The Other Girl: A Spanish Comedy of Errors
The Other Girl: A Spanish Comedy of Errors
Act One
Scene I
Don Diego and Simon wait at the inn for Irene and Doña Paquita. Don Diego leaves her room and speaks with Simon. He shares a secret with Simon, who initially misunderstands the plan to marry Don Diego to the sixteen-year-old Doña Paquita. Simon believes the plan involves Don Diego’s nephew, Don Carlos. Don Diego’s true intention is to marry Doña Paquita himself, despite his age (fifty-nine).
Scene II
Doña Paquita arrives with her mother, Doña Irene. Doña Irene bids farewell to her daughter, who is leaving for a convent. Doña Paquita says the nuns loved her, and her aunt mourned her departure.
Scene III
Doña Irene tells Don Diego that his family embraces the news of the marriage. Doña Paquita accepts the marriage, being well-educated and obedient to her mother. Doña Paquita shows some disregard for the discussions.
This conversation leads Doña Irene to discuss her family, and Doña Paquita insists on leaving until her mother gives permission. Doña Paquita farewells with a kiss from her mother and a courtesy to Don Diego.
Scene IV
Don Diego wants Doña Paquita’s opinion on the wedding, but Doña Irene says that would be improper. Doña Irene explains the importance of marrying mature men, recounting her own experiences with two previous marriages and twenty-two sons.
Scene V
Simon announces Don Diego’s arrival. He gives Don Diego his stick and hat as he goes for a walk. Don Diego and Doña Irene will leave the next day at six in the morning.
Scene VI
Doña Irene asks Rita if she fed the cowbird and made the beds. Rita replies that she made her own bed and will do the others. Doña Irene mentions the mail, and Rita explains its delayed arrival.
Scene VII
Calamocha arrives at the inn, complaining about room three being full of bugs. He also mentions problems with the horses.
Scene VIII
Calamocha speaks with Rita. He arrived with his master after receiving a letter that Doña Paquita left Zaragoza for Guadalajara. They learned she had left and rested at the inn. Rita explains that Doña Irene wrote letters arranging her daughter’s marriage. Doña Paquita felt sad and advised Calamocha’s master to wait before agreeing to the marriage. Rita and Doña Irene came to Alcalá to leave the next day.
Calamocha leaves and enters Don Carlos’s room.
Scene IX
Doña Paquita and Rita chat. Doña Paquita cried because she wants to marry Don Diego. Rita asks about Don Felix, a former love. Doña Paquita believes he has moved on. Rita reveals that Don Felix came to comfort her after receiving her letter and is now in Alcalá. She will use this to her advantage.
Rita exits, and Doña Paquita enters Doña Irene’s room.
Act Two
Scene I
Doña Francisca eagerly awaits her lover, stating that despite his youth, she knows what love is.
Scene II
Doña Francisca speaks with her mother, who explains why she should marry Don Diego. Doña Irene complains that her daughter never speaks about the wedding.
Scene III
Rita arrives with candles. Doña Irene asks about the delay, and Rita explains that they had to buy candles. Doña Irene asks for a light in her room and a letter for Simon. Doña Paquita asks if Rita saw Felix, and Doña Irene requests a nightingale.
Scene IV
Doña Irene praises Don Diego, while Doña Paquita shows disregard for his wealth. Doña Irene suggests that Doña Paquita’s time in the convent made her consider becoming a nun. Doña Paquita promises to obey her mother.
Scene V
Don Diego arrives and sits with Doña Irene. He explains his lateness. Don Diego wants Doña Paquita’s opinion, but Doña Irene says her daughter will obey. Don Diego suggests that if his fiancée had another lover, she should say so. Doña Irene is offended. Doña Paquita’s responses are mediated by her mother. Doña Irene tells her daughter she loves her.
Scene VI
Rita tells Doña Francisca that Felix has arrived. Doña Paquita asks what to tell Rita, who says it’s a good question.
Scene VII
Don Carlos arrives, and Doña Francisca asks him to stop the wedding. Doña Paquita asks him to leave for Madrid the next morning and marry her upon arrival. Don Carlos agrees to leave, but Doña Francisca asks him to wait. Don Carlos says nothing will separate them.
Scene VIII
Rita arrives and tells her mother that Doña Paquita is asking for her. Don Carlos says he will be a competitor in the morning and says goodbye to Doña Paquita. Doña Francisca enters her mother’s bedroom.
Scene IX
Calamocha tells Carlos about dinner. Rita enters and offers soup. Calamocha goes to the door and speaks with Don Carlos. He says that if he does not see who comes and tells him that Don Carlos is Simon. Neither knows that Simon is there, and Don Carlos gives Calamocha permission to lie to him.
Scene X
Simon enters. Calamocha and Don Carlos greet Simon and ask about his love. He answers evasively. Simon is about to reveal his purpose.
Scene XI
Don Carlos realizes his uncle, Don Diego, is engaged to Doña Paquita. Don Diego asks his nephew what he is doing there. Don Carlos lies, saying he came to surprise his uncle. Don Diego is suspicious and sends Don Carlos away, instructing Simon to pay for their expenses.
Scene XII
Don Diego gives his nephew money for the trip. He says he will sleep at the inn and leave the next day. He warns him when to return to Zaragoza. Don Carlos kisses his uncle’s hand and leaves.
Scene XIII
Don Diego thinks his nephew behaved well. He hasn’t told his nephew about the marriage for fear of rivalry but is sad because he has great affection for him.
Scene XIV
Doña Francisca and Rita leave Doña Irene’s room. Doña Francisca confesses to Rita that she is worried about disappointing Don Diego. Rita goes to make Doña Irene’s room ready.
