第4章

“Agloomywood，“accordingtotheoneplaybill，wasrepresentedbyafewshrubsinpots，greenbaizeonthefloor，andacaveinthedistance。Thiscavewasmadewithaclotheshorseforaroof，bureausforwalls，andinitwasasmallfurnaceinfullblast，withablackpotonitandanoldwitchbendingoverit。Thestagewasdarkandtheglowofthefurnacehadafineeffect，especiallyasrealsteamissuedfromthekettlewhenthewitchtookoffthecover。Amomentwasallowedforthefirstthrilltosubside，thenHugo，thevillain，stalkedinwithaclankingswordathisside，aslouchinghat，blackbeard，mysteriouscloak，andtheboots。Afterpacingtoandfroinmuchagitation，hestruckhisforehead，andburstoutinawildstrain，singingofhishatredtoRoderigo，hisloveforZara，andhispleasingresolutiontokilltheoneandwintheother。

ThegrufftonesofHugo’svoice，withanoccasionalshoutwhenhisfeelingsovercamehim，wereveryimpressive，andtheaudienceapplaudedthemomenthepausedforbreath。bowingwiththeairofoneaccustomedtopublicpraise，hestoletothecavernandorderedHagartocomeforthwithacommanding，“Whatho，minion!

Ineedthee!“

OutcameMeg，withgrayhorsehairhangingaboutherface，aredandblackrobe，astaff，andcabalisticsignsuponhercloak。HugodemandedapotiontomakeZaraadorehim，andonedestroyRoderigo。Hagar，inafinedramaticmelody，promisedboth，andproceededtocallupthespiritwhowouldbringthelovephilter。

Hither，hither，fromthyhome，Airysprite，Ibidtheecome!

Bornofroses，fedondew，Charmsandpotionscanstthoubrew？

Bringmehere，withelfinspeed，ThefragrantphilterwhichIneed。

Makeitsweetandswiftandstrong，Spirit，answernowmysong!

Asoftstrainofmusicsounded，andthenatthebackofthecaveappearedalittlefigureincloudywhite，withglitteringwings，goldenhair，andagarlandofrosesonitshead。Wavingawand，itsang……

HitherIcome，Frommyairyhome，Afarinthesilvermoon。

Takethemagicspell，Anduseitwell，Oritspowerwillvanishsoon!

Anddroppingasmall，gildedbottleatthewitch’sfeet，thespiritvanished。AnotherchantfromHagarproducedanotherapparition，notalovelyone，forwithabanganuglyblackimpappearedand，havingcroakedareply，tossedadarkbottleatHugoanddisappearedwithamockinglaugh。Havingwarbledhisthanksandputthepotionsinhisboots，Hugodeparted，andHagarinformedtheaudiencethatashehadkilledafewofherfriendsintimespast，shehadcursedhim，andintendstothwarthisplans，andberevengedonhim。

Thenthecurtainfell，andtheaudiencereposedandatecandywhilediscussingthemeritsoftheplay。

Agooddealofhammeringwentonbeforethecurtainroseagain，butwhenitbecameevidentwhatamasterpieceofstagecarpenteryhadbeengotup，noonemurmuredatthedelay。Itwastrulysuperb。

Atowerrosetotheceiling，halfwayupappearedawindowwithalampburninginit，andbehindthewhitecurtainappearedZarainalovelyblueandsilverdress，waitingforRoderigo。Hecameingorgeousarray，withplumedcap，redcloak，chestnutlovelocks，aguitar，andtheboots，ofcourse。Kneelingatthefootofthetower，hesangaserenadeinmeltingtones。Zararepliedand，afteramusicaldialogue，consentedtofly。Thencamethegrandeffectoftheplay。Roderigoproducedaropeladder，withfivestepstoit，threwuponeend，andinvitedZaratodescend。Timidlyshecreptfromherlattice，putherhandonRoderigo’sshoulder，andwasabouttoleapgracfullydownwhen“Alas!AlasforZara!“sheforgothertrain。Itcaughtinthewindow，thetowertottered，leanedforward，fellwithacrash，andburiedtheunhappyloversintheruins。

