"In the winter of 1930, after the failure of the antimonarchical rebellion in Jaca, a young soldier left his barracks and, as a deserter, wandered the countryside, trying to lead his own life." "February, 1931." "Somewhere in Spain." "Halt!" "Hands up!" "I was just..." "Where are... you from?" "Madrid." "Where are you going?" "Answer the sergeant." " Where are you going?" " I don't know." "You deserted?" "Long live Galán and García Hernández!" "He's with the Jaca lot." "Hold it!" "Didn't you hear him?" " Were you stationed in Jaca?" " No, sir." "Well then?" "I support the Republic." "I don't understand this." "A Republican with the Bible." "Wait!" "Shall we let him go?" "You're kidding!" " What if the Republic wins?" " It's still the fatherland." "The fatherland is the government." "And the government may change." "So?" "The sooner we serve the likely winner the better." "We must respect the established order." "That's what the law says." "And in the 1854 revolution, our founder, the Marquis of Ahumada, was thrown out for defending the government." "No way." "The Civil Guard stay out of politics." "The chief says so." "Yeah, and pigs can fly." "Whoever invented tobacco should have been hung on a meat hook, with a weight on his feet." "Health and the Republic." "What are you doing?" "I'm free to go?" "Stop!" "Trust your father-in-law, dammit!" "I'll be court-martialed!" "You certainly will be if you don't put your gun down." "Fuck it, Juan, I'll shoot!" "You'd shoot your children's grandfather?" "I'll do it!" "You haven't the balls." "I don't?" "The bastard shot me!" "Don't shoot!" "Can you hear me?" "Juan!" "I've killed him!" "I've killed him!" "And now what?" "What am I going to tell my wife?" "I want to die!" "I want to die!" "I'll kill myself!" "That man was kindness itself." "And it was all over nothing." "It was all over nothing!" "Fuck all the laws!" "And fuck the goddam public order!" "And the Marquis of Ahumada, and the Holy Virgin as well!" "Good evening." "Hey..." " Any whores here?" " Yeah, there's one." "And she's terrific." "And how much is it for the night?" "That's asking a lot." "Talk to Polonia." "Upstairs." " Sixty." " I pass." "Eighty." "May I come in?" "Why do you all keep coming upstairs?" "I've told you not to." "They told me to ask for Polonia." "What is it, son?" "How much is it for the whole night?" "For handsome boys, ten pesetas." "But you'll have to wait till after midnight." "Why?" "Because we get customers until then." " Come on." " What time is it?" " Are we playing or not?" " I'm coming." "It's almost nine." "Have you eaten?" "You can have some rabbit while you're waiting." "My niece won't miss out on a young man like you." "Go on, sit down, love." "Where are you going?" "Make room for the boy!" " Cold, isn't it?" " Well, it's winter." "This just won't do." "Either we play or we don't." "Excuse me." "Don Luis, an extreme unction." "Just a minute." " What about the game?" " I'm sorry, but you heard." "And as sheriff, I have to accompany Don Luis." "I don't believe it, Don Luis." "You in a brothel!" "Precisely." "Where there is sin, that's where I must be." " Why did you bring Holy Joe?" " He came along." "Who's dying anyway?" "Prudencio." "The mule kicked his brains out." "Man's days are numbered." "It'd make you believe in God." "When the priest's winning Divine Providence sends a viaticum, and he splits with the money." "Extreme unction." "What's the difference?" "Viaticum is giving the Eucharist." "Extreme unction is applying holy oils." "Here." "Wet your whistle." "He knows a lot about the Church." "Maybe he can play cards." "Well, sort of." "All the better for us." "Come on." "Eat up and we'll play." "What the hell's that?" " What did you do, you rascal?" " Nothing, honest." "I deserted." "I was stationed in Madrid." "Just look in my case!" "The de Valera version!" "Are you a Protestant?" "No, sir." "Agnostic." "Right, come on, son." "You come home with me." " I'll get those off." " Listen." "Encarna will be waiting for you." "I'm sorry about the sergeant." "This discipline business is shit." "If you accept it, discipline can make you kill your mother if need be." " The guard said that." " Brave animal." "But one thing, he did sing very well." "Flamenco, I mean..." "As for me, I've had three great frustrations in my lifetime." " I see you've got the knack." " So so." "Three frustrations which embittered my life." "It looks good." "In the seminary they called it divine." "Were you a cook there?" "If you're on a scholarship you have to work as well." "And as I was a good cook..." "What about your frustrations?" "The first was not being born among heathens." "Because with baptism you're ruined forever." "Why?" "Don't you priests say that baptism leaves an indelible mark on the soul?" "I only spent six years in the seminary." "Second, because of my feet, I wasn't called up." "So I couldn't desert." "Come on, drink up." "You should get rid of the uniform and the bugle." "Burn them now." "I can't." "They'll give you away." "They're not mine, I have to return them." "A very honorable decision." "How will you return them?" "By mail?" "No." "When we have a Republic." "What about your third frustration?" "It's something awful." "It so happens that I can only get it up with my wife." "So I can't cheat on our marriage." "You see the paradox." "As I couldn't rebel against the church or the army, or matrimony, which, after banking, are the most reactionary institutions