMA. Ella siempre alg煤n misterio supuso en ti, y as铆 espera que me des noticia entera 185 de tu vida y cautiverio. Una vez que en tu retiro las dos ocultas entramos, te o铆mos ... y sospechamos que no es tu nombre Ramiro. 190

MARSILLA. Mi nombre es Diego Marsilla, y cuna Teruel me di贸, pueblo que ayer se fund贸, y es hoy poderosa villa, cuyos muros, entre horrores 195 de lid atroz levantados, fueron con sangre amasados de sus fuertes pobladores. Yo creo que al darme ser quiso formar el Se帽or, 200 modelos de puro amor, un hombre y una mujer, y para hacer la igualdad de sus afectos cumplida, les di贸 un alma en dos partida, 205 y dijo: 芦Vivid y amad.禄 Al son de la voz creadora, Isabel y yo existimos, y ambos los ojos abrimos en un d铆a y una hora. 210 Desde los a帽os m谩s tiernos fuimos ya finos amantes; desde que nos vimos ... antes nos am谩bamos de vernos; porque el amor principi贸 215 a enardecer nuestras almas al contacto de las palmas de Dios, cuando nos cri贸: y as铆 fu茅 nuestro querer, prodigioso en ni帽a y ni帽o, 220 encarnaci贸n del cari帽o anticipado al nacer, seguir Isabel y yo, al triste mundo arribando, seguir con el cuerpo amando, 225 como el esp铆ritu am贸.

ZULIMA. Inclinaci贸n tan igual s贸lo dichas pronostica.

MARSILLA. Soy pobre, Isabel es rica.

ZULIMA (_aparte_). Respiro.

MARSILLA. Tuve un rival. 230

ZULIMA. 驴S铆?

MARSILLA. Y opulento.

ZULIMA. Y bien....

MARSILLA. Hizo alarde de su riqueza....

ZULIMA. 驴Y qu茅? 驴rindi贸 la firmeza de Isabel?

MARSILLA. Es poco hechizo el oro para quien ama. 235 Su padre, s铆, deslumbrado....

ZULIMA. 驴Tu amor dej贸 desairado, priv谩ndote de tu dama?

MARSILLA. Le v铆, mi pasi贸n habl贸, su fuerza exhalando toda, 240 y, suspendida la boda, un plazo se me otorg贸, para que mi esfuerzo activo juntara un caudal honrado.

ZULIMA. 驴Es ya el t茅rmino pasado? 245

MARSILLA. Se帽ora, ya ves ... aun vivo. Seis a帽os y una semana me dieron: los a帽os ya se cumplen hoy; cumplir谩 el primer d铆a ma帽ana. 250

ZULIMA. Sigue.

MARSILLA. Un adi贸s a la hermosa d铆, que es de mis ojos luz, y combat铆 por la cruz en las Navas de Tolosa. Gan茅 con brioso porte 255 cr茅dito all铆 de guerrero; luego, en Francia, prisionero ca铆 del Conde Monforte. Hu铆, y en Siria un franc茅s albigense, refugiado, 260 a quien hab铆a salvado la vida junto a Besi茅s, me dej贸, al morir, su herencia: volviendo con fama y oro a Espa帽a, pirata moro 265 me apres贸 y trajo a Valencia. Y en pena de que rompi贸 de mis cadenas el hierro mi mano, profundo encierro en vida me sepult贸, 270 donde mi extra帽o custodio, sin dejarse ver ni o铆r, me prolongaba el vivir, o por piedad o por odio. De aquel horrendo lugar 275 me sac谩is: bella mujer, sentir s茅 y agradecer: di c贸mo podr茅 pagar.

ZULIMA. No borres de tu memoria tan debido ofrecimiento, 280 y haz por escuchar atento cierta peregrina historia. Un joven aragon茅s vino cautivo al serallo: sus prendas y nombre callo; 285 t煤 conocer谩s qui茅n es. Toda mujer se lastima de ver padecer sonrojos a un noble: puso los ojos en el esclavo Zulima, 290 y f茅rvido amor en breve naci贸 de la compasi贸n: aqu铆 es brasa el coraz贸n; all谩 entre vosotros, nieve. Quiso aquel joven huir; 295 fu茅 desgraciado en su empe帽o: le prenden, y por su due帽o es condenado a morir. Pero en favor del cristiano velaba Zulima; ciega, 300 loca, le salva;--m谩s, llega a brindarle con su mano. Respuesta es bien se le d茅 en trance tan decisivo: habla t煤 por el cautivo, 305 yo por la Reina hablar茅.

MARSILLA. Ni en desgracia ni en ventura cupo en mi lenguaje dolo: este coraz贸n es s贸lo para Isabel de Segura. 310

ZULIMA. Medita, y conceder谩s al tiempo lo que reclama. 驴Sabes t煤 si es fiel tu dama? 驴Sabes t煤 si la ver谩s?

MARSILLA. Me matara mi dolor, 315 si fuera Isabel perjura: mi constancia me asegura la firmeza de su amor. Con esp铆ritu gallardo, si quer茅is, dar茅 mi vida: 320 dada el alma y recibida, fiel al due帽o se la guardo.

ZULIMA. Mira que es poco prudente burlar a tu soberana, que tiene sangre africana, 325 y ama y odia f谩cilmente. Y si ella sabe que, cuando yo su coraz贸n te ofrezco, por ella el dolor padezco de ver que le est谩s pisando, 330 volver谩s a tus cadenas y a tu negro calabozo, y all铆 yo, con alborozo que m谩s encone tus penas, la nueva te llevar茅 335 de ser Isabel esposa.

MARSILLA. Y en prisi贸n tan horrorosa 驴cu谩ntos d铆as vivir茅?

ZULIMA. 隆Rayo del cielo! el traidor cuanto fabrico derrumba: 340 defendido con la tumba, se r铆e de mi furor. Trocar谩s la risa en llanto. Cautiva desde Teruel me han de traer a Isabel.... 345

MARSILLA. 驴Qui茅n eres t煤 para tanto?

ZULIMA. Tiembla de m铆.

MARSILLA. Furia vana.

ZULIMA. 隆Insensato! La que ves, no es hija de Merv谩n, es Zulima.

MARSILLA. 隆T煤 la Sultana! 350

ZULIMA. La Reina.

MARSILLA. Toma, con eso (_D谩ndole el lienzo ensangrentado_.) correspondo a tu afici贸n: entrega sin dilaci贸n a hombre de valor y seso el escrito que te doy. 355 S谩lvete su diligencia.

ZULIMA. 隆C贸mo! 驴Qu茅 riesgo?...

MARSILLA. A Valencia tu esposo ha de llegar hoy; y en llegando, t煤 y 茅l y otros a sedicioso pu帽al 360 perec茅is.

ZULIMA. 驴Qu茅 desleal conspira contra nosotros?

MARSILLA. Merv谩n, tu padre supuesto. Si tu c贸lera no estalla, mi labio el secreto calla, 365 y el fin os llega funesto.

ZULIMA. 驴C贸mo tal conjuraci贸n a ti!....

MARSILLA. Fren茅tico ayer, la puerta pude romper de mi encierro: la prisi贸n 370 recorro, oigo hablar, atiendo.... --Junta de aleves imp铆a era, Merv谩n presid铆a.-- All铆 supe que volviendo a este alc谩zar el Amir, 375 trataban de asesinarle. Resu茅lvome a no dejarle p茅rfidamente morir, y con roja tinta humana y un pincel de mi cabello 380 la trama en un lienzo sello, y el modo de hacerla vana. Poner al siguiente d铆a pensaba el 煤til aviso en la cesta que el preciso 385 sustento me conduc铆a. Venci贸me tenaz modorra, m谩s fuerte que mi cuidado: despert茅 maravillado, fuera ya de la mazmorra. 390 Junta pues tu guardia, pon aqu铆 un acero, y que venga con todo el poder que tenga contra ti la rebeli贸n.

ZULIMA. D茅 a la rebeli贸n castigo 395 quien tema por su poder; no yo, que al anochecer huir pensaba contigo. Poca gente, pero brava, que al marchar nos protegiera, 400 sumisa mi voz espera escondida en la alcazaba. Con ellos entre el rebato del tumulto, partir茅; con ellos negociar茅 405 que me venguen de un ingrato. Teme la cuchilla airada de Za茅n, el bandolero; tiembla, m谩s que de su acero, de esta daga envenenada. 410 隆Ay del que mi amor troc贸 en frenes铆 rencoroso! 隆Nunca espere ser dichoso quien de celos me mat贸!

MARSILLA. 隆Zulima!... 隆Se帽ora !... 415

(_Vase Zulima por la puerta del fondo, y cierra por dentro_.)

ESCENA V

OSM�N.--MARSILLA.

OSM�N Baste de pl谩tica sin provecho. Al Rey un favor has hecho: acaba lo que empezaste.

MARSILLA. 隆C贸mo! 驴t煤?....

OSM�N. El lienzo he le铆do que al Rey dirigiste: all铆 420 le ofreces tu brazo.

MARSILLA. S铆, armas y riesgo le pido.

OSM�N. Pues bien, dos tropas formadas con los cautivos est谩n: ser谩s el un capit谩n, 425 el otro Jaime Celladas.

MARSILLA. 隆Jaime est谩 aqu铆! Es mi paisano, es mi amigo.

OSM�N. Si hay combate, as铆 tendr谩 su rescate cada cautivo en la mano. 430 Con ardimiento lidiad.

MARSILLA. 驴Qui茅n, de libertad sediento, no lidia con ardimiento al grito de libertad!

OSM�N. Cuanto a Zulima....

MARSILLA. Tambi茅n 435 Libre ha de ser.

OSM�N. No debiera; pero ll茅vesela fuera de nuestro reino Za茅n.

ESCENA VI

ADEL, SOLDADOS MOROS.--MARSILLA, OSM�N

ADEL. Osm铆n, a palacio van turbas llegando en tumulto, 440 y Za茅n, que estaba oculto, sale aclamando a Merv谩n. Zulima nos ha vendido.

OSM�N. Ya no hay perd贸n que le alcance.

MARSILLA. Despu茅s de correr el lance, 445 se dispondr谩 del vencido. Cuando rueda la corona entre la sangre y el fuego, primero se triunfa, luego....

OSM�N. Se castiga.

MARSILLA. Se perdona. 450

VOCES (_dentro_). 隆Muera el tirano!

MARSILLA. 隆Mi espada! 隆Mi puesto!

OSM�N. Ven, ven a 茅l. Guarda el torre贸n, Adel.

ADEL. Ten tu acero. (_D谩sele a Marsilla_.)

MARSILLA. 隆Arma anhelada! 隆Mi diestra te empu帽a ya! 455 Ella al triunfo te encamina. Rayo fu茅 de Palestina, rayo en Valencia ser谩.

ACTO SEGUNDO

Teruel.--Sala en casa de don Pedro Segura

ESCENA PRIMERA

DON PEDRO, entrando en su casa; MARGARITA, ISABEL y TERESA, saliendo a recibirle

MARGARITA. 隆Esposo! (_Arrodill谩ndose_.)

ISABEL. 隆Padre! (_Arrodill谩ndose_.)

TERESA. 隆Se帽or!

PEDRO. 隆Hija! 隆Margarita! Alzad.

ISABEL. Dadme a besar vuestra mano.

MARGARITA. D茅jame el suelo besar que pisas.

TERESA (_a Margarita_). Vaya, se帽ora, 5 ya es vicio tanta humildad.

PEDRO. Pedazos del coraz贸n, no es ese vuestro lugar. Abrazadme. (_Levanta y abraza a las dos_.)

TERESA. As铆 me gusta. Y a m铆 luego.

PEDRO. Ven ac谩, 10 fiel Teresa.

TERESA. Fiel y franca, tengo en ello vanidad.

PEDRO. Ya he vuelto, por fin.

MARGARITA. Dios quiso mis plegarias escuchar.

PEDRO. Gustoso a Monz贸n part铆, 15 comisionado especial para ofrecer a don Jaime las tropas que alistar谩 nuestra villa de Teruel en defensa de la paz, 20 que don Sancho y don Fernando nos quieren arrebatar: fu茅 don Rodrigo de Azagra, obsequioso y liberal, acompa帽谩ndome al ir, 25 y me acompa帽a al tornar; mas yo me acordaba siempre de vosotras con af谩n. Triste se qued贸 Isabel; m谩s triste la encuentro.

TERESA. Ya. 30

MARGARITA. 隆Teresa!

ISABEL. 隆Padre!

PEDRO. Hija m铆a, dime con sinceridad lo que ha pasado en mi ausencia.

TERESA. Poco tiene que contar.

MARGARITA. 隆Teresa!

TERESA. Digo bien. 驴Es 35 por ventura novedad que Isabel suspire, y vos (_a Margarita_) rec茅is, y ayun茅is a pan y agua, y os and茅is curando enfermos por caridad? 40 Es la vida que tra茅is, lo menos, quince a帽os ha....

MARGARITA. Basta.

TERESA. Y hace seis cumplidos que no se ha visto asomar en los labios de Isabel 45 ni una sonrisa fugaz.

ISABEL (_aparte_). 隆Ay, mi bien!

TERESA. En fin, se帽or, del pobrecillo don Juan Diego de Marsilla, nada se sabe.

MARGARITA. Si no call谩is, 50 venid conmigo.

TERESA. Ir con vos f谩cil es; pero callar....

(_Vanse Margarita y Teresa. Don Pedro se quita la espada y la pone sobre un bufete_.)

ESCENA II

DON PEDRO, ISABEL

PEDRO. Mucho me aflige, Isabel, tu pesadumbre tenaz; pero, por desgracia, yo 55 no la puedo remediar. Esclavo de su palabra es el var贸n principal; tengo empe帽ada la m铆a: la debo desempe帽ar. 60 En el honor de tu padre no se vi贸 mancha jam谩s: juventud honrada pide m谩s honrada ancianidad.

