shall be (Sarpi appears) one of
the most influential men in Spain, and powerful enough to reap my
vengeance--

Marie
Oh! not upon my father!

Fontanares
Tell him then Marie, all that I am doing to deserve you.

Sarpi (aside)
What! A rival?

Quinola (to Lothundiaz)
Sir, if you don't consent, you are in a fair way to be damned.

Lothundiaz
Who told you that?

Quinola
And worse than that,--you are going to be robbed; this I'll swear to.

Lothundiaz
To prevent my either being robbed or damned I am keeping my daughter
for a man who may not have genius, but who has common sense--

Fontanares
At least you will give me time--

Sarpi
Why give him time?

Quinola (to Monipodio)
Who can that be?

Monipodio
Sarpi.

Quinola
What a bird of prey he looks!

Monipodio
And he is as difficult to kill. He is the real governor of Barcelona.

Lothundiaz
My respects to you, honorable secretary! (To Fontanares) Farewell, my
friend, your arrival is an excellent reason why I should hurry on the
wedding. (To Marie) Come, my daughter, let us go in. (To the duenna)
And you, old hag, you'll have to pay for this.

Sarpi (to Lothundiaz)
This hidalgo seems to have pretensions--

Fontanares (to Sarpi)
Nay, I have a right!

(Exeunt Marie, the duenna and Lothundiaz.)

SCENE FOURTEENTH

Monipodio, Sarpi, Fontanares and Quinola.

Sarpi
A right? Do you know that the nephew of Fra Paolo Sarpi, kinsman of
the Brancadori, count in the Kingdom of Naples, secretary to the
viceroy of Catalonia, makes pretension to the hand of Marie
Lothundiaz? When another man claims a right in the matter he insults
both her and me.

Fontanares
Do you know that I for five years, I, Alfonso Fontanares, to whom the
king our master has promised the title of Duke of Neptunado and
Grandee, as well as the Golden Fleece, have loved Marie Lothundiaz,
and that your pretensions, made in spite of the oath which she has
sworn to me, will be considered, unless you renounce them, an insult
both by her and by me?

Sarpi
I did not know, my lord, that I had so great a personage for a rival.
In any case, future Duke of Neptunado, future Grandee, future Knight
of the Golden Fleece, we love the same woman; and if you have the
promise of Marie, I have that of her father; you are expecting honors,
while I possess them.

Fontanares
Now, listen; let us remain just where we are; let us not utter another
word; do not insult me e