The Temptress
1
"Oh, Woman! Thou art not
alone the creation of God -
but of Man!"
---Tagore
2
"Spring - and the nights
of Paris,
Throb with love and
desire."
3
"I want your answer -
now!"
4
"Fontenoy, won't you
understand - - I do
not love you - I never
shall."
5
"Mademoiselle - will you
think me too bold - if
I ask to see your face?"
6
"You are - beautiful!"
7
"How strange - and how
wonderful - this meeting!
It can't be just accident -
chance - -"
8
"I must have you alone -
I have so much to say
to you. I've waited so
long - just for you -"
9
"You should make
a wish - -"
10
"All my life, I've been
wishing to meet such
a woman as you - on
such a night as this!"
11
"Why - there are - tears
in your eyes - -"
12
"They are - tears of
happiness - my first
happiness - - !"
13
"Tell me you are free
to love me."
14
"There is a strange fear
in my heart - of losing
you. Won't you tell me
your name - - ?"
15
"Let us keep for an
hour the glamour of
romance. I tell you
this - I belong to no
one else."
16
"When - and where -
am I to see you again?"
17
"Here - in this garden -
tomorrow night - and
every night for so long
as you may love me."
18
"Remember this of me -
there were tears in my
eyes when I said - -
'I love you!'"
19
In a very smart quarter
of Paris was the town
residence of Monsieur le
Marquis de Torre Bianca -
20
"What brings you back
to Paris - - after so
many years in the wild
Argentine?"
21
"Business - - of course.
And to see my old
friends."
22
"And has the Argentine
made you rich?"
23
"But you're the fellow
that's rich, I see."
24
"A few trifles! I can afford
but one luxury - -"
25
"- - a beautiful wife."
26
"Is she not beautiful?"
27
"Yes - she is beautiful."
28
"Last night you made me
sacred vows of love -
you swore you belonged
to no other man - - !"
29
"If I lied - it was because
I love you - -"
30
"Love - - what can you
know of love?"
31
"I told you I loved you -
I have never said that
to any other man! I'll
go away with you
now - any where - - !"
32
"If that is the code of
your world, I am afraid
I do not understand it."
33
"Fontenoy has taken it
into his head to give a
dinner in your honor,
Elena."
34
"And you are invited,
too, Robledo."
35
"Fontenoy is the great
banker - - and a dear
friend of Elena's and
mine."
36
"My friends, you are my
guests for the last time - -
the morning papers will an-
nounce the ruin of Fontenoy,
the banker."
37
"Back of every man's
failure, there is a
woman. I lift my glass
to the lady - who has
honored me!"
38
"To the Temptress - who
asks for nothing - but
takes all a man can
give - and more!"
39
"We were discreet, my
friends - - we let the
world think her husband
gave her these jewels!"
40
"But tonight I leave her
another jewel - a name
which men will not
forget - - till we meet
in hell!"
41
"Mon Dieu, how I suffer!
I closed my eyes to your
intrigue - I wanted you
to have the luxuries he
could give - -"
42
"But I never thought you
would disgrace my name!"
43
"Now who will pay our
bills - my debts of honor?"
44
"These jewels will more
than pay your - 'debts
of honor' - -"
45
"You're not going to
leave me - - after all
I've done for you - ?"
46
"May God forgive you -
for all you have done
for me."
47
"Now, see what you've
done - I'm late for my
tailor."
48
"It is my friend Robledo -
I am ashamed to face
him."
49
"I am sorry for you -"
50
"- and for you, too,
Madame."
51
"Is there anything I can
do for you? I am going
away today."
52
"And - are you never
coming back to Paris?"
53
"Would you - - could
you - leave me like
this?"
54
"Right or wrong - -
I love you."
55
"What you call love
is ended!"
56
"It has only begun -
you may leave me -
but I will not leave
you - -"
57
"I am a woman pleading
for her life - pride does
not matter - -"
58
"Robledo!"
59
"You have forgotten
something - -"
60
"- - you love me."
61
The Argentine! Far from
the artificial life of the
old world - land of Men -
and the work of Men! -
The Argentine!
62
"Where they make songs for everything -
Ay - Ay - Ay -
Songs for loving and songs for hating! -
Ay - Ay - Ay - THE ARGENTINE!"
63
Songs for the work which must be done!
Ay - Ay - Ay! -
Songs for the desert which must be won,
Ay - Ay - Ay! -
64
"Robledo is coming!"
65
"Robledo is coming!"
66
"ROBLEDO IS COMING!!"
