"In the 17th century, though surrounded by enemies," "Spain still dominated the world." "The king was Philip IV, the "Planet King", and his territories were ruled with an iron hand by his favourite, the Count-duke of Olivares." "To Flanders, the Americas, the Philippines, part of Italy and North Africa," "Portugal and its colonies had been added, but it was in Flanders, in a long, cruel war," "where the battle for the Empire's survival was to be fought." "An Empire sustained by professional armies whose main core were veterans of the dreaded Spanish infantry regiments." "This is the story of one of those men..." "Flanders, winter, 1622" "Here, Count!" "Count, cover us!" "Retreat!" "Stay close to me, Count." "Hold on to my shirt." "Die, Catholic dog!" "Damn." "Lope." "My son..." "My son, Diego..." "My son, Diego." "My son." "Don Diego Alatriste:" "In compliance with the wishes of my father, who died, may God rest his soul, in the land of heretics," "I send you my brother Inigo, whom I have not the means to maintain." "He knows mathematics, can read and write, is obedient and quick to learn, though somewhat given to fantasy and stubborn." "MADRID, ONE YEAR LATER" "As you know, my father wanted him to study, MADRID, ONE YEAR LATER to go to university, but he wants to be a soldier." "I pray that God and Your Honour may forbid such a thing." "Ana Balboa," "Oñate, Guipuzcoa." "Which one's that?" ""M"." "You're glum today, don Francisco." "How fares your memorial?" "I do believe Philip the Great and his favourite Olivares have wiped their arses on it." "That's still a great honour." "An honour for his royal arse." "It was good paper, costing half a ducat per ream, and in my best hand." "Rumour has it that Olivares begins to hold you in esteem." "Yes." "He even gives me leave to live in Madrid." "He needs your verses." "Damn you, Captain!" "You make a better friend than an enemy." "So they say." "Excuse me, senor de Quevedo." "My friends and I were wondering if certain verses were yours..." ""Here lies, in black tomb hemmed, lifeless and condemned who sold his soul for profit vile and e'en in death lacks flair and style."" ""In black tomb hemmed..."" "Might be improved if they were mine." "Right, Inigo?" "Of course, don Francisco." "In any case, is Gongora so ruined that they dedicate epitaphs to him?" "Not that I know of." "I hear don Luis de Gongora still enjoys good health." "So good that he still writes the best poetry in Spain." "Don't waste your steel so early in the day, don Francisco." "And on such a trifle." "The merriment's over." "The cuckold constable." "Quiet, or I'll kick your arse to kingdom come." "Back to work." "Diego, I have work for you." "There's someone who needs you." "Safe work, no risks involved, save the usual ones, of course." "And for a good purse..." "to share." "To share?" "With whom?" "Follow me." "Two foreign gentlemen." "They'll enter Madrid alone, on horseback, this Friday night." "Payment for your services will be 6O escudos in doubloons." "To share." "Agreed?" "That suits me." "We are each three gold pieces short." "To be paid when the work is done to satisfaction." "To whose satisfaction?" "My sons," "I am Father Emilio Bocanegra," "President of the Council of the Inquisition." "The two heretics must die." "Mercy!" "Mercy!" "Mercy for my companion!" "Leave him!" "Do you jest?" "None of this is clear." "They are not simple heretics." "We can kill them another day." "We shall meet again." "Diego, you are in a fine mess." "I imagine so." "The news will soon spread and all Madrid will be in an uproar." "Now to the point." "Who commissioned you?" "People." "Don't annoy me, Diego." "What people?" "That's what I'd like to know, Excellency." "I didn't see their faces." "And your companion in the ambush?" "Didn't you see his face either?" "As Your Excellency knows, I always hunt alone." "Diego, this is not an interrogation by the Inquisition." "Well, it's up to you." "It's your neck, not mine." "But, out of curiosity..." "Do you know who you almost killed last night?" "No, Count." "I give you my word on that." "I believe you." "Then why didn't you kill them?" "I had a presentiment." "Sir, matters of extreme gravity took place last night." "The Prince of Wales and the Duke of Buckingham have entered Madrid incognito." "They wish to be received by Your Majesty." "They were almost killed in an ambush." "I have ordered an investigation to find the culprits." "Sir, this unexpected visit obliges us to take a decision concerning the possible marriage of your sister," "Princess Maria, and the Prince of