1492: Conquest of Paradise Page #16

COLUMBUS:

(quietly)

A new world, Brother Buyl.

BROTHER BUYL:

Nobody wants one...! Only you!

And he walks away.

EXT. ISLAND - EVENING

Against the livid horizon, three black waterspouts join

the sky to the sea. A gust of wind disturbs the roof of

the jungle.

INT. GOVERNOR'S MANSION - EVENING

The wind grows stronger. Doors bang inside the

building... a melancholy sound.

COLUMBUS sits on the balcony with his BROTHERS. They are

silent. After a few moments, COLUMBUS begins to speak

quietly, almost as if he were speaking to himself.

COLUMBUS:

Perhaps hope only exists in the

journey. When it begins, everything

is still possible -- every

expectation; every dream...

The BROTHERS do not answer.

COLUMBUS:

This is not how I imagined it to be.

CUT TO:

EXT. JUNGLE - NEAR ISABEL - NIGHT

UTAPAN begins to shave his head...

EXT. BALCONY - GOVERNOR'S MANSION - DAWN

The sky is dark and threatening, the wind even stronger.

We find COLUMBUS where we left him, but now alone. He has

sat here all night.

Shutters bang violently.

He looks up -- and sees a few yards from him: the naked

FIGURE OF AN INDIAN, his face and body painted, staring at

him. COLUMBUS realizes who it is...

COLUMBUS:

Utapan!

UTAPAN is still and silent. A strange and mysterious

figure now.

COLUMBUS:

Utapan, won't you speak to me? You

used to know how to speak to me.

UTAPAN:

(sadly, in his own

language)

You never learned how to speak my

language.

UTAPAN is gone.

EXT. SQUARE - DAWN

The wind is whipping the trees now, stronger and stronger.

Groups of INDIANS look up at the sky. Then, above the

sound of the wind, they hear another noise. Like a

collective murmur, almost in one voice, the INDIANS

repeat, over and over.

INDIANS:

Urracan... Urracan... Urracan...

Urracan...

(the wrath of God)

With a loud thunderclap, the storm suddenly breaks. In a

few seconds it has risen to violent proportions, and the

landscape is drenched in torrential rain. The wind

doubles its strength... and all hell breaks loose...

EXT. CITY OF ISABEL - DAY

The hurricane is full force. Trees are being ripped up by

their roots. Rivers of mud are washed down from the

hills, carrying everything away in their paths: houses,

carts, equipment, horses...

EXT. MINE - ISABEL - DAY

The mine workings flooded with mud...

EXT. APPROACH TO DAM AND WATERFALL - DAY

COLUMBUS, BARTOLOME and MENDEZ struggle through the teeth

of the hurricane towards the dam.

EXT. DAM - DAY

Timbers creak and strain. COLUMBUS, BARTOLOME, MENDEZ and

a DOZEN other MEN are trying to save the dam.

Suddenly, frighteningly, the dam begins to crash.

COLUMBUS:

(screaming)

Let it go! Let it go!

The MEN scramble away as the dam wall buckles, and burst

open. Water floods over them; a roaring torrent. From

the bank, MENDEZ, BARTOLOME and COLUMBUS survey the ruins

of their dreams.

CUT TO:

INT. GOVERNOR'S PALACE - BEDROOM - DAY

COLUMBUS is stretched out on his bed, in his devastated

bedroom. A column of ants is threading its way across the

floor, each ant carrying a piece of leaf. Rain falls over

a table covered with documents.

COLUMBUS' face is covered in dried mud.

SANCHEZ (V.O.)

He promised us gold but has failed

to find it. He subjects the natives

to violence, provocation and

injustice. He sent them to Spain

against the express wishes of Your

Majesty...

INT. AUDIENCE ROOM - ALHAMBRA PALACE - DAY

We are back to the first scene. In the vast, opulent,

glittering room, ISABEL listens impassively to the voice

of SANCHEZ. Also present, other GRANDEES, representatives

of the church and state.

