"I'll see if I can catch something." "Was it really necessary to humiliate me like that?" "Juan's coming back today." "He'll tell the truth to Margarita and I want to be there when that happens." "Ma'am, my name is Álvaro Dueñas and I'm a fencing master,... and I've come to town to tutor your son." "I cheated on you with another woman." "I won't shed a single tear over you, Juan." "I'm not going to eat dinner, I'm very tired." "See you tomorrow." "She's not crying!" "Her fiancée is cheating on her with someone else, and not a drop!" "The Stuart tiara could always be sold,... of course, to meet the needs of our troops." "Master!" "I'm expecting your son." "She has needle prick scars, just like Margarita." "Look familiar?" "Hey, that's the sign of Father Jerónimo!" "I'm glad I hired a teacher who brings such passion to his job." "Whatever you want --- Mother." "Look familiar?" "A peasant saw you abandon me and run away." "He raised me." "What do you want?" "I want the tiara the English gave to their Majesties." "Juan doesn't exist and he hasn't done anything." "Understood?" "~ Irene's pregnancy changes nothing." "~ It changes everything, Commissioner." "Father Jerónimo is a good man." "Are you referring to Isabel?" "It's been a while since she came by." "He feeds the poor, nurses the sick." "Give me a break, you can't be suspicious of Father Jerónimo, that would be too much." "Mead from Father Jerónimo!" "For headaches, for weak bones!" "What are you buying?" "A tonic from Jerónimo that cures everything." "Honest!" "It's just crystal." "They've stolen the tiara." "You knew." "You knew he was cheating behind me back and didn't say a thing." "Here's your tiara." "With this I've compensated for every wrong I ever did you." "It was this, wasn't it?" "Do you know how many people were in the queen's suite?" "The Duchess de Ugarte, her two nieces, and the Marquesa de Santillana." "The bluish color and the flaking result from hemlock." "They poisoned her." "The fencing master blackmailed me." "He's my son, Hernán." "~ Where did he go?" "~ I don't know." "~ Where's the tiara?" "~ It's in her palace." "You can ask the king if you don't believe me." "He's been informed." "Guards!" "Why poison the people who believe in you?" "You save those who want to live, I do the same for those who want to die." "She had it hidden under her seat." "Arrest her!" "The bouncing head could have been yours, Lucrecia." "Maybe next time you won't be so lucky." "It's worthless, it's a cup made of wood." "But I saw you just this minute in the street!" "Me?" "But what?" "ONE DAY EARLIER" "It's a pleasure that you once again require my services, your Majesty." "Can it, Lucrecia." "Your visit today is not for my enjoyment." "Sit down, please." "I'm totally at your disposal, your Majesty." "Leopoldo I, the Holy Roman Emperor,... has formally asked for the hand of my daughter, the princess Margarita Teresa." "Isn't she a bit young to be considering marriage?" "She's 11 years old." "She can assume the duties of a princess." "Congratulations, your Majesty." "This is great news." "Yes, it's great news for the kingdom." "Signing the bond would require her to travel to and reside in Vienna." "Excuse me, your Majesty, but I'm not exactly sure what you need from me." "I want you take responsibility for the wellbeing of the princess in Vienna." "You're asking me to move to Vienna?" "Leopoldo I has sent his ambassador, the Count von Olsen, to formalize the wedding." "It would be my pleasure if you were to marry him." "But that would mean my abandoning everything I have here, your Majesty." "What do you have here, Lucrecia?" "You've reached a certain age, and unfortunately you have a reputation which certainly precedes you." "It won't be easy to find a good husband for you." "Seize the opportunity you've been provided." "I appreciate the opportunity, your Majesty,... and I'm flattered by your concern for me, but first I'd like..." "No, no, no, don't tell me anything right now." "Think it over and let me know." "Of course, your Majesty." "Come on, let's go." "I can't give away that bread, it's to sell in town." "Come on, we'll be better off there." "There's much poverty, Perico." "You're going to meet Sátur, he's my friend." "You'll see how well off we'll be there." "Let's go." "Come on, Perico, move!" "Very good." "Look, there's gold there, but look..." "Damn!" "Fuck me...and the mother who bore me!" "Please, I'm looking for the