ISABEL. No pretendo yo....

PEDRO. Por otra 65 parte, parece que est谩n de Dios ciertas cosas. Oye un lance bien singular, y di si no tiene traza de caso providencial. 70

ISABEL. A ver.

PEDRO. En Teruel vivi贸 (no s茅 si te acordar谩s) un tal Roger de Lizana, caballero catal谩n. 75

ISABEL. 驴El templario?

PEDRO. S铆. Roger paraba en Monz贸n. All谩 es voz que penas y culpas de su libre mocedad traj茅ronle una dolencia de esp铆ritu y corporal, 80 que vino a dejarle casi mudo, imb茅cil, incapaz. Pac铆fico en su idiotez, permit铆anle vagar libre por el pueblo. Un d铆a, 85 sobre una dificultad en mi encargo y sobre c贸mo se debiera de allanar, don Rodrigo y yo soltamos palabras de enemistad. 90 March贸se enojado, y yo exclam茅 al verle marchar: 芦驴Ha de ser este hombre due帽o de lo que yo quiero m谩s? Si la muerte puede sola 95 mi palabra desatar, ll茅veme el Se帽or, y quede Isabel en libertad.禄

ISABEL. 隆Oh padre!

PEDRO. En esto, un empuje tremendo a la puerta dan, 100 se abre, y con pu帽al en mano entra....

ISABEL. 隆Virgen del Pilar! 驴Qui茅n?

PEDRO. Roger. Ll茅gase a m铆, y en voz pronunciada mal, 芦Uno (dijo) de los dos 105 la vida aqu铆 dejar谩.禄

ISABEL. Y 驴qu茅 hicisteis?

PEDRO. Yo, pensando que bien pudiera quiz谩s mi muerte impedir alguna mayor infelicidad, 110 cruc茅 los brazos, y quieto esper茅 el golpe mortal.

ISABEL. 隆Cielos! 驴Y Roger?

PEDRO. Roger parado al ver mi adem谩n, en lugar de acometerme, 115 se fu茅 retirando atr谩s, mir谩ndome de hito en hito, llena de terror la faz. Asi贸 con entrambas manos el arma por la mitad, 120 y se帽as distintas hizo de quer茅rmela entregar. Yo no le atend铆, guardando completa inmovilidad como antes; y 茅l, con los ojos 125 fijos, y sin menear los p谩rpados, balbuciente dijo: 芦Matadme, salvad en el hueco de mi tumba mi secreto criminal.禄 130

ISABEL. 隆Su secreto!

PEDRO. En fin, de estarse tanto sin pesta帽ear, 茅l, cuyos sentidos eran la suma debilidad, se trastorn贸, cay贸; di贸 135 la guarnici贸n del pu帽al en tierra, le fu茅 la punta al coraz贸n a parar al infeliz, y a mis plantas rindi贸 el aliento vital. 140 Hu铆 con espanto: Azagra, vini茅ndose a disculpar conmigo, me hall贸; le dije que no pisaba el umbral de aquella casa en mi vida; 145 y 茅l, pr贸vido y eficaz, avis贸 al rey, y mand贸 el cad谩ver sepultar.-- Ya ves, hija: por no ir yo contra tu voluntad, 150 por no cumplir mi palabra, quise dejarme matar; y Dios me guard贸 la vida: su decreto celestial es sin duda que esa boda 155 se haga por fin ... --y se har谩, si en tres d铆as no parece tu preferido gal谩n.

ISABEL (_aparte_). 隆Ay de 茅l y de m铆!

ESCENA III

TERESA.--DON PEDRO, ISABEL

TERESA. Se帽or, acaba de preguntar 160 por vos don Mart铆n, el padre de don Diego.

ISABEL (_aparte_). 驴Si sabr谩?...

TERESA. Como es enemigo vuestro, le he dejado en el zagu谩n.

PEDRO. A enemigo noble se abren 165 las puertas de par en par. Que llegue. (_Vase Teresa_.) Ve con tu madre.

ISABEL (_aparte_). Ella a sus pies me ver谩 llorando, hasta que consiga vencer su severidad. (_Vase_.) 170

ESCENA IV

DON PEDRO

Desafiados quedamos
al tiempo de cabalgar
yo para Monz贸n: el duelo
llevar a cabo querr谩.
Bien.--Pero 茅l ha padecido                             175
una larga enfermedad.
Si no tiene el brazo firme,
conmigo no lidiar谩.

ESCENA V

DON MART�N.--DON PEDRO

MART�N. Don Pedro Segura, se谩is bien venido.

PEDRO. Y vos, don Mart铆n Garc茅s de Marsilla, 180 se谩is bien hallado: tomad una silla.

(_Si茅ntase don Mart铆n, mientras don Pedro va a tomar su espada_.)

MART�N. Dejad vuestra espada.

PEDRO (_sent谩ndose_). Con pena he sabido la grave dolencia que hab茅is padecido.

MART�N. Al fin me repuse del todo. PEDRO. No s茅....

MART�N. Domingo Celladas....

PEDRO. 隆Fuerte hombre es, a fe! 185

MART�N. Pues aun a la barra le gano el partido.

PEDRO. As铆 os quiero yo. Desde hoy, elegid al duelo aplazado seguro lugar.

MART�N. Don Pedro, yo os tengo primero que hablar.

PEDRO. Hablad en buen hora: ya escucho. Decid. 190

MART�N. Caus贸 nuestra ri帽a....

PEDRO. La causa omitid: sab茅mosla entrambos. Por vos se me dijo que soy un avaro, y os privo de un hijo. De honor es la ofensa, precisa la lid.

MART�N. 驴Ten茅isme por hombre de aliento?

PEDRO. S铆 tal. 195 Si no lo creyera, con vos no lidiara.

MART�N. Jam谩s al peligro le vuelvo la cara.

PEDRO. S铆, nuestro combate puede ser igual.

MART�N. Ser谩 por lo mismo....

PEDRO. Sangriento, mortal. Ha de perecer uno de los dos. 200

MART�N. O铆d un suceso, feliz para vos... Feliz para entrambos.

PEDRO. Dec铆dmele. 驴Cu谩l?

MART�N. Tres meses har谩 que en lecho de duelo me puso la mano que todo lo gu铆a. Del riesgo asustada la familia m铆a 205 quiso en vuestra esposa buscar su consuelo. Con tino infalible, con pr贸vido celo salud en la villa ben茅fica vierte, y enfermo en que airada se ceba la muerte, le salva su mano, bendita del cielo. 210 Con vos irritado, no quise atender al dulce consejo de amante inquietud. 芦No cobre (dec铆a) jam谩s la salud, si mano enemiga la debe traer.禄 Mayor mi tes贸n a m谩s padecer, 215 la muerte en mi alcoba plant贸 su bandera. Por fin, una noche... 隆Qu茅 noche tan fiera! Blasfemo el dolor hac铆ame ser; ped铆a una daga con furia tenaz, rasgar anhelando con ella mi pecho... 220 En esto a mis puertas, y luego a mi lecho, lleg贸 un peregrino, cubierta la faz. �ngel parec铆a de salud y paz... Me habla, me consuela, benigno licor al labio me pone; me alivia el dolor, 225 y parte, y no quiere quitarse el disfraz. La noche que tuve su postrer visita, ya restablecido, sus pasos segu铆. Cruz贸 varias calles, viniendo hacia aqu铆, y entr贸 en esa ruina de g贸tica ermita, 230 que a vuestros jardines t茅rminos limita. Det煤vele entonces: el velo cay贸, radiante la luna su rostro alumbr贸 ... era vuestra esposa.

PEDRO. 隆Era Margarita!

MART�N. Confuso un momento, cobr茅me despu茅s, 235 y vi贸me postrado la noble se帽ora. --Con tal beneficio, no cabe que ahora provoque mi mano sangriento rev茅s. Don Pedro Segura, decid a quien es deudor este padre de verse con vida, 240 que est谩 la contienda por m铆 fenecida. Tomad este acero, ponedle a sus pi茅s.

(_Da su espada a don Pedro, que la coloca en el bufete_.)

PEDRO. 隆Feliz yo, que logro el duelo excusar con vos, por motivo que es tan lisonjero! Si pronto me hallasteis, por ser caballero, 245 cuidado me daba el ir a lidiar. Con tal compa帽era, 驴qui茅n no ha de arriesgar con susto la vida que lleva dichosa? Ella me ser谩 desde hoy m谩s preciosa, si ya vuestro amigo quer茅isme llamar. 250

MART�N. Amigos seremos. (_Danse las manos_.)

PEDRO. Siempre.

MART�N. Siempre, s铆.

PEDRO. Y al cabo, 驴qu茅 nuevas ten茅is de don Diego? En hora menguada, vencido del ruego de Azagra, la triste palabra le d铆. Si antes vuestro hijo se dirige a m铆, 255 隆cu谩nto ambas familias se ahorran de llanto! No lo quiso Dios.

MART�N. Yo su nombre santo bendigo; mas lloro por lo que perd铆.

PEDRO. Pero, 驴qu茅...?

MART�N. Despu茅s de la de Maurel, donde cay贸 en manos del Conde Sim贸n, 260 de nadie consigo se帽al ni raz贸n, por m谩s que anhelante pregunto por 茅l. Cada d铆a al cielo con s煤plica fiel pido que me diga qu茅 punto en la tierra sosti茅nele vivo, o muerto le encierra: 265 mundo y cielo guardan silencio cruel.

PEDRO. El plazo no tuvo su fin todav铆a. Piedad atesora inmensa el Eterno: y mucho me holgara si fuera mi yerno quien a mi Isabel tan fino quer铆a. 270 Pero si no viene, y c煤mplese el d铆a, y llega la hora ... por m谩s que me pesa, me tiene sujeto sagrada promesa: si fuera posible, no la cumplir铆a.

MART�N. Diligencia escasa, fortuna severa 275 parece que en suerte a mi sangre cupo: quien a la desgracia sujetar no supo, sufrido se muestre cuando ella le hiera. Adi贸s.

PEDRO. No han de veros de aquesa manera. Yo quiero esta espada; la m铆a tomad (_D谩sela_.) 280 en prenda segura de fiel amistad.

MART�N. Acepto: un monarca llevarla pudiera.

(_Vase don Mart铆n, y don Pedro le acompa帽a_.)

ESCENA VI

MARGARITA, ISABEL

MARGARITA (_aparte, siguiendo con la vista a los dos que se retiran_.) Aunque nada les o铆, deben estar ya los dos reconciliados.

ISABEL (_que viene tras su madre_). Por Dios, 285 madre, haced caso de m铆.

MARGARITA. No; que es repugnancia loca la que mostr谩is a un enlace, que de seguro nos hace a todos, merced no poca. 290 Noble sois; pero mirad que quien su amor os consagra es don Rodrigo de Azagra, que goza m谩s calidad, m谩s bienes: en Arag贸n 295 le acatan propios y ajenos, y muestra, con vos al menos, apacible condici贸n.

ISABEL. Vengativo y orgulloso es lo que me ha parecido. 300

MARGARITA. Vuestro padre le ha cre铆do digno de ser vuestro esposo. Prendarse de quien le cuadre no es l铆cito a una doncella, ni hay m谩s voluntad en ella 305 que la que tenga su padre. Hoy d铆a, Isabel, as铆 se conciertan nuestras bodas: as铆 nos casan a todas, y as铆 me han casado a m铆. 310

ISABEL. 驴No hay a los tormentos m铆os otro consuelo que dar?

MARGARITA. No me ten茅is que mentar vuestros locos amor铆os. Yo por delirios no abogo. 315 Idos.

ISABEL. En vano esper茅. (_Sollozando al retirarse_.)

MARGARITA. 隆Qu茅! 驴llor谩is?

ISABEL. Aun no me fu茅 vedado este desahogo.

MARGARITA. Isabel, si no os escucho, no me acus茅is de rigor. 320 Comprendo vuestro dolor, y le compadezco mucho; pero, hija ... cuatro a帽os ha que a nadie Marsilla escribe. Si ha muerto....

ISABEL. 隆No, madre, vive!.... 325 Pero 驴c贸mo vivir谩? Tal vez, llorando, en Sion arrastra por m铆 cadenas, quiz谩 gime en las arenas de la l铆bica regi贸n. 330 Con aviso tan funesto no habr谩 querido afligirme. Yo trato de persuadirme, y sin cesar pienso en esto. Yo me propuse aprender 335 a olvidarle, sospechando que infiel estaba, gozando caricias de otra mujer. Yo escuch茅 de su rival los acentos desabridos, 340 y logr茅 de mis o铆dos que no me sonaran mal. Pero 隆ay! cuando la raz贸n iba a proclamarse ufana vencedora soberana 345 de la rebelde pasi贸n, al recordar la memoria un suspiro de mi ausente, se arruinaba de repente la fortaleza ilusoria, 350 y con 铆mpetu mayor, tras el combate perdido, se entraba por mi sentido a sangre y fuego el amor. Yo entonces a la virtud 355 nombre daba de fals铆a, rabioso llanto vert铆a, y hundirme en el ata煤d juraba en mi frenes铆 antes que rendirme al yugo 360 de ese hombre, fatal verdugo, genio infernal para m铆.

MARGARITA. Por Dios, por Dios, Isabel, moderad ese delirio: vos no sab茅is el martirio 365 que me hac茅is pasar con 茅l.

ISABEL. 隆Qu茅! 驴mi audacia os maravilla? Pero estando ya tan lleno el coraz贸n de veneno, fuerza es que rompa su orilla. 370 No a vos, a la piedra inerte de esa muralla desnuda, a esa b贸veda que muda oy贸 mi queja de muerte, a este suelo donde mella 375 pudo hacer el llanto m铆o, a no ser tan duro y fr铆o como alguno que le huella, para testigos invoco de mi doloroso af谩n; 380 que, si alivio no le dan, no les ofende tampoco.