Wales." "I have called the Council of State and the Committee of Theologians to give you their opinion." "Thrust!" "Go on!" "You're not so good." "Come on, thrust!" "What is it, Inigo?" "You look as though you'd seen a ghost." "No, no." "They say the English prince was ambushed." "Well." "Do they know who did this?" "Thieves, they say." "People have too much imagination." "Go get some wine." "You brute." "Help me up." "I can't walk." "How shall I get home?" "I'll carry you." "Am I very heavy?" "No." "No." "What's your name?" "Inigo Balboa." "Page to Captain Diego Alatriste." "I like soldiers." "My name's Angelica." "Will you remember?" "Of course I'll remember." "I hope so." "You can put me down now." "I hope you know what you're doing." "I know, don't worry." "Dismiss those men." "Don't kill that Batriste..." "Latriste, whatever his name is, yet." "But, madam..." "I have plans for Inigo." "I need that captain to look after him until the time comes." "Then you can kill him." "Yes, Captain, 'tis a comedy." "Commissioned by Olivares for the queen." "And don Rafael here will produce it." "A great honour." "And will you be paid or will it be on account for future favours as usual?" "I know nothing of favours." "Today is yesterday, tomorrow is yet to come." "For the present Olivares has promised 5OO reals." "A comedy..." "Not your speciality." "How dare you?" "No, the captain's right." "But if poor Cervantes tried one, why can't I?" "Don Francisco, my wife, the great actress Maria de Castro." "And Captain..." "Alatriste." "Diego and I know each other." "What are you thinking?" "I should stay away from married women." "Unless she's the most desired woman in Spain." "I haven't seen this one before." "It's been a long time." "Almost three years." "I've missed you." "Not in Italy." "It came to a bad end." "She finally married another." "I heard that." "You've changed, Diego." "Perhaps I'm getting old." "Or because of that boy who lives with you." "You know I like to know everything." "He's the son of a friend who died in Flanders." "I promised to look after him." "And?" "I'm afraid of bungling it, Maria." "Everything happens when you're a child." "You'll do it well." "You're a good man." "I wouldn't be so sure of that." "You have few dealings with people." "Maria, it's time!" "Get ready!" "Don't worry, keep going." "He's a reasonable man." "I earn him a lot of money." "Is it worthwhile?" "I'm a practical woman." "I have to think of the future." "To hell with the future." "In the future we'll all be dead." "Diego Alatriste, I arrest you in the name of the Inquisition." "Take his weapons." "Search him for hidden weapons." "Clean." "He's clean." "Kneel." "My son, you are a traitor and an incompetent." "With your inopportune scruples you have aided the enemies of God and Spain." "Actions you will purge with hell's worst torments." "But first you will pay, here on earth, with your mortal flesh." "You have seen too much." "Heard too much." "You have strayed too far." "Your life, Captain, is no longer worth a fig." "You are a corpse that, by some whim of fate, still remains standing." "You may go." "Free?" "In a manner of speaking." "God's wrath will know where to find you." "Put that thing away." "It'll be of no use to you." "I haven't come to kill you but to save you from others." "I didn't know you were afraid of sheep." "Only when they come without shepherds." "Take this in case." "Strange shepherds." "No stranger than you." "Your attitude saddens me, though I was afraid it might be so." "You Spaniards are so vain and coarse." "You lack finesse." "Perhaps that is why you rule the world... for now." "We shall meet again." "I hope so." "I like you, Captain." "That is why I look forward to fighting you." "Whenever you please, senor..." "Malatesta." "Gualterio Malatesta of Palermo." "If you please." "Ah, I almost forgot..." "A memento, to keep me forever in your thoughts." "Well?" "The idea was Friar Emilio Bocanegra's." "A secretary of the king's had the assassins recruited and paid." "I see." "I see." "What more?" "One was a Flanders veteran, a protégé of the Count of..." "You may go." "This unites us forever." "Now you'll never be free of me." "I would die for you." "Some day you may." "Inigo." "You must be careful." "For a man, a woman's beauty always ends in tyranny for a man." "'Tis the law of life." "I don't know you." "You will." "I need a favour of you." "Look after the captain, I need him alive." "I should kill you now, while you're still a lad." "What do you think?" "I bought it from a Sevillian painter who works for the