royal palace." "I think we're lost." "Sure, you go straight down this road... and once you find a tree shaped like a hand,... you'll recognize it easily, then go to the left and stay on the road and you're there." "~ Thanks a lot." "~ May God reward you." "Halt!" "Where's the gold?" "Right now, it's quite safe." "Perico, Perico, Perico!" "Perico!" "Perico, no!" "Don't die, Perico!" "No, Perico!" "God was planning my ruination!" "Eh, eh, eh!" "Give it to me." "Not if you're going to burn it." "I don't need it, I'm not getting married." "Give it to me." "Hand it over!" "Margarita, this dress belonged to your family, and indeed you'll need it, but later." "I'm going crazy, Gonzalo, I can't take any more!" "Margarita, any man would love to marry you." "It's over, Gonzalo." "I can't go through this again." "Don't say that." "You still have plenty of life ahead of you, with many opportunities to create a family." "~ Oh, really?" "~ Sure." "And who's going to want to marry me, Gonzalo?" "Hello." "Can I come in?" "Yes." "Is that my dress?" "No, no, this dress belongs to another bride." "And mine?" "It'll be on time, right?" "Yes, of course." "Don't worry, Ma'am." "Thanks." "Could I ask you a favor?" "Yeah, sure." "Can you give a message to my fiancée?" "He's Juan, the doctor." "I'm asking this because I wasn't able to meet up with him." "Yes." "What can I say for you?" "Can you tell him I need to see him?" "We have to finalize details of the wedding." "All right, I'll handle it." "Thanks." "You'll get married, I know it, it'll just take a little longer." "Holy Mother, I've been left all alone." "My poor Perico!" "The only buddy I had." "Father?" "Father Mateo?" "What are you doing here?" "Get up, man." "Where's your cassock?" "I gave it up." "It's a long story, I really am a baker now." "But man, why are you crying, what happened?" "Everything, everything, daughter, everything." "Can I help you?" "No, no, no, I can handle it, I'll straighten it out." "Catalina?" "Is something going on?" "No." "Look, Cipri, I present to you Father Mateo." "All right, ex-Father Mateo." "This is Cipri, my l...my landlord here in town." "A pleasure." "You can stay with me, it doesn't bother me." "I'll fix you a fine broth." "I'm really grateful, but the first thing I have to do is see Sátur." "Sátur isn't around, he won't be home until tomorrow." "So, man, come along, you don't bother me at all, let's go!" "No, Daughter, look, I have so many friends here in town I don't know where to start." "~ Fine, man, but just for a minute." "~ It's all right, he doesn't want to, really." "Well, I hope to see you soon." "Ex-priest, right?" "And did they throw him out, or did he quit on his own?" "Because one thing is very different from the other." "Cipri, please, all right?" "That is impossible." "The Count travels with a cargo of gold to offer the king." "They examined the wagon and told me that he only had fabrics, sir." "The gold's already in the palace, your Eminence." "It's out of our reach." "~ You may go." "~ Yes, sir." "My quest for the papacy can't be financed out of thin air, Commissioner." "Without the Holy Grail in my hands, the way to Rome is complicated." "This isn't good for either of us." "We have the matter of the Holy Grail under control, your Eminence." "We'll find it soon." "There's no more time!" "The Holy Father is gravely ill." "I need to buy more votes!" "I want that gold!" "We've lost this opportunity, your Eminence." "The money is already in the royal coffers." "Then we have to get it out." "That is madness." "We can't rob the King of Spain." "I'm surprised at your sudden loyalty to the king." "Your Eminence, what you're proposing is suicide." "The royal coffers are in an underground labyrinth." "It's impossible to get into them." "God will provide, Commissioner, He will light our way." "But the maze is filled with secret passageways, your Eminence." "Nobody..." "Nobody knows them all." "There's one who does." "The royal architect." "Find this man and get those maps no matter what." "We're going to rob the king." "Oh, God!" "Well, all right...what's the curse on me today?" "Fuck my ruination!" "Forgive me, but I'd rather grab your shoes than let them rot underground." ""Majesty, I am writing to notify you of my irrevocable decision..." ""with regard to your proposal that I marry Count von Olsen." ""I'm really sorry to decline your offer, your Majesty,..." ""and I'm about to list the reasons