MARGARITA (_aparte_). 驴Qui茅n con 谩nimo sereno la oyera?--El dolor mitiga; de una madre, de una amiga 385 ven al cari帽oso seno. Con贸ceme, y no te ahuyente la faz severa que ves: m谩scara forzosa es, que di贸 el pesar a mi frente; 390 pero tras ella te espera, para templar tu dolor, el tierno, indulgente amor de una madre verdadera.

ISABEL. 隆Madre m铆a! (_Abr谩zanse._)

MARGARITA. Mi ternura 395 te ocult茅 ... porque deb铆... 隆Ha quince a帽os que hay aqu铆 guardada tanta amargura! Yo hubiera en tu amor filial gozado, y gozar no debo nada ya, desde que llevo 400 el cilicio y el sayal.

ISABEL. 隆Madre!

MARGARITA. Tem铆, recel茅 dar a tu amor incentivo, y s贸lo por correctivo 405 severidad te mostr茅; mas oy茅ndote gemir cada noche desde el lecho, y a veces en tu despecho mis rigores maldecir, 410 yo al Se帽or, de silencioso materno llanto hecha un mar, ofrec铆 mil veces dar mi vida por tu reposo.

ISABEL. 隆Cielos! 隆Qu茅 revelaci贸n 415 tan grata! 隆Qu茅 injusta he sido! 隆Que tanto me hab茅is querido! 隆Madre de mi coraz贸n!

Perdonadme... 隆Qu茅 alborozo
siento, aunque llorar me veis!                         420
Seis a帽os ha, m谩s de seis,
que tanta dicha no gozo.
Mi desgracia contemplad,
cuando como dicha cuento
que mis penas un momento                               425
aplaquen su intensidad.
Pero este rayo que inunda
en viva luz mi alma yerta,
驴dejar茅is que se convierta
en lobreguez m谩s profunda?                             430
Madre, madre, a quien adoro,
el labio os pongo en el pie;
mi aliento aqu铆 exhalar茅,
si no ced茅is a mi lloro. (_P贸strase._)

MARGARITA. Levanta, Isabel; enjuga 435 tus ojos; conf铆a.... S铆, cuanto dependa de m铆....

ISABEL Ya veis que en r谩pida fuga el tiempo desaparece. Si pasan tres d铆as, 隆tres!, 440 todo me sobra despu茅s, toda esperanza fallece. Mi padre, por no faltar a la palabra tremenda, le rendir谩 por ofrenda 445 mi albedr铆o en el altar. Vuestras razones imprimen en su alma la persuasi贸n: en m铆 toda reflexi贸n fuera desacato, crimen. 450 Y yo, se帽ora, lo veo: podr谩 llevarme a casar; pero en vez de preparar las galas del himeneo, que a tenerme se limite 455 una cruz y una mortaja; que esta gala y esta alhaja ser谩 lo que necesite.

MARGARITA. No, no, Isabel: cesa, cesa. Yo en tu defensa, me empe帽o: 460 no ser谩 Azagra tu due帽o. yo anular茅 la promesa. Me oir谩 tu padre, y tama帽os horrores evitar谩. Hoy madre tuya ser谩 465 quien no lo fu茅 tantos a帽os.

ESCENA VII

TERESA.--MARGARITA, ISABEL

TERESA. Se帽oras, don Rodrigo de Azagra pide licencia para visitaros.

MARGARITA. Hazle entrar. A buen tiempo llega. (_Vase Teresa_.)

ISABEL. Permitid que yo me retire. 470

MARGARITA. Qu茅date en la pieza inmediata, y escucha nuestra conversaci贸n.

ISABEL. 驴Qu茅 vais a decir?

MARGARITA. �yelo, y acabar谩s de hacer justicia a tu madre. (_Vase Isabel_.) 475

ESCENA VIII

DON RODRIGO.--MARGARITA

MARGARITA. Ilustre don Rodrigo....

RODRIGO. Se帽ora ... al fin nos vemos.

MARGARITA. Honrad mi estrado, ya que la prisa de venir a mi casa no os ha dejado sosegar en la vuestra.

RODRIGO. Aqu铆 vengo a buscar el sosiego que necesito. 480 (_Si茅ntase_.) 驴Qu茅 me dec铆s de mi desde帽osa?

MARGARITA. 驴Me permitir茅is que hable con toda franqueza?

RODRIGO. Con franqueza pregunto yo.--Hablad.

MARGARITA. Mi esposo os prometi贸 la mano de su 485 hija 煤nica; y, por 茅l, deb茅is contar de seguro con ella. Pero la delicadeza de vuestro amor y la elevaci贸n de vuestro car谩cter 驴se satisfar铆an con la posesi贸n de una mujer, cuyo cari帽o no fuese vuestro?

RODRIGO. El coraz贸n de Isabel no es ahora m铆o, lo 490 s茅; pero Isabel es virtuosa, es el espejo de las doncellas: cumplir谩 lo que jure, apreciar谩 mi rendida fe, y ser谩 el ejemplo de las casadas.

MARGARITA. Mirad que su afecto a Marsilla no se ha disminu铆do. 495

RODRIGO. No me inspira celos un rival, cuyo paradero se ignora, cuya muerte, para m铆, es indudable.

MARGARITA. 驴Y si volviese a煤n? 驴Y si antes de cumplirse el t茅rmino, se presentara tan enamorado como se fu茅, y con aumentos muy considerables de hacienda? 500

RODRIGO. Mal har铆a en aparecer ni antes ni despu茅s de mis bodas. �l prometi贸 renunciar a Isabel, si no se enriquec铆a en seis a帽os; pero yo nada he prometido. Si vuelve, uno de los dos ha de quedar solo junto a Isabel. La mano que pretendemos ambos, no se compra con oro; 505 se gana con hierro, se paga con sangre.

MARGARITA. Vuestro lenguaje no es muy reverente para usado en esta casa, y conmigo; pero os le perdono, porque me perdon茅is la pesadumbre que voy a daros. Yo, noble don Rodrigo, yo que hasta hoy consent铆 en 510 vuestro enlace con Isabel, he visto por 煤ltimo que de 茅l iba a resultar su desgracia y la vuestra. Tengo, pues, que deciros, como cristiana y madre; tengo que suplicaros por nuestro Se帽or y nuestra Se帽ora, que desist谩is de un empe帽o, ya poco distante de la temeridad. 515

RODRIGO. Ese empe帽o es p煤blico, hace muchos a帽os que dura, y se ha convertido para m铆 en caso de honor. Es imposible que yo desista. No os opong谩is a lo que no podr茅is impedir.

MARGARITA. Aunque hab茅is desairado mi ruego, tal 520 vez no le desaire mi esposo.

RODRIGO. Mucho alcanz谩is con 茅l: adora en vos, y lo merec茅is, porque ha quince a帽os que os emple谩is en la caridad y la penitencia... Pero ... 驴os ha contado ya la muerte de Roger de Lizana? 525

MARGARITA. 隆C贸mo! 驴Roger ha muerto?

RODRIGO. S铆, loco y mudo, seg煤n estaba; desgraciadamente, seg煤n merec铆a; y a los pies de don Pedro, como era justo.

MARGARITA. 隆Cielos! Nada sab铆a de ese infeliz. 530

RODRIGO. Ese infeliz era muy delincuente, era el corruptor de una dama ilustre.

MARGARITA. 隆Don Rodrigo!

RODRIGO. La esposa m谩s respetable entre las de Teruel. 535

MARGARITA. Por compasi贸n.... Si Roger ha muerto....

RODRIGO. Casi espir贸 en mis brazos. Yo tend铆 sobre el f茅retro su cad谩ver, yo hall茅 sobre su coraz贸n unas cartas.... 540

MARGARITA. 隆Cartas!

RODRIGO. De mujer ... cinco ... sin firma todas. Pero yo os las presentar茅, y vos me dir茅is qui茅n las ha escrito.

MARGARITA. 隆Callad! 隆callad! 545

RODRIGO. Si no, acudir茅 a vuestro esposo: bien conoce la letra.

MARGARITA. 隆No! 隆D谩dmelas, rompedlas, quemadlas!

RODRIGO. Se os entregar谩n; pero Isabel me ha de entregar a m铆 su mano primero. 550

MARGARITA. 隆Oh!

RODRIGO. Dios os guarde, se帽ora.

MARGARITA. Deteneos, o铆dme.

RODRIGO. Para que os oiga, venid a verlas. (_Vase_.)

MARGARITA. Escuchad, escuchadme. (_Vase tras don 555 Rodrigo_.)

ESCENA IX

ISABEL, y despu茅s TERESA

ISABEL. 驴Qu茅 es lo que o铆? No lo he comprendido, no quiero comprender ese misterio horrible: s贸lo entiendo que de infeliz he pasado a m谩s. (_Sale Teresa_.)

TERESA. Se帽ora, un joven extranjero ha llegado a 560 casa pidiendo que se le dejara descansar un rato....

ISABEL. Rec铆bele ... d茅jame.

TERESA. Ya se le recibi贸, y le han agasajado con vino y magras; por se帽as que nada de ello ha probado, como si fuera moro o jud铆o. Aparte de esto, es muy lindo 563 muchacho: he trabado conversaci贸n con 茅l, y dice que viene de Palestina.

ISABEL. 驴De Palestina?

TERESA. Yo me acord茅 al punto del pobre don Diego. --Como os figur谩is que debe estar por all谩.... 570

ISABEL. S铆. Ll谩male pronto. (_Vase Teresa_.) 隆Virgen piadosa! 隆Que haya sido sue帽o lo que pienso que o铆! 隆Oh! Pensemos en el que viene de Palestina.

ESCENA X

ZULIMA, en traje de noble aragon茅s, TERESA.--ISABEL

ZULIMA. El cielo os guarde.

ISABEL. Y a vos tambi茅n.

ZULIMA (_aparte_.) Mi rival es 茅sta.

ISABEL. Mejor pod茅is descansar 575 en esta sala que fuera.

TERESA. Este mancebo, se帽ora, viene de lejanas tierras, de Jerusalem, de Jope, de Bel茅n ... y de Judea. 580

ISABEL. 驴Cierto?

ZULIMA. S铆.

TERESA. Y ha conocido all谩 gente aragonesa.

ZULIMA. Un caballero trat茅 de Teruel.

ISABEL. 驴Cu谩l? 驴Qui茅n? 驴Qui茅n era? 驴Su nombre?

ZULIMA. Diego Marsilla. 585

ISABEL. 隆Os trajo Dios a mi puerta!-- 驴D贸nde le dej谩is?

TERESA. Entonces, 驴era ya rico?

ZULIMA. Una herencia cuantiosa le dejaron all铆.

ISABEL. Pero 驴d贸nde queda? 590

ZULIMA. Hace poco era cautivo del Rey moro de Valencia.

ISABEL. 隆Cautivo! 隆Infeliz!

ZULIMA. No tanto. La esposa del Rey, la bella Zulima, le am贸.

ISABEL. 驴Le am贸? 595

ZULIMA. 隆S铆! 隆mucho!

TERESA. 隆Qu茅 desverg眉enza!

ISABEL. Y 驴qu茅? 驴 No viene por eso Marsilla donde le esperan?

TERESA. 驴Se ha vuelto moro quiz谩?

ZULIMA (_aparte_). Ya que padec铆, padezca. 600 Finjamos.

ISABEL. Hablad.

ZULIMA. No es f谩cil resistir a una princesa hermosa y amante: al fin Marsilla, para con ella, era un miserable.

TERESA. Pero vamos, acabad.... 605

ISABEL (_aparte_.) Apenas vivo.

ZULIMA. El Rey lleg贸 a saber lo que pasaba; la Reina pudo escapar, protegida por un bandido, cabeza 610 de la cuadrilla temible que hoy anda por aqu铆 cerca; y Marsilla....

ISABEL. 驴Qu茅?

ZULIMA. Rogad a Dios que le favorezca.

ISABEL. 隆Ha muerto! 隆Jes煤s, valedme! 615 (_Desm谩yase_.)

TERESA. 隆Isabel! 隆Isabel!--隆Buena la hab茅is hecho! ZULIMA. (_aparte_.) Sabe amar esta cristiana de veras; yo s茅 m谩s, yo s茅 vengarme.

TERESA. 隆Se帽ora!--隆Paula! 隆Jimena! 620 (_A Zulima_.) Buscad agua, llamad gente.

ZULIMA (_aparte_.) Salgamos.--Con esta nueva, se casar谩. (_Vase_.)

TERESA. 隆Dios confunda la boca ruin que nos cuenta noticia tan triste!... Pero 625 un pr贸jimo que no prueba cerdo ni vino, 驴qu茅 puede dar de s铆?

(_Salen dos criadas que traen agua_.)

Pronto aqu铆, lerdas.
驴D贸nde estabais? A ver: dadme
el agua.

ISABEL. 隆Ay, Dios! 隆Ay, Teresa! 630

ESCENA XI

MARGARITA.--ISABEL, TERESA, CRIADAS

MARGARITA. 驴Qu茅 sucede?

ISABEL. 隆Ay, madre m铆a! Ya no es posible que venga. Muri贸.

MARGARITA. 驴Qui茅n? 驴Marsilla?

TERESA. 驴Qui茅n ha de ser?

ISABEL. Y ha muerto en pena de serme infiel.

TERESA. Una mora, 635 que dicen que no era fea, la esposa del reyezuelo valenciano, buena pieza sin duda, nos le quit贸.

ISABEL. 隆En esto paran aquellas 640 ilusiones de ventura que alimentaba risue帽a! Conmigo nacieron 隆ay!... se van, y el alma se llevan. Ese infausto mensajero, 645 驴d贸nde est谩? Dile que vuelva.

MARGARITA. S铆: yo le preguntar茅....

TERESA. Pues como nos d茅 respuestas por el estilo.... Seguidme.

(_Vanse Teresa y las criadas_.)