king." "They say he can only paint heads but I suspect he has talent." "Well..." "Let's get down to business." "An important person wishes to see you." "A serious matter?" "It may be." "Well..." "I've probably seen worse." "No." "You've never seen worse." "You cannot fence your way out of this one." "It is Count-duke Olivares." "Be more honest with him than you've been with me." "I'll try to be." "You will be." "That water was cold as death, Your Excellency." "Yes..." "But you never trembled." "I trembled inside, like everyone." "I'm not everyone." "I am a Spanish grandee." "In combat we are all equal." "You're wrong there, Alatriste." "Not even in combat are we all equal." "God didn't want it so." "You should know that." "If you're going to see Olivares, buy some new boots." "Well..." "I've spent more than enough time on you." "I've things to do." "And don't forget the boots." "If you have no money, ask my majordomo." "Thank you." ""Captain" is a nickname, I presume." "Yes, Excellency." "I see you've served in Naples and in Flanders and against the Turks in the Levante" "and on the Barbary coast." "A long life as a soldier." "Since I was thirteen, Excellency." "Is it true that you saved the life of a certain English traveller when your companion was about to kill him?" "Excuse me, Excellency, I don't remember." "It would be best for you if you did." "As to who recruited you, for instance." "I'm afraid I can't." "I have a terrible memory." "I see..." "Call don Luis de Alquezar." "It seems, don Luis, that a few days ago there was a plot to teach two English gentlemen a lesson." "As His Majesty's secretary and a man acquainted with court bureaucracy," "perhaps you have heard something?" "I'm afraid I can be of little use there, sir." "Well, you must be." "Perhaps the church..." "The church is broad." "Might you mean Father Bocanegra?" "Excellency, I..." "You are right, don Luis." "The good Father is a saintly man." "As we all know." "Tell me..." "Are your boots a sign of lack of means or soldierly arrogance?" "Both, Excellency." "As you see, don Luis, senor Alatriste is both poor and haughty." "But he also appears to be brave, discreet and trustworthy." "It would be a pity if some misfortune were to befall him." "I would not wish it so." "I imagine you agree with me." "Of course, Excellency." "But with the kind of life I imagine senor..." "Batriste..." "whatever his name, leads, he must often be exposed to danger." "No-one could then take responsibility." "Naturally, don Luis." "In order to spare you any such inconvenience, I have decided that henceforth you will serve your king in the Indies." "Men like you are needed there." "You may begin preparations for the voyage." "As for you..." "Your former general, Ambrosio Spinola, wishes to win more battles for us in Flanders." "It would be considerate of you to be killed there, not here." "I'll bear that in mind, Excellency." "Come with me." "For four long years" "I've studied this map every night." "I know every port, every canal, every estuary, every fortress..." "Flanders deprives me of my sleep." "Yet I've never been there." "It is the end of the world, Excellency." "When the Lord God created Flanders, he lit it with a black sun." "A heretic sun that neither warms you nor dries the rain that soaks you to the bone." "It is a strange land, inhabited by strange people who fear and despise us" "and will never give us peace." "It deprives one of more than sleep." "Flanders is hell itself." "Without Flanders there's nothing, Captain." "We need that hell." "Breda, 1625." "After one year's siege by the Spanish" "They're close now, curse it!" "They'll blow our balls off with their mines." "Keep down!" "Sons of bitches!" "Did you find eggs?" "Yes." "How many?" "Two." "Wine." "Clumsy!" "Give me that." "I hear you had a letter from the Indies." "Yes." "And who wrote to you, if I may ask?" "Angelica de Alquezar." "Alquezar..." "A name that brings us bad luck." "I almost have him." "Give me that bread." "Do you have him or not, damn it!" "Not now." "But he occasionally looks out." "I'll be ready the next time." "Shit!" "Portuguese, see if you can draw him out." "Dutchman!" "Did you kill him?" "One bastard less..." "Another Dutchman dead in mortal sin." "Like you when they kill you." "What did you say?" "What did you say?" "You can't fool me, however much you cross yourself." "You Portuguese are all half-Jews." "Do you want to die?" "The Captain!" "I bring orders." "Perhaps these gentlemen have something to say." "No-one has anything to say." "I do." "I have three things to say to