for this rejection."" "Mother?" "Mother, are you all right?" "Yes, yes." "Why?" "I don't know, it looked to me like you'd received bad news." "No, nothing like that --- on the contrary, I have a wonderful surprise for you." "~ Would you like to see Vienna?" "~ Vienna?" "I'd love to check out a European court, Mother." "Fine, come with me." "I want to tell you about something important for both of us, son." "Thanks very much." "Sátur makes these purchases every day on his own?" "Now you see how hard he works, son." "Thank God he'll come back this afternoon, right?" "It's not hard to tell when he's not here." "Especially given the silence that reigns at home." "Wait." "Hello." "I can talk to you a moment?" "Yeah, sure." "About what?" "Well..." "I wanted to offer my services as a baker." "Fine, I...well, the truth is that I don't need anybody just now." "This barely gives me enough to live on." "These are bad times." "Look, suppose we do a swap?" "I make bread and rolls every day, and you leave me a bed there for free, until I find another job." "I can't spare a bedroom." "Sorry." "Alonso!" "Don't even budge from there." "What happened?" "Cipri." "Does anyone know him?" ""I'm back." "I'm waiting in the road that led to my death." "The Cossack."" "It can't be!" "He has returned for the Red Eagle." "He says he'll wait on the road that led to the death." "The Cossack is back!" "Alonso, take it easy." "He's returned...he's returned...he's returned from the dead." "Alonso, Alonso!" "Son..." "Cipri, help me out here." "The groceries." "I'll take care of the goods." "Come on, come home." "Let's go, make way." "Give them to me." "We haven't found the plans, sir." "Did you interrogate the architect?" "Answer me." "He fled with the plans, sir." "We hurt him mortally, but we lost him in the streets." "You found the body...but he had no plans with him." "No, sir." "He could have given them to someone as he fled." "There was no one else there, sir." "You're stretching my patience!" "Say what you have to say once." "They stole the dead man's boots, sir." "My wife and child are healthy, you know?" "Congratulations, Commissioner." "This good news is for you." "If I weren't in good spirits you'd now be dead." "Muster our best men to find those boots." "Whoever stole them could have the plans." "Yes, sir." "Here, drink something." "Father, he killed him." "The Red Eagle finished him off." "Come on, boy, do listen to your father and take it, you'll see how good you feel." "How could it happen?" "How is it possible to return from the dead?" "Alonso, let it go." "You have to rest, so put this problem out of your mind." "How do you want me to forget?" "Don't you remember what happened?" "Of course I do." "What DID happen, then, Gonzalo?" "A while back they contracted this guy, a Cossack assassin, to whack the Red Eagle." "Alonso almost was blinded." "~ But the Eagle killed him, didn't he?" "Or did he?" "~ Yeah." "But he's come back." "Back from the dead." "So we do it all again." "The dead guy on a horse, a note pinned to his back,..." "Listen to me: nobody comes back from the dead." "Nobody, it's impossible." "So who is he?" "Who wrote this note?" "Help!" ""At the same place you gave me death, I will give you yours. 33° North, 25° West."" "All right, a moment of silence, please." "The Lady Marquesa has summoned us here because she wants to give us some news." "In fact, two items." "I want to communicate the importance that the next visit is going to have." "Leopoldo I, emperor of the Holy Roman Empire,... has sent his right hand, the Count von Olsen, to town, and I would have him greeted as he merits." "Don't worry, Ma'am, we'll be up to it." "I'll take care of it myself." "No, Catalina, you'll take care of something else equally important." "I want you to prepare the service which will accompany us to Vienna during our stay there." "I'm afraid you lost me, Ma'am." "I announce at this moment my future marriage to the Count von Olsen." "The ceremony will take place in Vienna and I want you to serve me there." "Margarita, you could come, too, but since you're getting married..." "You have the good fortune to be chosen as my help." "Catalina, take care when selecting the service." "Return to your duties." "Ma'am, please." "Ma'am, do I have to go with you, too?" "Give the immense stupidity of your question, I won't even deign to answer." "Sorry, Ma'am, I've never asked you for anything, but..." "I'd like