Fontanares Tell me, pray, what was it troubled you?

Marie You cannot imagine the persecutions I have endured since your arrival, and especially since your quarrel with Madame Brancadori. What could I do against the authority of my father? It is absolute. While I remained at home, I doubted my power to help you; my heart was yours in spite of everything, but my bodily presence--

Fontanares And so you are another martyr!

Marie By delaying the day of your triumph, you have made my position intolerable. Alas! when I see you here, I perceive that you yourself at the same time have been enduring incredible hardships. In order that I might be with you for a moment, I have feigned an intention of vowing myself to G.o.d; this evening I enter a convent.

Fontanares A convent? Is that the way they would separate us? These tortures make one curse the day of his birth. And you, Marie, you, who are the mainspring and the glory of my discovery, the star that protected my destiny, I have forced you to seek refuge in heaven! I cannot stand up against that. (He weeps.)

Marie But by promising to enter a convent, I obtained my father's permission to come here. I wish in bidding you farewell to bring you hope. Here are the savings of a young girl, of your sister, which I have kept against the day when all would forsake you.

Fontanares And what care I for glory, for fortune, for life itself, without you?

Marie Accept the gift which is all that the woman who intends to be your wife can and ought to offer. If I feel that you are unhappy and in distress, hope will forsake me in my retirement, and I shall die, uttering a last prayer for you!

Quinola (to Marie) Let him play the proud man, we may save him in spite of himself. Do you know it is for this purpose that I am pa.s.sing myself off as his grandfather?

(Marie gives her purse to Quinola.)

Lothundiaz (to Don Ramon) So you do not think much of him?

Don Ramon Oh, no, he is an artisan, who knows nothing and who doubtless stole his secret in Italy.

Lothundiaz I have always doubted him, and it seems I was right in refusing him my daughter in marriage.

Don Ramon He would bring her to beggary. He has squandered five thousand sequins, and has gone into debt three thousand in eight months, without attaining any result! Ah! He is a contrast with his grandfather. There's a philosopher of the first rank for you!

Fontanares will have to work hard to catch up with him. (He points to Quinola.)

Lothundiaz His grandfather?

Quinola Yes, senor, my name of Fontanares was changed to that of Fontanaresi.

Lothundiaz And you are Pablo Fontanaresi?

Quinola Yes, Pablo himself.

Lothundiaz And you are rich?

Quinola Opulent.

Lothundiaz That delights me, senor. I suppose that now you will pay me the two thousand sequins which you borrowed from my father?

Quinola Certainly, if you can show me my signature, I am ready to pay the bond.

Marie (after a conversation with Fontanares) You will accept this--will you not--as a means of securing your triumph, for is not our happiness staked on that?

Fontanares To think that I am dragging down this pearl into the gulf which is yawning to receive me.

(Quinola and Monipodio depart.)

SCENE FIFTEENTH

The same persons and Sarpi.

Sarpi (to Lothundiaz) You here, Senor Lothundiaz? And your daughter too?

Lothundiaz I promised that she should come her to say farewell on condition that she would not refuse to retire to a convent afterwards.

Sarpi The a.s.sembly here is so numerous that I am not surprised, nor in the least offended, by your complaisance towards her.

Fontanares Ah! Here comes the fiercest of my persecutors. How are you, senor; are you come to put my constancy to a fresh test?

Sarpi I represent the viceroy of Catalonia, senor, and I have a right to your respectful treatment. (To Don Ramon) Are you satisfied with him?

Don Ramon If he takes my advice, we are sure of success.

Sarpi The viceroy has great hopes from your learned co-operation.

Fontanares Surely I am dreaming! Is it possible they are raising up a rival to me?

Sarpi No! senor; but a guide who is able to save you from failure.

Fontanares Who told you I needed one?

Marie O Alfonso! But suppose that Don Ramon could insure your success?

Fontanares Ah! Even she has lost confidence in me!

Marie They say he is so learned!

Lothundiaz Presumptuous man! He thinks that he knows more than all the learned in the world.

Sarpi I was induced to come here on account of a question which has been raised and has filled the viceroy with anxiety; you have had in your possession for nearly ten months a ship belonging to the state, and you must now render an account of the loan.

Fontanares The king fixed no term for the time of my experiments.

Sarpi The administration of Catalonia has the right to demand an account, and we have received a decree of the ministers to this effect.

(Fontanares appears thunderstruck.) Oh! you can take your time; we do not wish to embarra.s.s a man like you. Nor are we inclined to think that you wish to elude the stipulation with regard to your life by keeping the ship for an indefinite period.

Marie His life?

Fontanares Yes, I am staking my life in these experiments.

Marie And yet, you refuse my help?

Fontanares In three months, Count Sarpi, I shall have completed, without the counsel of another, the work I am engaged upon. You will then see one of the greatest spectacles that a man can produce for his age to witness.