“Agloomywood，“accordingtotheoneplaybill，wasrepresentedbyafewshrubsinpots，greenbaizeonthefloor，andacaveinthedistance。Thiscavewasmadewithaclotheshorseforaroof，bureausforwalls，andinitwasasmallfurnaceinfullblast，withablackpotonitandanoldwitchbendingoverit。Thestagewasdarkandtheglowofthefurnacehadafineeffect，especiallyasrealsteamissuedfromthekettlewhenthewitchtookoffthecover。Amomentwasallowedforthefirstthrilltosubside，thenHugo，thevillain，stalkedinwithaclankingswordathisside，aslouchinghat，blackbeard，mysteriouscloak，andtheboots。Afterpacingtoandfroinmuchagitation，hestruckhisforehead，andburstoutinawildstrain，singingofhishatredtoRoderigo，hisloveforZara，andhispleasingresolutiontokilltheoneandwintheother。
ThegrufftonesofHugo’svoice，withanoccasionalshoutwhenhisfeelingsovercamehim，wereveryimpressive，andtheaudienceapplaudedthemomenthepausedforbreath。bowingwiththeairofoneaccustomedtopublicpraise，hestoletothecavernandorderedHagartocomeforthwithacommanding，“Whatho，minion!
Ineedthee!“
OutcameMeg，withgrayhorsehairhangingaboutherface，aredandblackrobe，astaff，andcabalisticsignsuponhercloak。HugodemandedapotiontomakeZaraadorehim，andonedestroyRoderigo。Hagar，inafinedramaticmelody，promisedboth，andproceededtocallupthespiritwhowouldbringthelovephilter。
Hither，hither，fromthyhome，Airysprite，Ibidtheecome!
Bornofroses，fedondew，Charmsandpotionscanstthoubrew？
Bringmehere，withelfinspeed，ThefragrantphilterwhichIneed。
Makeitsweetandswiftandstrong，Spirit，answernowmysong!
Asoftstrainofmusicsounded，andthenatthebackofthecaveappearedalittlefigureincloudywhite，withglitteringwings，goldenhair，andagarlandofrosesonitshead。Wavingawand，itsang……
HitherIcome，Frommyairyhome，Afarinthesilvermoon。
Takethemagicspell，Anduseitwell，Oritspowerwillvanishsoon!
Anddroppingasmall，gildedbottleatthewitch’sfeet，thespiritvanished。AnotherchantfromHagarproducedanotherapparition，notalovelyone，forwithabanganuglyblackimpappearedand，havingcroakedareply，tossedadarkbottleatHugoanddisappearedwithamockinglaugh。Havingwarbledhisthanksandputthepotionsinhisboots，Hugodeparted，andHagarinformedtheaudiencethatashehadkilledafewofherfriendsintimespast，shehadcursedhim，andintendstothwarthisplans，andberevengedonhim。
Thenthecurtainfell，andtheaudiencereposedandatecandywhilediscussingthemeritsoftheplay。
Agooddealofhammeringwentonbeforethecurtainroseagain，butwhenitbecameevidentwhatamasterpieceofstagecarpenteryhadbeengotup，noonemurmuredatthedelay。Itwastrulysuperb。
Atowerrosetotheceiling，halfwayupappearedawindowwithalampburninginit，andbehindthewhitecurtainappearedZarainalovelyblueandsilverdress，waitingforRoderigo。Hecameingorgeousarray，withplumedcap，redcloak，chestnutlovelocks，aguitar，andtheboots，ofcourse。Kneelingatthefootofthetower，hesangaserenadeinmeltingtones。Zararepliedand，afteramusicaldialogue，consentedtofly。Thencamethegrandeffectoftheplay。Roderigoproducedaropeladder，withfivestepstoit，threwuponeend，andinvitedZaratodescend。Timidlyshecreptfromherlattice，putherhandonRoderigo’sshoulder，andwasabouttoleapgracfullydownwhen“Alas!AlasforZara!“sheforgothertrain。Itcaughtinthewindow，thetowertottered，leanedforward，fellwithacrash，andburiedtheunhappyloversintheruins。