it if you'd consider the possibility of leaving me here, to mind the palace." "~ Have you been drinking, Catalina?" "~ No, Ma'am." "You see, my son has his school here, his friends...my entire life is here." "I am your owner." "Your life is mine and it's I who will decide where you live it." "This town sausage --- who's it for?" "Here!" "Nobody leave this inn!" "Commissioner." "Can I help you in some way?" "Start with him." "Everybody barefoot!" "Commissioner, these are the only boots I have." "Take off your boots or I'll tear off your feet." "But, Sir...!" "Cipri!" "You, barefoot, now!" "What on Earth for?" "You don't need a reason." "Because I said so, period." "Come on, take your shoes and socks off!" "Not until I know why." "I'm within my rights." "People of your class have no rights, just obligations." "Barefoot, now." "Let me go." "They're unmarked." "I'll tell you now, because I want to:" "I'm looking for the evil person who killed the royal architect to steal his boots." "Happy now?" "Let's go!" "Cipri." "Are you all right?" "Whoever has those boots won't live to tell a thing, Gonzalo." "He won't survive this." "You look beautiful, daughter." "Mother wants me to dazzle today at the reception at the palace." "You will." "Does the tiara bother you?" "We'll make sure they put it in the right position on the day of your presentation." "My presentation?" "Come on, daughter." "Come here." "All this land belongs to you simply due to the fact of your being my daughter." "And now as the spouse of Leopoldo I of Austria, this will be your empire." "I'm getting married?" "No, I don't want to." "You have to know this is very important for the kingdom of Spain... your marital bond with Leopoldo I." "I don't want to leave the palace, and I certainly don't want to be separated from my mother." "You are Margarita Teresa of Austria, and Princess of Spain,... and future empress consort of the Holy Roman Empire." "Behave like it." "But...but, Father...!" "Now I'm not your father, I'm your king." "I command you to carry out your duties as expected of you." "Sátur?" "Friend, but a close one." "And you say he runs the house by himself?" "Almost." "Well, surely a little hand would do no harm." "Imagine what a treat: breakfast of freshly baked bread every day, with me here." "Suggest it to Gonzalo, but I tell you I don't think we can afford another mouth." "We're starting to get crowded here." "But...you're still here?" "I guess you've already noticed, but you're barefoot." "Yeah, I noticed, all right." "The Commissioner forced all of us in the inn to go barefoot." "Barefoot --- why?" "Because he wanted to see who was walking around wearing the boots of a man killed in an alley." "Hey, look, I'm sorry, but..." "I didn't kill him, I swear, he was already dead when I fell over him." "I swear on my dead, and I have many." "Sure." "And why do you have them?" "Because everything was so sudden." "The boots were so new, my shoes were torn,..." "I'd lost my donkey and took them, but he was already dead." "I swear, you must believe me, he was dead." "~ Take off those boots." "~ Sure." "Come on, you have to hide them!" "What's this?" "They weren't looking for boots, they were looking for this." "What's that?" "Catalina, I didn't hear you coming." "But you're looking especially pretty today!" "And does it smell good?" "Pork with red wine." "I'm cooking it for Saturday." "I'd like to take you and the kid for lunch in the country." "What do you think?" "You don't like pork, is that right?" "No, sure, Cipri, of course I like it." "You don't like the countryside?" "Come on, Cipri, sit down." "Why?" "Because I have to say something that it's better if you hear sitting down." "The Marquesa's getting married." "So what?" "She'll be married in Vienna, with a count of who knows what empire... and she's forcing me...she wants me to go live with her there." "Vienna?" "Where's that?" "I don't know, beyond France somewhere." "I'll never see you again." "I don't want to go, Cipri!" "I don't want to leave you here." "Besides, what am I going to do in Vienna?" "Hang on, wait, surely there's something we can do." "There isn't." "There's nothing we can do, and my lady has made it perfectly clear:... she's my mistress and I have no choice --- that's how it is." "Fuck!" "Fuck!" "How much longer do we have?" "I don't know, not much." "I have to go now." "I'm in the dark here." "What does it say about passageways?" "This plan is