"My name is Inigo." "In our village, people were dying of poverty and hunger." "It's why my mother had sent me to Madrid, to serve a former comrade of my father." "Do you know his worship Captain Alatriste?" "Soon I'd know he was not the most honest and the most pious man, but he was a brave man." "Do you work for Captain Alatriste?" " Do you know where I can find him?" "The Spanish monarchy is in danger." "In exchange for ceding the hand of your sister, the Infanta Maria, to a heretic..." "I have a letter for you." " From him?" "He's coming, Angelica!" "..he warns that no one should know of his coming." "..there's something you will be interested to know." "Who else knows our secret?" "The Count Duke." "The Count Duke does not have to last forever." "The Prince of Wales will arrive tonight in Madrid traveling incognito." "I have a task that might interest you." "Your immediate release and good money." "If you accept now I'll take you to see your client." "Tonight two foreign travelers will arrive in Madrid .." "I will accompany you." "They should be intercepted before they reach their destination," "Mercy for my companion." "This makes no sense." "Why did you save our lives?" "Who lives here?" "Alvaro de la Marca is a grandee of Spain." "Now these English are far from your reach." "Man, Diego!" "Come, I want to introduce you to a very interesting person." "My mother sent me to you." "He's not mine." "Where are you going, may I ask?" " No, Charity, you may not ask." "I see that we return to our topic where we left it." "I'm an actress now." "But who is the fool who goes against the heir to the English throne?" "Me." "It's time to tie up loose ends." "Alatriste's hours are numbered." "Surrender." "Don't make me do it." "Episode 2:" "With the Noose" "We're not going to the court prison, right?" "No." "Someone wants to talk to you." "Talk?" "Are you sure he wants to talk?" "You recommended the work to me, Martín." "I swear to God that those who employed you are not very satisfied." "It was too dirty." " Dirty?" "And what does that matter?" "I do not think I did a clean job in the last 30 years, don't believe you have either." "It was dirty even for us." "I know they will kill me." "That's not uncommon in this business, it happens sooner or later." "But I don't like to make things easy." "A dagger, Martin, I don't ask anything else." "I'd do the same for you." " Don't give me that now." "Don't let me be killed by a pig." "Don't you understand?" "I can not, Diego." "If you have to do it yourself, at least make it a clean cut." "God keep you, Diego." "Your name is Diego Alatriste?" "What is the charge?" "You're here to answer questions, not to ask them." "You are accused of having acted against the interests of the crown and the Church." "Neither my God nor my king ordered me yesterday to kill those two Englishmen." "Two English?" "Two heretics." "Surely their death was entrusted to you." "I myself ordered it." "And you are?" "Brother Emilio Bocanegra." "Tell me, what drives a man to desert the flock of God and switch to the unholy ranks of heretics?" "I've always fought on the side of my God, and my king." "You're taking the wrong path, soldier." "Cooperate and you can at least save your soul." "Tell me, isn't it true that the Count of Guadalmedina also favours these heretics?" "I don't know what you mean." "You don't know?" "However, you saved their lives, disobeying your orders and put them safely in his house." "I limited myself to helping two brave men." "You put courage above faith?" "Your faith would be nothing without the king's soldiers." "You're not a soldier anymore." " I was." "Arrogant human wreck!" "Your mercenary hands and sword are as bloodstained as your soul from sin." "You have seen too much." "You have heard too much, and you've made mistakes." "The wrath of God is ready to reach you." "Captain." "We are now even." " What's the difference?" "Remember my name:" "Walter Malatesta." "I want you to well remember me when I kill you." "Quiet." "Very well: is it possible to know who the hell calls at these hours?" " I Don't know." "If you are the Holy Inquisition, you arrive late." "You should know that it's been a year since that pig Góngora has lived here." "Don Francisco, I'm Diego, open at once." " Diego?" "What are you doing?" " What am I doing?" "Opening for a friend." "You're hurt." "It's nothing." "I was lucky." " May God rest the soul of he who wasn't." "What are you still doing here, man?" "Go to the well for water." "Ledesma, go with him." "Diego, tell me this has nothing to do with the English." " I'd be lying." "Brother