SCENE I.
Reading edition
A Cavern with winding Stairs, and recesses cut in the Rock; a large Lamp hanging in the Centre; a Table, Wine, Fruits, &c. in disorder.—At the Head Don Cæsar; on each Side Spado, Sanguino, Rapino, and others of the Banditti.
AIR I. AND CHORUS.
Don Cæsar. Here we sons of freedom dwell, In our friendly, rock-hewn cell; Pleasure's dictates we obey, Nature points us out the way, Ever social, great and free, Valour guards our liberty. AIR. Don Cæsar. Of severe and partial laws, Venal judges, Alguazils; Dreary dungeons' iron jaws, Oar and gibbet—whips or wheels, Let's never think While thus me drink Sweet Muscadine! O life divine! Chorus.—Here we sons of freedom dwell, &c.
Don Cæsar. Come, cavaliers, our carbines are loaded, our hearts are light: charge your glasses, Bacchus gives the word, and a volley makes us immortal as the rosy god.—Fire!
Spado. Ay, captain, this is noble firing—Oh, I love a volley of grape-shot.—Are we to have any sky-light in our cave?
[Looking at Sanguino's Glass.
Don Cæsar. Oh, no! a brimmer round.—Come, a good booty to us to-night.
[All drink.
Spado. Booty! Oh, I love to rob a fat priest.—Stand, says I, and then I knock him down.
Sang. My nose bleeds. [Looks at his Handkerchief.] I wonder what colour is a coward's blood?
Spado. Don't you see it's red?
Sang. Ha! call me coward, [Rises in fury.] sirrah? Captain! cavaliers!—But this scar on my forehead contradicts the miscreant.
Spado. Scar on your forehead!—Ay, you will look behind you, when you run away.
Sang. I'll stab the villain—[Draws Stilletto.]—I will, by Heaven.
Don Cæsar. Pho, Sanguino! you know when a jest offers, Spado regards neither time, place, nor person.
All. [Interposing.] Don't hurt little Spado.
Spado. [Hiding behind.] No, don't hurt little Spado.
Sang. Run away! Armies have confessed my valour: the time has been—but no matter.
[Sits.
Don Cæsar. Come, away with reflection on the past, or care for the future; the present is the golden moment of possession.—Let us enjoy it.
All. Ay, ay, let us enjoy it.
Don Cæsar. You know, cavaliers, when I entered into this noble fraternity, I boasted only of a little courage sharpened by necessity, the result of my youthful follies, a father's severity, and the malice of a good-natured dame.
Spado. Captain, here's a speedy walk-off to old women.
All. [Drink] Ha! ha! ha! ha!
Don Cæsar. When you did me the honour to elect me your captain, two conditions I stipulated:——Though at war with the world abroad, unity and social mirth should preside over our little commonwealth at home.
Spado. Yes, but Sanguino's for no head—he'll have ours a commonwealth of fists and elbows.
Don Cæsar. The other, unless to preserve your own lives, never commit a murder.
Spado. I murdered since that——a bishop's coach-horse.
All. Ha! ha! ha!
Don Cæsar. Hand me that red wine.
AIR II.—DON CÆSAR.
Flow, thou regal purple stream, Tinctur'd by the solar beam, In my goblet sparkling rise, Cheer my heart and glad my eyes. My brain ascend on fancy's wing, 'Noint me, wine, a jovial king. While I live, I'll lave my clay, When I'm dead and gone away, Let my thirsty subjects say, A month he reign'd, but that was May.
[Thunder.]
Don Cæsar. Hark, how distinct we hear the thunder through this vast body of earth and rock.—Rapino, is Calvette above, upon his post?
Rap. Yes.
Don Cæsar. Spado, 'tis your business to relieve the centinel.
Spado. Relieve! what's the matter with him?
Don Cæsar. Come, come, no jesting with duty—'tis your watch.
Spado. Let the wolves watch for me—my duty is to get supper ready.—[Thunder.]—Go up! Od's fire, do you think I'm a Salamander?—D'ye hear?
Sang. No sport, I fear.
Don Cæsar. Then call Calvette, lock down the trap-door, and get us some more wine from the cistern.
Spado. Wine! Ay, captain; and this being a night of peace, we'll have a dish of olives.
Sang. No, peace! we'll up and scour the forest presently. But well thought on; a rich old fellow, one Don Scipio, has lately come to reside in the castle on the skirts of the forest—what say you to plunder there?
Don Cæsar. Not to-night—I know my time—I have my reasons—I shall give command on that business. But where's the stranger we brought in at our last excursion?
Rap. He reposes in yonder recess.
Spado. Ay, egad, there he lies, with a face as innocent—[Aside.]—If my fellow-rooks would but fly off, I'd have the pigeon here within all to myself.
Cal. [Appears at the Top of the winding Stairs, with a Lanthorn.] A booty.
Sang. Good news, cavaliers; here comes Calvette.
Cal. A booty!
Sang. What! where?
Cal. Soft—but one man!
Sang. But one man! Is he alone?
Cal. Quite.
Spado. One man, and alone—that's odd!
Cal. He seems in years, but his habit, as well as I could distinguish, speaks him noble.
[Descends.
Don Cæsar. Then he'll fight.—My arms!
Spado. Oh, he'll fight—get my arms; no, my legs will do for me.
