The Resources of Quinola: A Comedy in a Prologue and Five Acts

Faustine

I thirst for honor and you have ruined mine.

Fregose

Accept my name and all will be well.

Faustine

Leave me, I pray you.

Fregose

The more power you have, the more you abuse it. (Exit.)

SCENE TWENTY-FIRST

Faustine (alone) So, so! I am nothing then but the viceroy's mistress! He might as well have said as much! But with the aid of Avaloros and Sarpi I intend to have a pretty revenge – one worthy of old Venice.

SCENE TWENTY-SECOND

Faustine and Mathieu Magis.

Mathieu Magis

I am told the senora has need of my poor services.

Faustine

Pray tell me, who are you?

Mathieu Magis

Mathieu Magis, a poor Lombard of Milan, at your service.

Faustine

You lend money?

Mathieu Magis I lend it on good security – diamonds or gold – a very poor business. Our losses are overwhelming, senora. And at present money seems actually to be asleep. The raising of maravedis is the hardest of farm-labor. One unfortunate deal carries off the profits of ten lucky strokes, for we risk a thousand doubloons in the hands of a prodigal for three hundred doubloons profit. The world is very unjust to us.

Faustine

Are you a Jew?

Mathieu Magis

In what sense do you mean?

Faustine

In religion.

Mathieu Magis

I am a Lombard and a Catholic, senora.

Faustine

You disappoint me.

Mathieu Magis

Senora would have wished —

Faustine

I would have wished that you were in the clutches of the Inquisition.

Mathieu Magis

Why so?

Faustine

That I might be certain of your fidelity.

Mathieu Magis

I keep many secrets in my strong box, senora.

Faustine

If I had your fortune in my power —

Mathieu Magis

You would have my soul.

Faustine (aside) The only way to gain this man's adherence is by appealing to his self-interest, that is plain. (Aloud) You lend —

Mathieu Magis

At twenty per cent.

Faustine You don't understand what I mean. Listen; you are lending the use of your name to Senor Avaloros.

Mathieu Magis

I know Senor Avaloros. He is a banker; we do some business together, but his name in the city stands too high and his credit in the

Mediterranean is too sound for him to need the help of poor Mathieu

Magis —

Faustine I see, Lombard, you are very cautious. If you wish to lend your name to promote an important business undertaking —

Mathieu Magis

Is it smuggling?

Faustine What difference does it make? The question is, what would guarantee your absolute silence?

Mathieu Magis

High profit.

Faustine (aside) This is a rare hunting dog. (Aloud) Very well, I am going to entrust you with a secret of life and death, for I purpose giving up to you a great man to devour.

Mathieu Magis My small business feeds on the great passions of life; (aside) where there is a fine woman, there is a fine profit.

Curtain to the Second Act

ACT III

SCENE FIRST

(The stage setting is the interior of a stable. Overhead are piles of hay; along the walls are wheels, tubes, shafts, a long copper chimney, a huge boiler. To the left of the spectator the Madonna is sculptured on a pillar. To the right is a table strewn with paper and mathematical instruments. Above the table hangs on the wall a blackboard covered with figures; by the side of the table is a shelf on which are onions, a water crock and a loaf. To the right of the spectator is a wide door, and to the left, a door opening on the fields. A straw bed lies by the side of the pillar at the feet of the Madonna. It is night-time.)

Fontanares and Quinola.

(Fontanares, in a black robe girded by a leathern belt, works at his table. Quinola is checking the various parts of the machine.)

Quinola Though you wouldn't think it, senor, I also have been in love! Only when I have once understood the woman, I have always bade her good-bye. A full pot and bottle, ah! these never betray, and moreover, you grow fat on them. (He glances at his master.) Pshaw! He doesn't even hear me. There are three more pieces ready for the forge. (He opens the door.) Here is Monipodio!

SCENE SECOND

The same persons and Monipodio.

Quinola The last three pieces have come in. Bring the models and make duplicates of them, as a provision against accident.

(Monipodio beckons to Quinola from the passage; two men make their appearance.)

Monipodio Carry these away, boys, and not a sound! Vanish like spectres. This is worse than theft. (To Quinola) He is dead and buried in his work.

Quinola

He suspects nothing as yet.

