THE SPANISH STUDENT. ACT I. SCENE I. The COUNT OF LARA's chambers. Night. The COUNT in his dressing-gown, smoking and conversing with DON CARLOS. LARA. You were not at the play to-night, Don Carlos; How happened it? DON CARLOS. I had engagements elsewhere. Pray who was there? LARA. Why, all the town and court. The house was crowded; and the busy fans B Among the gayly dressed and perfumed ladies Fluttered like butterflies among the flowers. There was the Countess of Medina Celi; The Goblin Lady with her Phantom Lover, Her Lindo Don Diego; Doña Sol, And Doña Serafina, and her cousins. DON CARLOS. What was the play? LARA. It was a dull affair ; One of those comedies in which you see, As Lope says, the history of the world Brought down from Genesis to the Day of Judg ment. There were three duels fought in the first act, Followed at twilight by an unknown lover, Who looks intently where he knows she is not! DON CARLOS. Of course, the Preciosa danced to-night? LARA. And never better. Every footstep fell DON CARLOS. Almost beyond the privilege of woman! I saw her in the Prado yesterday. Her step was royal,-queen-like, and her face As beauteous as a saint's in Paradise. ᏞᎪᎡᎪ. May not a saint fall from her Paradise, And be no more a saint? DON CARLOS. Why do you ask? LARA. Because I have heard it said this angel fell, And, though she is a virgin outwardly, DON CARLOS. You do her wrong; indeed, you do her wrong! She is as virtuous as she is fair. LARA. How credulous you are! Why look you, friend, DON CARLOS. She is a Gipsy girl. You forget |