[Aside.
Sang. Come, my carbine—quick!
Don Cæsar. To the attack of one man—paltry! Only you, Calvette, Sanguino, Rapino, and Spado go; the rest prepare for our general excursion.
Spado. Captain, don't send me; indeed I'm too rash!
Don Cæsar. Come, come, leave buffoonery, and to your duty.
[Calvette and Rapino ascend; the rest go in at several Recesses; Spado, the last, ascends up slowly.
Enter Don Alphonso.
Don Alph. I find myself somewhat refreshed by my slumber; at such a time to fall into the hands of these ruffians, how unlucky! I'm pent up here; my rival, Fernando, once my friend, reaches Don Scipio's castle, weds my charming Victoria, and I lose her for ever; but if I could secure an interview, love should plead my cause.
AIR III.—DON ALPHONSO.
The hardy sailor braves the ocean, Fearless of the roaring wind; Yet his heart, with soft emotion, Throbs to leave his love behind. To dread of foreign foes a stranger, Tho' the youth can dauntless roam, Alarming fears paint every danger In a rival, left at home.
Spado returns down the Stairs.
Spado. [Aside.] Now for some talk with our prisoner here—Stay, are they all out of ear-shot? How the poor bird sings in its cage! I know more of his affairs than he thinks of, by overhearing his conversation at the inn at Lorca.
Don Alph. How shall I escape from these rascals? Oh, here is one of the gentlemen. Pray, sir, may I take the liberty—
Spado. No liberty for you.—Yet upon certain conditions, indeed—give me your hand.
Don Alph. [Aside.] Impudent scoundrel!
Spado. Signor, I wish to serve you—and serve you I will; but I must know the channel, before I make for the coast; therefore, to examine you with the pious severity of an holy inquisitor, who the devil are you?
Don Alph. A pious adjuration truly!—[Aside.]—Sir, my name is Alphonso, and I am son of a banker at Madrid.
Spado. Banker! Oh! I thought he sung like a young goldfinch.
Don Alph. Perhaps, by trusting this fellow, I may make my escape.
[Aside.
Spado. I'll convince him I know his secrets, and then I hold his purse-strings.
Don Alph. You won't betray me?
Spado. Honour among thieves.
Don Alph. Then you must know, when your gang attacked me yesterday evening—
Spado. You were posting full gallop to Don Scipio's castle, on the confines of the forest here.
Don Alph. Hey! then perhaps you know my passion for—
Spado. Donna Victoria, his daughter.
Don Alph. Then you know that she's contracted—
Spado. To your friend Don Fernando de Zelva, who is now on his journey to the castle, and, to the destruction of your hopes, weds the lady on his arrival.
Don Alph. True, while I am pent up in this cursed cavern; but how you got my story, I——
Spado. No matter! I could let you out of this cursed cavern.
Don Alph. And will you?
Spado. Ah, our trap-door above requires a golden key.
Don Alph. Your comrades have not left me a piastre.
Spado. Will you give me an order on your father's bank for fifty pieces, and I'll let you out?
Don Alph. You shall have it.
Spado. A bargain. I'll secure your escape.
Enter Don Cæsar, behind.
Don Cæsar. How's this?
Spado. Zounds, the captain Ramirez! [Aside.]—Ay, you dog, I'll secure you for an escape! Do you think I'd set you at liberty without the captain's orders? Betray my trust for a bribe! What the devil do you take me for? [In a seeming rage.] Oh, captain, I did not see you.
Don Cæsar. What's the matter?
Spado. Nothing, only our prisoner here was mistaken in his man—that's all. Let you escape, indeed!
Don Alph. Here's a rascal!
Spado. Rascal! D'ye hear him? He has been abusing me this half hour, because I would not convey him out without your knowledge. Oh, what offers he did make me! but my integrity is proof against Gallions, Escurials, Perus, and Mexicos.
Don Cæsar. Begone instantly to your comrades. [Spado ascends.] Signor, no occasion to tamper with my companions; you shall owe your liberty to none but me. I'll convey you to the cottage of the vines, belonging to the peasant Philippo, not far from Don Scipio's castle; there you may rest in safety to-night, and—
Don Alph. Ah, captain! no rest for me.
Don Cæsar. Look ye, signor, I am a ruffian, perhaps worse, but venture to trust me.—A picklock may be used to get to a treasure—don't wish to know more of me than I now chuse to tell you; but, if your mistress loves you as well as you seem to love her, to-morrow night she's yours.
Don Alph. My good friend!
Don Cæsar. Now for Philippo—I don't suppose you wish to see any of our work above—ha! ha! ha!—Well, well, I was once a lover, but now—
AIR IV.—DON CÆSAR.
On by the spur of valour goaded, Pistols primed, and carbines loaded, Courage strikes on hearts of steel; While each spark, Through the dark Gloom of night, Lends a clear and cheering light, Who a fear or doubt can feel? Like serpents now, through thickets creeping, Then on our prey, like lions, leaping! Calvette to the onset leads us, Let the wand'ring trav'ler dread us! Struck with terror and amaze, While our swords with lightning blaze. [Thunder. Thunder to our carbines roaring, Bursting clouds in torrents pouring, Each a free and roving blade, Ours a free and roving trade, To the onset let's away, Valour calls, and we obey.
[Exeunt.