around, here I am, a rebel, an infidel, and a libertine by nature, living like a scared old bourgeois." "Hey!" "This is the best damn cod I've tasted in my life." "Come in, come in." "It's better if you sleep here, there's a stove." " Wherever you say, sir." " Enough of that." "Don't be so formal!" "Throw a bit of wood in the stove." "My wife." "Damn woman." "What's this?" "Are we sleeping together?" "If you want to sleep alone, go to another room." "But believe me, this house is an icebox." "What's more, you can read me to sleep." "You wouldn't be queer?" "No, nothing like that." "I told you." "Except with my wife, I'm totally impotent." "It may be my age." "The insomnia, I mean." "Read me something from the Bible." "The Old or New Testament?" "I don't care." "It's just to fall sleep." "Read the page it opens at, like the English do." "" Because the fate of the sons of men and of beasts is the selfsame fate." "The first die, and the others too."" "Hell, it's Ecclesiastes." "We're doing well." "" And the others die too, and both have the selfsame breath." "Man has no advantage over the beast, for all is vanity." "Both go to the same place." "Both come from the dust and to dust both return." "Who knows if the spirit of man mounts upward, or that of the beast goes into the earth?"" "Ah, there's the rub." "" I see there is no happiness for man but to be happy in his work, for that is his lot." "Who then can bring him to see what will happen after him?"" " Morning, Don Manolo." " Hello, Palomo." "What's the damn mayor doing here?" "He's waiting for the carnival band." "What a country, Fernando." "Spain is on the verge of a new era, and we've got carnivals." "Morning, Don Manolo." "Hello, Jesus." "Really, Fernando, I'm sorry you're leaving." "I had to go some day." "What I mean is, it's not just that I've eaten well, and had someone to chat with." "I wouldn't have minded if you'd stayed." "But now, with my daughters, it's different." " You understand my position." " Of course." "It's just that, as I never had any sons..." "Well, I guess I got fond of you." "And I of you." "Write as soon as you have an address." "Don't worry." "There it is." " Mine or your daughters'?" " We'll see." "Here." " No, really, I don't need it." " Come on, take it." "It's the Madrid train." "There they are!" "Well, as they say, Health and the Republic." "The best of luck to you!" "Dad!" "Clara!" " Violeta!" " Dad!" "How are you?" "Dad!" "How handsome you look!" "You're the ones who look beautiful." "Dad!" "Luz!" "Give me a kiss." "Just look at him, a real mess." "Don't start nagging." "I smell anisette." "She's just like your mother." "Get your cases and we'll go home." " Who's this?" " He's a friend." "But he's off to Madrid." "' Bye, Fernando." "Come, the buggy's outside." "Why did you decide to come all of a sudden?" "Haven't you heard the news?" "Madrid is awful." "Strikes, fighting, shooting." "Well, the paper gets here three days late." "Here..." " Anything else?" " No, that's all." "Just as well." "So much shit..." " You fixed it?" " Yeah, it was blocked." "You can wear Mother's dress." "Are you fed up cleaning?" "Come on, lend me a hand." " Anyway I'm not going." " Why not?" "I don't dance to minstrels." "And the men here are brutes." "They love to pull a plough into the dance and ruin it." "Dad told us, remember?" " Talk of the devil." " Open the door, Luz." "It's always me!" "The boy from the station!" "Yes." "I missed the train." " Is Manolo in?" " No, but he won't be long." "Go up that way." "Luz, who was it?" "Clara, this boy has come to see Dad." "Good afternoon." "Am I bothering you?" "No, not at all." "Come in." "Carnival starts tomorrow..." "He was at the station, he missed the train." "I went to the village, but there's no inn there." "And, as I'd stayed here with Manolo, I thought, maybe..." "No, I was stationed at the Madrid aerodrome." "Galán and García Hernández were shot the 1 4th, but the uprising went on and the radio announced, "The Republic proclaimed in Madrid." "Play reveille."" "And as I was bugler, I played it." " Play it now!" " lgnore her." "Go on." "The planes flew over Madrid, but nothing was happening." "And Ramón Franco wouldn't bomb the Palace, because he saw children playing near there." "When did you escape?" "As the Government troops were arriving." "I saw our leaders taking planes to Portugal, so I changed clothes, got my case and ran for it." "Where did you go?" "To the mountains." "I was there over a month." "What did you eat?" "Whatever I found." "Especially cabbage." "A lot of cabbage." "From the gardens." "What about sleeping?" "Where I could." "Often in churches." "I'd hide until they locked up, then lie on a bench, and keep warm with candles." "Where were you going?" "La Coruña." "La Coruña?" "To stow away to America." " A good thing you met Dad." " Come on, play something." "Do you think a bugle is like a saxophone?" "Anyway, he's eating." "No, I don't mind." "The usual reveille or the fancy one?" "So then I said to Unamuno, "No, Don Miguel, you're mistaken"." "And you know what he's like, don't you?" "Imagine how he reacted." "I can just imagine." "When did he last write to you?" "What's that?" "That, my dear Luis, is the fucking seminarian." "He hung around when he got a whiff of my girls' pussies." "Good God, man!" " Beautiful!" " And so lively!" " It was lovely!" " And what lungs!" " Good evening!" " Hello, Dad." "Look who's here." "You missed the train." "Am I right?" "Yes." " How