ACTUS XVIII  

The Argument:    ELICIA, being resolved to make Areusa and Centurio  friends, as Areusa had before instructed her, they go  to Centurio's house; where they entreat him to revenge  their friends' deaths upon Calisto and Melibea, which  he promiseth them to do.  And as it is the nature of  such ruffians as he, not to perform what they promise,  he seeks to excuse himself, as you shall see in the  sequel.      Interlocutors:    Elicia, Centurio, Areusa.       

     1. ELIC. __ Quién está en su casa? 

  ELICIA.  Who's at home here?       

         2. CENT. __ Mochacho, corre, verás quién osa entrar sin llamar a la puerta.   Torna, torna acá, que ya he visto quién es.   No te cubras con el manto, señora:   ya no te puedes esconder, que, quando vi adelante entrar a Elicia,   vi que no podía traer consigo mala compaqía   ni nueuas que me pesassen,   sino que me auían de dar plazer. 

    CENTURIO.  Boy, run and see:  who dares presume  to enter my house, and not first have the manners to  knock at the door?  Come, come back again, sirrah; I  now see who it is.  Do not cover your face, mistress,  with your mantle, you cannot hide yourself from me.   For, when I saw Elicia come in before you, I knew she  could not bring with her any bad company, nor any news  that could offend me, but rather that should please  and delight me.         

         3. AREU. __ No entremos, por mi vida, más adentro,   que se estiende ya el vellaco,   pensando que le vengo a rogar.   Que más holgara con la vista de otras como él, que con la nuestra. Boluamos,   por Dios, que me fino en ver tan mal gesto.    ¿  Paréscete, hermana, que me traes por buenas estaciones   y que es cosa justa venir de bísperas   y entrarnos a uer vn desuellacaras que ay está?   

      AREUSA.  If you love me, sister, let us not in any further; for the villain  stands upon his pantofles, and begins to look big; thinking perhaps  that I am come to cry him mercy.  He had rather have such company as himself than ours:  come, let us go, for I am the worse to look upon him; I am ready to swoon with the very sight of such an ill-favoured face.  Think you, sister, that you have used me well, to train me thus along to such a walk as this?  Is it a fit thing, that we should come from good company, and enter in here to see this villainous fellow, that flayeth off the skins from  dead men's faces,  that he may go disguised and  unknown? 

         4. ELIC. __ Torna por mi amor, no te vayas;   si no, en mis manos dexarás el medio manto.   

      ELICIA.  If you love me come back again; I pray you do not you go, unless you mean to leave half your mantle behind you.  I will hold you fast, indeed I will not let you go. 

         5. CENT. __ Tenla, por Dios, señora, tenla no se te suelte. 

      CENTURIO.  Hold her, as you love me, hold her.  Do not let her go.   

         6. ELIC. __ Marauillada estoy, prima, de tu buen seso.   ¿  quál hombre ay tan loco   y fuera de razón que no huelgue de ser visitado, mayormente de mugeres?   Llégate acá, señor Centurio,   que en cargo de mi alma por fuerça haga que te abraçe,   que yo pagaré la fruta.  

    ELICIA.  I wonder, Cousin, what you mean by this?   You seem to be wiser than I am.  Tell me, what man is so foolish or so void of reason, that is not glad to be visited, especially by women?  Come hither, Centurio: now trust me, I swear, she shall embrace thee, whether she will or no; if she will be angry,  let her, I will bear the blame of it.           

         7. AREU. __ Mejor lo vea yo en poder de justicia   y morir a manos de sus enemigos,   que yo tal gozo le dé.   ¡  Ya, ya hecho ha conmigo para quanto biua¡   ¿  y por quál carga de agua le tengo de abraçar   ni ver a esse enemigo?   Porque le rogué estotro día que fuesse vna jornada de aquí, en que me yua la vida y dixo de no.                   