ESCENA XII

MARGARITA, ISABEL

ISABEL. 驴Qui茅n figurarse pudiera 650 que me olvidara Marsilla? 隆Qu茅 sonrojo! 隆Qu茅 vileza! Pero 驴c贸mo ha sido, c贸mo fu茅 que no lo presintiera mi coraz贸n? No es verdad: 655 imposible que lo sea. Se enga帽贸, si lo crey贸, la sultana de Valencia. Sol贸 por volar a m铆, quebrantando sus cadenas, 660 dej贸 so帽ar a la mora con esa falaz idea. M谩rtir de mi amor ha sido, que desde el cielo en que reina, de su martirio me pide 665 la debida recompensa. Yo se la dar茅 leal, yo defender茅 mi diestra: viuda del primer amor he de bajar a la huesa. 670 Llorar libremente quiero lo que de vivir me resta, sin que pueda hacer ninguno de mis l谩grimas ofensa. No he de ser esposa yo 675 de Azagra: primero muerta.

MARGARITA. 驴Tendr谩s valor para?...

ISABEL. S铆, mi desgracia me le presta.

MARGARITA. 驴Y si te manda tu padre?...

ISABEL. Dir茅 que no.

MARGARITA. Si te ruega.... 680

ISABEL. No.

MARGARITA. Si amenaza....

ISABEL. Mil veces no. Podr谩n en hora buena, de los cabellos asida, arrastrarme hasta la iglesia, podr谩n maltratar mi cuerpo, 685 cubrirle de 谩spera jerga, emparedarme en un claustro, donde lentamente muera: todo esto podr谩n, s铆; pero lograr que diga mi lengua 690 un s铆 perjuro, no.

MARGARITA. Bien, bien. Tu valor ... me consuela.

(_Aparte_. Nada oy贸: m谩s vale as铆. La culpa, no la inocencia debe padecer.) Ten siempre 695 esa misma fortaleza, y no te dejes vencer, suceda lo que suceda. Matrimonio sin cari帽o cr铆menes tal vez engendra. 700 Yo s茅 de alguna infeliz que di贸 su mano violenta... y ... despu茅s de larga lucha ... desminti贸 su vida honesta. Muchos a帽os lleva ya 705 de dolor y penitencia... Y al fin le toca morir, de oprobrio justo cubierta.

ISABEL. 隆Ah, madre! 驴Qu茅 dije yo? Me olvid茅, con esa nueva, 710 de otra desdicha tan grande que a mi desdicha supera.

MARGARITA. 隆No te cases, Isabel!

ISABEL. S铆, madre: mi vida es vuestra: d谩rosla me manda Dios, 715 lo manda naturaleza.

MARGARITA. 隆Hija!

ISABEL. Por fortuna m铆a, Marsilla al morir me deja el coraz贸n sin amor y sin lugar donde prenda. 720 Por m谩s fortuna, Marsilla de m铆 se olvid贸 en la ausencia, y puso en otra mujer el amor que me debiera. Por dicha mayor, Azagra 725 es de condici贸n soberbia, celoso, iracundo: as铆 mis l谩grimas y querellas insufribles le ser谩n; querr谩 que yo las contenga; 730 no podr茅, se irritar谩, y me matar谩.

MARGARITA. 隆Me aterras, hija, me matas a m铆!

ISABEL. Tengo yo cartas que lea: puede encontr谩rmelas.

MARGARITA. 隆Oh! 735 Si como las tuyas fueran otras....

ISABEL. Y tengo un retrato en esta joya. (_Saca un relicario_.) 驴Son 茅sas sus facciones? Pues sabed que, sin estudio ni regla, 740 de amor guiada la mano, al primer ensayo diestra, yo supe dar a ese rostro semejanza tan perfecta. Me sirvi贸 para suplir 745 de Marsilla la presencia; no le necesito ya: m谩s vale que no le vea. 隆Ah! dejadme que le bese una vez ... la 煤ltima es 茅sta. 750 Tomad. 驴Veis? el sacrificio consumo, y estoy serena, tranquila ... como la tumba. Imitad vos mi entereza, mi calma ... y no me dig谩is 755 una palabra siquiera. De m铆 vuestra fama pende: la conservar茅is ilesa. Yo me casar茅: no importa, no importa lo que me cuesta. (_Vase_.) 760

ESCENA XIII

MARGARITA

MARGARITA. Y 驴debo yo consentir que la inocente Isabel, por mi ego铆smo cruel, se ofrezca m谩s que a morir? Pero 驴c贸mo he de sufrir 765 que, perdida mi opini贸n, me llame todo Arag贸n hip贸crita y vil mujer? Mala madre me hace ser mi buena reputaci贸n. A todo me resignara con 谩nimo ya contrito, si al saberse mi delito, yo sola me deshonrara. Pero a mi esposo manchara 775 con ignominia mayor. 隆Hija infeliz en amor! 隆Hija desdichada m铆a! Perdona la tiran铆a de las leyes del honor. 780

ACTO TERCERO

Retrete o gabinete de Isabel. Dos puertas.

ESCENA PRIMERA

ISABEL, TERESA

Aparece ISABEL, ricamente vestida, sentada en un sill贸n junto a una mesa, sobre la cual hay un espejo de mano, hecho de metal. TERESA est谩 acabando de adornar a su ama.

TERESA. 驴Qu茅 os parece el tocado? Nada, ni me oye. Que os mir茅is os digo; tomad el espejo. (_Se le da a Isabel, que maquinalmente le toma, y deja caer la mano sin mirarse_.) A esotra puerta. Miren 隆qu茅 trazas 茅stas de novia!--Ved 隆qu茅 preciosa gargantilla voy a poneros! 5 (_Isabel inclina la cabeza_.) Pero alzad la cabeza, Isabel. Si esto es amortajar a un difunto.

ISABEL. 隆Marsilla!

TERESA. (_Aparte._ Dios le haya perdonado.) Ea, se concluy贸. Bien est谩is. Ello, s铆, me hab茅is hecho perder 10 la paciencia treinta veces.

ISABEL. 隆Madre m铆a!

TERESA. Si ech谩is menos a mi se帽ora, ya os he dicho que no est谩 en casa, porque para ella, la caridad es antes que todo. El juez de este a帽o, Domingo Celladas, ten铆a 15 un hijo en tierra de infieles: Jaime, ya le conoc茅is. Hoy, sin que hubiese noticia de que viniera, se le han encontrado en el camino de Valencia unos mercaderes, herido y sin conocimiento. Por un rastro de sangre que iba a parar a un hoyo, se ha comprendido que debieron echarle 20 dentro; y se cree que hasta poder salir, habr谩 estado en el hoyo quiz谩 m谩s de un d铆a, porque las heridas no son recientes. Vuestra madre ha sido llamada para asistirle; me ha encargado que os aderece; os he puesto hecha una imagen; y ni siquiera he logrado que deis una mirada al 25 vestido, para ver si os gusta.

ISABEL. S铆: es el 煤ltimo.

TERESA. 隆El dulc铆simo nombre de Jes煤s! No lo quiera Dios, Isabelita de mi alma: no lo querr谩 Dios; antes os har谩 tan dichosa como vos merec茅is. Pero 30 salid de ese abatimiento: mirad que ya van a venir los convidados a la boda, y es menester no darles que decir.

ISABEL (_con sobresalto_). 驴Qu茅 hora es ya?

TERESA. No tardar谩n en tocar a v铆speras ah铆 al lado, en San Pedro. Es la hora en que sali贸 de Teruel don 35 Diego; y hasta que pase, mi se帽or no se considera libre de su promesa.

ISABEL. S铆, a esa hora, a esa hora misma parti贸 ... para nunca volver. En este aposento, all铆, delante de ese balc贸n estaba yo, llorando sobre mi labor, como ahora 40 sobre mis galas. Continuamente miraba a la calle por donde hab铆a de pasar, para verle; ahora no miro: no le ver茅. Por all铆 vino, dirigiendo el fogoso alaz谩n, ense帽ado a parase bajo mis balcones. Por all铆 vino, vestida la cota, la lanza en la mano, al brazo la banda, 煤ltimo don 45 de mi cari帽o. 芦Hasta la dicha o hasta la tumba,禄 me dijo. 芦Tuya o muerta,禄 le dije yo; y ca铆 sin aliento en el balc贸n mismo, tendidas las manos hacia la mitad de mi alma que se ausentaba.--隆Suya o muerta! Y voy a dar la mano a Rodrigo. 隆Bien cumplo mi palabra! 50

TERESA. Hija m铆a, desechad esas ideas. Yo 驴qu茅 os he de decir para consolaros? Que os he visto nacer, que hab茅is jugado en mis brazos y en mis rodillas ... y que diera yo porque recobraseis la paz del alma y fuerais feliz 隆ay!, diera yo todos los d铆as que me faltan que vivir, 55 menos uno para verlo.

ISABEL. 驴Feliz, Teresa? Con este vestido, 驴c贸mo he de ser feliz? 隆Pesa tanto, me ahoga tanto!... Qu铆tamele, Teresa. (_Levant谩ndose_.)

TERESA. Se帽ora, que viene don Rodrigo. 60

ISABEL. 隆Don Rodrigo! Busca pronto a mi madre. (_Vase Teresa_.)

ESCENA II

DON RODRIGO.--ISABEL

RODRIGO. Mis ojos por fin os ven a solas, 谩ngel hermoso. Siempre un amargo desd茅n y un recato rigoroso 65 me han privado de este bien. --Tr茅mula est谩is: ocupad la silla.

ISABEL. 隆Ante mi se帽or!

RODRIGO. Esclavo dir茅is mejor. Soberana es la beldad 70 en el reino del amor.

ISABEL. 隆Mentida soberan铆a!

RODRIGO. De mi rendimiento fiel, que dudarais no cre铆a. 隆Si a conocer, Isabel, 75 llegaseis el alma m铆a!...

ISABEL. 驴Para qu茅? Se帽as ha dado que indican su 铆ndole bella.

RODRIGO. Mi destino desastrado s贸lo mostrar me ha dejado 80 lo deforme que hay en ella. Un Azagra conoc茅is orgulloso y vengativo; y otro por fin hallar茅is que en vuestro rigor esquivo 85 figuraros no pod茅is. El Azagra que os adora, el Azagra para vos, aun no le visteis, se帽ora; y nos conviene a los dos 90 una explicaci贸n ahora.

ISABEL. Mis padres pueden mandar, yo tengo que obedecer, nada pretendo saber: hiciera bien en callar 95 quien ha logrado vencer.

RODRIGO. El vencedor, que aparece lleno ante vos de amargura, manifestaros ofrece que sabe lo que merece 100 do帽a Isabel de Segura. Os v铆, y en vos admir茅 virtud y belleza rara: digno de vos me juzgu茅, y uniros a m铆 jur茅, 105 costara lo que costara. Maldici贸n m谩s espantosa no pudo echarme jam谩s una lengua venenosa que decir: no lograr谩s 110 hacer a Isabel tu esposa. Lidiar茅, si es necesario, por ella con todo el orbe, clamaba yo de ordinario. 隆Infeliz el que me estorbe, 115 competidor o contrario! En mi celoso furor cabe hasta lo que denigre mi calidad y mi honor. Amo con ira de tigre ... 120 porque es muy grande mi amor. --No el vuestro, tan delicado, me pint茅is para mi mengua: quiz谩 no lo haya expresado en seis a帽os vuestra lengua, 125 sin que me lo hayan contado. Cuantas cartas escribi贸 Marsilla ausente, le铆: 茅l su retrato no vi贸, yo s铆: junto a vos aqu铆 130 siempre tuve un guarda yo. Ha sido mi ocupaci贸n observaros noche y d铆a; y abandonaba a Monz贸n siempre que lo permit铆a 135 la marcial obligaci贸n. Vi茅ndoos al balc贸n sentada por las noches a la luna, mi fatiga era pagada: jam谩s fu茅 mujer ninguna 140 de amante m谩s respetada. Para romper mis prisiones, para defectos hallaros, fueron mis indagaciones; y siempre para adoraros 145 encontr茅 nuevas razones. Seducido el pensamiento de lisonjeros enga帽os, un favorable momento espero hace ya seis a帽os, 150 y aun llegado no lo cuento. Pero, por dicha, quiz谩 no deba estar muy distante.

ISABEL. 隆Qu茅! 驴Pens谩is que cesar谩 mi pasi贸n, muerto mi amante? 155 No, lo que yo vivir谩.

RODRIGO. Pues bien, amad, Isabel, y decidlo sin reparo; que con ese amor tan fiel, aunque a m铆 me cueste caro, 160 nunca me hallar茅is cruel. Mas si ese afecto amoroso, cuya expresi贸n no limito, mantener os es forzoso, yo, mi bien, yo necesito 165 el nombre de vuestro esposo. No m谩s que el nombre, y concluyo de desear y pedir: todas mis dichas incluyo en la dicha de decir: 170 芦Me tienen por due帽o suyo.禄 Separada habitaci贸n, distinto lecho tendr茅is.... 驴Quer茅is m谩s separaci贸n? Vos en Teruel vivir茅is, 175 yo en la corte de Arag贸n. 驴Tem茅is que la soledad bajo mi techo os consuma? Vuestros padres os llevad con vos: mudar茅is en suma 180 de casa y de vecindad. Nunca sin vuestra licencia ver茅 esos divinos ojos.... 隆Ay! d谩dmela con frecuencia. Si os oprimen los enojos, 185 hablad, y mi diligencia ya un fest铆n, ya una batida, ya un torneo dispondr谩. Si llor谩is.... 隆Prenda querida! cuando llor茅is, 驴qu茅 os dir谩 190 quien no ha llorado en su vida? M铆seros ambos, hacer con la indulgencia podemos menor nuestro padecer. Ahora, aunque nos casemos, 195 驴me podr茅is aborrecer?