are you, Don Luis?" " Not as well as you girls." "You get prettier every day." "What smells so good?" "Fernando is a wonderful cook." "I knew that already." "Health and the Republic, son." "Thank God you didn't leave." "What is it?" "Chicken casserole." "I went to the village, but there's no inn." "You could have gone to Polonia's place." "How could he go to that dump?" "I forgot about that." "Encarna's there." "She's probably still waiting for you." "Here, Mother." "Are you all ready?" "One, two..." "Look's like we're in for a musical night." "It's the teacher!" "These are the melodies which King David would sing to the pretty girls, and now we sing them to you." "Awaken, my love, awaken, look, the dawn is here." "The little birds are singing, and the moon has hid her face." "Son, they're going inside." "Clara!" "Can we come in?" "I'm with my mother." "I swear, that boy gets crazier every day." "That often happens to teachers." "It's working with children that does it." "Come in." "How are you, Doña Asun?" "Awful, my dear." "Just awful." "Now the guards are committing suicide." "Two at a time!" "These are bad times for decent people." "Weren't you in mourning?" "Mourning is carried in the heart, Doña Asun." "I don't speak to you." "Long live Christ the King!" "So say I." "So say I." "How can you receive a priest like him in this house?" "Who's this?" "A cousin." "He's handsome." " Where were we?" " The bracelet, Mother." "You've got it out?" "Give it to her, then." "Not like that!" "You must speak first." "Well, I must say I would have preferred a Carlist family, but still, Republicans are better than Borbons." "Get to the point, Mother." "As Juanito is an only child, I tend to spoil him, so here we are." "Luz!" "I know, the door!" "May I have another drink?" "When he heard the girls were here, he washed his feet and said to me, " Mother, as the band is here, we'll serenade Manolo's house." "Then we'll ask for her hand."" "Whose hand?" "My girl friend's." "You never said anything." "What was there to say?" "My grandmother got engaged with that bracelet, and my mother and I." "Did you tell her I'll be living with you?" "Later, Mother." "Do you like it?" "Yes, it's really beautiful." "You really want to marry him?" "I don't know." "When did we ever talk about getting married?" " I wrote it to you in a poem!" " You don't love him?" "Thank you, my dear." "Come on." "Who's better for you than your mother?" "No, Mother." "Wait!" "It's not my fault, it's lust." "He's blinded by lust." "They burned the church!" "The sexton's gone crazy!" "He's burned the church!" "Damn him to..." "Where's my beret?" "What came over him?" "I bet this heretic priest put him up to it!" "For Christ's sake!" "I wouldn't give him a raise, and so he's decided to become an anarchist." " Let's go, Juanito." " Where?" "To the church, in atonement." "Rocio, tell her we're engaged!" "Tell her how we fell in love last summer fishing crabs!" " Careful, there's a loose step." " I see it." "You'll be real comfortable." "They're made of maize leaves." "They're so soft." "Give me the sheets." "Did you see that fool?" "There's nothing between you?" "We're just good friends." "Well, last summer we fooled around a bit, that's all." "The summer's real good fun here." "I mean, if you'd come in summer it would have been different." "Why?" "We come here every year." "What do you do?" "Lots of things." "We go on excursions, have picnics, swim in the river." "And fish crabs." "Don't be dirty-minded." "Juanito's nothing to me." "But, because he's so rich, he thinks we're all after him." "Pass me the heater." "You're going to be so warm." "What do you want for breakfast?" " I'll make breakfast." " Oh, that's right." "We're useless at cooking." "Dad must have told you." "Yes." "What will you do?" "Me?" "For breakfast, I mean." "Do you like fried bread?" "More than anything." "If I come in summer, can we go to the river?" "To fish crabs?" "If you want." "What are you doing?" "See you in the morning." "I nearly forgot." "Just in case you need it." "The heater!" "No, really, I mean it..." "Rocio!" "What was that?" "Nothing." "I'm coming, Dad!" "Go on." "I said we come here in summer, and have a great time, and he wants to come next year." "To fish crabs." "Can't he just come and swim in the river?" "The poor boy." "Who?" "Fernando?" "No." "Higinio." "Why bring your husband up?" "Higinio drowned in the river." "That's right." " Every time I remember..." " Well, don't remember!" "And he cooked paella so well that day!" "Remember?" " He was good with rice." " That's all he was good at." "That's true." "If he'd given me a baby instead of all that paella!" " Continue." " All right." "I was putting the heater in the bed, and suddenly he kissed me." " Was he naked at the time?" " Did you hear that child?" "Do you think because I'm a virgin I'm an idiot?" "Luz, really." "So he kissed you and you ran for it." "You idiot." "Fernando's gorgeous!" "Well, forget about him." "We don't want problems with that seminarian." "" And the signatories are at your service, ready to unite within one Party, and propose to form a broad coalition, to serve the Republic."" "Who are the signatories?" "The first ones are Ortega y Gasset, Gregorio Marañon and Perez de Ayala." "Nobodies!" "What about Don Miguel?" "I don't see his name, but no matter." "The King has accepted Berenguer's resignation, and met with Romanones." "Dad, we're back!" " Come on, Fernando." " So long, Don