Peribanez (NHB Classic Plays) by Lope de Vega

Author:Lope de Vega
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: epub, ebook, QuarkXPress
ISBN: 111-1-11-111111-1
Publisher: Nick Hern Books

Scene Four

The PAINTER’s house in Toledo.

PAINTER. That’s fine. I’ll replace the hand and while that’s drying I can paint the face and sort the dog and the loaf out – and we’ll use the twine on the angel rather than make a new one?

ANTON. Yes – we don’t have long in Toledo.

PAINTER. Right, well I’ll get straight to work then and see what we can do before the morning.

PERIBANEZ. Before we – of all your pictures there’s one that sticks in my mind. Probably because I’m a working man and the picture is of a peasant woman – but the detail . . . I’d like to see it again, would you mind? Before we go.

PAINTER. Ah I’m quite proud of that one. She’s also a very beautiful subject of course –

PERIBANEZ. Could you get it down? I’d like Anton to see it –

ANTON. I did. But go ahead, if you want to see it again.

PAINTER. I’ll fetch her for you, if she’s willing to come . . . !

PERIBANEZ (to ANTON). She’s like an angel, you watch.

PAINTER goes.

ANTON. I’m not surprised you want to see that one again.

PERIBANEZ. How d’you know my taste in paintings? It’s just the dress, it looks –

ANTON. Come on Pedro – It looks like Casilda.

PERIBANEZ. Casilda’s not as beautiful as that is she?

ANTON. You’re her husband – don’t make me praise her for you.

PAINTER re-enters with the portrait of CASILDA.

PAINTER. There she goes.

PERIBANEZ (aside). (My undoing.)

PAINTER. Yes, I’m fond of this one I must say.

PERIBANEZ. It’s very good. Anton?

ANTON. A fine painting.

Small silence.

PERIBANEZ (to ANTON). You go back to the Inn and feed the horses – I want to stay a bit longer.

ANTON. Right. (Aside.) (That’s no-one but Casilda. He’s burning alive poor man). See you soon then.

ANTON exits.

PERIBANEZ. How did you make such a beautiful picture? The eyes, her mouth. Her hair. Where was she from, this woman?

PAINTER. Well now I’m wondering whether it’s such a good likeness after all because actually, she’s from the same town as you.

PERIBANEZ. Ocana?

PAINTER. Yes, Ocana.

PERIBANEZ. There is someone there who looks like this but it can’t be her because she’s recently married and I’m sure her husband couldn’t afford a portrait of her.

PAINTER. Well yes that might be her. I don’t really know, I didn’t meet her, I had to paint her without her knowing – on a small sketch pad first, not, obviously, straight on to canvas – that would have been a bit conspicuous . . . no, I did her in secret and then expanded it into this painting.

PERIBANEZ. I think I know who asked you to paint her. Will you tell me if I’m right?

PAINTER. Um – I shouldn’t really . . .

PERIBANEZ. Was it the Commander of Ocana?

PAINTER. Well – she knew nothing about it, I guess there’s no harm – yes, it was him. A very impressive man. One of the best soldiers in Spain of course, and completely absorbed in this peasant girl!

PERIBANEZ. But she doesn’t know that? She doesn’t know about the picture?

PAINTER.

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