ISABEL. 隆Don Rodrigo! 隆Don Rodrigo! (_Sollozando_.)

RODRIGO. 驴Llor谩is? 驴Es porque me muestro digno de ser vuestro amigo? 驴No sufr铆 del odio vuestro 200 bastante el duro castigo?

ISABEL. 隆Oh! no, no: mi coraz贸n palpitar de odio no sabe.

RODRIGO. Ni al mirar vuestra aflicci贸n hay fuerza en m铆 que no acabe 205 rindi茅ndose a discreci贸n. Es ya el caso de manera que el infausto desposorio viene a ser obligatorio para ambos: lo dem谩s fuera 210 dar esc谩ndalo notorio. Pero el amor que os consagro, se ha vuelto a vos tan propicio, que si Dios en su alto juicio quiere obrar hoy un milagro ... 215 contad con un sacrificio. Ayer, si resucitara mi aciago rival Marsilla, sin compasi贸n le matara, y sin limpiar la cuchilla, 220 corriera con vos al ara. Hoy, resucitado o no, si antes que me deis el s铆, viene ... que triunfe de m铆.

ISABEL. 隆Vos, s铆 que triunf谩is as铆 225 de esta d茅bil mujer!

(_El llanto le ahoga la voz por unos instantes; luego, al ver a don Pedro y a los que le acompa帽an, se contiene, exclamando_:)

隆Oh!

ESCENA III

DON PEDRO, DON MART�N, DAMAS, CABALLEROS, PAJES.-- ISABEL, DON RODRIGO. Despu茅s, TERESA

PEDRO. Hijos, el sacerdote que ha de bendecir vuestra uni贸n, ya nos est谩 esperando en la iglesia. Tanto mis deudos como los de Azagra me instan a que apresure la ceremonia; pero aun no ha fenecido el plazo que otorgu茅 230 a don Diego. Al toque de v铆speras de un domingo, sali贸 de su patria el malogrado joven, seis a帽os y siete d铆as hace: hasta que suene aquella se帽al en mi o铆do, no tengo libertad para disponer de mi hija. (_A don Mart铆n._) Porque ve谩is de qu茅 modo cumplo mi promesa, os he rogado 235 que vinierais aqu铆.

MART�N. 隆In煤til escrupulosidad! No os deteng谩is. No romper谩 mi hijo el seno de la tierra para reconveniros.

ISABEL (_aparte_). 隆Infeliz!

PEDRO. Fiel a lo que jur茅 me ver谩 desde el t煤mulo, 240 cual me hallar铆a viviendo. (_Sale Teresa_.)

RODRIGO. Isabel desear谩 la compa帽铆a de su madre: pudi茅ramos pasar por casa del Juez....

TERESA. Ahora empezaba el herido a volver en su conocimiento. Si antes de v铆speras no se halla mi se帽ora 245 en la iglesia, es se帽al de que no puede asistir a los desposorios: esto me ha dicho.

PEDRO. La esperaremos en el templo. (_A don Mart铆n._) Si la pesadumbre os permite acompa帽arnos, venid....

MART�N. Excusadme el presenciar un acto que debe 250 serme tan doloroso.

PEDRO. Estad seguro de que mientras no oig谩is las campanas, no habr谩 dado su mano Isabel. Estos caballeros podr谩n atestiguar que se esper贸 hasta el cabal vencimiento del plazo. Marchemos. 255

ISABEL (_aparte_). 隆Morada de mi pasado bien, adi贸s para siempre!

(_Vanse todos, menos don Mart铆n._)

ESCENA IV

DON MART�N

MART�N. Con pena, con celos veo yo a Isabel dirigirse al altar. Hubo un tiempo en que la tuve por hija: hoy me quitan su filial cari帽o, y ella consiente. Pero 驴qu茅 260 falta hace al m铆sero cad谩ver de mi hijo la constancia de la que 茅l am贸? Si su sombra necesita l谩grimas, bien se puede satisfacer con las m铆as.

ESCENA V

ADEL.--DON MART�N

ADEL. Cristiano, busco a Mart铆n Marsilla, que est谩 aqu铆, seg煤n se me dice. 驴Eres t煤? 265

MART�N. Yo soy.

ADEL. 驴Qu茅 sabes de tu hijo?

MART�N. 隆Moro!... su muerte.

ADEL. Esa noticia ... 驴qui茅n la ha tra铆do?

MART�N. Un joven forastero. 270

ADEL. 驴En d贸nde para?

MART�N. Apenas se detuvo en Teruel: yo no pude verle.

ADEL. 驴Qu茅 ha pasado con Jaime Celladas?

MART�N. Le han herido gravemente al llegar a la villa: 275 en su lecho yace todav铆a sin voz ni conocimiento.

ADEL. Luego 驴t煤 nada sabes?

MART�N. 驴Qu茅 vas a decirme?

ADEL. Acabo de averiguar que, disfrazada con traje de hombre, ha entrado en Teruel Zulima, la esposa del 280 Amir de Valencia.

MART�N. 驴La que fu茅 causa de la p茅rdida de mi hijo?

ADEL. �l la desde帽贸, y ella se ha vengado mintiendo.

MART�N. 驴Mintiendo?

ADEL. 隆Anciano! Bendice al Se帽or: aun eres padre. 285

MART�N. 隆Dios poderoso!

ADEL. Tu hijo libr贸 de un asesinato p茅rfido al Amir de Valencia, y el Amir le ha colmado de riquezas y honores. Herido en un combate, no se le permiti贸 caminar hasta reponerse. Jaime ven铆a delante para anunciar su vuelta. 290 S铆gueme, y no parar茅 hasta poner a Marsilla en tus brazos. (_Vase_.)

MART�N (_alzando las manos al cielo, arrebatado de j煤bilo_). 隆Se帽or! 隆Se帽or!

ESCENA VI

MARGARITA.--DON MART�N

MARGARITA (_dentro_). 隆Isabel! 隆Isabel! (_Sale y repara en don Mart铆n, que se retiraba con Adel_.) Don Mart铆n.... 295

MART�N (_deteni茅ndose_). Margarita, sabedlo....

MARGARITA. Sabedlo el primero. Jaime Celladas....

MART�N. Ese moro que veis....

MARGARITA. Ha vuelto en s铆.

MART�N. Viene de Valencia. 300

MARGARITA. Jaime tambi茅n.

MART�N. Vive mi hijo.

MARGARITA. Lo ha dicho Jaime. Corred, impedid ese casamiento. (_�yese el toque de v铆speras_.)

MART�N. 隆Ah! ya es tarde. 305

MARGARITA. 隆Dios ha rechazado mi sacrificio!

MART�N. 隆Hijo infeliz!

MARGARITA. 隆Hija de mis entra帽as! (_Vase_.)

ESCENA VII

Bosque inmediato a Teruel

MARSILLA, atado a un 谩rbol

Infames bandoleros,
que me hab茅is a traici贸n acometido,                    310
venid y ensangrentad vuestros aceros:
la muerte ya por compasi贸n os pido.
--Nadie llega, de nadie soy o铆do;
vuelve el eco mis voces, y parece
que goza en mi dolor y me escarnece.                   315
Me adelant茅 a la escolta que tra铆a:
su lento caminar me consum铆a.
Yo vengo con amor, ellos con oro.
--Enemigos villanos,
los ricos dones del monarca moro                       320
no como yo dar谩n en vuestras manos:
tienen quien los defienda.
Pero las horas pasan, huye el d铆a.
驴Qu茅 vas a imaginar, Isabel m铆a?
驴Qu茅 pensar谩s, idolatrada prenda,                      325
si esperando abrazar al triste Diego,
corrido el plazo ves, y yo no llego?
Mas por Jaime avisados
en mi casa estar谩n: pronto, azorados
con mi tardanza.... S铆, ya se aproxima                 330
gente. 驴Qui茅n es?

ESCENA VIII

ZULIMA, en traje de hombre.--MARSILLA

ZULIMA. Yo soy.

MARSILLA. 隆Cielos! 隆Zulima! 隆T煤 aqu铆! (_Aparte._ 隆Presagio horrendo!)

ZULIMA. Vecinos de Teruel vienen corriendo a quienes m谩s que a m铆 toca librarte: yo s贸lo en esta parte 335 me debo detener mientras te digo que Isabel es mujer de don Rodrigo.

MARSILLA. 隆Gran Dios!--Mas no: me enga帽as, impostora.

ZULIMA. Za茅n, que llega de Teruel ahora, Za茅n ha visto dar aquella mano 340 tan ansiada por ti.

MARSILLA. Finges en vano. T煤 ignoras que mi pr贸xima llegada previno un mensajero.

ZULIMA. T煤 no sabes que un tirador certero supo dejar tu previsi贸n burlada, 345 sali茅ndole al camino al mensajero. Yo habl茅 con Isabel, yo de tu muerte la noticia le d铆, y a los bandidos encargu茅 que tu viaje detuvieran. Yo, celebradas de Isabel las bodas, 350 te las vengo a anunciar.

MARSILLA. 驴Con que es ya tarde?

ZULIMA. M铆rame, bien, y d煤dalo si puedes. In煤tiles mercedes el Rey te prodig贸: m谩s he podido, pr贸fuga yo, que mi real marido. 355 Yo mi amor te ofrec铆, bienes y honores, y te inmol茅 mi fe y el ser que tengo; t煤 preferiste ingrato mis rencores: me ofendiste cruel, cruel me vengo. Adi贸s: en mi partida 360 te dejo por ahora con la vida, mientras padeces en el duro potro de ver a tu Isabel en brazos de otro. (_Vase_.)

ESCENA IX

MARSILLA

MARSILLA. Monstruo, por cuya voz ruge el abismo, vuelve y di que es enga帽o 365 todo lo que te o铆. (_Forceja para desatarse_.) Lazos crueles, 驴c贸mo me resist铆s? 隆Ligan cordeles al que hierros quebr贸! 驴No soy el mismo? 隆Ah! no. Mujer fatal, cortos instantes me quedan que vivir, si no has mentido; 370 pero 隆permita Dios que mueras antes!

ESCENA X

ADEL, pasando por una altura.--MARSILLA

ADEL. Rumor aqu铆 he sentido. Atraviesan el valle bandoleros con Zulima a caballo. Yo, cueste lo que cueste, 375 la tengo de prender: voy a ver si hallo cerca mis compa帽eros.

MARSILLA. 驴Qui茅n va?

ADEL. Marsilla es 茅ste. (_A voces_.) Aqu铆! 隆Por este lado, caballeros! (_Vase_.)

ESCENA XI

DON MART�N, CABALLEROS, CRIADOS.--MARSILLA

MART�N (_dentro_.) �l es.

MARSILLA. 隆Mi padre!

VOCES (_dentro_.) �l es.

MARSILLA. 隆Padre!

MART�N (_dentro_.) 隆Hijo m铆o隆 380 Subid, corred, volad: libradle pronto.

(_Salen caballeros y criados_.)

MARSILLA. Desatadme, decidme....

(_Desatan a Marsilla_.)

MART�N (_saliendo_.) 隆Hijo querido!

MARSILLA. 隆Padre!

MART�N. Por fin te hall茅.

MARSILLA. Decid.... 驴Es tarde? Yo quisiera dudar ... mi mal 驴es cierto?

MART�N. Resp贸ndante las l谩grimas que vierto. 385 Hijo del alma, a quien su hierro ardiente la desgracia al nacer marc贸 en la frente, tu triste padre, que por verte vive, con dolor en sus brazos te recibe. 驴Qui茅n tu llegada ha retardado?

MARSILLA. El cielo ... 390 el inferno ... no s茅 ... facinerosos ... una mujer ... dejadme.

MART�N. 驴La Sultana? 驴Esos bandidos que cobardes huyen de los guerreros que conmigo traje?-- 驴Te han herido?

MARSILLA. 隆Ojal谩!

MART�N 驴Te han despojado? 395

MARSILLA. Nada he perdido: la esperanza s贸lo.

MART�N. 隆Suerte cruel! Cuando el fatal sonido de la campana t茅rmino pon铆a....

MARSILLA. 隆Esa tigre anunci贸 la muerte m铆a!

MART�N. 驴Lo sabes?

MARSILLA. De ella.

MART�N. 隆Horror! Entonces era 400 cuando Jaime, el sentido recobrando, la traidora noticia desment铆a. Corro al templo a saber.... Miro, enmudezco.... 隆Eran esposos ya! Tu bien perdiste... Dios lo ha querido as铆... Pero aun te quedan 405 padres que lloren tu destino triste.

MARSILLA. El ajeno dolor no quita el m铆o. 驴Con qu茅 llen谩is el h贸rrido vac铆o que el alma siente, de su bien privada? 隆Padre! sin Isabel, para Marsilla 410 no hay en el mundo nada. Por eso en mi doliente desvar铆o sed b谩rbara de sangre me devora. Verterla a r铆os para hartarme quiero, y cuando m谩s que derramar no tenga, 415 la de mis venas soltar谩 mi acero.

MART�N. Hijo, modera ese furor.

MARSILLA. 驴Qui茅n osa hijo llamarme ya? 隆Fuera ese nombre! La desventura quiebra los v铆nculos del hombre con el hombre, 420 y con la vida y la virtud. Ahora, que tiemble mi rival, tiemble la mora. Breve ser谩 su victorioso alarde: para acabar con ambos aun no es tarde.

MART�N. 隆Desgraciado! 驴qu茅 intentas?

MARSILLA. Con el crimen 423 el crimen castigar. Una serpiente se me enreda en los pies: mi pie destroce su garganta infernal. Un enemigo me aparta de Isabel: desaparezca.

MART�N. Hijo....

MARSILLA. Perecer谩

MART�N. No....

MARSILLA. 隆Maldecido 430 mi nombre sea, si la sangre odiosa de mi rival no vierto!

MART�N. Es poderoso....

MARSILLA. Marsilla soy.

MART�N. Mil deudos le acompa帽an....

