Harlan: Moreto’s “El desden” 
47 
mediately begins to think up a ruse which she carries out by 
appearing at court as Enrique, a love-sick Frenchman, deliv- 
ering a letter as from Clavela, expressing the latter’s regret 
at having to return home. Aurora’s suitors, Carlos and As- 
tolfo, are jealous of Fadriq lie’s return to favor, and the latter, 
appointed by Aurora to be Enrique’s (Clavela’s) companion, 
prevents Astolfo from stabbing Aurora in her sleep. The dag- 
ger is left in his hand and Aurora thinks he has intended to 
kill her, and since it is a second offense, she decides to send 
him off to Rome, altho reluctantly. Enrique (Clavela) has 
told Fadrique of having seen his picture and being very much 
attracted to him. 
In the second act, Aurora is prevailed upon by Carlos, En- 
rique, and Astolfo — the latter to avert suspicion — to pardon 
Fadrique, which she does. Enrique (Clavela) tells Fadrique 
that Aurora loves him, Enrique, to the extent of having given 
herself to him. Carlos interrupts as they are about to resort 
to swords. When Aurora hears Fadrique sing a love-song, 
her curiosity to know whom he loves makes her say that she, 
too, is in love and will show him the object of her affections. 
Just as she draws a curtain, behind which is a mirror, Clavela, 
dressed as a woman and heavily veiled, appears and proves 
very attractive to Fadrique. In her jealousy, not knowing who 
Clavela is, she sends her into Enrique’s room to wait until she 
is thru upbraiding Fadrique, and by this time Clavela is at- 
tired as Enrique. The act ends with Aurora’s ordering a 
thoro search of the premises for “la mujer”. 
The third act still finds Aurora disdainful of Carlos and 
lamenting her unrequited love for Fadrique. Clavela, as En- 
rique, exhorts Carlos to show more determination in his suit 
and unwillingness to accept defeat. A meeting is arranged 
for Carlos with Aurora that evening. Fadrique fails to un- 
derstand the advice given Carlos by Enrique in the light of 
what he has told him about Aurora and himself. Clavela, as 
the veiled woman, sends a note to Fadrique to meet her that 
night. Redondo, the servant, is supposed to be on guard out- 
side the door where the interview is taking place. He falls 
asleep, but walks about in his sleep and puts out the lights, 
so that when Aurora appears, she stumbles over Redondo, 
who in his fright pretends first to be Leonor, Aurora’s friend, 
and then to be Fadrique, and Aurora declares her love for him. 
