"FORTUNATA AND JACINTA" "CHAPTER 6" "What's wrong?" "What do you think?" "Today, for some reason, I don't know why..." "I see myself as I am." "Bad, bad to the bone." "I'm remembering all the sins I've committed." " From the first to the last." " However many they are..." "God can forgive you, if you repent." "No, He can't forgive me, I've led a vile life, vile... any sin that exists, I have in here." "Cry." "Get it off your chest." "Go to confession tomorrow." "Tell everything." "Cleanse yourself and you'll feel calmer." "Is something wrong?" "I've seen Our Lady." " What are you saying?" " I've seen the Virgin." "Are you sure?" "Let me die if it's a lie." "I swear on the cross." "I saw her." "She came down there, near the windmill." "She descended bathed in light." "In a light, pure like honey." "Like honey." "Then, she walked over here..." "She walked between you, but only I could see her." "She wasn't carrying the son of God." "She stopped... and looked at me." " Did she speak?" " No." "She was weeping, looking at me." "I was blinded." "I couldn't move." "I felt, here, inside me... something..." "Like grief." "No." "Not like grief, like pleasure." "Look." "A breeze, it's moving." "A breeze!" "A breeze!" "A breeze!" "Mauricia has seen the Virgin." "Mauricia." "Mauricia." "However bad you've been, God won't deny you forgiveness." "Holy Virgin, I'll bring him to you." "Yes, I bring him to you." "Go away, all of you." "Go on, go." "Leave, leave." "I'm not going to hurt you, my little God." "I'll take you to your mother, she's outside waiting for you." "I'll take you out, love." "I love you very much." "I'm Tough Mauricia." "You know me, don't you?" "Hypocrites!" "Loafers!" "Idlers!" "Cockroaches!" "Slugs!" "Vile good-for-nothing, calm down, or else." "Shut up, you bitch!" "Get away with you." " We better call the police." " No, let me." "I'm more than enough." "She better not mess with me." "Take that, slugs, witches." "Go on, run." "Grotesque wretches." "What's happening?" "Mauricia, what's wrong?" " What's she doing?" "Is she mad?" " Guillermina, don't go up." " Careful." " Miserable wretch." "She's a savage." "Withdraw, for God's sake." "She's gone completely mad." " We'll call for a couple of officers." " A couple of nothing." "Mauricia!" "You big loafer." "Take that." " Lord, did you aim at me?" " Yes." "You and all the human race." "Idle Jew!" "Go on, get out of there." "Let me go, chaplain of bitches." "I came to pick up the spare debris... and it looks like I got what I came for." "Rogue." "I hope you die!" "Don León, don't mistreat her." "Coward, hitting a woman like that." "Chicken!" "Put her out on the street." "Let her go to hell, where she belongs." "Bring her clothes, quickly." "Child, look at the state of you." "Out of the way, trollop." "Move, or I'll..." "Get out." "Get out." "It's over." "Get dressed." "I don't feel like it." "Good-bye." "You're all idle Jews." "Drunkard." " Hey, are you Fortunata?" " No, I'm not Fortunata, dirty pig." "I'm Mauricia." "Tough Mauricia." "Die." "My beloved street." "Fresh air." "You must realize you are a new woman... you have died and been reborn in another world." "If one day you should meet the people... that dragged you to perdition in your past life... treat them as ghosts... shadows... just as it sounds." "Don't look at them." "Don't even look at them." "Now, pray." "Pray to the Virgin." "Mrs. Fortunata?" "Did you want me?" "No." "Nothing." "I'm glad Maximiliano brought you, or I wouldn't have met you." " He's fallen out with my aunt." " I realised." "Money problems, inheritance." "If you don't confide in her... she won't ever look you in the face." "Nevertheless, I shall come to your wedding... even if I only come as a gesture." "I'm very pleased to meet you, Fortunata." "Me too." "This is Patricia, she'll serve you." "Torquemada recommended her." "She's clean, polite and sensible." "And she's a good cook." "Sit down, you may have to help me." "You'll ruin your eyes, why not go to the living room?" " I don't mind." " There's no one there." "And even if there were, come on." " Isn't that better?" " Yes, thank you." " Is that