MARSILLA. Mi furia a m铆.

MART�N. Mer茅zcate respeto ese lazo....

MARSILLA. Es sacr铆lego, es aleve. 435

MART�N. En presencia de Dios formado ha sido.

MARSILLA. Con mi presencia queda destru铆do.

ACTO CUATRO

Habitaci贸n de Isabel en la casa de don Rodrigo. Dos puertas a la izquierda del espectador, una en el fondo, y una ventana sin reja a la derecha.

ESCENA PRIMERA

DON PEDRO, DON MART�N

PEDRO. Ya ces贸 la vocer铆a.

MART�N. Ya se tranquiliza el pueblo. Za茅n en la c谩rcel queda con los dem谩s bandoleros.

PEDRO. Milagro ha sido salvarlos 5 mayor que lo fu茅 prenderlos.

MART�N. Y no los prenden quiz谩, si no acuden tan a tiempo los moros que de Valencia con los regalos vinieron 10 de su Rey para mi hijo. 隆Regalos ya sin provecho! 隆Castigue Dios a quien tiene la culpa!

PEDRO. 隆Oh! lo har谩.--Primero que vayamos esta noche 15 los dos al Ayuntamiento, donde ya deben hallarse juntos el Juez y mi yerno, 驴tendr茅is, don Mart铆n, a bien que los dos conferenciemos 20 un rato?

MART�N. Hablad.

PEDRO. Aqu铆 est谩 Zulima.

MART�N. Bien me dijeron los moros.

PEDRO. En esta calle arremeti贸 con los presos un tropel de gente; y ella, 25 puesta en libertad en medio del tumulto, se arroj贸 por estas puertas adentro.

MART�N. Confesad que don Rodrigo la salv贸.

PEDRO. No lo confieso ... 30 porque no lo v铆.

MART�N Yo, en suma, no dir茅 que fu茅 mal hecho: 茅l debe a la mora estar agradecido en extremo: por ella logra la mano 35 de Isabel.

PEDRO. Resentimiento justo mostr谩is; pero yo, que he sido enemigo vuestro, necesito de vos hoy.

MART�N. Aqu铆 me ten茅is, don Pedro. 40

PEDRO. Sois quien sois.--Esa mujer nos pone en terrible aprieto. Ya veis, los moros reclaman su entrega con mucho empe帽o.

MART�N. Y mientras el Juez resuelve, 45 cercada se ve por ellos esta casa.

PEDRO. Y bien, 驴quisierais que entre vos y yo de un riesgo libr谩ramos a Teruel?

MART�N. Crimen fuera no quererlo. 50

PEDRO. Si en la junta de la villa negamos, como debemos, la entrega de la Sultana, va a ser enemigo nuestro el Rey de Valencia, y puede 55 grav铆simo da帽o hacernos.

MART�N. Y el que recibimos ambos de su mujer, 驴es peque帽o?

PEDRO. Pero es mujer, y nosotros cristianos y caballeros. 60

MART�N. Proseguid.

PEDRO. El compromiso queda evitado, si hacemos que huya en el instante.

MART�N. Hag谩moslo. --P谩gueme Dios el esfuerzo que me cuesta no vengarme. 65 Disponed.

PEDRO. Con un pretexto llevad los moros de aqu铆: de vos har谩n caso.

MART�N. Creo que s铆.

PEDRO. Lo dem谩s es f谩cil. Puesta ya en salvo, diremos 70 que ella huy贸 por s铆.

MART�N. Voy pues, y ya que la mano tiendo al uno de los autores de mi desventura, quiero d谩rsela tambi茅n al otro. 75 Decid al dichoso due帽o de esta casa y de Isabel, que mire en estos momentos por su vida: que mi hijo va, loco de sentimiento 80 y de furor, en su busca por Teruel; y, 隆vive el cielo que, doliente como est谩, valor le sobra al mancebo para vengar!... Perdonadme. 85 Adi贸s. Voy a complaceros, y a buscarle y conducirle esta noche misma lejos de unos lugares en donde vivimos los dos muriendo. 90

(_Vase por la puerta de la izquierda, m谩s cercana al proscenio_.)

PEDRO. Id con Dios.--隆Padre infeliz! 驴Y nosotros? Me estremezco al pensar en Isabel, cuando de todo el suceso llegue a enterarse.

ESCENA II

TERESA.--DON PEDRO

TERESA (_dentro_). 隆Favor, 95 que me vienen persiguiendo! (_Sale._)

PEDRO. 隆Teresa! 驴Qu茅 hay? 驴Qui茅n te sigue?

TERESA. Las 谩nimas del infierno... Las del purgatorio... No s茅 cu谩les; pero las veo, 100 las oigo....

PEDRO. Mas 驴qu茅 sucede?

TERESA. 隆Ay! Muerta de susto vengo. 隆Ay!--Isabel me ha enviado por mi se帽ora corriendo, que volvi贸, no s茅 por qu茅, 105 a la casa del enfermo; y antes de llegar, he visto en un callej贸n estrecho, junto a la ermita ca铆da... 隆Jes煤s! convulsa me vuelvo 110 a casa.

PEDRO. 驴Qu茅 viste? Di.

TERESA. Una fantasma, un espectro todo parecido, todo, al pobrecito don Diego.

PEDRO. Calla: no te oiga Isabel. 115 Guarda con ella silencio.-- Marsilla ha venido, y ella no lo sabe.

TERESA. Pero, 驴es cierto que vive?

PEDRO. 驴No ha de ser?

TERESA. 隆Ay! Pues otra desgracia temo. 120

PEDRO. 驴Cu谩l?

TERESA. No lo asegurar茅, por si es aprensi贸n del miedo; sin embargo, yo cre铆 ver que se llevaba el muerto asido del brazo al novio. 125

PEDRO. 驴Qu茅 dices?

TERESA. Aun traigo el eco de su voz en los o铆dos. Con alarido tremendo dec铆a: 芦Vas a morir, has de morir.禄--芦Lo veremos,禄 130 replicaba don Rodrigo; y echando votos y retos, iban los dos como rayos camino del cementerio. Yo, se帽or, ya les rec茅 135 la salve y el padre nuestro en lat铆n.

PEDRO. Se han encontrado, y van a tener un duelo. Esto es antes.

ESCENA III

ISABEL, por la segunda puerta del lado izquierdo.--DON PEDRO, TERESA

ISABEL. 隆 Padre!

PEDRO. Agu谩rdame aqu铆: pronto volveremos 140 tu madre, tu esposo y yo. Venid, Teresa. (_Vase los dos._)

ISABEL. 驴Qu茅 es esto? 隆Mi padre me deja sola, cuando con tanto secreto un moro me quiere hablar! 145 Sin duda est谩n sucediendo cosas extra帽as aqu铆.

(_Ac茅rcase a la segunda puerta._)

Llegad. Al mirarle, tiemblo.

ESCENA IV

ADEL.--ISABEL

ADEL. Cristiana, brillante honor de las damas de tu ley, 150 yo imploro, en nombre del Rey de Valencia, tu favor.

ISABEL. 驴Mi favor?

ADEL. Tendr谩s noticia de que sali贸 de su corte Zulima, su infiel consorte, 155 huyendo de su justicia.

ISABEL. S铆.

ADEL. Mi se帽or decret贸 con rectitud musulmana castigar a la Sultana, ya que a Marsilla premi贸. 160

ISABEL. 隆Premiar!... 驴Ignoras, cruel, que le di贸 muerte sa帽uda?

ADEL. T煤 no le has visto, sin duda, entrar como yo en Teruel.

ISABEL. 隆Marsilla en Teruel!

ADEL. S铆.

ISABEL. Mira 165 si te enga帽as.

ADEL. Mal pudiera. Inf贸rmate de cualquiera, y m谩tenme, si es mentira.

ISABEL. No es posible.--隆Ah! 隆s铆! que siendo mal, no es imposible nada. 170

ADEL. Por la villa alborotada tu nombre va repitiendo.

ISABEL. 隆Eterno Dios! 隆Qu茅 infelices nacimos!--驴Cu谩ndo ha llegado? 驴C贸mo es que me lo han callado? 175 --Y t煤, 驴por qu茅 me lo dices?

ADEL. Porque est谩s, a mi entender, en grave riesgo quiz谩.

ISABEL. Perdido Marsilla, ya 驴qu茅 bien tengo que perder? 180

ADEL. Con viva l谩stima escucho tus ansias de amor extremas; pero aunque t煤 nada temas, yo debo decirte mucho. Marsilla a mi Rey salv贸 185 de unos conjurados moros, y el Rey verti贸 sus tesoros en 茅l, y aqu铆 le envi贸. El despreci贸 la liviana inclinaci贸n de la infiel.... 190

ISABEL. 隆Oh! 隆S铆!

ADEL. Y airada con 茅l vino, y se veng贸 villana contando su falso fin.

ISABEL. 隆Ella!

ADEL. Con una gavilla de bandidos, a Marsilla 195 detuvo, ya en el conf铆n de Teruel, donde veloces corriendo en tropel armado, le hallamos a un tronco atado, socorro pidiendo a voces. 200

ISABEL. Calla, moro: no m谩s.

ADEL. Pasa m谩s, y es bien que te aperciba. --La Sultana fugitiva se ha refugiado en tu casa: en 茅sta.

ISABEL. 隆Aqu铆 mi rival! 205

ADEL. Tu esposo la libert贸.

ISABEL. 隆Ella donde habito yo!

ADEL. Gu谩rdate de su pu帽al. Por celos all谩 en Valencia matar a Marsilla quiso. 210

ISABEL. A tiempo llega el aviso.

ADEL. Confirma t煤 la sentencia que justo lanz贸 el Amir. Por esa mujer malvada para siempre separada 215 de Marsilla has de vivir. Ella te arrastra al odioso t谩lamo de don Rodrigo. Env铆ala t煤 conmigo al que le apresta su esposo, 220 pena digna del ultraje que siente.

ISABEL. S铆, moro; salga pronto de aqu铆, no le valga el fuero del hospedaje. Como perseguida fiera 225 entr贸 en mi casa: pues bien, al cazador se la den, que la mate donde quiera. Mostrarse de pecho blando con ella, fuera rayar 230 en loca: voy a mandar que la traigan arrastrando. Sean de mi furia jueces cuantas pierdan lo que pierdo. 隆Jes煤s! Cuando yo recuerdo 235 que hoy pude... 隆Jes煤s mil veces! No le ha de valer el llanto, ni el ser mujer, ni ser bella, ni reina. 隆Si soy por ella tan infeliz! 隆tanto, tanto!... 240 Dime, pues, di: tu se帽or, 驴qu茅 suplicio le impondr谩?

ADEL. Una hoguera acabar谩 con su delincuente amor.

ISABEL. 隆Su amor! 隆Amor desastrado! 245 Pero es amor....

ADEL. Y 驴es bastante esa raz贸n?...

ISABEL. 隆Es mi amante tan digno de ser amado! Le vi贸, le debi贸 querer en vi茅ndole.--隆Y yo, que hac铆a 250 tanto que no le ve铆a ... y ya no le puedo ver! --Moro, la v铆ctima niego que me vienes a pedir: quiero yo darle a sufrir 255 castigo mayor que el fuego: ella con feroz encono mi coraz贸n desgarr贸 ... me asesina el alma ... yo la defiendo, la perdono. (_Vase._) 260

ESCENA V

ADEL

He perdido la ocasi贸n.
Suele tener esta gente
acciones, que de un creyente
propias en justicia son.
Yo dejara con placer                                   265
este empe帽o abandonado;
pero el Amir lo ha mandado,
y es forzoso obedecer. (_Vase._)

ESCENA VI

MARSILLA, por la ventana

Jard铆n ... una ventana ... y ella luego.
Jard铆n abierto hall茅 y hall茅 ventana;                  270
mas 驴d贸nde est谩 Isabel?--Dios de clemencia,
detened mi raz贸n, que se me escapa;
detenedme la vida, que parece
que de luchar con el dolor se cansa.
Siete d铆as hace hoy, 隆qu茅 venturoso                    275
era en aquel sal贸n! Sangre manaba
de mi herida, es verdad; pero agolpados
al rededor de mi lujosa cama,
la tierna historia de mi amor o铆an
los guerreros, el pueblo y el Monarca,                 280
y entre piadoso llanto y bendiciones
芦tuya ser谩 Isabel禄 juntos clamaban
s煤bditos y se帽or. Hoy no me ofende
mi herida, rayos en mi diestra lanza
el damasquino acero... No le traigo...                 285
隆Y hace un momento que con dos me hallaba!
--Salvo en Teruel y vencedor, 驴qu茅 angustia
viene a ser 茅sta que me rinde el alma,
cuando, acabada la cruel ausencia,
voy a ver a Isabel?

ESCENA VII

ISABEL.--MARSILLA

ISABEL. Por fin se encarga 290 mi madre de Zulima.

MARSILLA. 隆Cielo santo!

ISABEL. 隆Gran Dios!

MARSILLA. 驴No es ella?

ISABEL. 隆�l es!

MARSILLA. 隆Prenda adorada!

ISABEL. 隆Marsilla!

MARSILLA. 隆Gloria m铆a!

ISABEL. 驴C贸mo 隆ay! c贸mo te atreves a poner aqu铆 la planta? Si te han visto llegar... 驴A qu茅 has venido? 295

MARSILLA. Por Dios ... que lo olvid茅. Pero 驴no basta, para que hacia Isabel vuele Marsilla, querer, deber, necesitar mirarla? 隆Oh! 隆qu茅 hermosa a mis ojos te presentas! Nunca te v铆 tan bella, tan galana... 300 Y un pesar sin embargo indefinible me inspiran esas joyas, esas galas. Arr贸jalas, mi bien; lana modesta, c谩ndida flor, en mi jard铆n criada, vuelvan a ser tu virginal adorno: 305 mi amor se asusta de riqueza tanta.