Luis." "Let's see what that meddler Romanones will do now." "If Unamuno hasn't signed..." "Hello, Fernando." "He's a real bore about that damn Don Miguel." "He can't see that Unamuno is a poet, not a thinker." "Forgive your people, Lord." "Forgive your people." "Forgive them, Lord." " Dad..." " Yes, dear." " Can't I go to the dance?" " Who said you couldn't?" "You see?" "Do not be eternally annoyed." "Forgive them, Lord!" "It's too big for me." " What are you doing?" " Choosing our costumes." "What will you wear?" "Me?" "Nothing." "I'm not going." "Why not?" "Go and enjoy yourself." "You still can." "I don't know." "But I won't get dressed up." "I think this would suit you." " His suspenders." " What are you doing?" "Leave me alone!" "I'm not going like this, I'm embarrassed." " You look great." " Don't be silly." "No, you go on ahead." "I'll go in later." "You're a real disaster." "Let me..." "Do this." "You're so pretty!" "Make way there." "Make way for the baby." "Rocio..." "You look nice." "What's your disguise?" "It's not a disguise." "It's my Grandad's uniform." " It suits you." " That's why I put it on." " I don't want to dance." " Neither do I." "Your letters and photos." "What's all this about?" "You hear that?" "What about last night?" "It's not my fault your mother's a reactionary." "Leave her out of it!" "Look." "Here." "" Dear Juanito, I got your poem and was so surprised."" "Signed by you." "Didn't you know I wanted to marry?" "What you think it's like buying meat?" "Am I right or not?" " Then give me back the bracelet." " No, I won't." "What do you mean?" "Come here, you twit." "You're a twit." "Are we engaged or not?" " I am, you're not!" " I am, silly." "But these things take time, don't you see?" "Get us something to drink, and then we'll talk." " Drinks?" " Yes, real cold ones." " It's a shame really." " What is?" "The way you treat him." "What can I do?" "He's a jerk." "That's true too." "Look, with Romanones in power, I'm happy." "All this Republic business will peter out." "Sure." "You can carry on as mayor, lending money at 50% interest." "Better an honest man like me than one like the sexton." "What's wrong with the new government?" "Wrong with it?" "Nothing." "What a cabinet!" "Minister of State, Romanones." "Adviser to the Spanish Bank of Credit..." "Would you rather a gang of revolutionaries?" "Is Alcala Zamora a revolutionary?" "He goes to mass daily." "Go to hell, man." " Aren't you envious?" " Of whom?" "Of those two." "Yes, I am envious." "The drinks." "And I forgive you." " Let's dance." " No, no." "Didn't you forgive me?" "Yes, but the tango is banned." " You don't say!" " Pius X banned it." " What would he know?" " The Pope knows everything." "He's infallible." "It's shameful." " What's wrong?" " I'm not dancing anymore." " Hey, pigeon, are you alone?" " Leave me be!" "Look, sweetheart, don't play innocent." "Wait, my shoe's come off." "Fuck, you acted just like a man." "That's what I am." "Damn." "Easy..." "Come on." "Climb up." " Here?" " Go on!" "Now what?" "What do you think?" "Put your tongue like this." "Now blow." "Blow, for fuck's sake!" "Do you know he wouldn't dance a tango last night?" "It's his mother's influence." "But do you love him or not?" "I guess I do, because the idiot's lovable." "But I don't like him." "And to marry a man, you have to like him." "Do you think I liked Higinio at first, with all that hair in his nose?" "So?" "I got used to him." "Now I miss him more every day." "That's because you don't see the hair." "Don't kid yourself." "A woman has to have a man." "Especially at night." "You're right." "Even Violeta." "What does that mean?" "Swear you won't tell anyone." "I swear." "Tell what?" "Violeta?" "Hello, Fernando." "Hello." "Have you seen Violeta?" " Look." " What is it?" "A sheet." "Can you guess what it's for?" "No idea." " Come on and you'll see." " Where?" " The studio, you'll like it." " What studio?" "Dad's." "Didn't he tell you he was a painter?" "I haven't been in here for years." "I left it the day I realized painting was finished." "Why go on painting if it's all been done, I said." "And I decided to respect the canvas." "My last work." "Mother says that Dad is lazy." "She may be right, but you know how she is." "A Russian copied it." "He's called Malevich." "But, look." "Look at the date." "Mine is a year earlier." "Manolo..." "I've something to say." "Go on." "Well, I've..." " I've fallen in love." " I knew it!" "That's why I told you to go when they came." "So now I gain a son-in-law and lose a friend." "Don't say that." "Don't kid yourself." "So, who's the lucky girl?" "Rocio, I guess." "Violeta." "If you go to town, buy me matches." "Buy them yourself, you hussy!" "What...?" "What do you think?" "She'd got her hopes up." " No, I haven't eaten." " Drink up, you'll need it!" "This is like something from a novel." "What I mean is, your love is impossible!" "Why?" "Because Violeta..." "Look..." "Have you told her?" "Told her?" "Why should I tell her after what happened last night?" "Don't tell me there was copulation!" "A miracle!" "It's a miracle!" "Violeta!" "Violeta!" "My dear!" "Give me a kiss!" " A kiss!" " What's all this?" "A kiss, my dear." "My first grandchild must be a boy." "I'm fed up with so many women in the family." "Are you crazy?" "Why?" "I couldn't lie to him." "Last night meant nothing!" "Got it?" "Nothing!" "Get out of my sight!" "What's wrong?" "I want to get married!" "Listen, son, how can you