for passageways which go under the royal palace." "What are they used for?" "Basically so that the kings would have secret access to certain parts of the city." "Like to brothels, maybe, so no one would know about his joy-rides?" "That, too, I guess." "The funny thing is that there are passages that are impenetrable cells." "And why did they want it, what were they looking for with these plans?" "I don't know, but something important enough that it cost a man's life." "At the same time that you give me death, you'll find your own." "Listen: in my room there's a chest." "Hide the boots and the plans there." "And don't leave the house until I get back." "But where are you going?" "I have a personal matter to attend to." "Listen: it's better if you don't leave these rooms." "Whatever you say." "I'll have some water, which calms me down when I'm nervous,...and you..." "Where's he gone now?" "It can't be, he's back for the Red Eagle!" "The Cossack is back!" "How is it possible to return from the dead?" "He killed him." "The Red Eagle already finished off the Cossack." ""Son, if you're reading this letter, it means that I have died." ""And if I decided to write, Alonso,..." ""it's because I'm scared of leaving without you knowing what I've kept hidden for so long." ""I regret not having been with you every second of your life,..." ""every breath, every night I couldn't watch you dream." ""I regret not having been the father you wanted, but now I'm dead, son, and I want to go in peace." ""That's why I want no more lies." ""I won't keep back secrets anymore." ""The hero who you admired was your coward of a father." "I was the Red Eagle." ""Learn to live without me now that I'm dead, son." ""Inside your heart there is a great hero." "Never forget it." ""Your father, Gonzalo de Montalvo, Red Eagle."" ""For Alonso"" "I won't be part of that plan, your Eminence." "I'm not planning on robbing the king, and that's my final word." "What are you scared of, Commissioner, maybe death?" "I live every day with death." "That's not what stops me from carrying out this madness." "You'll do what I tell you, without complaint." "With all due respect, your Eminence, how are you planning to force me?" "Force you?" "You know full well that's not my style, Commissioner." "I'm a man used to persuading with words... though it's certainly true that Providence places obstacles in your way." "It would be a terrible disappointment if my niece were to suffer the loss of her firstborn due to an unfortunate accident." "You'll help me get that gold." "I'm sure." "Sir." "Why is there all this bustle?" "These trunks aren't the ones traveling to Vienna, but those in the blue room." "I have to take care of everything." "Take them away." "You're going to Vienna?" "Yes." "How long will you be gone?" "If all goes well, for the rest of my life, Hernán." "I'm getting married." "The Count von Olsen will be my future husband." "I'm moving to Vienna." "When?" "What difference does it make?" "Why didn't you tell me anything?" "What about Nuño?" "He'll be coming with me." "I don't understand the question, Hernán, he's my son, and he'll accompany his mother wherever she is." "~ No." "~ No what?" "I won't let you take Nuño." "What are you babbling about?" "Who do you think you are to talk to me like that?" "His father." "He's my son...and the Marqués de Santillana." "You can't do anything to keep me from taking him." "Nuño will not travel with you." "But I must warn him, Aunt!" "Think it through, Alonso, you can't go up on the roof, you were dizzy a while ago." "I feel fine." "Come on, Aunt, please." "You heard me, didn't you?" "I said no!" "You just don't understand, the Cossack has returned from the dead to kill the Red Eagle." "Give it a rest, Alonso, that can't be, son." "Don't spout nonsense." "Besides, the Red Eagle can take good care of himself." "Come on, give me that rag." "It's not nonsense, he nearly killed him last time." "Fine, that's enough, Alonso!" "Go to your room!" "Go do your homework, go on, hustle up." "Alonso, I told you to go to your room!" "I washed as much as I could, but I don't know how well it'll look." "I found it in the trash and thought you might like to have it." "Thanks." "You needn't have worried." "Are you all right?" "Yes, I'm fine." "Thanks." "I hear you crying every night." "Even when you roll over and pretend to sleep, I still hear you." "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to