Act II, Scene 4

[An open Gallery in the Judge’s House at Salvatierra.]

[Enter Judge, and attendants, with lights, etc.]

JUDGE.
Here in this gallery where the air is cool
Set out my desk and papers.
I must examine all these depositions.

1ST ATTENDANT.
Tis done, my lord.

2ND ATTENDANT.
My lord, a stranger asks
Admittance—upon something, as he says,
Important to the matter now in hand.

JUDGE.
Admit him, then.

GIL.
(without) Manuel, keep the door;
And, till my lord and I have had our talk,
Let no one enter.

MAN.
(without) Trust me.

[Enter GIL.]

GIL.
First permit me
To kiss your lordship’s hand. And secondly,
Having important matter to disclose
About this business, I would tell it you
Alone—

JUDGE.
(to attendants) Retire!

[Exeunt attendants.]

GIL.
And with your lordship’s leave
Will take a chair.

JUDGE.
Sit, sir.

GIL.
May I presume
To ask your lordship how Gallicia
Agrees with you?

JUDGE.
I thank you, very well.

GIL.
I’m very glad of that. Humph—as I take it,
Your lordship is come down into these parts
On a great trial?

JUDGE.
Yes, the case is this;
A certain Don Alonso de Tordoya,
And one Gil Perez of this place, are charged
With slaying Don Diego d’Alvarado.

GIL.
Slaying?

JUDGE.
In duel, sir.

GIL.
I marvel much
They should have dragg’d your lordship from the city
And from the court that you so much adorn,
Into this beggarly place, to try a cause
That happens almost every day in Spain.

JUDGE.
True, sir, but this is not by any means
The whole, or kernel, of the case. These men,
Beside, and after, the said homicide,
Resisted the king’s officers; this Perez
Especially—a notable ruffian
Who lives among these hills a lawless life
Of violence and murder—struck the Sheriff,
And—but I’m scarce entitled to say more
To one whose very name I know not.

GIL.
Oh!
My name is quickly told, if that be all.

JUDGE.
What is it then?

GIL.
Gil Perez.

JUDGE.
Ho! without!

MAN.
(appearing at the door) My lord!

JUDGE.
And who are you?

GIL.
A friend of mine.

MAN.
Who will take care that no one else comes in,
Till you have done.

[Exit.]

GIL.
Your lordship sees how ’tis—
Be not alarm’d—pray take your chair again—
I’ve much to say to you.

JUDGE.
(aside) Better submit.
This desperate man may have a score beside—
Well, sir, your business with me?

GIL.
Why, my lord,
I for these many days have been, so please you,
Away from home; suddenly coming back,
My friends here tell me of a mortal suit
Your lordship has against me; when I ask
For the particulars, some say one thing,
And some another. I, who naturally
Am somewhat interested in the truth,
Think it the wisest course to come at once
Straight to headquarters.

JUDGE.
This is strange proceeding.

GIL.
Oh, if your lordship scruple telling me,
These papers will not. I’d not for the world
Annoy your lordship.

(Takes the papers.)

JUDGE.
What are you about, sir?

GIL.
Conning my brief.

JUDGE.
But, sir—

GIL.
Now pray, my lord,
Resume your seat; let me not ask you this
So very often. (Reading.) Ah—the bare indictment
I know in a rough way, no need read that:
But for the evidence. Ah, here it is.
Humph; the first witness called, Andrew Ximenes:
‘Andrew Ximenes, being duly sworn,
Deposeth thus: that he was cutting wood,
When the two gentlemen came out to fight;
And stood to watch them; that, after some passes,
Don Diego fell; and the officers of justice
Then coming up, the other leap’d on horse,
And fled: but being brought to ground by a shot
That kill’d his horse, then ran, until he reach’d
Gil Perez’s house,’—here enter I,—‘who first
Courteously ask’d the Sheriff to desist
Hunting the gentleman; but when the Sheriff
Persisted, drew on him and on his people,
And fought them back; but how and when exactly
The wound was given, deponent cannot say.
And all this he deposeth upon oath,
Andrew Ximenes—’ And he says the truth;
Andrew is a good, honourable fellow.
Now for the second, Gil Parrado; humph.
Parrado, duly sworn, deposeth thus;
‘That, hearing a commotion, he ran out
And got in time to see’—here enter I—
‘Gil Perez fighting with the officers,
Then on a sudden running to the river
Plunge in. And that is all he knows of it.’
How short and sweet!
‘Next and third witness, Juan Baptista,’—ay,
Now for this exemplary Christian—
Juan Baptista sworn, deposeth thus:
‘That, as luck fell, he was behind a tree
When the two gentlemen came out to fight;
That they fought fairly hand to hand, until’—
Here enter I—‘Gil Perez suddenly
Rush’d from a thicket by, and join’d himself
With Don Alonso, and the two together
Maliciously and treacherously slew
Don Diego.’ Pray, my lord, what is the worth
Of such a witness, who himself admits
He stood behind a tree watching two men
Set on a third, and slay him, and yet never
Ran to his help? Well—humph—‘And after this,
Saw Don Alonso jump upon a horse
And fly, while Perez drew his sword upon
The officers of justice, and slew one,
And maim’d another.’ Give me leave, my lord,
To take this leaf. (Tears it out.)
I’ll bring it back to you
When I have made this rascal Jew confess
(If ever Jews confess) what he did see,
If any thing; but fair that if a judge
Decide on evidence, that evidence
At least be true; that he should hear moreover
Both sides, accused as well as his accuser.
As to that Sheriff’s wounds—the only count
To which I own—I never sought the fray;
The fray sought me, as I stood innocently
At my own door; and pray what man of honour—
What would your lordship’s sober self have done
In such a case?

JUDGE.
Within! within there! ho!
Perez himself is here! the culprit! Seize him!

MAN.
(appearing) Ay, do, if you can catch him.

GIL.
Manuel,
Let them come up; I have no more to say.
And you and I, who walk’d in by the door,
Can jump out of the window.

VOICES.
(within) Seize him! Seize him!

JUDGE.
One word, Gil Perez; if you yield at once,
I’ll be your friend.

GIL.
I make no friends of lawyers,
And never trust their promises.

JUDGE.
If not,
As sure as Heav’n, I’ll bring you to the scaffold.

GIL.
If you can catch me.

JUDGE.
Cannot I?

GIL.
Well, try.

JUDGE.
Ho there! upon him; and if he resist,
Cut him down!

MAN.
Now then, Gil!

GIL.
Now, Manuel!
Out with the lights! or wanting them, we two
Will strike them, knaves, in plenty out of you.

(Confusion and Melée, in which GIL and MANUEL escape.)