marry a man?" "What's wrong?" "The bitch." "What an idiot!" "Don't be hard on her." "It's all Mother's fault." "She wanted Violeta to be a boy." "She'd bought everything in blue." "She already had a daughter." "So she kept on dressing her as a boy." "But didn't your father say anything about it?" "He was too involved with his painting." "But I think Violeta's been influenced a lot by confession." " Aren't you atheists?" " Well, yes." "But we made our First Communion." "Because Mother loved for us to look pretty." "Well, Violeta looked handsome, because she wore a sailor-suit." "What about confession?" "As Violeta confessed on the boys' side, the priest talked to her about lewd behavior." "Imagine!" "I sure can!" "Juanito and his mother." "What is it?" "He wants me to try his mother's wedding dress." "It may need altering." "Don't you dare." "And don't get it dirty!" "Are they getting married?" "Well, Juanito's a good match." "Look, why don't you make the sandwiches yourself?" "I want to see this." "All right." "Well..." "Thanks for everything, and give my bible to Manolo." "Don't be silly." "I was married by a bishop, he was my uncle." "You wouldn't have an uncle who's a bishop?" " Or even better, a cardinal." " No, I don't." " Can Juanito come in?" " No." "He's your fiancé." "What a precious dress." "It looks lovely on you." "Isn't she beautiful?" "But she doesn't have an uncle who's a bishop." "It's a shame." "It's the sacrament that matters, isn't it?" "Of course, but with a bishop it looks better." "What about the honeymoon?" "Mother says we should go to Rome." "What do you say?" "She'll love seeing the Pope and the catacombs." " I don't know." " We could go to Paris too." "I mean about the wedding." "Can we wait for the Republic?" "Because when there's a Republic, then we'll be able to get a divorce." "My son divorced?" "Never!" "Take off the dress!" "Give it to me, you shameless woman!" "With great pleasure!" "And you can stick it up your ass!" " Rocio, please." " And the veil with it." " What a filthy tongue!" " Calm down, Mother!" "Grab her by the legs!" "She'll be over it by tomorrow." "Go away." "And never come back!" "But I didn't do anything, it was her." "Juanito!" "I'm taking you to a monastery!" "Calm down, Doña Asun!" "Fernando, I'm so unhappy!" "Don't cry." "You're so kind!" "The door..." "Never mind the door." "Come here, you devil." "You're a real devil." "Your trousers..." "What was that?" " The wind." "Keep going!" "And I, like an idiot, making him omelets!" "What?" "Didn't you enjoy it?" "Of course I did." "But how am I going to tell your father?" "Tell him what?" "That I'm in love with you." "Why should you tell him?" "If I don't, I'm abusing his trust." "If you do, you're abusing mine." "I don't understand." "Juanito..." "What?" "So you love him then?" "It's not that, but..." "What are you doing?" "Where are you going?" "To Madrid!" "Have you read "The Magic Mountain"?" "It's all explained very well in that book." ""Oh, charming organic beauty, but of living and corruptible matter!" "Look at the shoulders and hips, and the flowery bosoms on both sides of the breast, and the ribs aligned in pairs, and the navel in the belly's softness, and the dark sex between the thighs!" "Let me feel the exhalation of your pores, and touch your down, human image of water and albumen, destined to the anatomy of the tomb, and let me die with my lips pressed to yours!"" "Such youth!" "Gee up, Lucero!" "Don Luis!" " What's the hurry?" " I must talk to you." "What do I have to do to renounce?" "Renounce what?" "This!" "Catholicism!" "I'll pay anything!" "You've just blessed yourself!" "It's finished!" "What do I do?" "Spit on you?" "Blaspheme?" "Sing the Republican Anthem?" "If the priests only knew... ..the beating they'll get, they'd run out shouting freedom, freedom!" "I can't stand my mother!" "I want to be free!" "Free!" "Your mother is one heck of a mother, Juanito." "What's going on?" "She wants me to be a monk!" "And I want to get married!" "That's fine." "So why do you want to renounce?" "If I do, Mother will disown me and I can marry Rocio!" "If you put it like that..." "But defection is a very serious matter, Juanito." "So is the vow of chastity!" "Christ, you're telling me?" "I'm sorry." "Do you believe in Hell?" "I do, but she doesn't!" "Tell me what I have to do and give me the certificate." "What certificate?" "To show I've left the Catholic Church." "Then Rocio can see I've split with my mother, and she'll marry me." "You see?" "It must be lunch time." "Come on, let's go." "Don't I have to do it here?" "Just be quiet." "Come along." "You, give me a hand." "Hold the horse." " Where are we going?" " For lunch." " And the certificate?" " I'll do it verbally, dammit!" "Good afternoon!" "Well, the Church and money, hand in hand." "Rocio, just listen to this." "I must tell you that this man has renounced the Holy Church, and is excommunicated." "What's for lunch?" "Wonderful, stew!" "What is all this?" "You explain it." "Excommunicated for your love." "I'll go to Hell." "Don't touch me!" "Your mother's the only one you care about!" "Don't you understand?" "That's why I renounced!" "My love, let me explain." "What's happened?" "Nothing." "Juanito showed he's got balls." "Excuse me." "He renounced." " He's free of the maternal yoke." " The Carlists have class." "Does he mean it?" "Is there any soup left?" "Stew really needs soup." "I'll get it now!" "How am I going to allow such a