Scene XV
Simon sees Doña Paquita and tells her that he doesn’t know where to sleep. Doña Francisca asks about the people who have come, and Simon says that a lieutenant colonel and his assistant were in that room. Doña Paquita says that she has not seen them.
Scene XVI
Rita also learns that Don Carlos is gone. Rita does not understand how she was deceived. Doña Paquita is unhappy and thinks that Don Carlos has not gone to retrieve her.
Act Three
Scene I
Don Diego can’t sleep and goes to Simon’s room. He hears a serenade and realizes it is for Doña Francisca. Simon suggests going outside, but Don Diego refuses.
Doña Francisca and Rita go to the window. Simon realizes that the door to that room is open, and he and Don Diego leave.
Scene II
Doña Paquita finds her lover and looks out the window. Doña Francisca asks what is happening and tells her to pull the letter. She takes it and pursues him. Felix urges her to explain the reasons for leaving and allows them to wed.
Simon runs into the cage and drops the nightingale. Rita and Doña Paquita hear the noise and go to Doña Francisca’s room. Rita stumbles over Simon.
Scene III
Don Diego asks Simon to find the letter. Simon finds it and tells Diego that Doña Paquita is sixteen, raised in a convent, and having an affair. Don Diego orders Simon to turn on a light.
Scene IV
Don Diego doesn’t know who to blame. He is disappointed, jealous, embarrassed, and angry. He hears a noise in Doña Francisca’s room and leaves.
Scene V
Rita enters and looks for the letter. Simon arrives and says they have light. Don Diego asks Rita what she is doing. Rita says she heard a noise. Don Diego asks if Doña Paquita is asleep, and Rita says yes. Don Diego and Simon enter the room with the light.
Scene VI
Rita enters Doña Paquita’s room and asks if she found the letter. Doña Francisca says not to bother, as Don Diego heard her with Don Felix. Doña Paquita tells Rita that her lover explained his flight in the letter. Doña Francisca thinks he is a traitor.
Rita looks into Don Diego’s room, and Doña Paquita tells her to go. Doña Francisca doesn’t care because she has lost.
Scene VII
Don Diego talks to Simon and asks him to saddle the horse. Don Diego talks to Doña Paquita and asks if she called her mother.
Scene VIII
Don Diego asks Doña Francisca how she feels and if she has another lover. Doña Paquita says she doesn’t have anyone and that she would not marry anyone. She says she never thought of becoming a nun. Don Diego doesn’t understand her sadness. Doña Paquita states that she will fulfill her mother’s orders and marry him. Don Diego criticizes the education of women who don’t express their feelings.
Doña Francisca enters her mother’s room.
Scene IX
Simon tells Don Diego that he saw them leaving, stopped them, and told Don Carlos that Don Diego ordered them to return. Don Carlos didn’t say a word. Simon says he is waiting to climb. Don Diego sends him up.
Scene X
Don Carlos arrives. Don Diego asks how he met Doña Paquita. Don Carlos says he met her in Guadalajara, where he pretended to be Don Felix de Toledo. They wrote letters, and he visited her every night at the convent. He received a letter from her saying her mother would force her to marry a rich older man. He went to Guadalajara and then to Alcalá. Don Carlos asks his uncle to intercede to stop the wedding.
Don Carlos says Doña Paquita will marry Don Diego but her heart will always belong to him. Don Carlos is going to leave, but his uncle forces him to stay.
Scene XI
Doña Paquita and Rita collect clothing. Doña Irene speaks with Don Diego. He tells her that his daughter is in love with another man. Doña Irene can’t believe it. Doña Irene is upset because if her daughter doesn’t marry Don Diego, she will be poor. Doña Irene interrupts Don Diego, and he gives her Don Carlos’s letter to read. Doña Irene calls her daughter to leave.
Scene XII
Doña Paquita and Rita appear. Doña Irene tells her daughter that Don Diego is being treated badly. Doña Paquita reproaches Don Diego for not keeping his word. Don Diego gives Doña Francisca Don Carlos’s letter. Doña Irene realizes her daughter has a lover and is upset.
Scene XIII
Don Carlos defends Doña Paquita. Don Diego forgives his nephew and says that the abuse of power by parents causes their daughters to marry unhappily. Doña Irene forgives her daughter and embraces her. Doña Francisca says she will always be Rita’s friend. Don Diego says he is no longer afraid to grow old alone.
Character Description
The characters in “The Other Girl” are:
- Don Diego
- Doña Francisca
- Doña Irene
- Don Carlos
- Rita
- Simon
- Calamocha
Don Diego is the main character, a wealthy, polite, fifty-nine-year-old man who wants to marry Doña Francisca. He is Don Carlos’s uncle.
Don Carlos is Don Diego’s nephew, a young, talented, educated soldier in love with Doña Francisca. He is also called Don Felix.
Doña Irene is Doña Paquita’s widowed mother, who has had twenty-two sons. She is a good woman but poor and wants to marry her daughter to Don Diego.
Doña Francisca (Doña Paquita) is Doña Irene’s daughter, a sixteen-year-old woman raised in a convent. She is in love with Don Carlos.
Rita is Doña Irene’s maid, who supports Doña Paquita.
Simon is Don Diego’s servant, a good and educated man.
Calamocha is Don Carlos’s servant, a worldly man.
The primary characters are Don Diego, Doña Francisca, Don Carlos, and Doña Irene. The secondary characters are Rita, Simon, and Calamocha.
Temporal and Spatial Location
Location
The play takes place at an inn in Alcalá de Henares, specifically in a large hall with a staircase.
Time
The action takes place over one day, from seven pm to five am the next day. There are flashbacks.