Monipodio Neither they nor any one else suspect us. Each piece is wrapped up like a jewel and hidden in a cellar. But we need thirty ducats.

Quinola

Zounds!

Monipodio Thirty rascals built like those fellows eat as much as sixty ordinary men.

Quinola

Quinola and Company have failed, and I am a fugitive!

Monipodio

From protests?

Quinola Stupid! They want me bodily. Fortunately, I have two or three suits of old clothes which may serve to deliver Quinola from the clutches of the keenest sleuths, until I can make payment.

Monipodio

Payment? That is folly.

Quinola Yes, I have kept a little nest-egg against our thirst. Put on that ragbag of the begging friar and go to Lothundiaz and have a talk with the duenna.

Monipodio Alas! Lopez has returned from Algeria so often that our dear duenna begins to suspect us.

Quinola I merely wish her to carry this letter to Senorita Marie Lothundiaz (handing a letter). It is a masterpiece of eloquence, inspired by that which inspires all masterpieces. See! We have been living for ten days on bread and water.

Monipodio And what could we look for? To eat ortolans? If our men had expected fine fare they would have struck long ago.

Quinola If love would only cash my note of hand, we might still get out of this hole.

(Exit Monipodio.)

SCENE THIRD

Quinola and Fontanares.

Quinola (rubbing an onion into his bread) This is the way we are told the Egyptian pyramid-builders were fed, but they must also have had the sauce which gives us an appetite, and that is faith. (Drinks water.) You don't appear to be hungry, senor? Take care that the machine in your head doesn't go wrong!

Fontanares

I am nearing the final solution —

Quinola (whose sleeve splits up as he puts back the crock) And I have found one in the continuity of my sleeve. In this trade my clothes are becoming as uncertain as an unknown quantity in algebra.

Fontanares

You are a fine fellow! Always merry, even in the depths of misfortune.

Quinola And why not, gadzooks! Fortune loves the merry almost as much as the merry love her.

SCENE FOURTH

The same persons and Mathieu Magis.

Quinola Ah! Here comes our dear Lombard; he looks at all these pieces of machinery as if they were already his lawful property.

Mathieu Magis

I am your most humble servant, my dear Senor Fontanares.

Quinola

This is he, polished, dry, cold as marble.

Fontanares

Good-day, Senor Magis. (Cuts himself a piece of bread.)

Mathieu Magis You are a sublime hero, and as far as I am concerned, I wish you all sorts of good luck.

Fontanares And is this the reason why you try to bring upon me all sorts of bad luck?

Mathieu Magis You snap me up very sharply; you do wrong, you forget that in me there are two men.

Fontanares

I have never seen the other.

Mathieu Magis

I have a heart, away from my business.

Fontanares

But you are never away from your business.

Mathieu Magis

I am always filled with admiration at the sight of your struggle.

Fontanares

Admiration is the passion which is the most easily exhausted.

Moreover, you never make any loans on sentiment.

Mathieu Magis There are sentiments which bring profit, while others cause ruin. You are animated by faith; that is very fine, but it is ruinous. We made six months ago certain little agreements; you asked of me three thousand ducats for your experiments —

Quinola

On the condition, that you were to receive five thousand in return.

Fontanares

Well?

Mathieu Magis

The payment was due two months ago.

Fontanares You demanded it by legal process two months ago, the very next day after it was due.

Mathieu Magis

I did it without thought of annoying you, merely as a formality.

Fontanares

And what do you want now?

Mathieu Magis

You are to-day my debtor.

Fontanares Eight months gone already? It has passed like a dream! And I was proposing to myself this evening the solution of the problem how to introduce cold water, so as to dissolve the steam! Magis, my dear friend, assist me in this matter, be my protector, and give me a few days more?

Mathieu Magis

As many as you desire.

Quinola Do you mean it? This is the first appearance of the other man. (To Fontanares) Senor, I shall make the gentleman my friend. (To Magis) I appeal to the two Magises and ask if they will give us the sight of a few doubloons!

Fontanares

Ah! I begin to breathe freely.

Mathieu Magis

That can easily be managed. I am to-day not merely your money-lender,

I am money-lender and co-proprietor, and I wish to draw out my share in the property.

Quinola

Double man, and triple dog!