you?" " No, it's your mother, silly." " Isn't Mrs. Lupe in?" " I told you she wasn't." "I didn't ask you, little rascal, busybody." "Get in your kitchen and leave us alone." "What are you doing here?" "I'm selling clothes." "I came to show the bitch some shawls." "What language." "Speak properly, woman." "Have you forgotten what you did at the convent?" "I had an awful time because of you." "I got sick." "Don't tell me." "I got in a real state." "I'd never had such a serious attack." "But when I remember, I want to go back and eat the chaplain alive." "I feel worst about what I did to Mrs. Guillermina." " I can't forgive myself." " You're terrible." "If you don't get rid of that vice, you'll pay." "Quiet, don't say that." "I haven't had a drink since I left the convent, I swear." "I'm a new person now." "You're getting married tomorrow?" " How did you know?" " I know everything." "It's as if you'd won the lottery." "I'm glad for you, I care about you." "A white button with four holes." " It's good luck." " What nonsense." "It's the gospel truth, girl." "I've tried it many times." "Now, you'll be really lucky." " Do you know something?" " What?" "You're burning." " What do you mean?" " He's really close." "He was hanging around the Micaelas." " Don't talk rubbish." " Shall I tell you?" " Shall I?" " What?" "Well, he's set up a trap you'll fall into." "You've already got one foot in it." " Me?" " Yes, you." "He's rented the left hand room in your new house." " Your room is on the right." " Don't talk nonsense." "There he is." "As soon as you walk in your house, you'll hear him breathing." " Shut up." " If you don't fall for it, he'll die." " He's so mad about you." " You'll drive me crazy." "A jeweler rented the room for him." "Cirila." "She's married to a secret policeman." "Your man has got him on the trains." "It's all a tall tale." "He's there." "You'll see him." " Get out of here, girl, or else." " I don't want to." "You don't want to?" "If it's true, I'll tell my husband to move." " You'll have to tell him why." " I will." "You're so scandalous." "I won't get married, then." "Get that idea out of your head." "A single woman is a slave, she can't do anything." "If you marry a fool, you're free to do anything." " I said I won't marry him." " Marry him, don't fall in the trap." "Be honorable, God made us from less." "I'm telling you the truth." "The gospel truth." "Marry, because marriage is your salvation." "You can't be passed around till the end of time." "If you want to be honorable, be so." "No one will make you sin at knifepoint." "What do traps matter if I don't want to fall?" "Of course." "Leave him there, waiting." "Let him rot." "Later, you tell your husband you don't like the house, and move." "Yes." "We move, and the trap is no more." "What's more... your servant, Patricia, has been bought." "Bought?" "Well, I never liked her." " I'll fire her tomorrow." " Listen to me, carefully." "If you want to be honorable, be so." "But not marrying... not marrying... don't even think about it, love." "Who do I care about?" "You, no one else." "What I say is for your own good." "Let yourself go." "Get married." "If there's a trap, let there be." "What must be, must be." "Go with it." "And listen to me..." "I've become fond of you, I'm just like your mother." "Wife... with this ring and 13 coins, I thee wed." "Husband, with this ring, I thee wed." " I receive it." " I receive it." " You've got a headache." " Yes, I have, Aunt." "I wanted to forget about it so it would go away, but it won't." " I feel like my head will burst." " It runs in the family." "I've had terrible headaches." "I compared myself to St. Peter, the martyr... with an axe sunk in my head." "But, for a time now, ham has alleviated the pain." "What?" "Do you put it on your head?" "No, son, I eat it." " Internal use." " That's right." "You should lie down a while." " Why don't you sleep here today?" " No, I feel better." "I'll go home and lie down until it wears off." "Aunt, don't forget to give Fortunata the laudanum." "I won't forget." "Come." "Make the girl account for every cent." "Calculate 16 or 17 quarters a day, no