stupidity?" "Even if I did, as soon as his mother heard about it..." "She'll kill him." "That's the least of it." "She'll disinherit him." "Don't laugh at him." "What he just did only happens in novels." "My mother doesn't count!" "She's right out!" "We can honeymoon in Paris!" " Can we live in Madrid?" " Wherever you want!" "Honestly?" "Because I won't live here." "And in the summer we'll go to San Sebastian!" " Don't take it so hard." " What?" "Do you think I'm stupid?" "Juanito!" "Not now!" "So you're still here, eating your heart out." "Look, can't Rocio marry whoever she wants?" " She doesn't love him!" " She does." "In her own way, of course." "And she has to get married, unlike Violeta." "Obviously not!" "No." "What I mean is that Violeta's a vet." "She's got a good job and doesn't need anybody." "But what can Rocio do without any training?" "Be a shopgirl all her life?" "Isn't she a secretary?" "No, poor thing." "She helps me in the shop my husband left me." "Because my husband..." " Why did you bring me here?" " Who, me?" "No, it wasn't you, it was me." "No, it wasn't me either." "It was my feet." "My own feet." "He drowned right there." "Your husband?" "Last summer." "We came here on a picnic." "I insisted that we should have a swim after lunch." "And he got a cramp." "I can still see it, even now." "He was there, right there." "And all of a sudden, he went under." "And he never came up." "I, like an idiot, thought he was diving." "And he left me all alone!" "Alone for ever!" "But you've got your father, your sisters." "But, Fernando, a husband is a husband!" "Yes, I understand." "But you could marry again." "Young..." "So nice..." "So pretty..." "Look, Clara, from the start..." "No, I'm a decent woman." "Sure." "You're crazy." "I'll comfort you." "Not by the river!" "Oh Jesus!" "Fernando!" "Help!" "Wait!" "Lord, what can I do?" "Get a rope!" "Where will I find one?" "I'm drowning!" "No, not you, Fernando!" "Grab this!" "Hold on tight!" "Please, hold on!" "I'm so sorry!" "Give me your hand!" "Don't let go!" "My God!" "Come on." "Water." "I swallowed water." "Forgive me, forgive me." "Kiss me, my darling." "It was my fault." "Are you better?" "Tell me you're better." "I am." "I'm better." " Yes, like that." " Not by the river." "Oh, my God!" "Yes, Fernando, yes!" "I don't know what's happening to me." " Bunch of scoundrels." " How did you get it?" "It came from Madrid." "The end is the best." "" You must ensure that the monarchist triumph gives the impression of being true public opinion."" " Who's it from?" " The Ministry of the lnterior." "They're rigging the elections." " No!" " How dare they!" " Why don't you go too?" " Where?" " To the meeting in Villabuena." " I'm not a Republican!" "Some defector!" "Now, you wouldn't be putting me on?" "No, I'm going." "I'll go anywhere." "Wait for me, I'm going too!" "Goodbye, Rocio!" "Wait!" "Don't go!" "Don't go!" "What happened?" "Fernando fell in the water." " In the water?" " Where?" "In the river, of course." "And why did you go to the river?" "We went for a walk." "Fernando had never been there." " Now he's caught a chill." " Some chill." "It's pneumonia." " But how did it happen?" " For Christ's sake!" "Why all this inquisition?" "Get me to bed." "I'm shivering." "You've got an awful fever." "Dry off and go to bed." " That's what I said." " Cover up well." "Wouldn't it be better if he had a hot bath first?" "Why not call the doctor?" "All he needs is hot milk with brandy and an aspirin." " We've no brandy." " There's only anisette." "I don't think it's the same." " Fill hot water bottles." " For his feet!" " Shouldn't he inhale eucalyptus?" " He has to sweat." "Did you fall too, or what?" "That's from pulling him out of the river." "It's strange, he fell in just where Higinio drowned." " You can imagine how I felt." " Luz, the anisette." "Just listen to this." "The sneak wanted to kiss me and I had to push him away." "I just can't explain it." "What with remembering Higinio and Fernando kissing me, I felt strange all over." "And he was so keen to go to the meeting." "Go on, pretend." "You sent me away so I wouldn't hear something." "What would we be talking about?" "What else but Fernando?" "But if I find out, you'll see." " Are you better?" " It's pneumonia, believe me." "Stop moaning and take the aspirins and milk." "Shouldn't he inhale first?" "Wait, I'll get the bottles." "His feet are freezing!" "And his forehead's burning." "Now, sit up." "Breathe deeply, this will really help." "It reminds me of the water I swallowed." "Give him the milk and aspirins." "Now, sweat it out." "No, he's freezing." "Don't worry, love." "He'll soon warm up." "Thank you so much." "You're very kind." "We'll let him sleep." " Get well." " Keep covered up." " Health and the Republic!" " Health!" " Down with the clergy!" " Want me to get out and hit you?" "He doesn't know me." "Tomorrow I'll burn his church again." " See you tomorrow." " What do you mean?" "Aren't you going home?" "I've renounced my religion, turned Republican, and damned the clergy." "Am I supposed to go home, kiss my mother, and say my prayers before I go to bed?" "No, I'm staying here." " All right." "Where will you sleep?" " On the sofa." " It's me, your love." " What is this?" " You'll waken Luz." " What do you want?" "You're so warm." "Know what?" "We don't have to get married." "In the Republic there'll be free love." "Free love?" "Someone said so at the meeting." "Ask your father." "What?" "What's