seest thou, Don Quixote? A gallant knight? Naught but an aging fool! ( DON QUIXOTE
recoils from his own image, only to be brought up against another
) Look! Dost thou see him? A madman dressed for amasquerade! (
Attempting escape,
QUIXOTE
finds himself facing another minor
) Look, Don Quixote! See him as he truly is! See the clown! ( QUIXOTE
reels away, only to find the mirrors converging as the
KNIGHT
and his
ATTENDANTS
close down upon him
) Drown, Don Quixote. Drown—drown in the mirror. Go deep—the masquerade is ended! ( QUIXOTE
collapses to his knees
) Confess! Thy lady is a trollop, and thy dream the nightmare of a disordered mind!
DON QUIXOTE (
In dazed desperation
) I am Don Quixote, knight-errant of La Mancha … and my lady is the Lady Dulcinea. I am Don Quixote, knight-errant … and my lady … my lady …
(
Beaten, weeping, he sinks to the floor
)
KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS (
Removing the casque from his head
) It is done!
SANCHO (
Thunderstruck
) Your Grace! It is Doctor Carrasco! It is only Sansón Carrasco!
DR. CARRASCO Forgive me, Señor Quijana. It was the only way.
(
Lights dim down to
DON QUIXOTE ,
huddled weeping on the floor
. ALDONZA
comes toward him, her face devastated by loss and pity. Music bridges as the lighting alters back to that of the prison, and the
CAPTAIN OF THE INQUISITION
is seen entering
)
CAPTAIN (
Shouting
) Cervantes! Cervantes! Prepare to be summoned!
CERVANTES (
Confusedly
) By whom?
CAPTAIN The Judges of the Inquisition!
THE GOVERNOR Captain! How soon?
CAPTAIN Soon!
(
He exits
)
THE GOVERNOR But not yet. (
To
CERVANTES ,
with satisfaction
) Good. You’ll have time to finish the story.
CERVANTES But the story is finished.
THE GOVERNOR
What?
CERVANTES At least so far as I know it.
THE GOVERNOR I don’t think I like this ending. (
A growl from the
PRISONERS ) I don’t think the jury likes it, either.
THE DUKE Well, then—he’s failed!
THE GOVERNOR Miguel de Cervantes. It is the sentence of this court—
CERVANTES (
Panicky
) Wait!
THE GOVERNOR For what?
CERVANTES If I could have a little more time?
THE GOVERNOR (
After a glance at the
PRISONERS ) Oh,
I’ll
grant it. But the Inquisition …?
CERVANTES A few moments only! Let me improvise …
(
He snaps his fingers, pointing out the
PRISONERS
who are to play in the following scene. Music underscores: a melancholy version of “I’m Only Thinking of Him” as the setting is improvised in the shape of a bedroom in
ALONSO QUIJANA ’
s home. Limiting alters to shafts of dying sun as the bed and its occupant—
DON QUIXOTE—
are revealed.
QUIXOTE ’
s eyes are open but deep-hollowed and remote, windows on a mind that has retreated tosome secret place. There is silence a while but for the music
)
ANTONIA (
Voice low, to
CARRASCO ) Can you do
nothing?
PADRE (
With soft compassion
) I’m afraid there’ll be more need of my services than his. (
Waves a hand slowly across
QUIXOTE ’
s
unseeing eyes
) Where is he, I wonder? In what dark cavern of the mind?
DR. CARRASCO According to recent theory—
PADRE Doctor. Please.
DR. CARRASCO (
Resentfully
) Don’t you think I did right?
PADRE (
Sighing
) Yes. There’s the contradiction …
(SANCHO
enters timidly, hat in hand
)
ANTONIA You again?
DR. CARRASCO Tell him to go away.
PADRE (
Wearily
) What harm can he do?
ANTONIA Yes—it’s all been done!
(
She lets him pass, grudgingly
)
SANCHO (
Bobbing his head to the
PADRE ) Your Reverence. (
Diffidently
) Could I talk to him?
PADRE I’m afraid he won’t hear you.
SANCHO Well, then, I won’t say much.
DR. CARRASCO And no mention of knight-errantry!
SANCHO Of course not. Does one speak of the rope in the house of the hanged? Oh—excuse me, Your Grace.
ANTONIA (
Bitterly
) Your Grace.