      AREUSA.  Embrace him?  Marry gup with a murrain!   I had rather see him under the power and rigour of the law, and had rather see him die by the  hands of his enemies, than that I should do the slave  such a kindness.  No, no, I have done with him, I have nothing to say to him; as long as I live,  he and I shall be two.  And wherein, I pray, am I so beholding unto him, that I should embrace him?  Nay, so much as once vouchsafe to look upon such a professed enemy as he?  I did but entreat him the other day to have gone but a little way for me about a business that did as much concern me as my life; and do you think that I could get him to go?  Speak him fair, entreat him, do what I could for my life, he  still answered me, No.  And shall I embrace a villain, that regards me no more than so? 

         8. CENT. __ Mándame tú, señora, cosa que yo sepa   hazer,  cosa que sea de mi officio.   vn desafío con tres juntos y si más vinieren:   que no huya por tu amor.   Matar vn hombre, cortar vna pierna o braço,   harpar el gesto de alguna que se aya ygualado contigo:   estas tales cosas, antes serán hechas que encomendadas.        

      CENTURIO.  Command me, Mistress, in such things as I know;  exercise me in my art, and employ me in such offices as appertain to my profession:  as, to  fight for you with three men at once; or say they should be more, for your sake I would not refuse them,  but challenge them the field.  Command me to kill this or that man; to cut off a leg or an arm; to slash  any woman over the face, that shall stand in  competition with thee,  such  trifles as these shall be no sooner said than done.      

  No me pidas que ande camino ni que te dé dinero,   que bien sabes que no dura conmigo,   que tres saltos daré sin que me se cayga blanca.   ninguno da lo que no tiene.              

But do not, I prithee, entreat me to walk afoot; nor  to give thee any money; for thou know'st I have it  not.  Gold and silver will not tarry with me; they  are flinchers, they will not abide with me.  I may  cut three capers, and yet not shake one poor blank out  of my breeches:  no man gives that which he has not;  you can have no more of a cat than his skin.  Heart  and goodwill, but not a rag of money.     

  En vna casa biuo qual vees,   que rodará el majadero por toda ella sin que tropiece.   las alhajas que tengo es el axuar de la frontera,   vn jarro desbocado, vn assador sin punta.                

I live here  in a house as you see, wherein you may throw a  bowl and meet with never a rub;  all the movables  that I have are not worth a button; my implements are  such as you see here before me; an old jar with a  broken brim; a rusty spit without a point;              

  La cama en que me acuesto   está armada sobre aros de broqueles,   vn rimero de malla rota por colchones,   vna talega de dados por almohada.   Que, avnque quiero dar collación, no tengo qué empeñar,   sino esta capa harpada, que traygo a cuestas.                 

the bed  wherein I lie, is bound about with hoops of bucklers,  which I broke in fight; my feather-bed a bundle of  broken pikes; my sheets shirts of torn mail; for my  pillow I have a pouch  filled with pebble stones.   And should I bestow a collation on you, I have nothing  in the world that I can pawn, save this poor ragged and thread-bare cloak, which I have on my back.   

       9. ELIC. __ Assí goze, que sus razones me contentan a marauilla.   Como vn santo está obediente,   como ángel te habla, a toda razón se allega;    ¿  qué más le pides?   Por mi vida que le hables y pierdas enojo,   pues tan de grado se te offresce con su persona.       

    ELICIA.  So let me prosper, as his words do  exceedingly please me; why, he is as obedient to you  as a  servant; he speaks to you like a Suppliant; and he hath said nothing, but  what is reason.  What would you more of a man?  I  prithee,  as thou lov'st me, speak unto him, and  lay aside your displeasure;  suffer him not to live  thus sad and melancholy, but speak kindly unto him,  and put him out of his dumps, since he offers his  person so willingly to your disposal. 

         10. CENT. __ Offrescer dizes, señora? Yo te juro por el sancto martilogio de pe a pa   el braço me tiembla de lo que por ella entiendo hazer,   que contino pienso cómo la tenga contenta y jamás acierto.   La noche passada soñaua que hazía armas   en vn desafío por su seruicio con quatro hombres,   que ella bien conosce,   y maté al vno.   y de los otros que huyeron,   el que más sano se libró   me dexó a los pies vn braço yzquierdo.   Pues muy mejor lo haré despierto de día,   quando alguno tocare en su chapín. 