bother you." "Open to the guard." "Open up!" "Open up, open up to the guard!" "~ What's the matter?" "~ Stand aside." "What's going on, what are you doing?" "Search everywhere." "The rooms, check every room." "You, gather all the boots you find in the house." "But the only boots we have are the ones we're wearing..." "Quickly, move it." "Hey, where are you going?" "What have you got there?" "Laundry, I was taking it to wash." "Through the window, huh?" "Fine, I was going to let in some fresh air, but..." "I didn't kill him." "Really." "He was already dead when I took off his boots." "Take him away." "Help!" "Help!" "Help, please!" "Help!" "Help!" "~ I'll get you out of here ~ Don't hurt me." "I'll untie you." "You killed my brother." "Prepare to die." "Juan!" "~ Juan, wait, I have to talk with you." "~ Sure." "Do you know?" "My great-grandfather founded the inn." "Then it was passed on from generation to generation." "Right." "I've been a slave to it all my life, but it's the only life I have." "I wouldn't like it to be owned by a complete stranger." "Around here, people work hard for very little money." "That's why I thought of selling it to you." "Think it over." "It has great potential." "You could establish a hospital." "I'll set you a good price." "Yeah, yeah, if I was going to buy an inn it would be yours, Cipri, but I don't need one just now." "Thanks indeed, thank you." "~ Juan..." "~ I'm sorry, Cipriano, thanks." "Excuse me." "Margarita!" "What do you want, Juan?" "I can't stop right now." "Excuse me, I didn't want to bother you." "I just wanted..." "Juan, it would be much easier for me not having to see you every day." "You understand that, right?" "I can't live without you." "Oh really?" "Well this morning Eugenia came looking for her wedding dress." "You still haven't found the courage to tell her, then?" "I went to her place to tell her but her parents said she was out, so I think we crossed ways." "Sure." "Juan, this is none of my business." "I can only wish you to be happy in your marriage." "Margarita." "Listen to me." "Look at me." "I'm not going to marry Eugenia." "I love you." "Juan." "Do you mean that?" "Answer me." "Answer me." "Yes." "Sign the confession at once." "I already told you, I didn't even know him." "You were wearing his boots." "He was already dead when I took them." "And I didn't know there were plans inside them." "What plans?" "I don't know what you're talking about." "Blind people can also sign things." "It's up to you." "You'll be executed at dawn." "Get him out of here." "But I signed the damned thing!" "No, no, please, no!" "No, I didn't do anything!" "No, I didn't kill anybody!" "Who are you?" "You still don't know?" "I'm a Cossack, like my brother." "You killed him." "I was just defending myself." "I don't care." "An eye for an eye." "Everyone in your family has to die." "You know nothing about me, and I'll never say where they are." "You'll take me to them just the same." "Listen to me: if you touch them, I'll kill you." "I've got it." "Fine." "It'll be done this very night." "Get yourself down into the maze." "Me?" "But what about you?" "We're talking about robbing the king, Commissioner." "I need an extremely competent man." "You'll head down." "I'll take that as a compliment, your Eminence, but the answer is no." "I didn't see you as a coward." "Simply speaking, your Eminence, your mission is too complicated." "I have a lot to lose." "My marriage, my son..." "I won't go on without a share to me." "You disappoint me, Commissioner." "The truth is that our journey should be conducted under a strict moral code." "But I understand." "Fine, I'll give you some of the gold." "Exactly half." "And a blank paper signed by you, in your own handwriting." "You know I can't do that." "What you're asking is impossible." "I won't use it to harm you in any way, it's for a personal and urgent matter." "Trust me, your Eminence, since after all we're family." "And family is to help you." "You have learned a lot with me, Commissioner." "I hope you know where your limits are." ""I, Francisco de Mendoza y Balboa, Cardinal Mendoza,..." ""being of sound mind,..." ""hereby swear by my honor and attest that Don Nuño Federico de Santillana y Guzmán,..." ""Marqués de Santillana, is the natural son of the Commissioner of the town, Don Hernán Mejías,..." ""as was made known to me in a private conversation the child's mother,..." ""Doña Lucrecia de Guzmán, Marquesa