67
"Robledo is coming!"
68
"Canterac - old friend!"
69
"Pirovani - it is good
to see you!"
70
"And you, too, my good
Timoteo."
71
"You come with God,
friend Rojas!"
72
"God has kept you fair
as ever, Se�orita Celinda!"
73
"Canterac - I saw your
wife in France. She
gave me this for you."
74
"A message for you,
Pirovani, from the
little girl in Italy."
75
Men's work! - - to the
martial music of
hammer blows - - the
shriek of steam whistles -
Work that would reclaim
the wasteland - - Men's
work! - -
76
"He is coming!"
77
"You sent for me, Se�or
Engineer? You honor
me by remembering me."
78
"Manos Duras has an
unpleasant way of
reminding us of his
existence!"
79
"Manos Duras, we are
giving our lives to this
great work - - and no
man is big enough to
stop it!"
80
"Bravo, Se�or!"
81
"Many horses are missing
from our ranches - -
many of our men have
been enticed from honest
work to join you!"
82
"But, Se�or, your men
are all over twenty-one."
83
"True - but our horses
are more youthful."
84
"Does the Se�or suggest
that I become a nurse
for his horses?"
85
"I suggest that you take
your men and get out
of this country at
once - or there will be
bloodshed."
86
"Whose blood, Se�or?"
87
"Not mine, Manos Duras -
do you understand?"
88
"Se�or is so expressive -
in words!"
89
"God be with you,
Se�or - till we meet
again!"
90
"The Devil will be with
me, Manos Duras -
when we meet again!"
91
Men's work! - and the
memory of Paris -
the Temptress - grew
fainter each day - -
92
"And where may one
find Se�or Robledo -
the Engineer?"
93
"My friend - you have
come to begin over!"
94
"This is not a country
for European women!
Why did you bring
your wife?"
95
"She wanted to come -
and her jewels paid
the way."
96
"Have you no welcome -
for me?"
97
"Don't they call this -
'the land of the second
chance' - - ?"
98
"My housekeeper will
find a room for you.
But Madame will see
this is not Paris."
99
"Elena wanted to save
some of her pretty things
from the wreck."
100
"The Se�ora will soon
be down - - she is
undressing."
101
"Madame, this is a
country of work and
hardship. We do not
dress for dinner here!"
102
"I shall always dress
for dinner!"
103
"Have some onions -
they'll make you fat!"
104
"To Paris! - which has
given us such a woman
as Madame la Marquise!"
105
"To the Argentine! -
whose lovers are - -
faithful!"
106
"Ah, the night was made
for love
Ay, Ay, Ay!
And so was a lady fair
Ay, Ay, Ay!"
107
"Mat�? What is Mat�?
Well, I've tried everything
else and I'm still here."
108
"Appear at the window,
Ay, Ay, Ay!
Dove of my soul!
Ay, Ay, Ay!"
109
"Manos Duras, I told you
we didn't want you here!
Your singing hasn't
made me change my
mind."
110
"You are cruel, Se�or.
How can I leave until
the beautiful lady
rewards me with her
smile?"
111
"The lady doesn't want
to hear you - - nor to
see you!"
112
"You are mistaken, Se�or.
From yonder window
she looks and listens."
113
"I have the advantage,
Se�or. I defy you to
make music - - I defy
you to stop it!
114
"So you are the bold
Manos Duras - whom
men fear? I do not
fear you - - Manos
Duras."
115
"I have been misunder-
stood, beautiful lady.
But there is nothing I
would not do - for you."
116
"Your protectors are well
armed - - my brave
Manos Duras."
117
"My caballeros are gentle
as lambs, Se�or - they
would not harm a fly -"
118
"- but I am less tender,
and I would prove it to
you! When would it
please you?"
119
"Here and now! Guns
or knives?"
120
"Neither, Se�or. We will
fight - - 'Argentine'."
121
"You don't know the
'Argentine', Robledo -
he is master of it!"
122
"Mio Dio! He will cut
your eyes out. It is
his way!"
123
"The first man who
steps outside the circle
is beaten!"
124
"You try to hate me,
Robledo - but - you
fought for me!"
125
"For you! I didn't fight
for you - I fought for
the mastery here!"
126
Work of men - death of
men - friendship of
men - and a woman! -
127
"Ride like the devil!
And remember - the
best perfumes you
can buy!"
128
"Perfume - - the fool!
That won't hold her
here - I shall give her
a glorious fiesta."