      CENTURIO.  Offer myself, Elicia?  I swear unto  thee, by the Christ-cross-row,  by the whole alphabet  and syllabication of the letters, that my arm trembles, to think what I would execute for her sake; for it is and ever shall  be my continual meditation, to study how I may  please her, but  it is my unhappiness that it never  hits right.  The last night I was adream'd, that is  her quarrel I challenged four men into the field, all  of them well known unto her, if  I should name  them; and methought I slew one of them; and for the  rest which fled, he that scaped best, left his left  arm at my foot.  Much better should I have bestirred  myself, had it been day, and that I had been awake, if  the proudest of them should have once presumed but to  have touched her shoe.         

         11. AREU. __ Pues aquí te tengo, a tiempo somos. Yo te perdono,   con condición que me vengues de vn cauallero, que se llama Calisto,   que nos ha enojado a mí y a mi prima.   

    AREUSA.  I take thee at thy word; now we be  friends; and in good time have we met.  I here pardon  what is past, but upon condition that you revenge me  upon a gentleman, called Calisto, who hath wronged  both me and my cousin.       

       12. CENT. __ O¡Reñiego de la condición.  dime luego si está confessado.   

  CENTURIO.  O how I turn renegado!   How fain  would I renew the condition!   But tell me;  has he made even with the world?     

       13. AREU. __ No seas tú cura de su ánima.   

    AREUSA.  All's one for that, take you no care.     

       14. CENT. __ Pues sea assí. Embiémosle a comer al infierno sin confessión.   

    CENTURIO.  Well, seeing you will have it so, let us send him to dine in hell without company.       

       15. AREU. __ Escucha, no atajes mi razón.   esta noche lo tomarás.   

    AREUSA.  But do you hear.  Interrupt me not; Fail me not, I advise you;  this night, if you will, you may take him napping.   

       16. CENT. __ No me digas más, al cabo estoy.   Todo el negocio de sus amores sé   y los que por su causa ay muertos y lo que os tocaua a vosotras,   por dónde va y a qué hora y con quién es. Pero dime,  ¿  quántos son los que le acompañan?   

    CENTURIO.  No more, I apprehend your meaning; I  know the whole course of his love;  how he carries  himself in it; how such and such suffered in the  business:  as also where you two are galled.  I know whither he goes, at what hour and with whom.  But tell me, how many accompany him?         

       17. AREU. __ Dos moços. 

  AREUSA.  Only two; and those, young fellows.       

         18. CENT. __ Pequeña presa es essa,   poco ceuo tiene ay mi espada.   Mejor ceuara ella en otra parte esta noche, que estaua concertada. 

      CENTURIO.  This is too small a prey, too poor a  pittance; my sword will have but a short supper; it  would fare far better  at some other time, than that  which now you have concluded on.   

         19. AREU. __ Por escusarte lo hazes.   A otro perro con esse huesso.   No es para mí essa dilación.   Aquí quiero ver si dezir y hazer si comen juntos a tu mesa.   

    AREUSA.  No, no; this is but to shift us off,  and to excuse your not doing it.  It will not serve your turn, you must give this bone to some  other dog to pick; I must not be fed with delays; I  will see whether sayings and doings eat together at  your table, whether deeds and words sit both at one board with you.    

       20. CENT. __ Si mi espada dixesse lo que haze, tiempo le faltaría para hablar.   ¿  Quién sino ella puebla los más cimenterios?   ¿  Quién haze ricos los cirujanos desta tierra?   ¿  Quién da contino quehazer a los armeros?   ¿  Quién destroça la malla muy fina?   ¿  Quién haze riça de los broqueles de Barcelona?   ¿  Quién reuana los capacetes de Calatayud, sino ella? Que los caxquetes   de Almazén assí los corta   como si fuessen hechos de melón.   Veynte años ha que me da de comer.   Por ella soy temido de hombres y querido de mugeres; sino de ti.   Por ella le dieron Centurio por nombre a mi abuelo   y Centurio se llamó mi padre y Centurio me llamo yo. 