ISABEL. (_Aparte._ 隆Delira el infeliz! Sufrir no puedo su dolorida, at贸nita mirada.) 驴No entiendes lo que indica el atav铆o, que no puedes mirar sin repugnancia? 310 Nuestra separaci贸n.

MARSILLA. 隆Poder del cielo! S铆. 隆Funesta verdad!

ISABEL. Estoy casada.

MARSILLA. Ya lo s茅. Llegu茅 tarde. V铆 la dicha, tend铆 las manos, y vol贸 al tocarla.

ISABEL. Me enga帽aron: tu muerte supusieron 315 Y tu infidelidad.

MARSILLA. 隆Horrible infamia!

ISABEL. Yo la muerte cre铆.

MARSILLA. Si t煤 viv铆as, y tu vida y la m铆a son entrambas una sola, no m谩s, la que me alienta, 驴c贸mo de ti sin ti se separara? 320 Juntos aqu铆 nos desterr贸 la mano que gozo y pena distribuye sabia: juntos al fin de la mortal carrera nos toca ver la celestial morada.

ISABEL. 隆Oh! 隆si me oyera Dios!...

MARSILLA. Isabel, mira, 325 yo no vengo a dar quejas: fueran vanas. Yo no vengo a decirte que debiera prometerme de ti mayor constancia, cumplimiento mejor del tierno voto que invocando a la Madre inmaculada, 330 me hiciste amante la postrera noche que me apart贸 de tu balc贸n el alba. 芦Para ti (sollozando me dec铆as), o si no, para Dios.禄--隆Dulce palabra, consoladora fiel de mis pesares 335 en los ardientes p谩ramos del Asia y en mi cautividad! Hoy ni eres m铆a, ni esposa del Se帽or. Di, pues, declara (esto quiero saber) de qu茅 ha nacido el prodigio infeliz de tu mudanza. 340 Causa debe tener.

ISABEL. La tiene.

MARSILLA. Grande.

ISABEL. Poderosa, invencible: no se casa quien amaba cual yo, sino cediendo a la fuerza mayor en fuerza humana.

MARSILLA. D铆melo pronto, pues, dilo.

ISABEL. Imposible. 345 No has de saberlo.

MARSILLA. S铆.

ISABEL. No.

MARSILLA. Todo.

ISABEL. Nada. Pero t煤 en mi lugar tambi茅n el cuello d贸cil a la coyunda sujetaras.

MARSILLA. Yo no, Isabel, yo no. Marsilla supo despreciar una mano soberana 350 y la muerte arrostrar por quien ahora la suya vende y el porqu茅 le calla.

ISABEL. (_Aparte._ 隆Madre, madre!)

MARSILLA. Responde.

ISABEL. (_Aparte._ 驴Qu茅 le digo?) Tendr茅 que confesar ... que soy culpada. 驴C贸mo no lo he de ser? Me ves ajena. 355 Perd贸name... Cast铆game por falsa, (_Llora._)

m谩tame, si es tu gusto... Aqu铆 me tienes
para el golpe mortal arrodillada.

MARSILLA. �dolo m铆o, no; yo s铆 que debo poner mis labios en tus huellas. Alza. 360 No es de arrepentimiento el lloro triste que esos luceros f煤lgidos empa帽a; ese llanto es de amor, yo lo conozco, de amor constante, sin doblez, sin tacha, ferviente, abrasador, igual al m铆o. 365 驴No es verdad, Isabel? D铆melo franca: va mi vida en o铆rtelo.

ISABEL. 驴Prometes obedecer a tu Isabel?

MARSILLA. 隆Ingrata! 驴Cu谩ndo me rebel茅 contra tu gusto? Mi voluntad, 驴no es tuya? Dispon, habla. 370

ISABEL. J煤ralo.

MARSILLA. S铆.

ISABEL. Pues bien... Yo te amo.--Vete.

MARSILLA. 隆Cruel! 驴Temiste que ventura tanta me matase a tus pies, si su dulzura con venenosa hiel no iba mezclada? 驴C贸mo esas dos ideas enemigas 375 de destierro y de amor hiciste hermanas?

ISABEL. Ya lo ves, no soy m铆a; soy de un hombre que me hace de su honor depositaria, y debo serle fiel. Nuestros amores mantuvo la virtud libres de mancha: 380 su pureza de armi帽o conservemos.-- Aqu铆 hay espinas, en el cielo palmas. Tuyo es mi amor y lo ser谩: tu imagen siempre en el pecho llevar茅 grabada, y all铆 la adorar茅: yo lo prometo, 385 yo lo juro; mas huye sin tardanza. Lib茅rtame de ti, s茅 generoso: lib茅rtame de m铆....

MARSILLA. No sigas, basta. 驴Quieres que huya de ti? Pues bien, te dejo. Valor ... y separ茅monos.--En paga, 390 en recuerdo si no, de tantas penas con gozo por tu amor sobrellevadas, permite, Isabel m铆a, que te estrechen mis brazos una vez....

ISABEL. Deja a la esclava cumplir con su se帽or.

MARSILLA. Ser谩 el abrazo 395 de un hermano dulc铆simo a su hermana, el 贸sculo ser谩 que tantas veces cambi贸 feliz en la materna falda nuestro amor infantil.

ISABEL. No lo recuerdes.

MARSILLA. Ven....

ISABEL. No: jam谩s.

MARSILLA. En vano me rechazas. 400

ISABEL. Detente ... o llamo....

MARSILLA. 驴A qui茅n? 驴A don Rodrigo? No te figures que a tu grito salga. No lisonjeros pl谩cemes oyendo, su vanidad en el estrado sacia, no; lejos de los muros de la villa 405 muerde la tierra que su sangre ba帽a.

ISABEL. 隆Qu茅 horror! 驴Le has muerto?

MARSILLA. 隆P茅rfida! 驴te afliges? Si lo llego a pensar, 驴qui茅n le librara?

ISABEL. 驴Vive?

MARSILLA. Merced a mi nobleza loca, vive: apenas cruzamos las espadas, 410 furiosa en 茅l se encarniz贸 la m铆a: un momento despu茅s, hundido estaba su orgullo en tierra, en mi poder su acero. 隆Oh! 隆maldita destreza de las armas! 隆Maldito el hombre que virtudes siembra 415 que le rinden cosecha de desgracias! No m谩s humanidad, cr铆menes quiero. A ser cruel tu crueldad me arrastra, y en ti la he de emplear. Conmigo ahora vas a salir de aqu铆.

ISABEL. 隆No, no!

MARSILLA. Se trata 420 de salvarte, Isabel. 驴Sabes qu茅 dijo el cobarde que lloras desolada, al caer en la lid? 芦Triunfante quedas; pero mi sangre costar谩 bien cara.禄

ISABEL. 驴Qu茅 dijo? 驴Qu茅?

MARSILLA. 芦Me vengar茅 en don Pedro, 425 en su esposa, en los tres: guardo las cartas.禄

ISABEL. 隆Jes煤s!

MARSILLA. 驴Qu茅 cartas son?...

ISABEL. 隆T煤 me has perdido! La desventura sigue tus pisadas. 驴D贸nde mi esposo est谩? D铆melo pronto, para que fiel a socorrerle vaya, 430 y a fuerza de rogar venza sus iras.

MARSILLA. 隆Justo Dios! Y 隆dec铆a que me amaba!

ISABEL. 驴Con su pasi贸n funesta reconvienes a la mujer del vengativo Azagra? 隆Te aborrezco! (_Vase._)

ESCENA VIII

MARSILLA

MARSILLA. 隆Gran Dios! Ella lo dice. 435 Con furor me lo dijo: no me enga帽a. Ya no hay amor all铆. Mortal veneno su boca me arroj贸, que al fondo pasa de mi seno infeliz, y una por una, rompe, rompe, me rompe las entra帽as. 440 Yo con ella, por ella, para ella viv铆... Sin ella, sin su amor, me falta aire que respirar... 隆Era amor suyo el aire que mi pecho respiraba! Me le neg贸, me le quit贸: me ahogo, 445 no s茅 vivir.

VOCES (_dentro._) Entrad, cercad la casa.

ESCENA IX

ISABEL, tr茅mula y precipitada.--MARSILLA

ISABEL. Huye, que viene gente, huye.

MARSILLA (_todo trastornado_). No puedo.

VOCES (_dentro_). 隆Muera, muera!

MARSILLA. Eso s铆.

ISABEL. Ven.

MARSILLA. 隆Dios me valga!

(_Isabel le ase la mano y se entra con 茅l por la puerta del fondo._)

ESCENA X

ADEL, huyendo de varios CABALLEROS, con espadas desnudas; DON PEDRO, MARGARITA, CRIADOS.--ISABEL y MARSILLA dentro.

CABALLEROS. 隆Muera, muera!

PEDRO Y MARGARITA. Escuchad.

ADEL. Aragoneses, yo la sangre vert铆 de la Sultana; 450 pero el Rey de Valencia, esposo suyo, tras ella me envi贸 para matarla. Consorte criminal, amante imp铆a, la muerte de Marsilla maquinaba, la muerte de Isabel....

ISABEL (_dentro_). 隆Ay!

ADEL. Ved en prueba 455 esta punta sutil envenenada. (_Muestra el pu帽al de Zulima._) Marsilla lo que digo corrobore: cerca de aqu铆 ha de estar.

(_�brese la puerta del fondo, y sale por ella Isabel, que se arroja en brazos de Margarita. Marsilla aparece ca铆do en un esca帽o._)

ESCENA XI

ISABEL.--DICHOS

ISABEL. 隆Madre del alma!

ADEL. Vedle all铆....

MARGARITA. 隆Santo Dios!

PEDRO. Inm贸vil....

ISABEL. 隆Muerto!

ADEL. Cumpli贸 Zulima su feroz venganza. 460

ISABEL. No le mat贸 la vengativa mora. Donde estuviera yo, 驴qui茅n le tocara? Mi desgraciado amor, que fu茅 su vida ... su desgraciado amor es quien le mata. Delirante le dije: 芦Te aborrezco禄: 465 茅l crey贸 la sacr铆lega palabra, y expir贸 de dolor.

MARGARITA. Por todo el cielo ...

ISABEL. El cielo que en la vida nos aparta, nos unir谩 en la tumba.

PEDRO. 隆Hija!

ISABEL. Marsilla un lugar a su lado me se帽ala. 470

MARGARITA. 隆Isabel!

PEDRO. 隆Isabel!

ISABEL. Mi bien, perdona mi despecho fatal. Yo te adoraba. Tuya fu铆, tuya soy: en pos del tuyo mi enamorado esp铆ritu se lanza.

(_Dir铆gese adonde est谩 el cad谩ver de Marsilla; pero antes de llegar, cae sin aliento con los brazos tendidos hacia su amante._)

FIN DEL DRAMA

NOTES

ACTO PRIMERO

7-8. #que ... el pie = que te ve colocar el pie orillas (a la orilla) de un precipicio.#

33-34. #para vivir ... los tres = para que vivamos los tres con opulencia.#

4. en el encierro aquel = en aquel encierro.

106-107. #ve a buscarme#; literally, go to find me; translate: come to me.

115-116. #De aquella ... hecho = est谩 hecho (acostumbrado) a las tinieblas de aquella horrible mansi贸n.#

135-136. #desde hoy ... aflija = desde hoy no permitir茅 que te aflija ning煤n af谩n.#

2. Haz ... vea = haz que yo vea a mi bienhechora.

4. m谩s = es m谩s hermoso.

179-180. #No es ... mora = lo m谩s (importante) no es que la noble princesa mora me redima.#

191 et seq. In the first edition of the play Marsilla begins the account of his adventures thus:

Mi nombre es Diego Marsilla,
y cuna Teruel me di贸,
ciudad que ayer se fund贸
del Turia en la fresca orilla.

In the interest of accuracy of detail the author changed this to the reading of the present text. The river flowing past Teruel changes its name from Guadalaviar to Turia only after it has left Teruel behind. Moreover, Teruel was, strictly speaking, villa at the time of the supposed action of the play, and not ciudad: the title ciudad was not granted to it by the King of Aragon until the year 1347.

195-197. #cuyos muros ... pobladores = cuyos muros, levantados entre horrores de lid atroz, fueron amasados con la sangre de sus fuertes pobladores.#

199-226. In these lines the idea of "predestined love" is exemplified.

213-214. #antes ... vernos = antes de vernos, nos am谩bamos.#

219-222. A similar idea was expressed in the corresponding four lines of the first edition thus:

Y parec铆a un querer
tan firme en alma de ni帽o,
recuerdo de otro cari帽o
tenido antes de nacer.

223-226. These four lines may be translated thus: the love that united Isabel and me (#nuestro querer#) when we came into this sad world was merely the continuance (#seguir#) in the physical world of the love that already existed in the spiritual. Compare idea expressed by "marriages are made in heaven."

2. 隆Lugar maldito del cielo,
donde la negra fortuna
postr贸 de la media luna
la pujanza por el suelo!

258 et seq. In the early years of the 13th century a religious sect in the south of France, the Albigenses, rebelled against the authority of the Church of Rome. Pope Innocent III proclaimed a crusade against them in 1208, and a bloody war began in which the crusaders were led by the ruthless Simon de Montfort until his death at the siege of Toulouse (1218). During this Albigensian War (1208-1229) Beziers and other important cities in the south of France were almost destroyed.

267-270. #Y en pena ... sepult贸 = y en pena de que mi mano rompi贸 el hierro de mis cadenas, profundo encierro me sepult贸 en vida.#

3. Respuesta ... d茅 = es bien que se le d茅 a ella respuesta.

311-312. #Medita ... reclama#, consider it well and you will grant to time what it demands as its due. If you take into consideration the length of time that has passed since you have seen Isabel, you will realize that she has probably forgotten you, and will become reconciled to changed conditions because of the lapse of time.

2. le = su coraz贸n.