Emilio Bocanegra." "Holy name of Christ!" "Do you know what it means to have him against you?" "Someday it had to happen." "You have to remember how the Inquisition operates." "They'll torture you, Diego, torture you to death." "They would have to capture me alive." "Now what are you gonna do?" "Ledesma, fix the boy a place to sleep." "Yes" "I only take orders from the captain." " Shit!" "Go to bed, Iñigo." "You have had enough for today." "As you say." "Iñigo." " Yes?" "Good work." "Your father would be proud." "Well, now will you tell me what your plans are?" "It'd be best to send the boy on the first stagecoach leaving for the north." "Do you think the boy is also in danger?" "Tonight no one was to be left alive." "The Italian works for Bocanegra." "And he knows the boy." "So it is." "And you: why don't you go with him?" "Where?" "You know as well as I do that the agents of the Inquisition are everywhere." "Naples." "You could go to Naples." "There surely is a friend you can count on." "No." "Not yet." "So, what?" "With God, friend." "With God, Diego." "Diego." "I claim asylum from the Holy Host." "By God, Diego!" "Last night commotion in the middle of the street, today you seek asylum from the Holy Host." "Why don't you think about changing your life?" "Is it that there is another one?" "Sister Agnes, you have a visitor." "Again?" "Is it my sister?" "I am a lucky nun, sister." "God protect you, sister Agnes." "The Nativity sister Agnes?" "Yes, I am." "The author of "The uninhabited light"?" "I've written with the help of God." "Please, stay quiet, sister." "You must not fear the Holy Office." "What do you want from me, your reverence?" "To chat about your work, my daughter." "Apparently some people think that your devotion, your spiritual exaltation border on heresy." "Who?" " All The Holy Office reports are anonymous, sister." "There is nothing in these verses that is not inspired by my love for God." "And I do not doubt it." "In a poem you even suggest that God speaks to you." "I feel it inside me." "Oh, really?" "Tell me how it is." "How do you feel?" "Does God speak through your mouth?" "No, no, not that." "Do you have visions, supernatural occurrences?" "Do not be afraid, sister." "You know that these apparitions are part of our faith." "Also you are not accused by the Inquisition." "Sometimes I like to think that God is shown in the little things." "In bread, in the light of the morning, birds singing." "So you see God with the body of an animal?" "No, not that, eminence, no." "And those birds, do you say, dictate the verses to you?" "No, no, just inspire me." "Inspire you?" " Yes, it is, yes." "Well, that's all." "Is that it?" " Sure, my daughter, and I said that I came to put light where there was darkness." "I am very grateful, Father." "May God keep you." "Proceed." "But father, you yourself said that you were..." " Convinced?" "Convinced that the complaint had a real basis that will instruct the court of the Inquisition." "Take her." "Mother, tell them what they think is a lie, please, mother, tell them." "Tell my sister." "Wonderful." "And with what delicacy is drawn even the smallest detail." "Don Luis, are these our Philippines?" "I think so, yes, they're in Asia." "And here's New Spain." "Here's Peru?" "And our islands of the Antilles." "How great is our empire!" "Right, Don Alvaro?" "Thanks to the efforts of our king." "Not Don Gaspar..." "the Palatinate isn't clear here." "It is certainly too small." "Or too big." "Excellency, you do not know how much we like your present." "We are very grateful." "I'll convey your gratitude to the prince, yesterday who, by chance, someone tried to assassinate at the gates of your city." " I'm aware." "What an unpleasant incident!" " I'd say it was more than an incident." "Does your excellency believe that?" "Surely the presence of two wealthy travelers caught the attention of bandits." "Excellency, we have travelled half of Europe to confirm the wedding of our prince." "Maybe your prince rushed to travel to Spain without the approval of His Majesty Felipe or his advisers." "They are doing everything possible to apprehend the attackers of his highness." "Let us hope so." "Meanwhile His Majesty wishes" "That the Prince and excellency stay at the Royal Citdel." "Please convey our gratitude to His Majesty, but we are comfortable at the British embassy." "When can the young people meet?" "All in good time, excellency." "All in good time." "You have already seen that in Spain the rush is a bad counselor." "The rush can kill." "Not now, Quevedo." " I've not come to ask grace for me but for a