Auniversalshriekaroseastherussetbootswavedwildlyfromthewreckandagoldenheademerged，exclaiming，“Itoldyouso!Itoldyouso!“Withwonderfulpresenceofmind，DonPedro，thecruelsire，rushedin，draggedouthisdaughter，withahastyaside……
“Don’tlaugh!Actasifitwasallright!“and，orderingRoderigoup，banishedhimformthekingdomwithwrathandscorn。
Thoughdecidedlyshakenbythefallfromthetoweruponhim，Roderigodefiedtheoldgentlemanandrefusedtostir。ThisdauntlessexamplefiredZara。Shealsodefiedhersire，andheorderedthembothtothedeepestdungeonsofthecastle。Astoutlittleretainercameinwithchainsandledthemaway，lookingverymuchfrightenedandevidentlyforgettingthespeechheoughttohavemade。
Actthirdwasthecastlehall，andhereHagarappeared，havingcometofreetheloversandfinishHugo。Shehearshimcomingandhides，seeshimputthepotionsintotwocupsofwineandbidthethetimidlittleservant，“Bearthemtothecaptivesintheircells，andtellthemIshallcomeanon。“TheservanttakesHugoasidetotellhimsomething，andHagarchangesthecupsfortwootherswhichareharmless。Ferdinando，the`minion’，carriesthemaway，andHagarputsbackthecupwhichholdsthepoisonmeantforRoderigo。
Hugo，gettingthirstyafteralongwarble，drinksit，loseshiswits，andafteragooddealofclutchingandstamping，fallsflatanddies，whileHagarinformshimwhatshehasdoneinasongofexquisitepowerandmelody。
Thiswasatrulythrillingscene，thoughsomepersonsmighthavethoughtthatthesuddentumblingdownofaquantityoflongredhairrathermarredtheeffectofthevillain’sdeath。Hewascalledbeforethecurtain，andwithgreatproprietyappeared，leadingHagar，whosesingingwasconsideredmorewonderfulthanalltherestoftheperformanceputtogether。
ActfourthdisplayedthedespairingRoderigoonthepointofstabbinghimselfbecausehehasbeentoldthatZarahasdesertedhim。
Justasthedaggerisathisheart，alovelysongissungunderhiswindow，informinghimthatZaraistruebutindanger，andhecansaveherifhewill。Akeyisthrownin，whichunlocksthedoor，andinaspasmofrapturehetearsoffhischainsandrushesawaytofindandrescuehisladylove。
ActfifthopenedwithastormyscenebetweenZaraandDonPedro。
Hewisheshertogointoaconvent，butshewon’thearofit，andafteratouchingappeal，isabouttofaintwhenRoderigodashesinanddemandsherhand。DonPedrorefuses，becauseheisnotrich。
Theyshoutandgesticulatetremendouslybutcannotagree，andRodrigoisabouttobearawaytheexhaustedZara，whenthetimidservantenterswithaletterandabagfromHagar，whohasmysteriouslydisappeared。ThelatterinformsthepartythatshebequethsuntoldwealthtotheyoungpairandanawfuldoomtoDonPedro，ifhedoesn’tmakethemhappy。Thebagisopened，andseveralquartsoftinmoneyshowerdownuponthestagetillitisquiteglorifiedwiththeglitter。Thisentirelysoftensthesternsire。Heconsentswithoutamurmur，alljoininajoyfulchorus，andthecurtainfallsupontheloverskneelingtoreceiveDonPedro’sblessinginattitudesofthemostromanticgrace。