SANCHO (
Seating himself by the bed
) Just a few words … to lighten his heart. (
Music: he sings
)
A little gossip … a little chat …
A little idle talk … of this and
recoils from his own image, only to be brought up against another
) Look! Dost thou see him? A madman dressed for amasquerade! (
Attempting escape,
QUIXOTE
finds himself facing another minor
) Look, Don Quixote! See him as he truly is! See the clown! ( QUIXOTE
reels away, only to find the mirrors converging as the
KNIGHT
and his
ATTENDANTS
close down upon him
) Drown, Don Quixote. Drown—drown in the mirror. Go deep—the masquerade is ended! ( QUIXOTE
collapses to his knees
) Confess! Thy lady is a trollop, and thy dream the nightmare of a disordered mind!
DON QUIXOTE (
In dazed desperation
) I am Don Quixote, knight-errant of La Mancha … and my lady is the Lady Dulcinea. I am Don Quixote, knight-errant … and my lady … my lady …
(
Beaten, weeping, he sinks to the floor
)
KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS (
Removing the casque from his head
) It is done!
SANCHO (
Thunderstruck
) Your Grace! It is Doctor Carrasco! It is only Sansón Carrasco!
DR. CARRASCO Forgive me, Señor Quijana. It was the only way.
(
Lights dim down to
DON QUIXOTE ,
huddled weeping on the floor
. ALDONZA
comes toward him, her face devastated by loss and pity. Music bridges as the lighting alters back to that of the prison, and the
CAPTAIN OF THE INQUISITION
is seen entering
)
CAPTAIN (
Shouting
) Cervantes! Cervantes! Prepare to be summoned!
CERVANTES (
Confusedly
) By whom?
CAPTAIN The Judges of the Inquisition!
THE GOVERNOR Captain! How soon?
CAPTAIN Soon!
(
He exits
)
THE GOVERNOR But not yet. (
To
CERVANTES ,
with satisfaction
) Good. You’ll have time to finish the story.
CERVANTES But the story is finished.
THE GOVERNOR
What?
CERVANTES At least so far as I know it.
THE GOVERNOR I don’t think I like this ending. (
A growl from the
PRISONERS ) I don’t think the jury likes it, either.
THE DUKE Well, then—he’s failed!
THE GOVERNOR Miguel de Cervantes. It is the sentence of this court—
CERVANTES (
Panicky
) Wait!
THE GOVERNOR For what?
CERVANTES If I could have a little more time?
THE GOVERNOR (
After a glance at the
PRISONERS ) Oh,
I’ll
grant it. But the Inquisition …?
CERVANTES A few moments only! Let me improvise …
(
He snaps his fingers, pointing out the
PRISONERS
who are to play in the following scene. Music underscores: a melancholy version of “I’m Only Thinking of Him” as the setting is improvised in the shape of a bedroom in
ALONSO QUIJANA ’
s home. Limiting alters to shafts of dying sun as the bed and its occupant—
DON QUIXOTE—
are revealed.
QUIXOTE ’
s eyes are open but deep-hollowed and remote, windows on a mind that has retreated tosome secret place. There is silence a while but for the music
)
ANTONIA (
Voice low, to
CARRASCO ) Can you do
nothing?
PADRE (
With soft compassion
) I’m afraid there’ll be more need of my services than his. (
Waves a hand slowly across
QUIXOTE ’
s
unseeing eyes
) Where is he, I wonder? In what dark cavern of the mind?
DR. CARRASCO According to recent theory—
PADRE Doctor. Please.
DR. CARRASCO (
Resentfully
) Don’t you think I did right?
PADRE (
Sighing
) Yes. There’s the contradiction …
(SANCHO
enters timidly, hat in hand
)
ANTONIA You again?
DR. CARRASCO Tell him to go away.
PADRE (
Wearily
) What harm can he do?
ANTONIA Yes—it’s all been done!
(
She lets him pass, grudgingly
)
SANCHO (
Bobbing his head to the
PADRE ) Your Reverence. (
Diffidently
) Could I talk to him?
PADRE I’m afraid he won’t hear you.
SANCHO Well, then, I won’t say much.
DR. CARRASCO And no mention of knight-errantry!
SANCHO Of course not. Does one speak of the rope in the house of the hanged? Oh—excuse me, Your Grace.
ANTONIA (
Bitterly
) Your Grace.
SANCHO (
Seating himself by the bed
) Just a few words … to lighten his heart. (
Music: he sings
)
A little gossip … a little chat …
A little idle talk … of this and
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