Captain Bragado." "First, I don't care who I fight." "Turks, Dutchmen or whoever fathered them." "And the other two things?" "Second, we haven't been given clothing and we're dressed in rags." "I see." "And the third thing?" "Third and most important of all..." "Stay there." "Third, these gentlemen have not received their pay for five months." "Five months!" "No-one has received their pay." "Neither you gentlemen nor I." "Nor the field marshal nor General Spinola." "I thought I was talking to Spaniards, not Germans." "Only soldiers of other nations ask for their pay in advance." "What are the orders?" "You are to go down to the tunnels." "Sulphur!" "Copons is missing." "Sebastian!" "One's enough." "Diego!" "Breda has surrendered." "Spit it out." "Spit it out." "Breda has surrendered." "Any booty?" "No." "MADRID, 1O YEARS LATER" "Excellency." "Excellency." "I'm Inigo Balboa." "You called for me." "For Captain Alatriste." "Urgent." "Port Caleta, Cadiz." "Landing of Flanders veterans" "Come on!" "Mother!" "What are you doing here?" "My son, I have some bad news." "Bad news!" "Look who's here." "I thought you were in Madrid." "I've a letter from the palace." "Work?" "I suppose so." "If you need us, you know where, Diego." "Won't you open it?" "What for?" "They always want us for the same thing." "How are you?" "Worse." "You look well." "How are things at the court?" "I can't complain." "How was the voyage?" "Hectic." "We ran into a Dutch fleet and, well... you know I don't much like fighting at sea." "I know." "Tell me, what's happened in Madrid while I've been away?" "There's to be war with France." "So they say." "Don Francisco's married a widow." "God, no!" "And Velazquez's finished "The Surrender of Breda"." "Have you seen it?" "He changed the flags for lances." "And well, softened the attitudes somewhat." "But it's a grand painting." "You'll love it." "I'm sure." "Anything else?" "Angelica de Alquezar has returned to Spain." "There'll be killing and plenty of it." "I only have two hands." "Four." "We'll see about that." "Why?" "I said we'll see." "What's the work?" "I'm just a go between." "Guadalmedina has the details." "But there'll be no lack of gold." "The commission is private but the command is sovereign." "What an honour!" "With such high-ranking personages involved, it must be that someone has stolen more than they should." "You've been away too long, Captain." "Someone always steals more than they should." "Yes." "We'll meet later." "Of course." "The ship is the "Virgen de Regla"." "She has 2,OOO ingots of undeclared gold in her hold." "Have they nothing to say in customs?" "I find you rather naive this evening, Diego." "Bribes keep mouths shut and minds open." "That includes high-ranking courtiers." "The plan is that before unloading officially in Seville, the ship will anchor offshore and the gold be transferred to a Flemish boat," "the "Niklaasbergen"." "And I suppose that for the gold to return to the king, the Flemish boat will have to be boarded." "Am I right?" "What I like about you is that you never need things explained twice." "And once the gold's been returned to the king, where will it go?" "I don't understand you." "I'm asking, Excellency, if the gold will go for the work on the Buen Retiro Palace or to pay the wages of the soldiers who die in Flanders or are to die in France." "You drink too much, Alatriste." "Words cost little." "What did you say to her?" "How, Teodoro, do men pay amorous compliments to women?" "As if you were in love, you dress a thousand lies in truth, and hardly that." "Yes, but with what words?" "Strangely do you press me, my lady." ""Those eyes," I said," ""those lovely orbs are the light with which my own eyes see..."" "And, "The coral and pearls of your celestial mouth..."" "Celestial?" "Such things are the primer of all who love and desire." "Your taste is bad, Teodoro." "You disappoint me." "Marcela's good points are outnumbered by her flaws." "She is not clean in her person..." "But I would not want you to stop loving her, though a few things I could tell you..." "But let's say no more of her charms or lack of them." "I want you to love and marry her." "Now, as you think yourself an expert on love, counsel me." "And so possess Marcela." "Now that friend of mine has no rest for she's in love with a man of lowly station and "twould be dishonourable to love him." "Yet were she to lose him, she'd be consumed by jealousy." "And he, unsuspecting of her love, is shy and treats her with deference." "Hello, lad." "You've grown." "You're a man." "I thought you dead." "Maybe