    CENTURIO.  If my sword should but tell you the  deeds it hath done, it would want time to utter them.   What does empeople churchyards but it?  Who makes  surgeons rich but it?  Who sets armourers awork but  it?  Who hews  and unriveteth the finest mail but  it?  Who  drives before him and shivers in pieces the bucklers of Barcelona, but it?   Who shreds the casks of Almazan, as short as if they  were made of Pumpions, but it?  These twenty years  hath it found me food; by means of it am I feared of  men and beloved of women, only yourself excepted; for  it, the name of Centurio was given to my grandfather;  for it, my father likewise was called Centurio, and so  am I.                           

         21. ELIC. __ Pues¿  qué hizo el espada por que ganó tu abuelo esse nombre?   dime, ¿  por ventura fue por ella capitán de cient hombres? 

      ELICIA.  But I pray, tell me, what did your  sword, that your grandfather should gain his name by  it?  Was he by it made captain of a hundred men?       

         22. CENT. __ No; pero fue rufián de cient mugeres.                         

      CENTURIO.  No, he was made it by it Champion to a hundred women.

       23. AREU. __ No curemos de linaje ni hazañas viejas.   Si has de hazer lo que te digo,   sin dilación determina, porque nos queremos yr.   

    AREUSA.  We will have nothing to do with your pedigree nor famous acts of old; if you will do that I  spoke to you of, resolve suddenly, for we must be  gone.         

       24. CENT. __ Más desseo ya la noche por tenerte contenta,   que tú por verte vengada.   y porque más se haga todo a tu voluntad,   escoge qué muerte quieres que le dé.   Allí te mostraré vn reportorio   en que ay sietecientas y setenta species de muertes:   verás quál más te agradare.   

    CENTURIO.  I long more for this night, wherein I  may give you content, than you long to be revenged.   And that everything may be done to your good liking,  make your own choice, what death you will have him  die.  For I can show you a bead-roll, if you will see  it, wherein there are set down some seven hundred and  seventy several sorts of deaths;  which when you have  seen, you may choose that which likes you best.           

       25. ELIC. __ Areusa, por mi amor, que no se ponga este fecho   en manos de tan fiero hombre.   Más vale que se quede por hazer   que no escandalizar la ciudad,   por donde nos venga más daño de lo passado.   

    ELICIA.  If you love me, Areusa, let not this  matter be put into such a madman's hands;  he is too  bloody for the business: and it were better to let  all alone than that the city should receive such a  scandal; so that our second harm shall be worse than  the first.           

       26. AREU. __ Calla, hermana; díganos alguna, que no sea de mucho bullicio.     

  AREUSA.  I pray content yourself, Sister,  hold your peace.  Name that city unto us, if you can, which is not full of hurly-burlies, and where some  scandals do not arise.   

       27. CENT. __ Las que agora estos días yo vso y más traygo entre manos son espaldarazos sin sangre   y porradas de pomo de espada o reués mañoso;   a otros agujero como harnero a puñaladas,   tajo largo, estocada temerosa, tiro mortal.   algún día doy palos por dexar holgar mi espada.                     

    CENTURIO.  The affronts and disgraces which are now in request, and wherein I am most conversant, are banging a man over the shoulders with a sword,  having its scabbard on; dry-beatings without  drawing of blood;  thumping him on the breast, or  making his head ring  noon with the pommel of my  sword, or by falsifying of a thrust  or blow to give  him his payment where he least looks for it.  Others  I use like sieves, pricking them full of holes with my  poniard; some I cut in a large size, giving them a  fearful stoccado or mortal wound:  and now and then I  use my cudgel or  bastinado, that my sword may keep holy day and rest itself from its labor.   

     28. ELIC. __ No passe, por Dios, adelante;   déle palos, porque quede castigado y no muerto.   

  ELICIA.  For  love's sake ha' done, tell us of  no more.  Bastinado him, I pray thee:  for I would  have him beaten, but not slain.   

       29. CENT. __ Juro por el cuerpo santo de la letanía,   no es más en mi braço derecho dar palos sin matar   que en el sol dexar de dar bueltas al cielo.   

