Explore "The Wonder-Working Magician" by Pedro Calderon De La Barca on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
CYPRIAN embracing the Figure of JUSTINA, which he carries in his arms.
CYPRIAN. Now, O beautiful Justina, / In this sweet and secret covert, / Where no beam of sun can enter, / Nor the breeze of heaven blow roughly, / Now the trophy of thy beauty / Makes my magic toils triumphant, / For here folding thee, no longer / Have I need to fear disturbance. / Fair Justina, thou hast cost me / Even my soul. But in my judgment, / Since the gain has been so glorious, / Not so dear has been the purchase. / Oh! unveil thyself, fair goddess, / Not in the clouds obscure and murky, / Not in vapours hide the sun, / Show its golden rays refulgent. / [He draws aside the cloak and discovers a skeleton. / But, O woe! what's this I see! / Is it a cold corse, mute, pulseless, / That within its arms expects me? / Who, in one brief moment's compass, / Could upon these faded features, / Pallid, motionless, and shrunken, / Have extinguished the bright beauties / Of the blush rose and the purple?