Act III, Scene 4

[A Room in CRESPO’S House.]

[Enter JUAN pursuing ISABEL with a dagger.]

ISAB.
Help, help, help!

[Exit.]

JUAN.
You must not live!

[Enter CRESPO, who arrests him.]

CRES.
Hold! What is this?

JUAN.
My father! To avenge our shame—

CRES.
Which is to be avenged by other means, and not by you. How come you here?

JUAN.
Sent back by Don Lope last night, to see after some missing soldiers, on approaching the town I heard some cries—

CRES.
And drew your sword on your officer, whom you wounded, and are now under arrest from me for doing it.

JUAN.
Father!

CRES.
And Mayor of Zalamea. Within there!

[Enter Constables.]

Take him to prison.

JUAN.
Your own son, sir?

CRES.
Ay, sir, my own father, if he transgressed the law I am made guardian of. Off with him! (They carry off JUAN.) So I shall keep him out of harm’s way at least. And now for a little rest. (He lays by his wand.)

LOPE.
(calling within) Stop! Stop!

CRES.
Who’s that calling without? Don Lope!

[Enter LOPE.]

LOPE.
Ay, Peter, and on a very confounded business too. But at least I would not put up any where but at your friendly house.

CRES.
You are too good. But, indeed, what makes you back, sir, so suddenly?

LOPE.
A most disgraceful affair; the greatest insult to the service! One of my soldiers overtook me on the road, flying at full speed, and told me—Oh, the rascal!

CRES.
Well, sir?

LOPE.
That some little pettifogging mayor of the place had got hold of a captain in my regiment, and put him in prison! In prison! ’Fore Heaven, I never really felt this confounded leg of mine till to-day, that it prevented me jumping on horseback at once to punish this trumpery Jack-in-office as he deserves. But here I am, and, by the Lord, I’ll thrash him within an inch of his life!

CRES.
You will?

LOPE.
Will I!

CRES.
But will he stand your thrashing?

LOPE.
Stand it or not, he shall have it.

CRES.
Besides, might your captain happen to deserve what he met with?

LOPE.
And, if he did, I am his judge, not a trumpery mayor.

CRES.
This mayor is an odd sort of customer to deal with, I assure you.

LOPE.
Some obstinate clodpole, I suppose.

CRES.
So obstinate, that if he’s made up his mind to hang your captain, he’ll do it.

LOPE.
Will he? I’ll see to that. And if you wish to see too, only tell me where I can find him.

CRES.
Oh, close here.

LOPE.
You know him?

CRES.
Very well, I believe.

LOPE.
And who is it?

CRES.
Peter Crespo. (Takes his wand.)

LOPE.
By God, I suspected it.

CRES.
By God, you were right.

LOPE.
Well, Crespo, what’s said is said.

CRES.
And, Don Lope, what’s done is done.

LOPE.
I tell you, I want my captain.

CRES.
And I tell you, I’ve got him.

LOPE.
Do you know he is the king’s officer?

CRES.
Do you know he ravished my daughter?

LOPE.
That you are out-stripping your authority in meddling with him?

CRES.
Not more than he his in meddling with me.

LOPE.
Do you know my authority supersedes yours?

CRES.
Do you know I tried first to get him to do me justice with no authority at all, but the offer of all my estate?

LOPE.
I tell you, I’ll settle the business for you.

CRES.
And I tell you I never leave to another what I can do for myself.

LOPE.
I tell you once more and for all, I must have my man.

CRES.
And I tell you once more and for all, you shall—when you have cleared him of the depositions.

LOPE.
The depositions! What are they?

CRES.
Oh, only a few sheets of parchment tagged together with the evidence of his own soldiers against him.

LOPE.
Pooh! I’ll go myself, and take him from the prison.

CRES.
Do, if you like an arquebuss ball through your body.

LOPE.
I am accustomed to that. But I’ll make sure. Within there!

[Enter Orderly.]

Have the regiment to the market-place directly under arms, I’ll see if I’m to have my prisoner or not.

[Exit.]

CRES.
And I—Hark ye!

[Exit, whispering to a Constable.]