I am." "That wouldn't surprise me." "We'll meet again, I imagine." "Count on it." "Then we'll see whether you're alive... or dead." "Would it not be best to have him killed?" "It's been a long time." "Very long." "What have you been doing all these years?" "Killing heretics and writing verses." "And are those verses worthy of reading?" "No, I don't think so." "But it was the only way of imagining you." "I see you still know how to talk to women." "I thought I'd never see you again." "They say you're still with that captain." "Of course." "I have plans for you, Inigo." "The trouble is... that I also have plans for you." "Teodoro, you're leaving." "And I love you." "I leave because of your cruel ways." "You know me, what am I to do?" "Do you weep?" "No." "There's something in my eye." "Is it love?" "Yes, it must be." "It's been there some time but now it's out." "I leave, my lady, but my soul does not." "I must leave without it." "I've done no wrong loving you, for your beauty commands the very soul." "Command me, for I am yours." "What a sad day!" "I leave, my lady, I leave but my soul does not." "Do you weep?" "No, there's something in my eye, as was in yours." "My tears brought yours on." "That must be the case." "A thousand childish things I've put in a chest for you." "Forgive me, I had to." "If you open it, be sure to say, as if they were the spoils of some victory," ""Diana put those there with tears in her eyes."" "Did you like the play?" "You were marvellous." "Have you seen what the king sent me?" "He'll expect something in return." "Don't talk of your king like that." "Yes, he's my king." "But there are kings and kings and this one should govern." "One day they'll kill you, my love." "Maybe." "My husband's dying." "I'm sorry." "Yes, poor thing." "And when he dies, I'll have to remarry." "I don't like living on my own." "I was thinking that as you were the first man I knew..." "Maria, I'm dirt-poor." "I'll provide the money and you the rest." "And your... admirers?" "Diego, I'm an actress and I'm starting to age." "Spain's full of young girls eager to take my place." "I need friends who'll protect me." "If we married," "I'd kill the first man to approach you, whoever he was." "I'd end up on the gallows and you a widow once more." "Don't be old-fashioned." "Anyway, what would you care?" "You're not in love with me." "What do you know?" "Make way!" ""Thus on this day, this sentence is read to the prisoner and tomorrow he will be taken from prison on a mule to the plaza de San Francisco, where a gallows will be erected for the occasion," "and there he shall be hanged by the neck until he is dead." "This justice do I order done."" "Signed by the king, our lord." "Do you need something?" "Your advice." "I need men for a job." "Brave men and discreet." "All those here present are." "You can trust them all." "Trouble is, most of them are serving long sentences." "I can get them all released." "Except you." "I'm sorry." "A pity." "Well..." "Death's but a formality." "I have things to do." "I'll see you on the beach." "I'm not going." "Why not?" "The Inquisition's after me." "They've already arrested my father and my brother..." "The torture..." "I can't take it..." "They've nothing on you." "You were a soldier and are innocent." "Luis Pereira, I arrest you in the name of the Holy Office." "God's will is done." "God has nothing to do with this." "Nothing!" "You're late." "A matter detained me." "A matter of blood?" "What did you want to tell me?" "You seem in a hurry." "Perhaps my company discomforts you." "No, I have some business to attend to." "You should know that you have some inconvenient friends." "Friends who are enemies of my friends." "Captain Alatriste is my business." "Mine alone." "Stay with me." "I cannot." "You must not go to that appointment." "Mustn't I?" "Tell me why not." "Because I cannot marry a corpse." "This group will go first and board the stern." "And the leaders?" "Who will they be?" "Sebastian will board the prow, I'll be astern." "That's good with me." "Glad to hear it." "No prisoners are to be taken." "There will be no plunder." "And no-one... under any circumstance, is to go down into the hold." "Good luck." "Ambush!" "Take cover!" "Shit!" "Shit!" "I'm late." "Sorry." "Diego..." "We're fools." "Mother of God!" "Diego." "It cannot be." "And you?" "No." "A pity." "Yes." "I had to try." "You know that, don't you?" "Yes, I know." "We all love once." "Or several times." "Then one day it stops happening." "And that's all." "As simple as that?" "As difficult as that." "Look, Inigo..." "She's