Shade of my father Djâbel, stand thou near;
  Nerve thou this arm so that it shall not fail,
  For work is to be done, and that right soon. That man is doomed, and by this hand he dies;
  Heav'n hear my oath! Respond, ye elements. [_Sky grows dark. Thunder and lightning. Owls and bats flit
          about. Commotion in the camp._

  The oath is writ in Heav'n. Recording sprites
  Have taken down the gipsy's oath of blood;
  And now shall all men see, all nations tell,
  How, from the ashes of this trampled heart
  Did all triumphant rise the gipsy queen. [_A distant whistle heard._

  D. PAS. The signal, mother! Didst hear the signal? GIP. Q.                    Ay, son. Onward, then;
  I'll lead the way myself. Be firm and true. [_The ascent begins, led by the Gipsy Queen, and the scene
          closes._


SCENE V.--_A hall in Don Diego's castle communicating with the chapel. The chapel is in the centre of the background. Through curtains is
disclosed the altar lighted up, and a priest ready to officiate. In the
hall, which is illuminated, a long table is spread with fruit and other
delicacies. Music. Enter guests, discoursing animatedly and laughing._

  FIRST GUEST. (_To his Partner._) Have you yet seen the bride? They
      say she's fair. PARTNER. They say so, but I have not seen her yet. Howbeit, a friend of mine who knew her well
  When at the Convent of Saint Ursula,
  Says she is over young. Just turned sixteen;
  And how a man of Lord Don Diego's years
  Could fall in love with such a chit, beats me. [_They pass on. Two other guests advance._

  LADY OF SECOND GUEST. (_To her Partner._) Ay, true, I think it
      would more seemly be
  Were he to marry one of years more ripe. SECOND GUEST. (_To his Lady._) The older that men grow the more
      they're pleased
  With youth. I'm sure I should be so myself. [_They pass on. Third couple advance._

  THIRD GUEST. (_To his Lady._) Nay, who'd have thought that poor Don
      Silvio
  Could thus so easily pay off his debts? He's in luck's way. As for the blushing bride,
  Not every day doth heaven rain such fortune. LADY. (_To Third Guest._) Yet they say that she is most unwilling. THIRD GUEST. Then, she's a fool. [_They pass on. Fourth couple advance._

  LADY. (_To Fourth Guest._) Nay; I have heard it said
  She weeps and frets, and hath so desp'rate grown,
  That nought save violence could aught avail
  To lead her to the altar. FOURTH GUEST. What a girl! To throw away so glorious a chance! [_They pass on. Two gentlemen meeting._

  FIRST GENT. What, comrade, you invited! Ha, ha, ha! The old boy's got some life in him as yet. SECOND GENT. And good taste, too. I just now caught a glimpse
  Of the fair bride; and, zounds! I do begrudge
  Her to the veteran. I myself would choose
  Just such an one, and were it not her face
  Were marred by excess of weeping. FIRST GENT. Indeed! Ha! ha! I never could make out why girls
  Cry at their wedding. Just the very thing
  They've looked for, prayed for, schemed for all their lives;
  Yet, when it comes to don the bridal veil
  And figure at the altar, then comes straight
  A bucketful of tears. Hypocrisy! _Enter_ DON DIEGO, _followed by_ DON SILVIO _pleading_. SECOND GENT. Here comes the bridegroom; and, as it would seem,
  Not in the best of humours. Let's withdraw. [_They pass on._

  D. DIE. (_To Don Silvio._) Silvio, no more! I'll not be flouted thus
  Before my guests, in mine own castle, too. I've said that it shall be, and it _shall_ be. I ne'er take back my word. So bid her haste,
  And put a better face upon the matter. The time is up, and all my guests attend. Go, bring her, then. (_To Guests._) Friends! welcome to this hall. GUESTS ALL. Long live Lord Don Diego, with much happiness! D. DIE. Thank ye, my friends. I do regret to say,
  'Fore this august and gracious company,
  That we are likely to experience,
  This night, some difficulty on the part
  Of our fair bride. Some singular caprice;
  Transient, no doubt, but not the less unfit
  For gay festivity. The fact is that
  My youthful bride is of a temperament
  Too highly wrought and o'er hysterical. She only late hath left her convent cell;
  Her education, therefore, until now
  Hath rendered her unfit to face the world. Impressionable natures, as we know,
  Recoil before aught that can cause a strong
  And powerful emotion. 'Tis the shock
  They dread. 'Tis nothing. Nay, I do condole
  With her; ay, from the bottom of my heart. But yet I think it not well to indulge
  Young folk in such caprice. Therefore, should I,
  My honoured guests, be forced to assume
  An air of stern severity unmeet
  This gay assembly, deem it but as naught;
  'Tis firmness that is needed in this case. We men must not be conquered by caprice. As for the girl herself, she loves me well;
  Nay, passionately. INEZ. (_Within, distractedly._) No! 'tis false, 'tis false. [_Titter and commotion among the guests._

  D. DIE. (_To Don Silvio._) Silvio! Why stand you there, with folded
      hands? Did I not tell you to lead forth the bride? D. SIL. She says she _will_ not come. D. DIE. _Will_ not? Ha! ha! This to my face! _Will_ not, indeed. We'll see. My worthy guests, bear with me if I lose
  My wonted patience, and in haste let slip
  Some casual word that may seem unfit
  The presence of guests so illustrious. My temper's somewhat choleric, and if
  My will is thwarted I may lose restraint. Silvio, bring forth the maiden straight, I say,
  Or I will have her dragged to me by force. INEZ. (_Within._) Oh, mercy! Mercy! Heaven hear my prayer. A GENTLEMAN. Poor little jade! How I do pity her. A LADY. And so do I. It makes my heart quite bleed. D. DIE. A truce to this. Ho! pages, drag her forth. [_Exeunt two pages, who re-enter, dragging Inez in, who utters
          a piercing scream. She is dressed in a white dressing gown,
          her hair dishevelled, and grasping a crucifix. Father Miguel
          and Gipsy Queen appear at the open door cautiously. Behind
          lurk Don Pascual and Gipsies._

  INEZ. "Oh, Holy Virgin! Save me; save me yet. Thou wilt not thus abandon me." D. DIE. (_Seizing her by the hair, and dragging her towards the
      Chapel._)                   So jade,
  Since thou hast deemed fit to flout me thus
  Before my guests, and spurn'st my tenderness,
  Learn how obedience can be enforced. Come priest. Be ready. A GUEST. Nay, but this is rape! I cannot stay and see injustice done. I repent me that I was invited. ANOTHER GUEST. True, and so do I. This is no marriage,
  But filthy lust and mere abuse of power. D. DIE. (_To Guards._) Help! Hell and Furies! or I'll have her
      drugged. GUESTS ALL. Shame! Shame! Down with Don Diego. Seize the tyrant. D. DIE. What! Flouted by my very guests. What next? GUESTS ALL. Virtue to the rescue! Save the maiden! _Enter_ GIPSY QUEEN _hurriedly, and stands fixing_ DON DIEGO
          _with her eye, who recoils_. GIP. Q. Hold! I forbid the banns. INEZ.