335-336. #la nueva de ser Isabel esposa#, the news of Isabel's marriage.

1. cuanto fabrico derrumba = derrumba cuanto (todo lo que) yo

3. para tanto = para hacer tanto.

364-366. #estallo = hubiera estallado; calla = habr铆a callado; llega = habr铆a llegado.#

395-396. Note that quien is subject of both lema and d茅.

1. el un capit谩n = uno de los capitanes.

445-446. #despu茅s de correr ... vencido# = after the struggle is over, disposition will be made of the conquered.

ACTO SEGUNDO

87-88. #sobre como ... allanar#, as to how it should be smoothed, overcome.

131-132. #de estarse ... pesta帽ear#, from standing so long with staring, unblinking, eyes.

137-139. #le fu茅 ... al infeliz = la punta le fu茅 a parar al coraz贸n del infeliz.#

1. pisaba = pisar铆a.

208-209. #ben茅fica, airada#. Note that adjectives are frequently used instead of adverbs, especially in poetry.

239-240. #decid ... vida#, tell her to whom this father (Martin himself) owes the privilege of seeing himself alive.

247-248. Compare with these the two corresponding lines of the first edition:

Con tal compa帽era, 驴qui茅n no ha de temblar
de perder la vida que lleva dichosa?

255-256. #dirige = hubiese dirigido; ahorran = habr铆an ahorrado; cu谩nto de llanto = 隆cu谩ntas l谩grimas!#

275-276. #Diligencia escasa ... cupo = parece que diligencia escasa, fortuna severa, cupo en suerte a# (_fell to the lot of_) #mi sangre (familia).#

371 et seq. Note that vos, piedra, b贸veda, suelo are all direct objects of invoco, line 379. Not you, but rather the inanimate stone ... that vaulted ceiling ... that pavement ... do I call upon as witnesses....

3. oyera = pudiera, podr铆a, o铆rla.

423-426. Compare corresponding lines in first edition:

Cuanto padezco mirad
pues ya como dicha cuento
que mis penas un momento
suspendan su intensidad.

447-450. #Vuestras razones ... crimen#, your words of intercession carry conviction to his heart; any hesitation or reluctance on my part would be (considered) disrespect, sinful.

1. que ... mortaja = que 茅l se limite a tenerme una cruz y una

564-565. #por se帽as que ... jud铆o.# Teresa's meaning is clear; he must be either a Jew or a Moor, she thinks, since he refused to partake of the slices of pork and wine that she had offered him. She might have expressed herself more logically thus: por se帽as que (as proof that) debe ser moro o jud铆o, nada de ello (magras y vino) ha probado.

2. Ya que padec铆, padezca (ella).

603-605. #al fin ... miserable#, after all, compared with her, Manilla was of little account.

616-617. See buena in Vocabulary.

673-674. #sin que ... ofensa#, without any one's being able to take offense at my tears.

ACTO TERCERO

1. Si esto ... difunto = esto es como si yo amortajase a un

73-74. #Yo no cre铆a que dudarais de mi rendimiento fiel.#

84-86. #y al fin hallar茅is otro que no pod茅is figuraros en vuestro rigor esquivo.#

107-109. #una lengua venenosa no pudo jam谩s echarme maldici贸n m谩s espantosa que decir#....

142-144. #Para romper ... indagaciones#, in order to break my bondage (free myself from love of you), in order to find defects in you, my investigations were undertaken.

167-168. #concluyo de desear y pedir#, I desire and ask for no more.

180-181. #mudar茅is en suma de casa y de vecindad#, you will move into another house and neighborhood, nothing more.

210-211. #lo dem谩s ... notorio#, otherwise it would give cause for notorious scandal.

1. resucitara = hubiera resucitado.

2. matara = habr铆a matado.

3. corriera = habr铆a corrido.

4. sali茅ndole al camino = sali茅ndole al encuentro.

5. m谩s ... marido = yo, pr贸fuga, he podido (hacer) m谩s que mi real

386-387. #a quien ... frente#, whose forehead evil fate branded at birth with burning iron.

ACTO CUATRO

1. prenden = habr铆an prendido.

2. acuden = hubiesen acudido.

165-166. #mira si te enga帽as#, you are surely mistaken.

1. mal pudiera = mal podr铆a (enga帽arme).

201-202. #Pasa m谩s#, more has happened; there is still more to tell. Note that yo is the subject understood of aperciba in line 202.

1. al = al t谩lamo.

222-224. #salga ... hospedaje#, let her leave here at once, let not the law of hospitality serve her (as protection).

230-231. #fuera rayar en loca#, would be little removed from folly; would border on madness.

233-234. #sean ... pierdo = sean jueces de mi furia todas las mujeres que pierdan lo que yo pierdo.#

250-251. #que ... ve铆a#, who had not seen him for such a long time....

263-264. #que ... son#, that rightly belong to a true believer. In this case creyente means Moslem, a follower of Mohammed. Isabel's magnanimity arouses Adel's admiration.

Escena VI. Read #que entra# after #Marsilla#.

319-320. #la que ... separara? = 驴C贸mo podr铆a separarse de ti sin ti la (vida) que me alienta?#

327-328. #debiera prometerme = habr铆a debido prometerme#, you ought to have offered me...; or, I should have expected....

342-344. #no se casa ... humana#, one that loved as I did does not marry, unless compelled to do so by the strongest force within the power of mankind.

1. sujetaras = habr铆as sujetado.

2. la suya = su mano.

473-474. #en pos de ... lanza#, my lovelorn spirit hastens away in pursuit of thine.

A comparison of the closing lines of the play with those of the first version shows a decided gain in dramatic effectiveness.

ISABEL. 驴Conque ya es muerto?

TODOS. 隆Muerto!

ISABEL. Yo le mat茅; quise alejarle ... que le odiaba le dije ... el sentimiento, el espanto ... 隆Y ment铆!... Pero tambi茅n de m铆 se apiada el cielo. Ya de la eternidad me abre la puerta y de mis ojos huye el mundo entero, y una tumba diviso solamente con un cad谩ver, y a su lado un hueco. Marsilla, yo te am茅, siempre te amaba ... t煤 me lloraste ajena ... tuya muero.

Cotarelo y Mori, in his scholarly study of the origin and development of the legend, uses as an argument against its historical authenticity the improbable ending; skeptically, he asks the question: "驴No es verdaderamente pasmoso que en el siglo XIII hubiese ni en Teruel ni en parte alguna dos personas de sensibilidad tan exquisita a quienes simult谩neamente pudiera causar la muerte el verse privadas una de otra?" This rhetorical question was answered many years before it was thus formulated. Jos茅 de Larra in his review of the play a few days after its first performance and only a few days before his own tragic death, speaking for those who believe that death may be caused by grief alone, urged the author to pay no heed to critics who scoffed at the d茅nouement of his play: "Si 贸yese repetir a sus o铆dos un cargo vulgar que a los nuestros ha llegado, y que ni mentar hemos querido en este art铆culo; si 贸yese decir que el final de su obra es inveros铆mil, que el amor no mata a nadie, puede responder que es un hecho consignado en la historia; que los cad谩veres se conservan en Teruel, y la posibilidad en los corazones sensibles; que las penas y las pasiones han llenado m谩s cementerios que los m茅dicos y los necios; que el amor mata (aunque no mate a lodo el mundo) como matan la ambici贸n y la envidia; que m谩s de una mala nueva al ser recibida ha matado a personas robustas, instant谩neamente y como un rayo; y aun ser谩 en nuestro entender mejor que a ese cargo no responda, porque el que no lleve en su coraz贸n la respuesta, no comprender谩 ninguna. Las teor铆as, las doctrinas, los sistemas se explican; los sentimientos se sienten." (_Colecci贸n de art铆culos_, page 197.)

VOCABULARY

The purpose of this vocabulary is to give English equivalents for the words and locutions as used in this play, in order to help the student understand the text or translate it into clear, idiomatic English. In some cases, therefore, the English equivalent is not a literal translation of the Spanish and may not give the usual meaning of the word or phrase. Moreover, words that the student is reasonably certain to know and those that have the same or almost the same form and meaning in Spanish and English are omitted, as well as inflected forms, except in the case of those that seem to offer special difficulty.

A

justicia# you will do justice in the end

company

of the city of Teruel_

Albigensian Frenchman

unconscious; #mi --# my last breath

after nightfall

before; rather than; #-- que todo# before everything else

prenatal

B

Spain_)

talk

of France_)

wealth

wedding being over, after the marriage

frustrate

C

cabe# it is impossible or unthinkable; #-- en suerte a# be decreed by fate, be predestined

unspoken; keep from saying, not to say; pass over in silence; preserve

go out to meet

providencial# act of providence.

ceder yield

penance_)

expect; #cuento como# I count it as a

time having expired, at the expiration of the time set

que cueste# cost what it may

view_)

her

all those that

expire, terminate; be fulfilled; fulfil one's duty toward, be faithful to

D

the excellence of its steel_); #el acero --# the Damascus blade

occasion for censure or gossip; #驴qu茅 puede -- de s铆?# what can you expect of him? #se le den# let them give her to him

have run; #debieron echarle dentro# they must have thrown him into it;

excessively weak

refuse; #seg煤n se me dice# according to what they tell me

fun of, render ineffective; #-- caer# drop; #que vino a --le# that left him at last; #-se matar# let oneself be killed

rest; #lo -- fuera dar# otherwise it would give cause for; #-- (_for_ demasiado)# more than enough

other; we were to fight a duel

fail to reward

since; from the moment that

unfortunately

desist

seeing himself alive

most fortunately; #-s# happiness

name of God, in Heaven's name

toward, make one's way

wherever he pleases

E

resolution, firmness; insistence

(_meaning_, she hears nothing)

witnessing

F

days that are left to me of life

short; #por --# at last, in the end; #tener su --# terminate, expire

more fortunately

necessary, it must perforce

G

bridal trousseau

from Arag贸n; #llamad --# call some one

flowing into the Mediterranean at Valencia_

H

de acompa帽ar# you are to accompany me; #no han de veros# you must not be seen; 驴#qui茅n ha de ser#? who else should it be? 驴#qu茅 hay#? what is wrong? #poco ha# a short time ago; #quince a帽os ha# fifteen years ago

to, listen to; #-- vano# frustrate, render harmless; #-- por# try, make an effort to; #hazle entrar# show him in; #haz que vea# let me see;

meses# about three months ago; #-se# take place

be; #-se con# have, possess

picture

welcome

very day, even to-day; #-- d铆a# in these days

I

an end; pierce; #van llegando# they keep arriving or continue to arrive; #se fu茅 retirando atr谩s# kept drawing back; #va mi vida# my life is at stake; #-se# go away, disappear

J

commercial center in the time of the Crusades. Modern Jaffa_)

L

name of Northern Africa_)

boundaries of, bound

diga mi lengua# get my tongue to say; #-- vencer# have gained the victory; #no he logrado que deis# I have not succeeded in getting you to give

Mohammedan standard_)

LL

brindar# go so far as to offer, even offer; #-- a enterarse# come to know, find out at last; #-- a saber# find out, discover; #si lo llego a pensar# should I ever think that; #si llegaseis a conocer# if you could only know; #os llega funesto# a disastrous end awaits you; #en llegando# on his arrival

spend in; #-se# carry away, lead along; #-- me a casar# take me to the marriage altar; #-- a cabo# carry out; #el alma se llevan# they take my spirit with them

M

que# such that

que, -- de# more than; #no hay --# there is no other; #por -- que# however, however much

N

what has been the cause of?

not even

secret that?

a fine bride? (_ironical_)

O

la silla# sit down, be seated

P

forever; #-- que# in order that

paran# this is the end of

at; #lo que pasa# what is going on

distress; #en -- de# in punishment for

he was able to get out

terminate; #-- hecha una imagen# make pretty as a picture; #pon aqu铆# give me

of, through, in; #-- ahora# for the present; #-- all谩# thereabouts; --

within, from within; off the stage; #-- este lado# this way; #-- 茅l# as far as he is concerned; #-- s铆# in itself; through his own efforts; #-- la noche# at night; #-- ser# because I am; #-- m谩s que# however, however much

the dust

qualities, appearance; #idolatrada --# object of worship; #-- querida# beloved one, dearest

curtain and the orchestra_)

hardly be so....

escaped

Q

remain; #se qued贸 triste# she was sad when I left

she tried

R

the power of Allah

intercession

surrender

drawing back

with smiling hopes

S

be known; #al -se# on becoming known; #al -se mi delito# when my sin became known

enter (_stage_); #-- al camino# go out to meet

they tell me

seeing that

belong to; #-- de# belong to; #no soy m铆a# I do not belong to myself;

well that; #-- tal# of course; #ello --# the fact is

superfluous; #valor le sobra# he has more than enough courage

que suceda# come what may

decreed by fate for, be predestined for

T

as

rashness

defence of the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem_)

be to blame; #-- noticia# hear, learn; #-- por# consider as; #-- trazas de# manage, succeed in; #ten# here it is

the Guadalaviar, 72 miles northwest of Valencia. Pop. in 1910, 11,035_

opportunely; #a buen --# opportunely; #-- hace que# some time ago

le toca# it is his place; #-- a v铆speras# ring for vespers

vespers

drag her here

attire

critical moment or situation

question of

茅stas de novia#? isn't she a fine bride? (_sarcastic_)

achieved

Province of Teruel and flowing into the Mediterranean at Valencia_

U

V

Guadalaviar or Turia. Pop, about 250,000. In 1021 it became the capital of an independent Moorish kingdom. It was finally reconquered by James of Aragon, El Conquistador, in 1238_

--# tell me; come now; #ya ves# you see for yourself

the_ #villa# was thereby distinguished from #aldeas# and #lugares#)

return to consciousness

known; #a voces# shouting; loudly

Y

conf铆n# in the very outskirts; #-- que# seeing that, since, now that, just as

Z

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