true to her own kind." "And I to mine." "Really?" "Tell me about it." "Angelica de Alquezar is my business." "All right." "Sit down." "They wouldn't allow it, even if she wanted to." "She has her obligations." "What do you mean by that?" "That I too have mine?" "God!" "There are rules." "What rules?" "Those of a captain who's not a captain?" "Or those of a sword-for-hire who kills even his friends?" "I expect we'll meet in Madrid." "Well, well." "If it isn't Captain Alatriste!" "I see your acts of charity extend to visiting the sick." "I'm a good Catholic." "Have you come to kill me?" "Or do you wait for the consequences of your latest adventures to catch up with you?" "There's no need to tell me anything." "I know full well who's behind it all." "Then... let us proceed." "I'd greatly appreciate your trying to use that pistol or your sword." "Not a chance." "Can you really not move from that bed?" "Come, Captain." "You sound like a nun of St. Clare." "Don't let your conscience trouble you now." "You're right." "Say your prayers." "I never waste my time on such nonsense." "Go ahead." "Good day to your worship." "His Majesty wishes you to have this chain." "Must I wait all day?" "Why are you dressed as a man?" "That's prohibited." "Would you have me come out at night in a skirt and farthingale?" "Do you still feel resentful towards me?" "I may have saved your life." "While I betrayed those close to me?" "I also lost some who were close to me." "Then we are even." "It's not the same, Angelica." "No." "But I'm sure you didn't call me just to scold me." "The other day," "you said..." "I know what I said." "And I maintain it." "But you'll agree that it won't be an easy matter." "I know." "I expect you know I'm lady-in-waiting to the queen and that she is fond of me." "What is your point?" "There is a vacancy for second lieutenant in the Royal Guard... but that time is not now." "What is now for?" "Now is the time to be free, Angelica." "You free from your obligations, and I from mine." "There is a place where we can go." "Tomorrow a galleon sets sail for Naples." "It will take passengers." "Don't do that." "I can't think." "I've spoken to the queen and the vacancy is yours." "In 2 to 3 years you could make captain..." "We'd never have to hide from people again." "Naples?" "Yes." "Together." "Inigo, you must take that vacancy." "No." "Then there's no more to be said." "From this moment on, you are dead to me." "God!" "It's cold as a Lutheran!" "Yes, it is." "It chills the soul." "Look what we've become, Captain." "Now a country of beggars, once the centre of the universe." "I curse the day I placed my pen at the service of Olivares, that tyrant and descendant of the Jews who now suck Spain dry." "Calm down." "Calm down, you say?" "Haven't you heard the news of the war in France?" "While Cardinal Richelieu spurs his king to lead his armies," "Olivares has turned ours into a prisoner and a palace puppet, while he robs the poor and humiliates our nobles." "Come now, don Francisco." "Our infantry need money, not a king to lead them." "The money those "humiliated" nobles spend on festivities and hunts." "And as for the poor, what can I say?" "In Spain, poverty has always been commonplace, whoever governs, whether count-dukes or Virgin Marys." "So now you support Olivares?" "Come, don Francisco." "We've known each other too long for that." "Yes, that's true." "My apologies, Captain." "You know I did not mean it." "Yes, I know." "Take my arm, the ground is icy." "Any news of Inigo?" "Yes." "But you won't like it." "This is a very valuable piece." "Pure Indies gold." "Rest assured, I did not steal it." "I believe you but even so..." "I don't want you to buy it, only to exchange it for a necklace." "You could exchange this chain for several necklaces." "Maybe so, but I only need one." "You'll lose in the exchange." "That's my business." "A necklace for a lady..." "That's right." "The lady in question must be... truly beautiful." "Am I right?" "You are right." "So much the better." "That makes things easier." "I would not abuse your trust... but would I be mistaken in assuming that with this gift" "Your Worship is thinking of, shall we say... a future with this lovely lady?" "No." "You would not be mistaken." "Then it can only be this one." "Good morning, Diego." "Can we talk?" "We can." "I am charged to give you a warning." "Well, here I am." "You must change mares, Diego." "The saddle's occupied." "By whom?" "I cannot tell you." " By whom?" " No." "I said by whom!" "I cannot tell you, Diego." "I beg you not to proceed." "Who says