"We want our rights!" "We want our rights!" "Sergeant Garcia!" "Yes, Your excellency." "Why is this mob not being dispersed?" "They have done nothing." "They want only to talk to you." "Your excellency, we ask only justice." "So the revolt has a leader." "It's no revolt, Your excellency, but someone must speak for the people." "We ask only our tax money Your excellency has impounded." "Money taken illegally from the people." "Not only a leader, but it wouId seem a lawyer as well." "This is the result of our mission schools, breeding revolution!" "Your excellency, these people have not caused trouble." "They come only to petition you humbly." "You see, their hats are in their hands." "And they do need the money." "They are hungry." "Then fill their bellies with lead." "Sergeant, do your duty!" "shall I fire, Sergeant?" "Yes." "Fire." "Sergeant Garcia, you idiot, you have let them escape!" "But Senor Magistrado, you told me to disperse the crowd." "Look, they are gone." "You stand there and let me be almost killed!" "ExceIIency, it was only a very little rock." "If I can find that rock, Sergeant," "I will make an impression in that thick skull of yours!" "Yes..." "There, Senores, there is your answer." "You see what this pueblo has come to?" "Anarchy!" "The peons in revolt, the soldiers helpless." "Is their demand unreasonable?" "It is not a matter of reason, or a question of right or wrong." "How could the viceroy have left a clown like Garcia in charge?" "Look at the result." "One irresponsible act does not make a revolution." "I warn you, Senores, today it is government property the crowd attacks, tomorrow it will be your wives, your children who are stoned." "surely, Your excellency is over-aIarmed." "The people are hungry." "would not releasing their tax money solve the problem?" "You, yourself, were hard hit by the collection, my friend." "That has been straightened out." "You do not stop force with kindness, Don AIejandro, but with force!" "That is not what our religion teaches." "I am the king's magistrate, not a missionary." "I tell you again, Senores, your salvation lies in your own hands." "That is true." "With the soldiers refusing to obey orders, he has no power to enforce the Iaw." "The power has always come from those who own the land." "You gentlemen, the great landowners, are the real rulers, if you are strong enough to rule." "If you are weak, then there will be revolution, anarchy." "You, who represent the Iaw, advise us to flout it?" "Don AIejandro, there are two kinds of people:" "Those who lead and those who are driven." "I have asked all the landowners in the district to a meeting at my house tonight." "If we take the Iaw into our own hands, we become no better than a mob." "The mob is peons who have nothing to lose." "You are all honorable gentlemen." "You have an obligation to restore order." "At least meet with us, listen." "I agree with Senor Barca." "In this emergency, Don AIejandro, you have a clear duty, which I am sure you will not fall." "Good day, Senores." "It went well, excellency." "Too well!" "You nearly hit me." "I have another job for you." "Do you know Senor Esteban Tomayo?" "You will give me all the money and jewels you possess." "Hurry!" "And you, woman." "Hurry!" "The rest of it!" "Stop it!" "Next time be quicker." "We are not your servants now." "We are the masters!" "Ha!" "This has gone far enough." "I opposed this action before." "Now I say to you we have no choice." "civil authority has broken down." "We must re-estabIish that order or be destroyed." "This is the work of Zorro, turning one class against another." "During today's vicious attack against the Magistrado, our soldiers stood by, openly encouraging the rioters." "Tonight, our friend, Don Esteban Tomayo, is brutally beaten by these same rebellious peons." "I tell you, it is our obligation to form a committee of vigilance and restore order." "May I be permitted a word, Senores?" "Every man is free to speak." "First, I should like to know why" "Senor Barca blames Zorro or Paco for this trouble." "Do you stand on the side of outlaws and Indians against your own people?" "Can you look at the face of Don Esteban or hear what happened to his wife without wanting to punish the scoundrels who did this?" "I want very much to punish them, but first I want to be sure who the scoundrels are." "No doubt Zorro is a great rogue, but you gentlemen give him too much credit." "I do not understand, my son." "well, why attribute miracles to him?" "There is a simpler explanation." "The soldiers have not been paid." "The peons protest having been bled white by a false tax collector." "And, if you gentlemen remember, Zorro recovered the money." "Which, Your excellency may recall, the governor ordered redistributed to its rightful owners." "The money is safe, Diego, and it will be returned to the peons, but the Iaw moves at an orderly rate." "well, digestion moves at an orderly rate." "These people are hungry!" "Diego!" "Your pardon, Senores." "Of course, Diego, politics is hardly your sphere." "His excellency is right, Diego." "Leave this business to us." "You're right, Father." "Senores..." "Your servant." "And now, Senores, do continue." "By virtue of his lineage and landholdings," "alejandro is our natural leader." "I appreciate your confidence, my friends, and I will do all that I can to deserve it." "This is the leader of the rioters, the one