Mathieu Magis

Capital has nothing to do with faith —

Quinola

Or with hope and charity; crowns are not Catholics.

Mathieu Magis When a man comes and asks us to discount a bill, we cannot say: "Wait a bit; we have a man of genius at work trying to find a gold mine in a garret or a stable!" No, indeed! Why in six months I could have doubled those ducats over again. Besides, senor, I have a small family.

Fontanares (to Quinola)

That creature has a wife!

Quinola

Yes, and if she brings forth young they will eat up Catalonia.

Mathieu Magis

I have heavy expenses.

Fontanares

You see how I live.

Mathieu Magis Ah! If I were rich, I would lend you (Quinola holds out his hands) the wherewith to live better.

Fontanares

Wait fifteen days longer.

Mathieu Magis (aside) This cuts me to the heart. If the matter concerned only myself I would perhaps let it go, but I must earn what has been promised me, which is to be my daughter's dowry. (Aloud) Now really, I have a great regard for you, you please me immensely —

Quinola (aside)

To think that it would be a crime to strangle him!

Fontanares

You are of iron; I shall show myself as hard as steel.

Mathieu Magis

What do you mean, senor?

Fontanares

You shall help me, whether you would or not.

Mathieu Magis I will not! I want my capital! And would think nothing of seizing and selling all this iron work.

Fontanares You compel me to meet trick with trick. I was proceeding with my work honestly! Now, if necessary, following your example, I shall leave the straight path. I shall be of course accused, as if perfection could be expected of me. But I do not mind calumny. But to have this cup to drink is too much. You made a senseless contract with me, you now shall sign another, or you will see me dash my work to fragments, and keep my secret buried here. (He strikes his hand on his heart.)

Mathieu Magis Ah! senor, you will not do that. That would be theft, a piece of rascality of which a great man is incapable.

Fontanares You seize upon my integrity as a weapon by which you would insure the success of monstrous injustice.

Mathieu Magis Listen, I wish to have nothing to do with this matter, and if you will come to an understanding with Don Ramon, a most excellent man, I will yield all my rights to him.

Fontanares

Don Ramon?

Quinola

Yes, the philosopher whom all Barcelona sets up in opposition to you.

Fontanares After all, I have solved the last problem, and glory and fortune will attend the future current of my life.

Quinola Your words seem to indicate that there is still a part to be supplied in the machinery.

Fontanares

A trifle – a matter of some hundred ducats.

Mathieu Magis Such a sum could not be raised from all that you have here, if it were sold by authority of government, counting the costs.

Quinola

Carrion! Will you get out?

Mathieu Magis If you humor Don Ramon, he doubtless will be willing to give you the assistance of his credit. (Turns to Quinola) As for you, gallows-bird, if ever you fall into my hands, I will get even with you. (To Fontanares) Good-bye, man of genius. (Exit.)

SCENE FIFTH

Fontanares and Quinola.

Fontanares

His words make me shudder.

Quinola And me also! The good ideas of a genius are always caught in the webs of such spiders as he.

Fontanares Well, if only we can get a hundred ducats more, from that time forth we shall have a golden life filled with the banquets of love. (He takes a drink of water.)

Quinola I quite believe you, but confess that blooming hope, that heavenly jade, has led us on pretty deep into the mire.

Fontanares

Quinola!

Quinola I do not complain for myself, I was born to trouble. The question is, how are we to get the hundred ducats. You are in debt to the workmen, to the master locksmith Carpano, to Coppolus the dealer in iron, steel and copper, and to our landlord, who after taking us in, more from fear of Monipodio than from compassion, will end by turning us out of doors; we owe him for nine months' board and lodging.

Fontanares

But the work is all but finished.

Quinola

But what of the hundred ducats?

Fontanares How is it that you, usually so brave and merry, begin now to speak to me in such a dolorous tone?

Quinola It is because, as a means of remaining at your side, I shall be obliged to disappear.

Fontanares

And why?

Quinola Why? Pray what are we to do about the sheriff? I have incurred, for you and for myself, trade debts to the amount of a hundred doubloons; and lo! these debts take, to my mind, the figure, face and feet of tipstaves!

Fontanares

How much unhappiness is comprised in the term glory!