mutual friend." "Alatriste?" "What do you know?" "More than you'd like." "Customers who ordered the assault and I have names." "Well?" " Don Luis de Alquézar." "Hurry, come on." " And Brother Emilio Bocanegra." "You put me in a difficult position." "And the captain?" "Wounded but alive." "For now." "Shit!" "Doesn't Alatriste have anything else to do, but to complicate his life, and incidentally mine?" "Remember that in Flanders, formerly, it was he who saved yours." "He'll get help from someone I trust, Quevedo." " All right." "Where is he?" "He has asylum in the parish of Santa Cruz." "Let him stay there and do nothing, by God." "Nothing." "I will tell him, but you know your worship that Alatriste is a man of little listening and much doing." "Captain, there's someone who wants to see you." "What are you doing here?" " The Count of Guadalmedina sent me." "They monitor all of his steps, but not mine." "You need a doctor." "See?" "That wound on his arm is festering." "Better the arm, than the whole body in a pit." "I know a good doctor, a convert." "He won't inform on you because of his sin." "He's a Jew?" "Is it that you want to condemn him to the stake?" "He's a good man, Diego, a man of God." "Trust me." "Go to seek him, father," "I'll take care of him." "With this you can leave Madrid without problems." "How generous!" " It's not my money, you know." "Yes, I know it's not by your will that you are here today." "Don't move the arm." "I see it's not the first time you've healed a wound." "Nor the last one, I suspect." "In this town everyone is ready to draw his sword." "Especially for a beautiful woman." "I know the story." "Surely many men have had to fight for you in this time, I guess." "Fight for me?" "You better say they fought for their own pride." "To some the only thing that remains is their pride." "Good trip, Captain." "Who was that?" "No one." "You brought something to eat?" "Help yourself." "The prince went to see the bulls in the square." "And says he was very impressed when his Majesty in person went down to the sand and floored the Bull with a musket shot." "Did you get to see him well?" "How does he look?" "Delicate features, noble bearing, and delicate ways." "Very delicate?" "Those corresponding to a prince, Your Highness." "Highness, if you could have a good look back at the window." "The light will not last much longer." "Forgive, master Velázquez." "The whole court speaks of their clothes, especially those of the Marquis of Buckingham." "They are so striking!" "I think it is not very pious to dress with so many feathers and colors." "My confessor says that to dress this way is a sin." "There are other customs." "And another religion." "And another religion, you are right." "Highness, please do not move." "Excuse me, but..." "Thank you, thank you very much." "What is it, Angelica?" "You look troubled." "Highness, I have to talk to you." "In private." "And how did you hear about the meeting between Buckingham and the Count Duke?" "Lady, my ears are yours, my eyes, and my life, if necessary." "If I could not continue to profess my faith this wedding would make no sense." "Your brother, the king, would never give his consent." "But, if in exchange for my sacrifice, the true religion was no longer persecuted in that country" "I would be willing to accept it." "You are very brave, princess." "I owe the king, my lord, my country and my God." "Your duty is not incompatible with your heart." "If it was my decision this waiting would be over." "But what can I do?" "Tell the prince that you desire the wedding as much as him." "How?" "Perhaps you could write a few lines." "I will do everything in my power that they arrive safely at their destination." "Oh, my God!" "What?" "María, the sister has something to say." "Is it Inés?" "Tell me now." "What has happened to my sister?" "This morning she was arrested by the Inquisition." "Apparently someone has denounced her by her verses." "But who?" "Unknown." "You never know." "The very president of the Holy Office came to the convent this morning for the questioning." "But it can not be!" "Inés, no." "Inés is a devout person, who only thinks of praying." "What will they do?" "The Inquisition now seeks evidence, witnesses, they will want that she tells them if she has accomplices, that she confesses." "Confesses what?" " Whatever, a demon dictated her verses, trying to spread Protestantism in Spain, anything to accuse her." "They will torture her, right?" "I have to go." " No, please." "I have to return to the convent." "I broke the cloister by warning you." "They will do it: right?" "They will