who tried to kill the Magistrado." "I swear to you, I did nothing." "We only went to plead." "Shut up, Indian!" "Paco, we are a committee of vigilance." "You are charged with instigating a riot." "You will be able to answer the charge." "Hey!" "I wonder, if I might trouble your generosity for just one more cup?" "My, uh, credit here at the tavern is temporarily..." "Of course, Sergeant." "CIara, wine for Don Diego!" "Si." "What a woman." "But seriously, Don Diego, what do you hear, are they going to send a new Comandante?" "actually, Sergeant, your guess is as good as mine." "But, as acting Comandante, I must commend you on your appearance." "If only you would lose, oh, another 1 00 pounds, then you would really be a military figure." "I know, Don Diego, but unfortunately I come from a big family." "How do you expect the barrel to get lighter if you keep filling it?" "The Comandante of the pueblo deserves some respect, doesn't he?" "That's the problem, no one respects me." "Excuse me, Don Diego." "Don AIejandro, what is the meaning of this?" "We are a committee of vigilance." "This prisoner is guilty of instigating a riot, and attacking a representative of the king." "Paco did all this?" "That is right." "His action was overt treason." "The prisoner will be held in the cuartel jail until morning, at which time, you will form a firing squad and execute him." "Now really, Your excellency?" "Without a trial?" "Treason is punishable by death." "But I was there this morning." "I swear this boy did not throw the rock." "I know you were there." "Your actions could lay you open to charges of criminal neglect." "Do not push me so far that I make them." "No, Senor." "Are you going to allow this boy to be murdered for no greater crime than breaking a window?" "We will discuss this later, Diego." "Sergeant, we will see the orders of the Magistrado are carried out." "Yes, Don AIejandro." "Tonight I wish they had sent a new Comandante." "Oh, Diego." "please step over here." "I see the committee has been quite busy since I Ieft the meeting." "With only seven armed men they have captured one unarmed boy." "I remind you, I am your father and I do not Iike your tone." "Do you suppose Paco would Iike it?" "Paco will not be killed." "It's simply a trap we have devised to catch Zorro." "Zorro?" "This boy is innocent." "At least, innocent of any major crime." "Since Zorro poses as a friend of the people he will try to rescue him." "When that happens, we spring the trap." "Very clever." "Did Senor Barca think of all this?" "actually, it was His excellency." "But we dare not tell the soldiers for fear the information gets to Zorro." "Have you told the bait?" "We dare not risk it." "He's going to spend an uncomfortable night." "Everything will be all right tomorrow." "I know you're with us in principle, but I wish your feeling were stronger." "I can assure you, Father, my feelings could not possibly be stronger." "Diego, I hope you have now reconsidered and share your father's desire for order and justice." "Justice is blind, Your excellency, and she can be led around by anyone." "With your permission?" "You are the one who is blind, Diego." "You will find nothing in books to compare what you will see here, where history is being made." "I have no quarrel with history, but I'm often appalled by the people who make it." "You are not only rude, my son, but extremely foolish!" "Sergeant Garcia." "Yes, excellency?" "There has been a change in orders." "The execution will not take place tomorrow morning." "Oh, that is good, because Paco is not really..." "silence!" "It will take place at midnight." "At midnight?" "You mean this midnight?" "But, excellency, I was there." "I saw..." "That is an order." "I'II give you one further order." "You are to divulge this to no one until you form the firing squad." "I'm feeling unwell." "Can someone else can carry it out?" "That is an order and if it is not obeyed," "I promise you, you will feel a great deal worse." "Maybe it is possible to feel worse, excellency, but I doubt it." "Above everything else, we want Zorro." "Won't it destroy our plan to kill Paco?" "He's our bait." "I want him out of the way." "The boy is too intelligent." "He's a troublemaker." "AII we need is for Zorro to hear about the execution, he will come." "With one stone, I will kill both my birds." "please do not kill me now." "We have work to do." "You did not hear me?" "I am sorry." "I did not want the other servants to know I was home." "Yes." "Work for Zorro." "I do not know what his plan is." "The Magistrado's stirred up the soldiers and peons." "He's formed a committee of vigilance." "They've arrested Paco." "Yes, that was the reason he ordered his execution." "He thinks he can get rid of Paco and Zorro at the same time." "Yes, it is a trap, but we are going to spring it." "However, it means I will have to fight my own father." "Sergeant Garcia?" "Yes, Don AIejandro?" "Are your men in position?" "GARCIA:" "They are ready." "corporal Reyes, are the men in position?" "First position." "Second." "Third." "Fourth." "Fifth." "Sixth." "Seventh." "Eighth." "Ninth." "As you see, Don AIejandro, the trap is set." "We have only to wait for Zorro to fall into it." "Once inside the cuartel, he will be surrounded by muskets." "I would not be in his cloak for a thousand pesos." "But first we have to get him into the trap." "Oh, he will come, never fear, Don