more." "Tomorrow, give Maxi two eggs and some broth... the other days, chops and potatoes." "Don't ever buy hake in Chamberí... and watch the butcher, he's a bigger thief than Judas." "If he says anything, mention me and he'll tremble." " Who was it?" " The neighbor." "Miss Cirila." "A fine lady who lives there with her husband, who works on the trains." "She wanted to know if we had any sugarlumps." "I said we hadn't." "She asked me how the master was." " Who told her he was sick?" " I did." "She called last night, and I went there today." "She's very keen to meet you." "Who said I wanted to meet anyone?" "My girl." "My girl." "It's me, Juan." "It's Juan." "Open up." "It's Juan." "Open up." "Forgive me for making you come and getting you out of bed... but we must move, last night they arrested Juan Pablo." "They broke into the house where he lives and arrested him." "He's in prison." "Don Basilio says they'll take the prisoners to the Mariana Isles." "And although he deserves it, he's my nephew... and I'll do all I can to have him freed." " What shall I do?" " Go and see León Pintado... have him introduce you to Dr. Sedeño." "I'll ask Mrs. Casta to talk to Moreno Isla... so he will talk to Zalamero." "If your brother were here, he'd get him out... because the priests are the ones in power." "The country is in a state, and potatoes are at 6 quarters!" " Shall I go with you?" " No, do what you want." "Wait for me at home." "Has anyone come?" "The master?" "He won't be back until tonight." "Come here, girl." "Bless the Lord." "I'm dying for you." "Come." "Come with me." "Three years." "See how I tremble?" "I don't know what's wrong with me." "Over three years... because when I was with Juárez, I saw you but I didn't." "The day I said I loved you, he wanted to kill me." "And all this time you forgot me." "Forgot you?" "If you knew what I've been through..." "Let me see you." "You're so beautiful." "Yes, for you." "It's not a day for tears, but for joy." "Do you know what I'm remembering?" "My son." "Our son." "If he'd lived, you'd have loved him, wouldn't you?" "I can still see him when they took him away." "I've so much to tell you..." "I know you got married." "You did right." "Why was it right?" "Because that way you're freer and have a man." "Renting a house in front of yours... is madness, and unforgivable... but I wanted to see and talk to you so much." "I went mad." "I searched for you like one searches for what he loves most." "I found out too late." "If not, you'd have found me." "Close the shutters." "Come." "I want to say sorry for all the pain I caused you." "If you love me, the past doesn't matter." "You're my husband." "Here." " What's this?" " Doughnuts." "What about your brother?" "They won't take him anywhere." "He'll be in jail 15 or 20 days." "He deserves it." "Why does he look for trouble?" "Let's eat." " Do you want to go out later?" " No, I'm tired." " How are you?" " Better, now I've seen you." "But I want to sleep." "If you were a builder, a carpenter, or a guard, for example..." " it would all be better." " Why?" "You'd be poor... and we'd both work for a living." " Innocent, don't you like luxury?" " I don't care." "Speak frankly, do you need anything?" "Nothing." "Does that angel give you everything you need?" "Everything." " I want to give you a dress." " I won't wear it." " And a hat." " I'll make a basket out of it." "Tell me about your wife." "Leave her out of it." "Do you love her?" "Why lie?" "Yes, I love her, but in a different way to you." "She's good, and she has a problem which upsets her." " What?" " Children." "Your uncle made her believe she had our son." "I know that story." "I could offer your wife a deal." "What deal?" "I'll give her a child of yours... and she gives me her husband." "It's simple." "It's just swapping a little boy for a big one." "You may laugh, but it's a good idea." "Why don't you look at me?" "Because..." "Say it." " You don't love me anymore." " Yes, I do." "Don't torment yourself." "Why are you so far away, and so serious when I come?" "And when you think I'm not watching... you smile, as though you were talking to