so?" "One who can." "I would not argue with Your Excellency." "Let me pass." "She cannot and will not see you." "That's for me to confirm." "Would you ruin your life for an actress?" "Her occupation matters not." "You'll have to kill me first." "Move aside, or I shall." "Alba, Varela, Sessa and don Fadrique now oppose him." "Even Guadalmedina has distanced himself." "Olivares' time has come." "His days are numbered." "You must stay away from court conspiracies." "Donate 1OO, OOO ducats to the war with France." "That will satisfy the king and appease the tyrant, who by now must have heard of your actions." "Prudence is now the best policy." "The count-duke could crush us and no-one would lift a finger to help us." "Not even the queen." "You are not a Grandee." "But you will be one soon." "As will your children and your children's children." "The queen wishes you to marry Count Guadalmedina." "Inigo, I must inform you of a grave matter." "The queen and my uncle want me to marry the Count of Guadalmedina." "My heart is yours alone." "Should you still wish to run away to Naples, come to my house tonight." "My servant will bring you to me." "Obviously, in spite of what I said, you are not dead to me." "Inigo, I'm afraid." "If we don't run away now, all will be misfortune." "We'll go to a place where they'll never find us." "A place where we'll be nothing." "No-one." "Just you and I." "We would live in sin." "There is no sin, Angelica." "There has never been any." "It is they who are sin." "She's only a woman, Captain." "I'm not doing this for her but for myself." "The king is the king..." "The king is a son of a bitch." "You should leave Madrid." "Kings are vindictive, I should know." "Guadalmedina is a Grandee and you've crossed swords with him..." "Tomorrow I'll make my apologies." "I hope he accepts them." "Even if he did, you should leave Madrid." "And you too." "There are certain rumours..." "Yes, 'tis true." "I have recently written verses that could complicate matters..." "But I'm too old to hide, especially from that..." "Good luck, Captain." "And to you." "Diego, I'm a man of few words." "Yes." "I'm going home." "With what I've saved I want to buy some land and find a wife." "Come with me if you like." "That was more than a few words." "O Catholic, holy and royal Majesty, made by God a deity on earth, a simple, poor, honest old man pleads, prostrate, in silent humility before you." "I needs must speak and do pray heaven that my zeal obtain its just reward." "A minister you have of nobility and valour whose only wish is that you should reign..." "Sire." "Behold, Philip IV, famous the world over, open thy generous heart and give us an heir." "From him who never tires of taking bread from the poor, who devalues our coin, who sells thy realm and would sell God Himself," "deliver us!" "Deliver us, Sire, from all evil." "Amen." "Amen." "Amen." "But you will be a Grandee of Spain, and your children... and your children's children." "Your children... and your children's children..." "Diego..." "Don Francisco was arrested last night." "The Prison of San Marcos." "Then it's all over." "We should have kept that gold for ourselves." "Maybe." "I presume you gentlemen are familiar with the laws of gambling." "Then there's no need to say that the price for debt default is death." "Very well, then." "This is the situation..." "Senor Balboa owes 2OO ducats and says he cannot pay." "He also says he doesn't care if we kill him." "However, I've heard that Your Worship would care if he lost his life." "Yes, I would care." "Then we all win." "Senor Balboa, in spite of himself, will keep his life and we shall recover our money, as long as you, of course," "pay the debt." "Is that possible?" "It is possible." "We're no experts in jewels." "We only accept coin." "Like this?" "Sebastian..." "What?" "Diego, I owe you an explanation." "Meet me at the cloister of Las Minillas." "You're under arrest, Diego!" "Disarm him." "Surrender or I'll kill you." "One question, Martin." "With whose rod of office will your widow now console herself?" "What?" "Cuckold!" "Martin..." "So good to see you fighting, Captain." "It's been some time." "I've missed you." "Yes, and the whore that bore you." "Enough merriment." "Diego." "Are you alive?" "I think so." "Don't cough, you bastard, or you'll bleed to death." "You didn't mean it, did you?" "What?" "What you said." "About me being a cuckold." "Of course I didn't." "I said it to annoy you." "You know me." "It's always the same..." "Fuck!" "I'm dying." "Martin." "Have you ever stopped to consider that we