de Santillana."" "Where are you going dressed like that?" "I was trying it on, my uncle sent it to me this afternoon,... he wants me to attend a funeral tomorrow." "I didn't know." "Whose is it?" "I don't know." "Just that it's important that I go." "He insisted most strongly." "Do you want something special for dinner?" "I was on my way to the kitchen." "No, I won't eat at home today." "I've got a lot of work to do." "You look beautiful." "Hernán, I thought you were at work." "I'll show you this room later on." "Hernán." "No, please, Lucrecia." "What would they say in Europe about our manners if we didn't greet people correctly?" "The Count von Olsen, my future husband, personal advisor to Leopoldo I,..." "Hernán Mejías, Commissioner of the town." "A pleasure to meet you, Commissioner." "Congratulations." "You're getting a gem." "Sorry, I think we interrupted in your writing." "No, no, it's not important." "Although now that you're here, I think you could do me a favor." "Everyone knows you're a very cultured person." "Could you give me your opinion of verses which I just wrote?" "That sounds like a fine idea." "I adore poetry." "Lucrecia will delight us with her wonderful voice." "Lucrecia." "Of course." "Maybe it falls short." "But I think the message is clear." "I'll continue working on it." "Again, congratulations." "It's been a pleasure." "Lucrecia." "Shall we visit the salon?" "This way." "Don't cry." "Right, how can I NOT cry, Catalina?" "My best friend is moving to another part of the world, Juan has cheated on me,... and even Gonzalo has another woman." "I just can't cope." "Not any more." "And you, what is it with you?" "We're well and truly damned!" "But what am I doing going to Vienna, when I don't even know where it is?" "Well, I'd swap myself with you this very moment." "You know what the Marquesa said when I talked with her?" "What?" "That my life belongs to her." "And she's right." "I don't know how I ever allowed myself any illusions to the contrary,... since us poor folks don't even have the right to illusions." "Illusions don't serve anything." "How right you are, daughter!" "I've heard about Mateo's arrest." "I came to see whether you knew anything else." "The guards took him away." "Apparently he killed a man." "I guess you can't really trust anybody." "Today, a priest, and the next, a murderer." "Life is confusing, Margarita, right?" "Look, I have to go to the inn on an errand, but I'll be right back to help you with this." "Fine, don't worry." "Go with God." "Oh, my God!" "Alonso?" "Alonso, is that you?" "Alonso?" "Alonso, is that you?" "It's pretty hard, Nuño: "Gute nacht"." "The count would like to see whether you already know some German." "Nuño, are you listening to me?" "Irene, you're the Commissioner's wife, and he tells you everything, am I right?" "Well, not as much as I might have liked." "Do you know whether he's mad at me?" "No." "No, no, no." "Why would he be?" "I'm leaving in a few days and he's hardly had a word for me." "He's a very busy man, Nuño, but I'm sure he'll say goodbye to you." "He appreciates you a lot, I assure you." "Dinner this evening with the Count has been canceled." "Irene, leave us alone, please." "~ There's no time to lose." "You have to go." "~ Where to?" "The driver's ready." "He'll take you to a monastery." "It'll just be a few days." "But what's going on?" "Why?" "Because I said so." "Quit with the stupid questions, and help me." "It would be so much easier if for once you just told me what's going on." "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, son." "I can't." "Everything will be straightened out soon." "Trust me." "Help me." "If you put a foot wrong, you'll never get out of the maze again." "You can't be permitted the luxury of hesitation." "Soon you'll hear the chimes of the Golden Tower." "That's the time they change the guard." "The northern entrance is through an abandoned brothel." "You should stash the gold you get from the royal coffers in there." "The next changing of the guard will happen at midnight." "Time is your major enemy, Commissioner." "This isn't done to a friend, Tomás." "The inn has been my life and my entire family, as you know." "I'm very sorry, Cipri, I know it's not much but it's all I could raise." "Look, if you give me a bit more I'll leave you some full wine barrels." "They're new." "But I don't need any wine, Cipri." "I'll be setting it up as a blacksmith's, that's my