someone." "I don't realize I'm doing it." " Will you come in?" " No." " Where are you going?" " Home." " When?" " Now." "Good morning." "What a wife." "She's a lot of woman for you, you should watch out." " Good morning, Ballester." " Hello, Maxi." " What's wrong?" " Nothing." "Nothing's wrong." " Good-bye." " See you this afternoon." "I saw that gentleman." " Who?" " The one who dishonored you." "He's called Juan Santa Cruz, right?" "I saw him in the street, a moment ago." "No, you couldn't have." "When could I have seen him?" "Tell me, when?" " Recently?" "Like you have?" " Shut up." "Take pity on me, please." "Don't you love me anymore?" "Are you seeing him?" "Tell me the truth." "I took you off the streets, I deserve the truth." "I haven't seen him." "I'm not unfaithful, truly." "Well say so sweetly, like you did before." "You're hurting me." "Sit down." "Eat something, you've no reason to feel bad." "You must believe me." "Yes." " Pick that up." " Yes, madam." "We'll go to Molina, in Aragon." "I have land there." "I'll give up my career and we'll tend the land." " You'll go." " No, both of us." "Have you gone mad?" "We're not leaving this house just because you're seeing things." " Anything else, madam?" " Cough syrup, please." "Maxi..." "I'm your friend." "I know." "I have to tell you." " What?" " Your wife." "What about my wife?" "She meets with a man." "In a house on Santa Engracia Passage." "I saw them yesterday and the other day." "I thought I should tell you." " Hey, you." " What do you want?" "Miserable rogue." "I'll kill you!" "You and her too!" "Thief." "Thief." "If you don't shut up, I'll crush you." "Let's get out of here, quick." "Giddy up." "Let us help you." "Why was he hitting you?" "Has he robbed you?" "Did you know him?" "He's taken all I had." "He robbed me." "He discarded her like rubbish, and I picked her up." "Now the bastard has dirtied her again." "I have to kill two people and hang." "I don't care." "I don't care if I hang." "A coach for this man, quick." " What happened?" " He's been beaten, madam." " God." "Where's Fortunata?" " She went out shopping." "No one goes shopping at half past eight at night." "How are you?" " Are you his mother?" " It's as if I were." "He needs rest." "He has a few bruises, but nothing broken." "I saw him earlier, I came to give him something so he'll rest." "Thank you, doctor." "Good-bye." "Explain this to me." " This?" " Yes, this." "Maximiliano, beaten... and you coming home at this time... like a traitor in a melodrama." "Well, I'm finding out the truth." "Aunt." "Are you there, woman?" "I'm here." "Yes, sir." "My aunt has told me all about last night." "We're all confused." " Will you explain this mess?" " Yes, sir." "My brother suspected you were unfaithful." "Does he have reason?" " Yes, sir." " You've tricked us all." "I thought you'd merely erred, not that you were corrupt." "Now, I see you're a monster." " Do you love my brother?" " No, sir." " You never loved him." " No, sir." "But you said you hoped to become fond of him." "Yes, I said that." " And, nothing." " Nothing." "How many times have you sinned?" " Many times." " With how many men?" " Just one." " Really?" " Did you meet after you married?" " I've known him a long time." "The old story." " Did that swine hit Maxi?" " Yes, but Maxi provoked him." " I saw it from the window." " Do you feel no regret?" "I'm sorry." "I didn't want it to happen." " Would you go back to the Micaelas?" " No, sir." "To the devil with you, then!" " I'm sorry, but..." " Don't give me buts." "Give up the vile adulterer... give up the evil man who has you bewitched." "What?" "It's inside me I don't know how to overcome it." "Is he married?" "Yes, sir." "Holy Mother of God." "What horror, what company." "You will be punished, and soon." "You're not just a slut, you're an idiot." "All those in love are idiots, their minds dry up." "Someone drags you up from purgatory and back you go again." "It's what you want, well take it." "It's over." "I have no business with you and you have none here." "Get back in the gutter." "Have fun." "Get out!" "When you're gone, we'll fumigate with lavender."