Quinola Come! Do not be downcast. Did you not tell me that your grandfather went, some fifty years ago, with Cortez, to Mexico; has he ever been heard of?

Fontanares

Never.

Quinola Don't forget you have a grandfather! You will be enabled to continue your work, until you reach the day of your triumph.

Fontanares

Do you wish to ruin me?

Quinola

Do you wish to see me go to prison and your machine to the devil?

Fontanares

I do not.

Quinola Permit me then to bring about the return of this grandfather? He will be the first of his company to return from the West Indies.

SCENE SIXTH

The same persons and Monipodio.

Quinola

How goes it?

Monipodio

Your princess has received her letter.

Fontanares

What kind of a man is this Don Ramon?

Monipodio

He is an ass.

Quinola

Is he envious?

Monipodio As three rejected play-writers. He makes himself out to be a wonderful man.

Quinola

But does any one believe him?

Monipodio They look upon him as an oracle. He scribbles off his treatises, explaining that the snow is white because it falls from heaven, and he maintains, in contradiction to Galileo, that the earth does not move.

Quinola

Do you not plainly see, senor, that I must rid you of this philosopher? (To Monipodio) You come with me; you must be my servant.

(Exeunt.)

SCENE SEVENTH

Fontanares (alone) What brain, even though it be encased in bronze, could stand the strain of this search after money, while also making an inquiry into the most jealously guarded secrets of nature? How can the mind, engaged in such quests, have time for distrusting men, fighting them, and combining others against them? It is no easy thing to see at once what course had best be taken, in order to prevent Don Ramon from stealing my glory, and Don Ramons abound on every side. I at last dare to avow that my endurance is exhausted.

SCENE EIGHTH

Fontanares, Esteban, Girone and two workmen.

Esteban Can any of you tell me where a person named Fontanares is hiding himself?

Fontanares

He is not hiding himself. I am he; he is merely meditating in silence.

(Aside) Where is Quinola? He would know how to send them away satisfied. (Aloud) What do you want?

Esteban We want our money! We have been working without wages for three weeks; the laborer lives from day to day.

Fontanares

Alas, my friends, I do not live at all!

Esteban You are alone; you can pinch your belly. But we have wives and children. At the present moment we have pawned everything.

Fontanares

Have confidence in me.

Esteban

Can we pay the baker with this confidence in you?

Fontanares

I am a man of honor.

Girone

Hark you! We also are men of honor.

Esteban Take the honor of each of us to the Lombard and you will see how much he will lend you on it.

Girone

I am not a man of talent, not I, and no one will give me trust.

Esteban I am nothing but a villainous workman, but if my wife needs an iron pot, I pay for it, by heaven!

Fontanares

I would like to know who it is has set you on me in this way?

Girone

Set us on? Are we dogs?

Esteban

The magistrates of Barcelona have given judgment in favor of Masters

Coppolus and Carpano, and have granted them a lien on your inventions;

pray tell us, where is our lien?

Girone

I shan't go away from this place without my money.

Fontanares

Can you find any money by staying here? However, here you may remain.

Good-day. (He takes up his hat and cloak.)

Esteban

No! You won't go out without paying us.

(The workmen prepare to bar the door.)

Girone

There is a piece which I forged myself; I am going to keep it.

Fontanares

What! You wretch! (He draws his sword.)

The Workmen

You will not make us budge.

Fontanares (rushing upon them) Here is for you! (He stops short and throws away his sword.) Perhaps these fellows have been sent by Avaloros and Sarpi to push me to extremes. If they succeeded I might be accused of murder and thrown into prison for years. (He kneels down before the Madonna.) Oh, my God! Are genius and crime the same thing in Thy sight? What have I done to suffer such defeats, such insults and such outrages? Must I pay for my triumph in advance? (To the workmen) Every Spaniard is master in his own house.

Esteban You have no house. This place is the Golden Sun; the landlord has told us so.

Girone

You haven't paid for your lodging; you pay for nothing.

Fontanares

Remain where you are, my masters, I was wrong; I am in debt.

SCENE NINTH

The same persons, Coppolus and Carpano.

Coppolus Senor, I come to tell you that the magistrates of Barcelona have granted me a lien on your machine, and I shall take measures that no part of it leaves this place. My confrere, Carpano, your locksmith, shares my claim.