going on?" "It's this selfish lump." "He wants free love." "You pig!" "That's why you became a Republican!" "Rocio!" "Let me explain!" "Rocio, open the door!" "We're finished forever." "Do you hear me?" "Forever!" "I take it all back!" "I won't renounce." "Roman, Catholic, Apostolic!" "And never a Republican!" "I'm a Carlist till I die!" "Did you see that?" "Getting into my bed like a ghost." "So what?" "If you're going to marry him..." "You're crazy." "Don't even mention it." "I want everyone to know!" "I take it all back!" "Our fathers died for God, for fatherland and King." "For that same cause we too shall die." "Die then, you idiot!" "Cost what it may, King Don Carlos must enter through the gates of Madrid." "At last!" " Where are you going?" " For some water." "Not the river." "No, I can't swim." "I can't swim." "I can't swim." "Clara..." "Clara..." "Not the river!" "Lie down." "Take it easy." "Not the river." "The hay loft." "The hay loft." "I love you, Violeta." "I want to marry Rocio." "Rocio..." "Clara..." "Violeta..." "What about me?" "No, not the water!" "In a mystical country, there lived an old artist, who had all his wealth in a magic flute." "The wretched flutist was so very poor that he slept in the tree-tops, because he had no home." "And the birds in the forest came to wake him up." "And the birds in the forest came to wake him up." "And then the old flutist sang in turn, saying to the birds with great pride..." "Amalia!" "Mother!" "It's Mother!" "...I too have flown through life, with no destination and no nest in which to mate." "And you may sing your love laments." "I will sing of the bitterness that lies within my heart." "Do you see, Danglard?" "Prettier every year." "Amalia!" "Manolo!" "The operetta finished?" "Tell him, darling." "Tell him how I had America at my feet." "Tell us." "Indescribable successes in Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Santiago de Chile, Rio de Janeiro, Caracas." "In Mexico they wanted to carry me on their shoulders." "I refused, " naturellement"." " To avoid any groping, I suppose." " Really, Dad." "No, he is right." " You're an Othello." " Of course, "et j'en suis fier"." "And you're right, dammit." "Are you going to tell them?" "Packed theaters, contracts extended, tons of flowers." "Did you get rich?" "He did." "I am an artiste." "Huge expenses..." " The French toast is delicious." " Wonderful." "When did you learn to cook?" "Who them?" "Fernando made them." "He was a cook in the seminary." "Handsome, polite, helpful." "This young man is a jewel." "It was time you had a proper friend." "I hope you're not a drinker." "No, ma'am." "Wonderful." "Now, please excuse me." "The journey was tiring and I wish to rest." " See you later, my love." " I'll stay with Manolo." " And our presents?" " Later, when I unpack." " Your daughter is selfish." " It's her age." "A kiss, Violeta." "Have a good rest." "You poor little thing." "So young and..." "But I feel wonderful!" "Listen to me." "Enjoy yourself, life is short." "Thank you for breakfast." "It was delicious." "Coming?" "No, not you." "What about me?" "Go for a walk, take some air, and enjoy nature." "" Non e giusto!"" "" Non e giusto!"" " Mr. Danglard, don't get upset." " I knew this would happen." "Would you like a drink?" "Why is he crying?" "Idiot!" "Can't you see he's Mother's lover?" "Don't go, Mr. Danglard." "That'll be worse." "What a hurry you're in." "Just wait..." "I can't." "I've been waiting for almost a year." "Amalia..." "Christ, what a nuisance." "What is it?" "Listen, wouldn't it be better if you and I had a rest now?" "No, and if you make a scene I'll leave you for Manolo." "No, don't do that!" "Listen, I won't be long." "Why torture yourself when we have forever." "Really?" "I swear that we do." "But now, go away." "Don't be too long." "I feel sorry for him." "I can understand him." "But he has to understand me." "Do you think you're going to be able?" "Am I going to be able?" "Am I able or not?" "I'll say you are." "And at your age too." " Who's that?" " Mother's manager." " Great." "Introduce me." " Forget that and help us." "Well, introduce me later." "I haven't forgiven you." "But I don't want Mother to know we've broken up." " Don't worry" " And stop kissing me." "Danglard!" "You said you'd just be a minute." "Four hours and forty seven minutes!" "You timed it?" "You are not a gentleman!" "You have no right to do this to me. "Vous me devez une explication!"" " And you'll have one." "Wait." " Wait longer?" "Poor Amalia is worn out, let her sleep a little." "He says it so happily!" "Your father has no "vergoña"!" "You're right, Mr. Danglard." "Dad, the Republic has won!" " Is it definite?" " Absolutely!" " The town's gone crazy!" " Let's go celebrate!" "Go get the flag!" "I don't care about your Republic!" "I want an explanation!" "What explanation do you want?" "You're asking me?" "I, who am wasting my fortune so she can be happy and sing?" "You mean, the tour of America..." "A disaster." "Why don't they forbid it once and for all?" "What?" "Operetta!" "I've lost thousands." "The worst thing is, when I've no more money your wife will leave me." "No, she won't do that." "Amalia really loves you." "You think so?" "She told me." "So why does she have to..." "No, Danglard." "If you weren't so blinded by passion you'd see that I'm the cuckold." "You?" "Of course!" "Perhaps you're right." "Except for you, Amalia has never been unfaithful to me." "Go and give