AIejandro." "Over that wall, right there." "How do you know?" "He always comes that way." "But this time, he will not leave." "Very good, Sergeant." "Is there anything I can do for you, Paco?" "In the time I have left, Senor, my needs are small." "Get rid of that virtuous idiot before he ruins everything." "But you suggested him." "I had no idea he'd take it so seriously and want to run the whole operation." "I wish he'd stayed at your residence with the others." "He's more trouble than all of them." "It's almost midnight." "We have to get rid of him." "For the execution?" "He'II be just as bad when he finds out." "Then it'II be too late." "We can always say it was a mix-up in orders." "Everyone knows he leads the committee." "He cannot repudiate what the committee does." "How can we get rid of him?" "You will have to do it." "Uh..." "I have an idea." "I cannot say anything more, but trust me, Paco." "Don AIejandro, come quickly!" "Yes, Your excellency!" "What is the matter?" "I don't know, he collapsed." "Where am I?" "He should be taken to the tavern." "He'II be out of danger." "If he's not better, the doctor could see him." "Good." "I will send word when we have Zorro." "Don AIejandro, in due deference to your ability, it wouId be better if the king's magistrate, a representative of the Iaw, remained here." "Yes, yes, of course you are right." "I'II come back as soon as possible." "I'II send word of any developments." "Open for Don AIejandro!" "What is wrong with him, Your excellency?" "Nothing." "Don AIejandro is getting him something to drink." "An excellent idea." "I will go and help him." "May I get you something, Senor?" "while I'm there, I'II have a bite to eat." "Idiot!" "Try and remember, you're no Ionger a mere sergeant," "living only to fill that fat belly." "You're now acting Comandante of this garrison." "Si, Senor." "But even an acting Comandante gets hungry." "Very well, Sergeant." "It is time." "Time?" "Oh." "WouIdn't it be better to wait until morning?" "No!" "Firing squad!" "My men are not very good marksmen." "In the dark, they might miss." "You have your orders, Sergeant." "Bring the prisoner out." "Tie him to the door, Sergeant." "Here, excellency?" "You mean to shoot him here?" "Tie him!" "You wish a blindfold, Paco?" "I am sorry, Paco." "Prisoner, do you have anything to say?" "Stop wasting time, Iet's get it over with." "Yes, I have something to say." "Death to tyranny." "Senor Magistrado, we cannot shoot this man without..." "Without..." "Without a priest." "I want no more delays, Sergeant." "For a soldier, the refusal to obey an order carries an automatic death penalty." "Do you wish to join the prisoner?" "No, Senor." "Firing squad, ready." "Aim." "Fire!" "What is the matter?" "I do not know, excellency." "He does not fall." "Paco, why don't you faII?" "I warn you, Sergeant, if this is one of your tricks..." "Tricks?" "ExceIIency, you were here." "You saw everything." "What is the meaning of this?" "I think someone has tampered with the muskets." "Who ordered this execution?" "I thought it best to force Zorro's hand." "Force his hand?" "You would betray the cause we lent our names to?" "Shh!" "hold your fire!" "Let him come over the wall." "Once he's in here, we'II be sure of him." "What's he doing out there?" "Riding in a circle like a crazy man." "Crazy like a fox." "He's found out about the trap." "call your men off the wall, take them to the south of the cuartel." "Send half in a wide flanking movement to cut off his retreat." "Yes, excellency." "corporal Reyes!" "Come down." "tell the others." "Sergeant, if you lose Zorro, believe me," "I'II have you going in circles!" "Yes, excellency." "Lancers, follow me!" "quickly!" "Somebody betrayed our plan, Don AIejandro, but at Ieast you see our bait was good." "Gomez, take your men and go down there." "Try to work your way behind him." "Then we will close from two sides." "Now go." "quietly, quietly." "Now what is he doing?" "Lancers, follow me." "Sergeant, remember our training." "Of course." "Thank you, corporal." "Here." "Lancers!" "Zorro is here!" "Lancers, come back!" "The cuartel is under attack." "Oh!" "Oh, Sergeant!" "Lancers, to the rescue!" "Get back to the cuartel!" "Lancers, after him, after him!" "release him once you're out of town." "Sergeant Garcia, you are a disgrace to the military profession." "Yes, Your excellency." "I know." "In the entire Spanish Empire, there's only one thing that is fatter than that belly of yours." "You know what that is, Sergeant?" "No, excellency." "What?" "Your head!" "Yes, excellency." "well, Sergeant, I warned you to reduce." "What are you doing here?" "I couldn't sleep." "I rode in to have a drink with my friend." "Gracias, Don Diego." "I need a drink." "I will never become Comandante now." "You will be fortunate if you're not up on charges of criminal neglect." "I want to know why those muskets misfired." "It was Zorro, excellency." "What happened was not the fault of the Sergeant." "It was a bad plan and we almost killed an innocent man." "We were fools to let ourselves be drawn into it." "Citizens have no right to take the Iaw into their own hands." "I do not know what the rest of you plan." "But I am finished with the committee of vigilance." "Now that that is all over with, Father, join us in the tavern for a drink." "No, thank you, my son." "well, Sergeant?" "The tavern." "Si, Don Diego." "Gracias."