threaten her to tell the truth about something that she knows nothing about because no one will tell her of what she is accused." "And finally, yes, torture." "Now you must not think about that." "Be strong." "I have to go." "Thank you, sister." "May God keep you." "Do you have money?" "It's yours for only a penny." "Thief, thief!" "Look who we have run into, the naive one!" "It's a reward for our good deeds." "We punish the thief to gain heaven." "Stealing is a sin that can lead to hell, and more so if the one that steals does it in our territory.." "Let me go, or I slice." "Come Raspas, prick this one." "So that he learns." "I'm going to teach you how to castrate pigs." "Here there is no bigger pig than you." "Drop it." "I owe you, sir." "You have appeared just in time, thank God." "Better to be thankful to the devil." "Slut!" "You a bitch." "This is how you safeguard the honor of a friend?" "I do not want to fight you, Franz." "I've warned you, Franz, I don't want to fight." "Leave him." "Murderer." "Captain." "Diego, the doctor is here." "How are you?" "The Count's help has arrived." "What do we know about the boy, don Francisco?" "And who is this?" " Fernando Madrid, a medical friend." "I asked about the boy." "He's from Oñate, I imagine." "Yes, Oñate or wherever else." "Tell me, Madrid is not a Christian name also, right?" "I've asked about Iñigo." "Where is he?" "He disappeared in the early dawn and we have not heard from him, Diego." "What do you mean?" "I beg you do not move, sir." "He knows how to take care of himself." "That boy is smart." "As smart as hunger itself." " That's not what I asked you." "You like to come to church?" "What about bacon?" "Do you eat bacon?" "Well, okay, Don Francisco, that's enough." "Bailiffs!" "Bailiffs!" "The bailiffs have surrounded the church." "I thought you hadn't been followed." "I have not found a way to satisfy the requirement of the prince." "His Majesty knows that our protocol prevents you receiving him at the altar." "Oh, really?" " Of course, Your Majesty." "Certainly his presence here is at least unusual." "And compromising." "Pamper the child in court as we confront the father in Mainz and the Palatinate." "In any case, having crossed Europe incognito without escort is a brave gesture." "It is, Majesty." "Make known to the English that we will be pleased to receive the Prince of Wales." "It will be done." "But insist that is still too early for presentations." " Of Course." "I'd be pleased to get to know this young man." "In due course." "Dearest sister, you heard, tomorrow is the day." "My sister has a very sweet temperament." "I don't want to upset her in this matter." "Don't worry, Majesty." "And tell me, where do you think the meeting should take place?" "What is your grace's opinion of the English Prince?" "Have you had occasion to see him?" "Lady, I have not seen him, nor do I have that intention." "But what about the wedding, what do you think?" "Do you really think it's possible for them to marry?" "There will be no wedding, believe me." "The Pope will not tolerate such a union." "And nor do I." "But the English prince could always convert to Catholicism." "It would be very gallant on his part, certainly." "The marriage of a princess is not a sentimental affair, not a comedy." "You're talking about the future of the Spanish monarchy." "If you'll excuse me, I'm needed." "Doña Teresa." "Neither will papal bull, nor the king, assisted by divine providence, allow this unholy union." "I assure you." "Let's hope so, for the sake of our monarchy." "More chocolate?" "An aim, for God's sake." " Out of the way, wretch, get away." "I can send people to look for the boy in Providence and Cebeda and check the streets near the castle." "Put some on the gates of the town, and someone in the gossip shops." "As you say, Captain." "Well?" "Let's hear your plan to escape Saldaña and his bailiffs." "Follow them." "Come on, check all of them." "It's them." "Stop." "You, with me." "There is no way out." "Come back here, vow to God." "Quickly." "Show yourselves." "We surrender, dear lieutenant Saldaña." "Damn you, Francisco, I should arrest you!" "Us?" "A poor poet, or perhaps a beggar?" "This is not the end of this, I swear it to you." "Let's go." "Hello." "Who's there?" "Open for the guard." "Open." "Are you agents of the Inquisition?" "I'm the constable, so open at once." "What does your worship want at this hour?" "I'm looking for a fugitive." " Dangerous?" "Very." "Captain Alatriste." "More than dangerous, a murderer." "Your Worship knows him?" "I've only heard about him, but I've heard enough." "I