    CENTURIO.  I swear by the whole generation of Turke and Termagaunt, that it is as possible for this right arm of mine to bastonado a man and not kill him, as it is for the sun to stand still in the firmament and never move.     

       30. AREU. __ Hermana, no seamos nosotras lastimeras;   haga lo que quisiere, mátele como se le antojare.   Llore Melibea como tú has hecho.   Dexémosle. Centurio, dá buena cuenta de lo encomendado.   De qualquier muerte holgaremos.   mira que no se escape sin alguna paga de su yerro.       

  AREUSA.  Sister, let not you and I sorrow for the matter;  why should we seem to pity him?  Let him  do with him what he will; let him kill him, as he  finds himself humoured,  when he comes to do the  business; let Melibea weep as well as you have done  before her:  and so let us leave him.  Centurio, see  you give a good account of that which is committed to  your charge.  Take your own course; and  way so  as you revenge us on him, shall content us; but in any  case take heed that he do not escape without paying  for his error.   

       31. CENT. __ Perdónele Dios, si por pies no se me va.   Muy alegre quedo, señora mia, que se ha ofrecido caso, avnque pequeño,   en que conozcas lo que yo sé hazer por tu amor.               

    CENTURIO.  O heavens!   [God pardon him.} >  He  is going to  Pluto I warrant you already; .  Dearest in my affection, it glads me to the heart, that I have this  occasion offered unto me, though it be but in a trifle  and a  matter scarce worth thanks; that you may  know by this, how far I would,  if occasion served,  enforce, enforce myself for your sake.   

       32. AREU. __ Pues Dios te dé buena manderecha   y a él te encomiendo, que nos vamos.   

    AREUSA.  Mars direct the hand aright.  And so farewell, for it is time for us to be gone.       

       33. CENT. __ El te guíe y te dé más paciencia con los tuyos.     Allá yrán estas putas atestadas de razones.   agora quiero pensar cómo me escusaré de lo prometido,   de manera que piensen que puse diligencia con ánimo de executar lo dicho   y no negligencia, por no me poner en peligro.   Quiérome hazer doliente; pero, ¿  qué aprouecha?   Que no se apartarán de la demanda, quando sane.    

    CENTURIO.  Well, adieu.  Go your ways, like a couple of headstrong and pertinacious whores as you be.  Now will I bethink myself, how I  may excuse myself of my promise; and in such sort too,  that they may be persuaded, that I used all possible diligence for to execute their desire, and that it was  not of negligence  for the freezing of myself from  danger.  I will feign myself sick:  but what will that profit me?  For then they will be at me again when I am well.         

  Pues si digo que fui allá   y que les hize huyr,   pedirme han señas de quién eran   y quántos yuan y en qué lugar los tomé   y qué vestidos lleuauan;   yo no las sabré dar.   ¡  Helo todo perdido¡   Pues  ¿  qué consejo tomaré,   que cumpla con mi seguridad y su demanda?   quiero embiar a llamar a Traso, el coxo, y a sus dos compañeros   y dezirles que, porque yo estoy ocupado esta noche en otro negocio, vaya a dar vn repiquete de broquel a manera de   leuada,  para oxear vnos garçones, que me fue encomendado,   que todo esto es passos seguros   y donde no consiguirán ningún daño,   más de fazerlos huyr y boluerse a dormir.  

Again, if I shall tell them that I have been there, and that I forced them to fly, they will ask me who they were, how many in number, and in what place I buckled with them?  And what apparel they wore?  And by what marks I knew them to be such and such?  And the devil a whit shall I be able to tell them:  and then all the fat is in the fire.  What counsel then shall I take, that may comply with mine own safety and their desire?  I will send for lame Thraso and his companions, and tell them that because this night I shall be otherwise employed, they would go and make a clattering with their swords and bucklers in manner of a fray, for to fear and  affright certain young men,  whom they shall find in  such a place, which service was faithfully  recommended unto me to execute.  This I know is a sure course, and no other hurt can follow thereupon, save to make them fly, and so get them home to bed.