Harlan: Moreto’s (( El desden” 29 
them well but she will not even look at them, her argument 
being as follows : 
Quien mira piensa; 
Quien piensa, admite; Y no hay mujer ninguna 
Que si mira, no admita . 89 
Lisardo, who is really Federico, Prince of Transilvania, has 
decided on the way to disguise himself at the court, and thus 
be in a better position to win Laura in competition with 
Agusto and Alejandro. He has Julio introduce him as a 
Spaniard who, hearing of Laura's fame, wishes to present her 
with some books. She is well impressed with him at first sight, 
causing Julio to be very much astonished when she says of 
Lisardo “que buen talle”. When he reads the names of some 
of the books he brings her, dealing with “excelencias del hom- 
bre”, she tells him that she hates men. She decides that he 
can help her in her library and gives him a room in the palace. 
Otavio, Lisardo’s servant, thinks it pure madness to try to 
overcome a woman with such a hatred of men, and with two 
rivals. Lisardo insists that his position in the palace will give 
him the advantage he needs. 
In the second act, Laura, at her brother’s insistence, prom- 
ises to choose between Agusto and Alejandro, but says they 
must first take part in a tourney, and also write a book in 
praise of women. Alejandro has confided in Lisardo and 
asked his help in winning Laura. He has been to a witch 
who gave him a ribbon which, on touching the forehead of 
Laura, will make her love him (Alejandro). Lisardo tries it 
on Julio. Laura, in a soliloquy, admits that she has fallen 
in love with one beneath her station, but that she will die 
rather than tell it. Diana and Laura talk about falling in love 
and both admit that they have. Laura asks whom Diana loves, 
and when she says “Lisardo”, flies into a rage, saying that 
she said she was in love simply to “verle el alma”, calls her 
“traidora”, and says never to mention her love again. Julio, 
all in favor of Alejandro, announces that the tourney is ar- 
ranged and that Lisardo is to write the book. Lisardo tells 
Laura of a Spanish prince who is secretly in love with her and 
is to take part in the tourney, and he asks her for a favor for 
him, which she gives him in the form of a blue ribbon. She 
takes this opportunity to ask him if he is in love with Diana, 
La vengadora, Act I, scene x, p. 512. 
