"You waited so long." "I didn't think anyone would come." "Tell your boss that by the time he's settled all his differences" "he'll be a lonely man." "He doesn't care what you think." "Nobody likes to be betrayed." "But since..." "THE BLACK DESERT" "Bügel, Belgian-made." "The Argentinian army's just bought these in." "18mm, double-fluted barrel, cast iron firing pin, breechloading." "Sergeant..." "Private Zapata..." "Private Salvador..." "Why are they talking about you so much?" "Is it true?" "Think about it, then answer me." "How can you leave?" "I haven't seen you for so long." "You have to stay with me, that's what you have to do." "You can't go in, you can't go in!" "Turn yourself in, Miguel." "It's all over..." "Where else can you run to?" " Don't you have a family?" " No." "It's not good to waste God's land." " What did he say?" " He doesn't care where he goes." "That's why he leaves." "I think what you're after is a drink." "No." "That's what it looks like to me." "No." "So what are you looking at?" "You can't be seeing right." "You throw one punch each, until one of you can't stand anymore, OK?" "Who goes first?" "Makes no difference." " He's gone to the other side..." " May he rest in peace!" " I'll kill him!" " Easy, easy!" " Get off me, I'll kill him." " Take it easy!" "I'll kill him." "How far are you going to go with us?" "I'll go down to Cepeda, and then up to the desert's edge," "I've got a job waiting for me there." "Why are you running away?" "It's a very long story." "The night is longer, my friend." "The nights are longer for me since I stopped sleeping." "Do you want to know what those flashes were?" "Some years ago, in this field there was an unequal battle, very bloody." "The slaughtered haunt this place still." "Is there a Miguel lrusta travelling with you?" "We know he joined you around Arroyo del Tala." "And I must warn you that whoever shelters a fugitive is a criminal and a traitor to his country." "Sir." "Yes?" "This lrusta, we left him at the crossroads." "When?" "Last night, sir." "We left him on his way to Chivilcoy." "Let's go." "Give yourself up, Miguel." "Calm down." "Calm down, young man!" "Miguel!" "Daddy?" "Daddy?" "No, Miguel, it's not Daddy." "Go inside." "Your father will be coming soon." "Poor thing, he gets mixed up." "Don't you sleep?" "What are you laughing at?" "Nothing, things." "Don't you sleep?" "I close my eyes." "You're thinking." "No." "Hello, Doña Carmen." "I've come for the Virgin." "I have to take it to other houses, you know?" "Many people need it." "Oh Carmen, you didn't tell me you had guests." "Miguelito, bring Gaitán the Virgin that's in my room." "Mate or gin, Gaitán?" "No, just water." "And a little water!" "Show more respect, Miguelito." "This is the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God." "You have to treat it delicately." "Have you taught this savage to pray at all, Carmen?" "Look, I'm going to give you a present." "But you have to look after it and give it some time every day, OK?" "Here." "But no one can read here, Gaitán." "It doesn't matter, he can just look at the pictures." "Every time I come by I'll tell him a little bit about what it's about." "Listen." "Now, let's pray Carmen, night is falling." "Call the man over too." "Just go." "And take it, I have many things to do." "When will you bring it back?" "I don't know, Carmen." "There are a lot of helpless folk who need her." "You know that." "Let's go." "Good afternoon Captain Mariano." "God bless you and your troops." "How are you Gaitán?" "What brings you here?" "I've brought you the Virgin to keep you company here in the wilderness." "Good, I'm glad to see you." "Wait a moment." "I'll just finish this and then we'll talk." "Battalion 3 over here, and here the cavalry..." "Faith is the soldier's first support." "That's right, and we can strengthen ours by praying together." "Listen, this morning I went by Doña Carmen's store and she's got a man hiding there." "She's got a stranger staying there, in secret." "I don't like the sound of this." "I'll go round there one day..." "What do you mean by "one day", Captain?" "When these people are on the run they spend one night here then leave early the next morning." "Look, I've just come from the store and believe me," "I know when a man isn't at peace." "Give yourself up, Miguel." " Good evening, Doña Carmen." " Good evening." "To Carmen, the flower of the frontier." "Very good Captain." "To her son, that he too will be a brave soldier one day." " Very good, for his country." " Very good." "To Don Gaitán, a soldier of faith." "Thank you very much, Captain." "And to us." "All of us who resisted the attacks and beatings from those barbarians." "And so that soon the day will come when we will bring them down." " Cheers!" " Cheers!" "On the hills of my land I picked the prettiest daisies" "I took them to the Virgin in town so she would cure me of her love." "For I am sad and it has to be because of the market vendor's girl" "I saw her at the fence one afternoon, so beautiful and like a lucky charm she has left my heart." "And I go down on my sorrel, every afternoon" "With the desire for that boastful love and as I pick flowers of love to take candid daisies on the hill I have to pick flowers for my hopes" "And I would even sell my soul And go far away to die for you." " Bravo!" " Bravo!" "Señora Carmen..." "It would be madness to go back to our post in this rain." "May we ask your permission to spend the night here?" "Of course, Captain." "What do you say, friend?" "Won't you have a drink with me?" "Drinking alone brings sadness." "And this Gaitán only drinks at mass." "Come on." "Pull up a chair." "Propose a toast, my friend." "Let me tell you something, sir..." "People are apprehensive of outsiders." "We all know each other here and we look after each other." "If you have good intentions, you are welcome." "More people is just what we need here." "So tell me..." "What are your intentions?" "To be honest, I have none." "Pray for us all, Gaitán." "Now, more than ever, we need the help of the Holy Virgin." "My darling, stay here, OK?" "Don't even think about going out until your mother comes for you." "These men are very dangerous." "Who knows what might happen." "I want to go, mother." "We'll go soon, I promise." "Have pity on this man, Captain." "He is so good." "Only God is merciful, Carmen." "Madam," "if I didn't kill that man seven years ago, my life is worthless." "This medal is just an illusion." "Irusta's father was known for his brawling." "A hardman who despised firearms." "But his courage wasn't enough to stop him being shot in the back." "Right in front of his son." "When he grew up..." "He started asking where his father's killer lived." "And he went to look for him." "But he didn't know his name, or remember his face." "To be certain he had the right man, he slit the throats of all the men in the village." "Trust me, Madam." "When the morning comes, justice will be done." "Kill them." "No, Madam, it's fine like this." "Go then, they're all sleeping." "The regulations are very clear." "The officer in charge will stand at the side to give the order" "The firing squad, no fewer than 3 men, will stand in line, ten paces from the condemned." "Gaitán, take my rifle and stand in line." "No, no." "Forgive me." "I can't." "God will not allow it." "No, no." "You then, Carmen." "Aim." "Fire." "What is it?" "What is it?" "The gunpowder is very damp, Captain." "Must be from the storm, Captain." "Miguel!" "Miguel!"