Fontanares What devil is blinding you? Without me, this machine is nothing but so much iron, steel, copper and wood; with me, it represents a fortune.

Coppolus

We are not going to leave you.

(The two merchants make a movement as if to hem in Fontanares.)

Fontanares What friend embraces you so closely as a creditor? Well, well, I wish the devil would take back the great thought he gave me.

All

The devil!

Fontanares Ah! I must keep watch upon my tongue or one word will throw me into the clutches of the Inquisition! No glory can recompense me for such sufferings as these!

Coppolus (to Carpano)

Shall we have it sold?

Fontanares But to be worth anything, the machine must be finished, and one piece of it is wanting, of which the model is before you. (Coppolus and Carpano consult together.) Two hundred sequins more would be required for its completion.

SCENE TENTH

The same persons, Quinola (disguised as a fantastic old man),

Monipodio (fancifully dressed), the landlord of the Golden Sun.

The Landlord of the Golden Sun (pointing to Fontanares)

Senor, that is he.

Quinola And so you have lodged the grandson of General Fontanares in a stable! The republic of Venice will set him in a palace! My dear boy, let me embrace you. (He steps up to Fontanares.) The most noble republic has learned of your promises to the king of Spain, and I have left the arsenal at Venice, over which I preside, in order that – (aside to Fontanares) I am Quinola.

Fontanares

Never was an ancestor restored to life more opportunely —

Quinola In what a miserable condition I find you! – Is this then the antechamber of glory!

Fontanares

Misery is the crucible in which God tests our strength.

Quinola

Who are these people?

Fontanares

Creditors and workmen clamoring for their wages.

Quinola (to the landlord)

Rascal of a landlord, is this the dwelling-place of my grandson?

The Landlord

Certainly, your excellency.

Quinola I have some knowledge of the laws of Catalonia, and I shall send for the magistrate to put these rogues in prison. You may call down the bailiffs upon my grandson, but keep to your own houses, you blackguards! (He fumbles in his pocket.) Stay! Now go and drink my health. (He throws money among them.) Come to me later on and you shall be paid.

The Workmen

Long live his excellency! (Exeunt.)

Quinola (to Fontanares)

Our last doubloon! But it was a good bluff.

SCENE ELEVENTH

The same persons, without the host and the workmen.

Quinola (to the two tradesmen) As for you, my good fellows, you seem to be made of better stuff, and by the intervention of a little money we can come to a settlement.

Coppolus

Yes, we shall then, your excellency, be at your service.

Quinola Do I see here, my son, that famous invention about which Venice is so excited? Where is the plan, the elevation, the section, the working drawings of the machine?

Coppolus (to Carpano) He knows all about it, but we must get further information before advancing anything.

Quinola

You are an amazing man, my son! Like Columbus, you will yet have your day. (He kneels.) I thank God for the honor He had done our family.

(To the merchants) Two hours from this I will pay you.

(Exeunt Coppolus and Carpano.)

SCENE TWELFTH

Quinola, Fontanares and Monipodio.

Fontanares

What will be the result of this imposture?

Quinola

You were tottering on the brink of an abyss, and I rescued you.

Monipodio It was well impersonated! But the Venetians have abundance of money, and in order to obtain three months' credit, we must throw dust into the eyes of the creditors, and this is the most expensive kind of dust.

Quinola Didn't I tell you that there was a treasure coming? Well it's here now.

Monipodio

Coming of its own accord?

(Quinola assents with a nod.)

Fontanares

His effrontery terrifies me.

SCENE THIRTEENTH

The same persons, Mathieu Magis and Don Ramon.

Mathieu Magis I have brought Don Ramon to you, for I wish to do nothing without his sanction.

Don Ramon (to Fontanares) Senor, I am delighted at this opportunity of sharing the work of so eminent a man of science. We two will be enabled to bring your invention to the highest perfection.

Quinola Senor knows mechanics, ballistics, mathematics, dioptrics, catoptrics, statistics?

Don Ramon

Indeed I do. I have purchased many valuable treatises.

Quinola

In Latin?

Don Ramon

No, in Spanish.

Quinola No true philosopher, senor, writes in anything but Latin. There is a danger that science may be vulgarized. Do you know Latin?