do know him and he's not a murderer." "At least not more than many." "Why do you look for him here?" "He fled in this direction and is very likely to have hidden here." "Here there's only me and my husband, sleeping." "Can we take a look?" "Señor Sheriff, tomorrow I have a performance." "I have been here for over two hours and I have not seen or heard anyone." "Can I keep rehearsing?" "I would not want to be responsible for the misinterpretation of an actress with such renown." "I remain grateful." "So I'm a murderer?" "What else do you call someone who kills his best friend?" "Do you know another word that defines you better?" "And you, María?" "What word defines you?" "A woman who hates." " That's four words." "But if you hate me so much, why didn't you betray me?" "I do not inform." "I prefer to fight my own battles." "Now, if you'll let me, I have to keep rehearsing." "Why was it that you wondered if it was the Inquisition?" "I'm foreign and an actress." "It would be normal for some envious colleague to send the Holy Office." "Nothing more?" "Your pursuers have left." "You can go." "Thank you for not giving me away." "Don't thank me yet." "That Saldaña defended you with great conviction." "He's a good friend." "Friends don't matter to you." "(Commercial break)" "Talk to him, now." " No, the boy is stubborn as a mule." "But haven't you..." " Torture?" "Such unpleasantness does not please me." "I don't care if it pleases you or does not please you." "Do it." "We need to know where the captain is." "Nor does it please me that you raise your voice to me." "You will be rewarded properly." "You can count on it, but I request that you make the boy talk." "You hear me?" "He was all in black." "Did you hear him speak?" "His accent was Italian." "Do you know where he was taken?" "Go now." "Diego, the Italian is a regular at Alquézar's house." "I know." "What's the matter, Charity?" "How come you ask what happens to me?" "You don't play here." "And why?" "Because it's a sin, because it's a crime, and because I do not like it." "Stay especially with the third." "What will you do to me?" "If anything happens to me, the Captain will finish you off." "Maybe, and it might also be me that ends him." "I will lift you up and your body will do the rest." "It's an unbearable pain in the arms and shoulders." "Talk - where is the captain?" "Swine!" "Leave him." "Did your uncle send you?" "Yes." "Release him, I said.." "Wait outside." " As you please." "Thanks." "Are you better?" "Yes." " Drink.." "Good?" "Will you release me?" "Release you?" "Why?" " I will be killed." "It is possible, but I can still save you, if you tell them where the captain is." "I don't know where the captain is." "I swear." "I do not know." "Don't swear." "It's a sin." "If I did know I wouldn't tell you." "In that case there's nothing I can do for you." "It's true, I know nothing." "I believe you, but you will have to scream very loud so that the one who pays me also believes you." "Your tendons haven't torn yet." "This is really going to make you scream." "Lady." "Luis, Luis!" "Luis!" "Go and find out what's happening." "If you scream I'll break your neck." " Who are you?" "Teresa!" "What?" "To me, help!" "Help!" "Let's go." "But it's a girl!" "Where is Iñigo?" "Oh, María Immaculate, what will we come to!" "Do you realize, Luis, that this man could have killed us?" "Madrid is not that big." "Where could he have taken her?" "Where?" "That terrible look he had." "Use all the gold needed to loosen tongues, but with discretion." "How with discretion, Luis?" "We must advise the commander and the king, if necessary." "He was about to kill us!" "Quiet, Teresa." "Luis, inform Brother Emilio." " Shut up." "You must let them know." " Will you shut up?" "Listen, listen to me, nobody must know what happened here tonight." "Is that clear?" "No one." "This issue will be resolved in my own way." "It's my niece that's been kidnapped." "Holy God, and she's just a baby!" "Luis..." "They'll respect her, right?" "They wouldn't hesitate to." "Do what I tell you." "What about the boy?" "For now don't lay a hand on him." "We need him alive." " The boy?" "What boy?" "Luis." "It's none of your business." "What daring!" "Too daring for a prince but little for a man in love." "What do Englishmen know of love?" "My grandfather would have declared war on England immediately." "Majesty, your grandfather declared war on England." "And lost." "It was the elements." "Wind, rain,..." "Brother, let's not have war but peace, brotherhood." "He's like your majesty." " Like Me?" "A brave man." "Sister, you always have