She is in love with Pedro,
but Pedro is not the hero of the piece. That place is assigned to his
eldest brother Crugantino, a scapegrace, with a noble heart, who,
finding the ordinary bonds of society too confined for him, has taken
to highway robbery. "Your burgher life," he says--and we know that he
is here uttering Goethe's own sentiments--"your burgher life is to me
intolerable. There, whether I give myself to work or enjoyment,
slavery is my lot. Is it not a better choice for one of decent merit
to plunge into the world? Pardon me! I don't give a ready ear to the
opinion of other people, but pardon me if I let you know mine. I will
grant you that if once one takes to a roving life, no goal and no
restraints exist for him; for our heart--ah! it is infinite in its
desires so long as its strength remains to it." Crugantino, who with
his band is housed at a wretched inn in the neighbourhood, catches
sight of Claudine, is bewitched by her beauty, and resolves to gain
possession of her. On a beautiful moonlight night, attended by only
one companion, he makes his adventurous attempt. Of the charivari that
follows it is only necessary to say that Pedro is wounded in a
hand-to-hand encounter by his unknown brother Crugantino, and is
conveyed to the inn where the band have their quarters.
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