Summary The Valencian Widow
Lope de Vega
Valencia’s widow,
Leonard, a young widow, is faithful to the memory of her deceased husband. She spends whole days praying and reading pious books, not admitting to herself any of the admirers and seekers of her hand. There are a lot of them: the beauty of Leonard is famous throughout Valencia no less than its inaccessibility and arrogance. The young woman’s relative, Lucencio, makes an effort to persuade Leonard to marry again, especially since there are no shortcomings in worthy suitors. But she refuses indignantly. Do not convince her and the arguments of Lucenscio, who argues that, even if Leonard decided to dedicate the rest of her husband’s memory life, people would never believe it and begin to say that the widow distinguishes one of her servants with her favor.
Among the most loyal and persistent admirers of the widow are three – Ogon, Valerio and Lisandro, each of whom is noble, rich and handsome. They are not looking
Urban goes to perform a delicate mission. At first, Camilo discouraged by the mystery and strongly doubts whether to accept such an invitation. But Urban manages to convince the young man that, despite the darkness – and it goes without saying that the meeting will take place in complete darkness, – the sound of the voice of a mysterious stranger, the touch of her hand will help Camilo to understand how beautiful the lady is whose rest he embarrassed. Camilo surrenders before the onslaught and arguments of Urban and promises to come at the appointed time to the Royal Bridge.
In the meantime, Leonard and Martha are preparing for the night’s meeting, carefully curtaining all the windows with heavy curtains, decorating the room with velvet and carpets. Leonard worries a lot: will Camilo change his mind at the last minute, because such a handsome husband should be spoiled by a woman’s love, and besides, it may seem humiliating that he is led on a date secretly, like a thief. But at the appointed time, Camilo comes to the Royal Bridge, where Urban is already waiting for him. Wearing a hood on the young man, the servant leads him, like a blind man, to his mistress’s house. On the way they meet Ogon, seeking the favor of a beautiful widow, but Urban is resourceful and gives Camilo for a drunk, who should lead as a child by the hand.
Once in Leonard’s room, Camilo implores a stranger to light a light; she at first relentless, but then surrenders to the refinement of the speeches of Camilo and orders to bring fire – here the night visitor with amazement discovers that all present – Leonard, Marta, Urban – in masks. But now he can appreciate the grace of the figure of Leonard, the splendor of her attire, the exquisiteness of the decoration of the room. Explaining that she is a woman of a “very special warehouse,” Leonard pleads with his guest to accept her rules of the game – knowing it closer, she will not be so secretive. But if the refinement of the manners of Camilo, the elegance of his speeches produce a great impression on Leonardo, then Urbanu strongly dislikes this person for the same reason: a young man seems servant too feminine and refined. Since Camilo does not know the name of his beautiful lady, he comes up with her, and at the same time and all present names. So Leonard becomes Diana, Marta – Irid, and Urban – Mercury. In such conversations, time flies by unnoticed, it begins to dawn, and, putting on a visitor’s hood, Urban escorts him to the Royal Bridge.
That same night, at the door of the beautiful widow, Oton, Valerio and Lisandro, cloaked in raincoats, again face. All of them are gnawed by the same thought: if Leonard is so unapproachable, then there must be some explanation, and, no doubt, if the widow is not seen in amorous adventures, then she hides her lover in her house. Young people decide that such a lover can only be Urban, and make the decision to lie in wait and kill.
Time passes; The meetings Camilo and Leonards continue. The woman still hides his real name from him, but despite this, despite the fact that all meetings are held in the twilight, Camilo falls passionately in love with this woman. He tells about this on the outing for his servant Floro. Here, not far away, the stroller from which Leonard comes down stops. She is accompanied by faithful Marta. Camilo and Floro appreciate the beauty of the widow; Camilo lavishes Leonardo’s compliments, but admits to her that she is passionately in love with a woman whose faces she has never seen, and resolutely rejects even Leonard’s suggestion that he might forget his love for someone else. When Leonard leaves, Floro rebukes his master, that he remained indifferent to the charms of a woman, but Camilo quite disparagingly responds to the beauty of Leonard. At this moment Urban runs in, pursued by Valerio, Ogon and Lisandro. Camilo intercedes for him and saves the servant Leonard, not suspecting that this is his every evening escort.
Before Camilo met Leonard, he was in love with Selia, who can not survive infidelity and continues to pursue the boy with his love. She lies in wait for him on the street and, showering with reproaches in ingratitude, begs to return to her. Camilo tries to get rid of the annoying woman, but then Leonardo and Martha are shown in the distance. Observing this scene, the meaning of which is understandable even without words, the widow experiences the searing torments of jealousy. She finds an opportunity to talk to a young man when he is alone, but he, wanting to get rid of her, begins to squander her compliments and even says she is ready for her to forget her Diana, whose face he did not even see. Leonard is shocked by the betrayal of Camilo and decides to break with him this night.
Meanwhile, Lucencio, who feels responsible for the fate of Leonard, although her stubborn refusal to remarry and appears to him as a hypocrite, leaves no hope of finding a groom for a young widow. He receives a letter from Madrid from his friend, in which he reports that he found a husband for Leonard, painting the possible challenger with the most iridescent colors. This letter brings Valencia Rosano, who is instructed to make every effort to persuade Leonard to agree. Together they go to Leonard, whom they find extremely enraged by the behavior of Camilo. And in this condition, the young widow almost immediately agrees to give her hand and heart to the Madrid groom: she wants to leave Valencia in order to forget the unfaithful Camilo. The delighted Rosano, leaving Luczenyo, who is hesitant, leaves the house, to quickly report this news to Madrid, and collides with Ogon, Valerio and Lisandro, waiting for Urbana. If in the morning the protection of Camilo saved, now the fans are determined to get rid of someone they consider to be their happy rival. Having adopted Rosano for Urban, they seriously wound a young man.
And alive and unharmed, Urban, sent to the Royal Bridge, returns to Leonard with the bad news: on the way, they met with Camilo alguasila, who were forced to give their names. Leonard, realizing that now, recognizing the servant, Camilo easily finds out and his mistress, orders Urban to pretend that he has been serving with her cousin for a year. She resolutely rejects the timid objections of the servant that in this way they will cast a shadow on another woman – when it comes to her honor, Leonard will stop at nothing.
The next morning Camilo and Floro are met in the church of Urbana, who accompanies the old and ugly cousin of Leonard. He can not believe his eyes and is shocked that he was so deceived. In passion, Camilo immediately writes a letter, where he refuses his beloved, mockingly reproaching that she misled him, using the semi-darkness. Needless to say, Urban sends this letter to Leonard.
Angry with the ease with which Camilo confused her with his cousin, the widow makes Martha change into a man’s dress and bring her to Camilo. He, after the message of Leonard, in which she reproaches him for gullibility, agrees for another meeting. But now Camilo decides to be smarter and orders Floro to prepare a lantern with a candle lit inside. Once at Leonard, he lights the room – and finds out in his lady’s heart the widow with whom he spoke recently. Ausensjo comes to the noise, who came to share his anxiety about the health of Rosano, and so at such a late hour is in the house. He snatches the sword, but Leonardo admits that he has long loved Camilo and decided to tie his fate with him. The delighted Lucenscio immediately announces the news to the people who ran to Urban’s cries,
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