Auniversalshriekaroseastherussetbootswavedwildlyfromthewreckandagoldenheademerged，exclaiming，“Itoldyouso!Itoldyouso!“Withwonderfulpresenceofmind，DonPedro，thecruelsire，rushedin，draggedouthisdaughter，withahastyaside……

“Don’tlaugh!Actasifitwasallright!“and，orderingRoderigoup，banishedhimformthekingdomwithwrathandscorn。

Thoughdecidedlyshakenbythefallfromthetoweruponhim，Roderigodefiedtheoldgentlemanandrefusedtostir。ThisdauntlessexamplefiredZara。Shealsodefiedhersire，andheorderedthembothtothedeepestdungeonsofthecastle。Astoutlittleretainercameinwithchainsandledthemaway，lookingverymuchfrightenedandevidentlyforgettingthespeechheoughttohavemade。

Actthirdwasthecastlehall，andhereHagarappeared，havingcometofreetheloversandfinishHugo。Shehearshimcomingandhides，seeshimputthepotionsintotwocupsofwineandbidthethetimidlittleservant，“Bearthemtothecaptivesintheircells，andtellthemIshallcomeanon。“TheservanttakesHugoasidetotellhimsomething，andHagarchangesthecupsfortwootherswhichareharmless。Ferdinando，the`minion’，carriesthemaway，andHagarputsbackthecupwhichholdsthepoisonmeantforRoderigo。

Hugo，gettingthirstyafteralongwarble，drinksit，loseshiswits，andafteragooddealofclutchingandstamping，fallsflatanddies，whileHagarinformshimwhatshehasdoneinasongofexquisitepowerandmelody。

Thiswasatrulythrillingscene，thoughsomepersonsmighthavethoughtthatthesuddentumblingdownofaquantityoflongredhairrathermarredtheeffectofthevillain’sdeath。Hewascalledbeforethecurtain，andwithgreatproprietyappeared，leadingHagar，whosesingingwasconsideredmorewonderfulthanalltherestoftheperformanceputtogether。

ActfourthdisplayedthedespairingRoderigoonthepointofstabbinghimselfbecausehehasbeentoldthatZarahasdesertedhim。

Justasthedaggerisathisheart，alovelysongissungunderhiswindow，informinghimthatZaraistruebutindanger，andhecansaveherifhewill。Akeyisthrownin，whichunlocksthedoor，andinaspasmofrapturehetearsoffhischainsandrushesawaytofindandrescuehisladylove。

ActfifthopenedwithastormyscenebetweenZaraandDonPedro。

Hewisheshertogointoaconvent，butshewon’thearofit，andafteratouchingappeal，isabouttofaintwhenRoderigodashesinanddemandsherhand。DonPedrorefuses，becauseheisnotrich。

Theyshoutandgesticulatetremendouslybutcannotagree，andRodrigoisabouttobearawaytheexhaustedZara，whenthetimidservantenterswithaletterandabagfromHagar，whohasmysteriouslydisappeared。ThelatterinformsthepartythatshebequethsuntoldwealthtotheyoungpairandanawfuldoomtoDonPedro，ifhedoesn’tmakethemhappy。Thebagisopened，andseveralquartsoftinmoneyshowerdownuponthestagetillitisquiteglorifiedwiththeglitter。Thisentirelysoftensthesternsire。Heconsentswithoutamurmur，alljoininajoyfulchorus，andthecurtainfallsupontheloverskneelingtoreceiveDonPedro’sblessinginattitudesofthemostromanticgrace。

Tumultuousapplausefollowedbutreceivedanunexpectedcheck，forthecotbed，onwhichthedresscirclewasbuilt，suddenlyshutupandextinguishedtheenthusiasticaudience。RoderigoandDonPedroflewtotherescue，andallweretakenoutunhurt，thoughmanywerespeechlesswithlaughter。theexcitementhadhardlysubsidedwhenHannahappeared，with“Mrs。March’scompliments，andwouldtheladieswalkdowntosupper。“