craft." "And what do I do with this?" "Come on, friend, this is a good deal, man!" "Cipri, is something up?" "What's up?" "Because I'm going?" "~ I'm selling the inn." "~ Why?" "Well, boy, how did you come up with this nonsense?" "With the money I'll follow you to Vienna and look for you there." "But, man of God, do you know how big that city is?" "Well, I'll manage all right." "You'll manage, how?" "How are you going to manage?" "Cipri, it may even happen we're not allowed to meet." "You've completely lost your mind." "If anything, it's clear that I love you." "I'm willing to do whatever it takes, and if I die trying, well...then so be it." "It will have been well spent." "No, Cipri, I'm sorry, but you can't come with me." "It's bad enough to have a broken life, than to have that weigh on me as well." "Catalina!" "What did you do to her?" "What did you do to her?" "Answer me!" "Your woman is very pretty." "She didn't resist too much." "No... no..." "This is something between you and me!" "Untie me." "That's where you're wrong." "There's no greater pain than losing a loved one." "No!" "But watching their execution must be even worse." "No!" "No!" "Margarita!" "That's no way to treat your family, your Eminence." "You never cease to amaze me, Commissioner." "How did you know?" "Irene." "I saw her trying on the mourning dress." "She told me someone had died, but in this town no one dies without my say-so." "I'd prepared a funeral that would really do you proud." "Why all this, your Eminence?" "We had an agreement." "I need all the gold!" "Besides, the king would demand someone's head, and the responsibility would be yours." "Give me a reason not to kill your right here and now." "First:" "I'm pointing this gun at you and won't hesitate to shoot." "Second: neither one of us wants to see the floor carpeted with your body." "What do you suggest?" "It would be heresy to break the bonds with which Divine Providence has brought us together." "Because we are still family, isn't that right, Commissioner?" "Margarita!" "I heard noises, and..." "Are you all right?" "Gonzalo!" "There was a man who wanted to kill me and don't know..." "I do not know why." "I think the Red Eagle saved me." "How come that man wanted to kill you?" "Let's go down stairs." "I'll make you something hot and you can tell me about it." "What are you doing here?" "How about you?" "You should be asleep." "Come on, come here." "And I don't think you'll need that red rag." "What's going on, Aunt?" "Nothing." "Something tells me your friend is fine." "The town's Tribunal of Justice has condemned Mateo Díaz to hang, tomorrow at dawn." "Furthermore, the execution will be carried out in the marketplace before the relevant authorities." "The guards have detained your guest." "They say he killed a man." "Have you gone crazy?" "You could have killed me!" "You won't take my son from me!" "Where do you have the letter?" "Show it to me!" "Give it to me, Hernán!" "I can't." "I can't." "I can't." "Where's the letter?" "Give it to me!" "You can't!" "Give me the letter!" "Give me the letter!" "There's not a lot left to do here, Father." "That man has one foot in Hell." "They'll execute him tomorrow." "Father!" "Father, I haven't killed anybody, you tell them!" "I don't want to die, my time hasn't come!" "Ave María Purísima." "Conceived without sin." "Guards!" "Come on." "We've got to get you out of here right smartly." "You won't be able to come back to town for quite a long time." "I have nowhere to go!" "Anywhere is better than a coffin." "I'm sick of getting bounced around from hither, thither, and yon." "My life sucks." "~ Let's go." "~ I'm fine." "You don't need a helper?" "I work alone." "They've emptied the royal treasure store." "The whole kingdom is fed by that gold!" "So how was your first day off?" "Sátur, you're back!" "Where's my son?" "Ma'am, just wanted to tell you that I decided to go with you tomorrow to Vienna." "Son of a bitch, I'm going to crush your head!" "If he goes with you tomorrow, I'll make the letter public." "What am I going to do here now?" "I've got nothing." "How will we meet expenses until next fleet from the West Indies?" "The Marquesa has discovered us." "It costs a lot to leave the places where one has been so happy." "Don't you know this place is dangerous for a woman on her own?" "I can take care of myself." "Who are you?" "I think that's clear." "It's clear..." "He's going to learn about him, my God!"