her a kiss." "But, believe me, you don't deserve her." "Gee up, Lucero!" "The King has only got a paper crown." "Berenguer took away his gold one!" "Why did I throw him out?" "He tried to get into my bed!" "You were right." "Because men, especially men like Juanito, once they've deflowered a girl, that's the end of it." " You are a...?" " Of course!" "What about you, Violeta?" "May I?" "What a nuisance!" "Now what is it?" "Nothing." "I just wanted you to know I'm here." "All right, I know." "Now will you let me enjoy my daughters?" "Of course." "But you know that I'm here." "See?" "If I met a man like him, I might even consider it." "You've got him round your little finger." "If I could have done that with your father!" "No, dear." "Marriage wouldn't suit you at all." "You weren't born for that." "I mean, men are all selfish." "You should find a nice girl who'll love you, and keep house for you." "Now, you..." "Don't any men come into your shop?" "Of course they do!" "But they're old." "Only old people have money." "What will you do?" "You realize that if you don't stay pretty they won't bother?" "And you?" "What do you say, my love?" "I'll kiss you to pieces." "Nobody pays me any attention." "And they're all selfish." "Didn't you realize?" "What?" " Don't tell her!" " Mother, she's in love!" " You be quiet!" " With whom?" "You'll all be sorry!" "Who do you think?" "With Fernando." "With the cook?" "How is it?" "Like it?" "It's better than Higinio's." "Are you stupid?" "Have some tact." "See?" "Always scolding me!" "What's the matter?" "It's because Clara's husband drowned here." "It's all right." "Let me try." "It's delicious!" "Higinio's wasn't as good." "Why is the child in such a tizzy?" "Why do you think?" "She's just spoiled." "Here are the basics for the salad." "Has Violeta caught anything?" "She hasn't come back yet." "I brought Mother along." "She's turned Republican!" "I made this, as the Borbon's gone." "For the red and yellow, I used jam." "But I had to use beetroot for the purple." "Thank you on behalf of the Republic." "Republic!" "It'll be communism!" "Don't say that!" "It's true." "I'm heading back to Paris." "Yes, and I could sing in New York, my lifelong dream." "With new settings and costumes, and an orchestra of at least ninety musicians." "But Amalia, that will be very expensive." "You'll soon recoup it when they realize Broadway is a washout compared to the operetta." "Is Doña Amalia a cabaret singer?" "Leave me be!" "What did I do?" "Look, I'm worried about you." "Luz..." "Leave me be, you're a pig!" "But why?" " You always agree with them!" " With who?" "Rocio!" "Clara!" "Violeta!" "And as you don't like me..." "I don't like you?" "But I've liked you since I first saw you!" "Then why are you always after those three?" "You think I'm blind?" "That's different." "Oh, yeah?" "Well, you can go with them!" "Don't you see it's you I love?" " Who, me?" " Yes, you." "Idiot!" "Then..." "What's going on?" "My poor baby!" "What are you watching?" "They make such a nice couple." "First love..." "So pure, so chaste, so spiritual." "Spiritual, did you say?" "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" "He's not to deflower her!" "Damn seminarian." " Are you crazy?" " It's just to scare them." "Now, to get them married!" "But Luz..." "I have to be sure." " Sure of what?" " That you love me." "You know I do." "I don't want it to be like with them." "Who?" "With my sisters." "It's different with you." "That's what I want to be sure of." "Come on." "After, if you don't love me, there's still time for you to leave." "And I'll never tell anyone." "But first I want you to do with me what you did with them." " What's happened?" " Something awful." "It's awful." " But what is it?" " Don Luis..." "God's punishment, Manolo!" "This is dreadful!" "How could he hang himself?" "He loved to eat." "" He who take his own life removes his fear of death."" "I think Shakespeare said that." "Come on, hurry up." " How do I look?" " Beautiful." "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" " Now what do we do?" " Don't worry." "As Spain is now a secular Republic, consider yourselves married." "Juanito, get the magistrate to come and sort it out." "Manolo is right." "If you postpone the wedding, we'll miss the boat." "We can't do that." "We open in Buenos Aires." "But I won't get to sing " Ave Maria"." "And I wanted so much to do it." "Give her a kiss." "I'm waiting for my first grandchild." " Hurry, it's leaving!" " Come on!" "Give me a kiss, Dad!" " Mother, write to us." " Of course I will." "And find yourself a husband." "I hope you'll be very happy." "Very happy." "Take care of her or your brother-in-law will fix you." "And I'm to be godfather." "You idiot!" "Get on, it's moving." "Love brings pain, but you had a good time." "What a rascal you are." "Goodbye!" "To leave is to die a little, the poet said." "I think it's the opposite." "The one left behind dies completely." "Don't be silly." "Give me a kiss." "Have a good trip." "Give me a hug, Danglard." "As many as you want, my friend." "A kiss..." "We're so sorry to be going, aren't we?" "Don't go then." "Stay here." "It's for Fernando's future." "You're right." "America is the land of opportunities." "Get in the car." "Remember what I said when I thought you were in love with Violeta?" "About gaining a son-in-law, losing a friend?" "That's it." "I'll always be your friend." "Go on, get in." "Goodbye, Manolo." "Gee up there, Lucero."