Thiswasasurpriseeventotheactors，andwhentheysawthetable，theylookedatoneanotherinrapturousamazement。ItwaslikeMarmeetogetupalittletreatforthem，butanythingsofineasthiswasunheardofsincethedeparteddaysofplenty。Therewasicecream，actuallytwodishesofit，pinkandwhite，andcakeandfruitanddistractingfrenchbonbonsand，inthemiddleofthetable，fourgreatbouquetsofhothouseflowers。

Itquitetooktheirbreathaway，andtheystaredfirstatthetableandthenattheirmother，wholookedasifsheenjoyeditimmensely。

“Isitfairies？“askedAmy。

“SantaClaus，“saidBeth。

“Motherdidit。“AndMegsmiledhersweetest，inspiteofhergraybeardandwhiteeyebrows。

“AuntMarchhadagoodfitandsentthesupper，“criedJo，withasuddeninspiration。

“Allwrong。OldMr。Laurencesentit，“repliedMrs。March。

“TheLaurenceboy’sgrandfather!Whatintheworldputsuchathingintohishead？Wedon’tknowhim!’exclaimedMeg。

“Hannahtoldoneofhisservantsaboutyourbreakfastparty。

Heisanoddoldgentleman，butthatpleasedhim。Heknewmyfatheryearsago，andhesentmeapolitenotethisafternoon，sayinghehopedIwouldallowhimtoexpresshisfriendlyfeelingtowardmychildrenbysendingthemafewtriflesinhonoroftheday。I

couldnotrefuse，andsoyouhavealittlefeastatnighttomakeupforthebread-and-milkbreakfast。“

“Thatboy；putitintohishead，Iknowhedid!He’sacapitalfellow，andIwishwecouldgetacquainted。Helooksasifhe’dliketoknowusbuthe’sbashful，andMegissoprimshewon’tletmespeaktohimwhenwepass，“saidJo，astheplateswentround，andtheicebegantomeltoutofsight，withohsandahsofsatisfaction。

“Youmeanthepeoplewholiveinthebighousenextdoor，don’tyou？“askedoneofthegirls。“MymotherknowsoldMr。Laurence，butsayshe’sveryproudanddoesn’tliketomixwithhisneighbors。

Hekeepshisgrandsonshutup，whenheisn’tridingorwalkingwithhistutor，andmakeshimstudyveryhard。Weinvitedhimtoourparty，buthedidn’tcome。Mothersayshe’sverynice，thoughheneverspeakstousgirls。“

“Ourcatranawayonce，andhebroughtherback，andwetalkedoverthefence，andweregettingoncapitally，allaboutcricket，andsoon，whenhesawMegcoming，andwalkedoff。I

meantoknowhimsomeday，forheneedsfun，I’msurehedoes，“

saidJodecidedly。

“Ilikehismanners，andhelookslikealittlegentleman，soI’venoobjectiontoyourknowinghim，ifaproperopportunitycomes。

Hebroughttheflowershimself，andIshouldhaveaskedhimin，ifIhadbeensurewhatwasgoingonupstairs。Helookedsowistfulashewentaway，hearingthefrolicandevidentlyhavingnoneofhisown。“

“It’samercyyoudidn’t，Mother!“laughedJo，lookingatherboots。“Butwe’llhaveanotherplaysometimethathecansee。Perhapshe’llhelpact。Wouldn’tthatbejolly？“

“Ineverhadsuchafinebouquetbefore!Howprettyitis!“

AndMegexaminedherflowerswithgreatinterest。

“Theyarelovely。ButBeth’srosesaresweetertome，“saidMrs。March，smellingthehalf-deadposyinherbelt。

Bethnestleduptoher，andwhisperedsoftly，“IwishI

couldsendmybunchtoFather。I’mafraidheisn’thavingsuchamerryChristmasasweare。“