Let's never think While thus we 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 skylight 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, 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. Poh, 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 Casar. 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 goodnatured dame. Spado. Captain, here's a speedy walk-off to old women. All. [Drink.] Ha! ha! ha! Don Casar. 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 Casar. The other, unless to preserve your own lives, never commit a murder. Spado. I murdered since that horse. All. Ha! ha! ha! -a bishop's coach Don Cæsar. Hand me that red wine. In Cheer AIR II.-DON CESAR. my Flow, thou regal purple stream, A month he reign'd, but that was May. [Thunder.] Don Cæsar. Hark, how distinct we hear the thun der 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 memy duty is to get supper ready.-[Thunder.]-Go up! Od's fire, do you think I am a Salamander?—D'ye hear! Sang. No sport I fear. Don Casar. 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 timehave 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 Lantern.] 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 Casar. Then he'll fight.-My arms! Spado. Oh, he'll fight--get my arms; no, my legs will do for me. Sang. Come, my carbine-quick! [Aside. 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 gọ in at several Recesses; SPADO, the last, as cends 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. To dread of foreign foes a stranger, 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. 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. |