SANCHEZ:

... But there is worse. He ordered

the execution of five members of the

nobility...

ISABEL:

Is this true, Brother Buyl?

BROTHER BUYL:

Yes, Your Majesty. It is all true.

I saw it with my own eyes.

A pause. ISABEL seems to struggle inwardly with her

emotions. SANCHEZ waits, expressionless, but on the point

of victory.

ISABEL:

Then, what do you suggest, Don

Sanchez?

SANCHEZ:

He must be replaced.

ISABEL:

And who would you think of, for such

a task?

CUT TO:

EXT. QUAYSIDE - ISABEL - DAY

We see a buckled shoe -- as it rises, it slips into a

stirrup. The horse is mounted. The shoe digs into its

flank. The sound of hoofbeats...

SANCHEZ (V.O.)

I am thinking of a man. A devotee

to Your Majesties. A man extremely

motivated...

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. STREETS OF ISABEL - DAY

FIVE MEN on HORSEBACK, dressed in fashionable clothes,

canter down what used to be the main street of Isabel.

Through some has been rebuilt, the effects of the

hurricane are still visible...

People look at them curiously. We see them stop near the

Governor's mansion. The MEN dismount and walk into the

Palace.

INT. GOVERNOR'S MANSION - DAY

One of the MEN in black clothes removes his hat and steps

forward. We recognize him as ALONSO DE BOBADILLA, the man

COLUMBUS humiliated at the rotunda.

COLUMBUS is sitting at his desk, studying plans with

GIACOMO. Some other MEMBERS of the COUNCIL are with them.

BOBADILLA:

Don Alonso de Bobadilla.

COLUMBUS:

Yes... I remember...

BOBADILLA turns, gestures to one of the other MEN, who

comes forward and gives him a roll of parchment, bearing

the royal seal.

BOBADILLA:

My letters of appointment.

COLUMBUS:

Appointment to what?

BOBADILLA:

Viceroy of the West Indies.

COLUMBUS:

Congratulations. Then I am free to

search for the mainland.

BOBADILLA smiles wickedly, happy to give COLUMBUS a low

blow.

BOBADILLA:

Didn't you learn? The mainland was

discovered. Weeks ago. By another

Italian. I forgot his name.

A MAN IN BLACK:

Amerigo Vespucci, Excellency.

COLUMBUS pales. Then...

COLUMBUS:

How far from here?

BOBADILLA:

I am not a seaman. But I heard it

is no more than a week at sea. I

hope you are not too disappointed.

COLUMBUS:

How could I be? The mainland has

been found. Exactly as I said it

would.

BOBADILLA:

I am afraid this is not the worst

news.

CUT TO:

INT. CELL - SEVILLE PRISON - DAY

All is dark. We can just make out COLUMBUS' face as he

lies on the hard bed. He is sweating heavily; his beard

is filthy and matted, like his hair. He looks feverish.

A key turns in the lock.

The JAILER lets in two fashionably dressed YOUNG MEN.

COLUMBUS, blinking in the light, turns his head to stare

at them. His eyes are reddened with infection at the

corners. The YOUNG MEN come forward into the light.

FERNANDO:

(quietly)

Father?

Unable to believe it, COLUMBUS slowly sits up.

COLUMBUS:

Fernando...! My God...!

He laughs, overcome with joy. Embraces DIEGO.

COLUMBUS:

A man! Diego, how did this happen?

DIEGO:

Santangel is going to see the Queen.

We are going to get you out of here.

COLUMBUS:

Good! I have to go back!

DIEGO and FERNANDO look at one another, then back at

COLUMBUS, incredulously, seeing his filthy clothes, his

eyes rimmed with dried mucus.

DIEGO:

Go back?

There's a new excitement in COLUMBUS' voice. He walks

over to the table. The candlelight illuminates maps,

charts, drawings, figures...

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