Tumultuousapplausefollowedbutreceivedanunexpectedcheck，forthecotbed，onwhichthedresscirclewasbuilt，suddenlyshutupandextinguishedtheenthusiasticaudience。RoderigoandDonPedroflewtotherescue，andallweretakenoutunhurt，thoughmanywerespeechlesswithlaughter。theexcitementhadhardlysubsidedwhenHannahappeared，with“Mrs。March’scompliments，andwouldtheladieswalkdowntosupper。“
Thiswasasurpriseeventotheactors，andwhentheysawthetable，theylookedatoneanotherinrapturousamazement。ItwaslikeMarmeetogetupalittletreatforthem，butanythingsofineasthiswasunheardofsincethedeparteddaysofplenty。Therewasicecream，actuallytwodishesofit，pinkandwhite，andcakeandfruitanddistractingfrenchbonbonsand，inthemiddleofthetable，fourgreatbouquetsofhothouseflowers。
Itquitetooktheirbreathaway，andtheystaredfirstatthetableandthenattheirmother，wholookedasifsheenjoyeditimmensely。
“Isitfairies？“askedAmy。
“SantaClaus，“saidBeth。
“Motherdidit。“AndMegsmiledhersweetest，inspiteofhergraybeardandwhiteeyebrows。
“AuntMarchhadagoodfitandsentthesupper，“criedJo，withasuddeninspiration。
“Allwrong。OldMr。Laurencesentit，“repliedMrs。March。
“TheLaurenceboy’sgrandfather!Whatintheworldputsuchathingintohishead？Wedon’tknowhim!’exclaimedMeg。
“Hannahtoldoneofhisservantsaboutyourbreakfastparty。
Heisanoddoldgentleman，butthatpleasedhim。Heknewmyfatheryearsago，andhesentmeapolitenotethisafternoon，sayinghehopedIwouldallowhimtoexpresshisfriendlyfeelingtowardmychildrenbysendingthemafewtriflesinhonoroftheday。I
couldnotrefuse，andsoyouhavealittlefeastatnighttomakeupforthebread-and-milkbreakfast。“
“Thatboy；putitintohishead，Iknowhedid!He’sacapitalfellow，andIwishwecouldgetacquainted。Helooksasifhe’dliketoknowusbuthe’sbashful，andMegissoprimshewon’tletmespeaktohimwhenwepass，“saidJo，astheplateswentround，andtheicebegantomeltoutofsight，withohsandahsofsatisfaction。
“Youmeanthepeoplewholiveinthebighousenextdoor，don’tyou？“askedoneofthegirls。“MymotherknowsoldMr。Laurence，butsayshe’sveryproudanddoesn’tliketomixwithhisneighbors。
Hekeepshisgrandsonshutup，whenheisn’tridingorwalkingwithhistutor，andmakeshimstudyveryhard。Weinvitedhimtoourparty，buthedidn’tcome。Mothersayshe’sverynice，thoughheneverspeakstousgirls。“
“Ourcatranawayonce，andhebroughtherback，andwetalkedoverthefence，andweregettingoncapitally，allaboutcricket，andsoon，whenhesawMegcoming，andwalkedoff。I
meantoknowhimsomeday，forheneedsfun，I’msurehedoes，“
saidJodecidedly。
“Ilikehismanners，andhelookslikealittlegentleman，soI’venoobjectiontoyourknowinghim，ifaproperopportunitycomes。
Hebroughttheflowershimself，andIshouldhaveaskedhimin，ifIhadbeensurewhatwasgoingonupstairs。Helookedsowistfulashewentaway，hearingthefrolicandevidentlyhavingnoneofhisown。“
“It’samercyyoudidn’t，Mother!“laughedJo，lookingatherboots。“Butwe’llhaveanotherplaysometimethathecansee。Perhapshe’llhelpact。Wouldn’tthatbejolly？“
“Ineverhadsuchafinebouquetbefore!Howprettyitis!“
AndMegexaminedherflowerswithgreatinterest。
“Theyarelovely。ButBeth’srosesaresweetertome，“saidMrs。March，smellingthehalf-deadposyinherbelt。
Bethnestleduptoher，andwhisperedsoftly，“IwishI
couldsendmybunchtoFather。I’mafraidheisn’thavingsuchamerryChristmasasweare。“