the right word at the right time." "Fuck the Shrew!" "She has genius." " Unlike her uncle." "I still think this is crazy, Diego." "You have to find a safer place for the exchange." "Believe me, if I know about anything, it is about choosing fields of combat." "Well, but listen..." " Trust me." "Is there any wine left for breakfast?" "Who was going to tell me I'd see Mr. Quevedo writing a ransom note?" "Is it in verse?" "In prose, asshole." "And they'd better not notice my style." "We have Inquisition, justice, and the King's men after us." "We've abducted the niece of a royal secretary, gentlemen." "Bravo!" "How are you so sure they'll accept the deal?" "Because they prefer a living to a dead niece." "Deliver it and go." "Make sure that you're not followed." "Is it true what they say about women in Flanders?" "Who are eager to offer their favors to the Spanish soldiers?" "Whenever there is gold in between, like everywhere." "A gentleman does not need anything to conquer a woman." "I will respond to that with pleasure the day you stop playing with dolls." "And you call yourself a Spanish soldier?" "You who are going through the world abducting women?" "Know that my grandfather served with General Sancho Dávila and the troops under his command never betrayed defenseless people." "I imagine that neither did they loot and rape women." " Never." "What are you laughing at?" " At how much you know about his Majesty's army." "I know a man who claims to be a soldier would never treat a woman like you're doing with me." "You don't answer?" "Release me." "I give you my word that I will not run." "The word has lost much value lately." "Especially an Alquézar's word." "You're a scoundrel." "What if my uncle refused to trade for your page?" "Tell me." "What would you do?" "Put me to the test." "I'm not afraid of you at all." "Well, you should be." "Let nothing disturb you, nothing frighten you, everything passes, God never changes." "Patience obtains all things." "Who has nothing, misses nothing." "God alone suffices." "Elevate your thinking, look to heaven." "Let nothing grieve, nothing disturb you..." "Torture me no more!" "You're not going to change my words." "Calm yourself." "It is a visit." "Inés, it's me." "Oh my God!" "María, María!" "María!" "I brought you something to eat." "What?" "What have they done?" "What have they done?" "They have burned my hands so I can not write more heresies." "Almighty God!" "How did you find out?" "Quiet, María." "This will not last much longer." "I'll set you free." "He will." "I don't think I can stand the torment again." "Give her something to eat and treat her wounds." "It will be as directed by the lady." "Who do you think suffered more with the torment of our savior?" "Our Lord Jesus Christ or San Pedro?" "I do not know, reverend sir." "I'll ask it another way." "Who suffers more, he who receives the torment" "Or the powerless one witnessing the suffering of his loved one?" "The one witnessing suffering." "What would have San Pedro given to alleviate the suffering of his master?" "Anything." "Anything." "Would you do the same for your dear sister?" "Without hesitation, Reverend Father." "Here's for the rooms and the hospital." "20 maravedis for the bench." "You are rats, leeches." "The small one must be the English heir." "He's Scottish." "This fop is the fearsome knight who has traveled half of Europe to marry our princess?" " The same." "Well, I vow to God, father, the race degenerates." "Majesty, I have been thinking about this afternoon's actress." "Does she have talent?" "Talent, beauty and discretion." "Just arrived from Flanders and they say she speaks six languages." "Six languages?" "That pleases me!" "Her name?" "Maria Sal..." "Maria de Castro." "María, we're ready to begin." "María, please, there's nothing you can do now for your sister." "The public waits." "I am not going on." " What?" "You can't do that, it's a premiere before the king, before the grandees of Spain, to the Prince of Wales." "Cózar, leave me alone." "But what are you saying?" "Outside, I told you." "Maria, all those who can help are out there." "Your worship is not to come forward." "You were not deceiving me about her beauty." "It's a gift from God." "A gift that I cannot accept, my good Count." "Remember who I am." " A gift to behold, Your Majesty." "You are a devil, my good Alvaro." "(Commercial break)" "I am grateful for the attention." "Stay here." "It's difficult to talk here." "Release the boy." " You first." "This won't be the last time we meet." "You see the master?" "Go with him." "Father of the soul, lovely, beautiful, loved, graceful