always end up killing each other?" "Shit life." "Diego, they forced me to do it." "They forced me to do it." "I've been expecting you, lad." "Let's go." "Just a moment." "If you'll be so kind..." "Will you be back for supper?" "I don't know." "You know there's nothing after death?" "Yes." "There's the rub." "As you can imagine, don Luis, my services to the king have not been without cost." "Excellency, everyone knows of your deep dedication to upholding the reputation of our monarchy and defending the true faith." "Thus, I have decided that my niece's dowry shall be on a par with your generosity." "As you will see, Your Excellency, I have included the silver mines in Tasco, the lands in Aragon..." "Excellency, regarding that Captain Alatriste..." "Excellency..." "No." "I don't want him to die." "If you'll allow me, Excellency," "I have an idea." "'Spain did kill and imprison him who made a slave of fortune." "They mourned his envies, one by one, foreign nations with our own." "His grave, the campaigns in Flanders and his epitaph, the blood-red moon.'" "'And his epitaph, the blood-red moon.'" "They say the prison of San Marcos is the coldest in all Spain." "Yes, that's what they say." "Do you remember me?" "Yes." "Senor Malatesta said that were he to die first, I should give you this." "He also said you could keep me if you so desired." "Thank you." "That's not necessary." "As you wish." "It was pleasant seeing you both again." "And you." "Madrid." "Syphilitics hospital" "Diego, what are you doing here?" "I wanted to see you." "I should have married you." "What's going on?" "He's under arrest in the name of the king." "What's he accused of?" "Of spying for France." "You cannot enter." "His Excellency is in Italy." "I come to see the countess." "What are you doing here?" "I come to ask a favour of you." "I need you to give this letter to Count-duke Olivares." "I tried to take it to him but they wouldn't let me into the palace." "It's about Inigo." "He's been on the galleys for a year." "Thank you, Excellency." "Don't call me "Excellency"." "I hate it." "Inigo always called me Angelica." "Don't weep, madam." "Excellency, don't weep." "Inigo is strong." "He'll survive." "I must weep, Captain." "Betrayal is a stain that never ages." "Judas hanged himself but I'm not so brave." "That is why I weep." "I'll give the letter to the Count-duke." "The honour and reputation of Spain are lost, Captain." "The Lord God has forsaken us." "Excellency..." "There's no other explanation." "All is misfortune." "Casale should have been taken," "Turin saved, Arras relieved, and the Catalans and Portuguese should never have rebelled against their king." "This is the most wretched year the monarchy has ever seen." "Excellency, the letter I sent you..." "Yes." "The letter." "The letter." "I've read it." "But the evidence was conclusive." "The young man was a French spy." "Excellency..." "But all is not lost." "Richelieu is ill and the Dutch want peace." "If the Cardinal Infante's troops..." "He's the orphaned son of one of your soldiers, I raised him... I've said all I have to say, Captain." "You may go." ""Letter to the Cardinal Infante..."" "Excellency..." "'Sir..." "Letters from Flanders...'" "Excellency!" "Look me in the eye." "Inigo Balboa." "The king has pardoned you." "Let's go home, son." "ROCROI, MAY, 1643" "THE CARTAGENA INFANTRY REGIMENT AFTER EIGHT HOURS OF BATTLE" "Fire!" "Take aim!" "Fire!" "Fire!" "Spain!" "Pikes!" "Don't you write any more?" "No, not any more." "This writing thing... you never forget how?" "No." "No." "Soldier." "Sir." "You are?" "Alatriste, Excellency." "I remember." "Didn't I reward you with eight escudos for saving a sergeant major at Nordlingen?" "They lowered it to four, Excellency." "Well, well..." "Bad luck, soldier." "Yes, bad luck, Excellency." "Bragado!" "Diego..." "If I can't, you go on." "Gentlemen." "The Duke of Enghien considers that you have fought with valour beyond words." "Therefore he offers you an honourable surrender." "You may keep your flags and leave the field in formation." "What say you?" "Tell the lord duke of Enghien that we appreciate his words," "but this is a Spanish regiment." "Diego..." "This is as far as I can go." "Inigo." "Tell them of our exploits." "Veterans, to vanguard!" "New soldiers, to rearguard!" "He was not the most honest man nor the most pious, but he was brave." "His name was Diego Alatriste and he had fought with the infantry regiments in Flanders." "When I met him, he was surviving in Madrid on unsavoury tasks, often renting his sword for 4 maravedis to others"