129
"My friends, we've
fought and sweated
together - - to finish
this work - -"
130
"- we're making history -
and we can't let any-
one - man or woman -
stop us!"
131
"Pirovani - there's a little
girl in Italy - - longing
for you."
132
"And your wife, Canterac -
are you going to fail her?"
133
"God makes men - and
woman makes fools!"
134
"Busy?"
135
"Happy?"
136
"You have not been
happy since - - she
came."
137
"And I have not been
happy - - since she
came - -"
138
"- - and she has not
been happy - -"
139
"You wanted to see
me - Robledo?"
140
"This is no place for you,
Elena. Your world is
Paris - - you must go
back there."
141
"You - want me -
to go?"
142
"The men are neglecting
their work for you."
143
"I've arranged your
passage on the next
boat."
144
"Must I - - go alone?"
145
"Robledo - why don't
you come with me?"
146
"Once you told me you
loved me."
147
"Then - - not now."
148
"Are these not the same
hands you kissed in
Paris - - ?"
149
"- - are these not the
same lips?"
150
Men from the dam to
make a fiesta for
the Marquise! - Men -
Men - - what are men
for - - if not to amuse
a woman!
151
"Why are only half the
men here? I gave orders
for every man to be at
his post tonight!"
152
"Canterac has taken the
men to make a fiesta
for the foreign Se�ora."
153
"But Pirovani - -
Timoteo - have they
gone mad, too?"
154
"You mustn't go away
tomorrow - give me a
chance to prove how
much you mean to me."
155
"Elena - I love you -
I want you! I'd give my
life for one kiss from you."
156
"Do you think you can
buy the love of such a
woman - you swine?"
157
"I have killed my friend."
158
"See what you've done,
you fool! Get away
while you can!"
159
"May I say goodbye -
to - to her?"
160
"In hell - would you
offer prayers to the
devil?"
161
"Tonight a man killed
his friend - - another
life upon your soul!"
162
"Why upon my soul?
What have I done?"
163
"Your husband met his
death - because of you!"
164
"Because of me, perhaps -
but not through any
fault of mine!"
165
"You let Fontenoy ruin
himself for you! You
sent him to his
damnation!"
166
"My husband - - sold
me - - to Fontenoy."
167
"Men have died for
you - forsaken work
and honor - for you!"
168
"Not for me - but for
my body! Not for
my happiness, but
for theirs!"
169
"But there is one thing
about me that is a part
of God - -"
170
"- my love - for you."
171
"You lie - damn you -
you lie! You have
destroyed others - -
but you shall not
destroy me!"
172
"If we can build a barricade
to turn the water from
washing over the broken
portion - we can still save
most of the dam!"
173
An endless - - gruelling
night - straining muscles -
breaking backs - weariness -
despair - rebellion -
174
"I'll shoot the first man
who deserts his work!"
175
"Save yourselves - the
floods - - the floods!"
176
"Kneel, my children, and
thank God for saving
the life of our brave
Robledo."
177
"God - if there is a
God - this woman
shall destroy no one
else!"
178
"I hate you - I want
to kill you! But - -
I can't!"
179
"You've beaten me -
Elena."
180
"I am yours - do what
you will with me. I'll
go away with you to-
morrow - anything -"
181
"You can't give up your
work. I won't let you
be beaten - - even by
me! I love you - -
too much."
182
"I haven't strength to
begin over. Nothing
counts for me now -
but you."
183
"Dear God - why can't
You give me back the
past - - to do better
with - - ?"
184
"Thou that takest away
the sins of the world -
have mercy on me!"
185
Woman - born to rule
the world!
186
It was six years before
Robledo left the Argen-
tine again - this time
his work would stand -
187
Paris - the Temptress -
that never loses her
lovers - -
188
"They are waiting to
see Robledo - the great
Argentine engineer,
and his fianc�e."
189
"Go on - - I'll follow
later."
190
"Elena!"
191
"Elena - - don't you
know me?"
192
"Elena - you couldn't
have - forgotten?"
193
"I meet so many men."
194
"Elena - Elena - you
must remember! Our
first meeting - our
love - the bitterness -
and the joy - ?"
195
"I meet so many men."
196
"Elena - - isn't there
something I can say -
something I can do -"
197
"Buy me a drink."
198
"You may not care now,
Elena - - nor even
remember - but for the
sake of the past, let me
help you."
199
"- in all my useless
life - one thing - -"
200
"- a ruby - You will
understand - - You
died for love -"
201
"Mon Dieu! The ruby
is real!"
The End
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