handsome man of stature." "Is it that you don't know where you are?" "Some respect." "For the ticklish time invites us." "Those who do not know silence should not come to the theater." "What is happening?" "Alatriste." "Let a gentleman through!" "Having fun without me, Captain?" "Isn't that Don Francisco de Quevedo, the poet?" "Yes, sire, yes." "Majesty, should I command the guard to intervene?" "Majesty, if our guest was injured..." "This is a scandal, Count." "Why don't you stop this madness?" "Guards to me!" "One moment, Your Majesty." "We are at peace, Alatriste." "We must do everything possible to bring that boy to the Catholic faith, Don Gaspar." "He'll be a good husband to my sister." "Why are you called Captain?" "It's a nickname excellency." "From Flanders." "Really, a nickname." "So your worship is the man who was on the point of causing a war with England and at the same time saved us from it?" "You don't say anything?" "I don't know which war you refer to, excellency." "You don't know?" "Nevertheless, the Prince of Wales and Buckingham have recognized you as the man who saved them from being killed the other night." "I do not remember such a thing, excellency." "It would be convenient for you to remember." "The King, our Lord, who does not conceal his surprise, asks to be informed." "A vexed issue." "You know what I think?" "That if you had died yesterday in the comedy put on for the prince it would have been a relief to many." "Do you know Don Luis de Alquézar?" "From hearsay excellency." "From hearsay?" "Do you need me, excellency?" " Come in, my good secretary,come in." "There's someone I'd like to introduce." "Tell me, Captain, have you met Don Luis previously?" "No, excellency." "And your worship, do you know Captain Alatriste?" "No." "I mean, I have not met him." "That's the great thing about sensible people, nobody knows anybody." "I inform you, Don Luis, according to my research we seem to have stumbled upon a conspiracy." "A conspiracy to eliminate our illustrious guests." "Have you heard anything about this issue?" "I fear nothing that would be useful to your Highness." "On the other hand I'd ignore what this person may have told you." "This person is silent." "Therefore I ask you." "What do you know of the conspiracy?" "Nothing, excellency, and I can not imagine who would be of interest in something like that." "A holy man such as Brother Emilio Bocanegra?" "Your Grace knows that I am absolutely faithful and useful." "I would remind you, Don Luis, that with collaborators faithful and useful" "I have filled cemeteries." "Don Diego, a former soldier, should receive eight escudos granted by our general Ambrosio Spinola." "Facilitate this matter." " So be it, excellency." "There are few men like him." "He seems brave and trustworthy." "It would be a shame to see us forever deprived of his eventual services." "Don't you find that reasonable?" "Very reasonable." "However, with the kind of life you can imagine, this señor Alatriste is likely to have a bad encounter, an accident, or something." "I realize that, Don Luis." "And that would irritate me very much." "Do you understand?" "You can go." "I will not give you explanations." "You have not seen or heard anything, assuming you've really been here." "Supposing." "One last thing." "There is a traveler in Madrid that for some incomprehensible reason believes he is obligated." "He instructed me to deliver this." "With this letter and that ring you can be sure that any British subject would not deny you assistance." "What I would give to have such a letter!" "Convey my thanks to the Traveler." "You can go now, Captain Alatriste." "My lord would like Prince Charles to discover the virtues of the Church of Rome and embrace our faith." "He is the most gallant of the gentlemen." "Sir, stop!" "The heir to the English throne alone and lost in Madrid." "We'll be lucky if he is not floating in the Manzanares." "Bring him down." "You place much trust in only one sword." "You are more than a single sword." "I'm concerned about your prince, Your Highness." "He is impertinent and foolish." "The Prince is alone." "It is our opportunity to intercept before he gets to the British embassy." "What are you hiding from me?" "Enough." "When I have enough money I'll go to Sevilla." "Would you like to come with me?" "There is no way to live in peace with you." "En guard." "As for the captain, I would not be so sure of seeing him again." "What have you done?" "Tomorrow morning you will be transferred to a prison of the Holy Office." "Once you enter there you will only leave as a corpse."