El Capitan, Act I: “Not again!”

[PRINCESS, spoken]
Not again! The Peruvian peasants have arisen again?

[ISABEL, spoken]
Alas, it's true, Mama. 

[PRINCESS, spoken]
We told your father he ought to show his face occasionally. His refusal to make public appearances is nothing but political ineptitude. 

[VERRADA, spoken]
I too warned Don Medigua, Princess. He has denied himself to his public. 

[PRINCESS, spoken]
It's all that Señor Pozzo's fault! Why, yesterday, we had to ask Pozzo's permission to see our own husband. Villain! Pozzo is to blame for everything—the discontent of the natives, the state of the budget, even the insurrеction. What will the King of Spain say?

[POZZO enters noisily with SCARAMBA and NEVADO.]

[POZZO, spoken]
Madame, thesе gentlemen insist on an audience with Don Medigua. 

[PRINCESS, spoken]
Ha!

[POZZO, spoken, aside]
How beautiful the Princess is, how majestic!

[PRINCESS, spoken]
Pozzo, who are these creatures?

[NEVADO, spoken]
Dear Madame, we come from our leader Don Cazarro, the rightful Viceroy, with a message demanding the resignation of Don Medigua as viceroy. 

[PRINCESS, spoken]
Well. 

[SCARAMBA, spoken]
Nevado, you are too soft. El Capitan won't be so gentle when he arrives. 

[PRINCESS, spoken]
El Capitan? Pozzo, tell our husband that these creatures crave an audience. 

[SCARAMBA, spoken]
Ha! If El Capitan were here, the whole place would have been blown up long ago!

[PRINCESS, spoken]
Pozzo, hurry! We order you. 

[POZZO, spoken, aside]
Oh, how lovely she is when she's angry. 

[ISABEL, spoken]
Mama, who is that man of whom they speak?

[PRINCESS, spoken]
Every heart thuds, every hand trembles in terror at the name: El Capitan, hero of the Barcelona Massacre, a man so bloodthirsty, he deals in slaughter... wholesale!

[ISABEL, spoken]
Oh, why did we ever leave Madrid? And this is the man who would fight Papa?

[PRINCESS, spoken]
He has already landed, rumor has it. 

[POZZO, spoken]
Gentlemen, the Viceroy begs you to excuse him and accept me in his place. Now, if you'll just hand me your petition, I'll—

[SCARAMBA, spoken]
We want him!

[PRINCESS, spoken]
But you're getting him! Pozzo, dispose of them. 

[POZZO, spoken]
Princess, I'd gladly die for you, but Don Medigua has instructed me to avoid violence. 

[SCARAMBA, spoken]
Violence? I'll show you violence!

[NEVADO, spoken]
Scaramba! Let us inform Don Cazarro that we've been defied. 

[POZZO, spoken]
No, no, no... not defied. "Referred to a committee."

[SCARAMBA, spoken]
A committee?

[POZZO, spoken, aside]
The military have deserted us, Princess. We are powerless. 

[PRINCESS, spoken]
Coward! You... "gentlemen..." tell Don Cazarro that he will be our prisoner before sunset!

[SCARAMBA, spoken]
Ha ha! Excuse us if we don't stay for dinner. We will leave you to El Capitan, who will make a mouthful of you. 

[POZZO, spoken, aside]
Your Excellency... Psst... Don Medigua! The coast is clear!