1492: Conquest of Paradise Page #4

A pause.

AROJAZ:

Don't you realize your words could

be considered heretical?

COLUMBUS:

(calmly)

Blind faith is what I consider

heresy!

The murmur turns to an audible gasp. AROJAZ gets to his

feet and leans forward, threateningly, the flame of a

candle only inches from his face.

There is absolute silence. COLUMBUS meets the MONK'S gaze

unflinchingly.

COLUMBUS:

(quietly)

Asia can be found to the west -- and

I will prove it.

AROJAZ:

IF-GOD-WILLS-IT!

EXT. TERRACE - UNIVERSITY - DAY

The JURY is alone to deliberate. Food and wine has been

laid out on tables. In the distance, students' cries

carry over the conversation.

SANCHEZ approaches.

AROJAZ:

The Treasurer of Spain honors us

with his presence.

SANCHEZ bows slightly.

SANCHEZ:

The State has some reason to be

interested in this man's

proposition, Your Eminence...

AROJAZ:

The Judgment is ours!

SANCHEZ:

Naturally. But I would really

deplore the loss of such a potential

opportunity for Spain for a...

dispute over a point of geography.

SANCHEZ helps himself to some grapes, looks round at the

other members of the committee, who pretend not to be

listening.

AROJAZ:

(interrupting)

He is a mercenary! Did he not

already try to convince the King of

Portugal of his absurd notions?

SANCHEZ:

Indeed. The world is full of

mercenaries -- and states often make

use of them, when it benefits them.

(casually)

My only concern is the welfare and

prosperity of Spain.

AROJAZ understands the hint, and stops smiling.

AROJAZ:

You would use your influence to

assist this... intriguer?

SANCHEZ reaches for a decanter of sherry.

SANCHEZ:

You know, Your Eminence, the

fascinating thing about power, is

that what can be given so

effortlessly...

He offers the decanter to AROJAZ, who automatically lifts

his glass. But instead, SANCHEZ pulls back the decanter,

pours himself a drink, and replaces it on the table,

leaving AROJAZ staring at his own empty glass.

SANCHEZ:

... can so easily be taken away.

And he drinks with a smile.

INT. LA RABIDA - MARCHENA'S STUDY - EVENING

MARCHENA reads aloud the Commission's letter.

MARCHENA:

... and therefore nothing could

justify the participation of Your

Highnesses in the venture that

relies upon such feeble assumptions,

and which any man of knowledge

would take to be impractical... if

not impossible.

He shakes his head, puts the letter down. COLUMBUS looks

appalled; devastated.

COLUMBUS:

They didn't listen. They didn't

want to listen!

He paces about the book-lined room.

MARCHENA:

You mustn't give way to despair.

You must wait.

COLUMBUS:

Wait! I've waited seven years

already! How much longer do you

want me to wait?

MARCHENA:

If God intends you to go, then you

will go.

COLUMBUS:

(angrily)

Damn God!

MARCHENA is shocked.

MARCHENA:

Colon!

COLUMBUS:

Damn all of you! You all set up

theories based on what? You never

leave the safety of your studies!

Go out! Find out what the world is

about and then tell me something I

can listen to!

He seizes a beautiful book from MARCHENA'S desk.

COLUMBUS:

These don't mean anything! They're

full of assumptions! Out of the

heads of old men who've never been

past the end of their gardens!

He hurls the book across the room. MARCHENA is horrified.

MARCHENA:

No...! My books...!

COLUMBUS seizes more books from the shelves, just sweeping

them to the floor.

COLUMBUS:

All of them! Just lies!

MARCHENA:

Colon! Don't!

MARCHENA tries to stop him. In his fury, COLUMBUS

accidentally knocks the poor old MAN to the ground. His

cries bring three MONKS rushing into the room.

As COLUMBUS continues to rage and scatter books

everywhere, they try to stop him, struggling with this

big, powerful man -- to almost comical effect. Finally, a

short, muscular MONK delivers a quick punch that sends

COLUMBUS crashing to the floor.

INT. CHAPEL OF LA RABIDA - EVENING

COLUMBUS lies face down on the stone floor. He is dressed

in a homespun robe. His arms are stretched out in

penance. FERNANDO and DIEGO look down at him.

FERNANDO:

Father?

DIEGO:

Sssshhhh...! One can't speak to a

man doing penance.

FERNANDO:

What can you do?

DIEGO:

Nothing. That's the point,

Fernando.

A pause -- and then FERNANDO lies face down on the floor

beside his FATHER, and stretches out his arms in the same

way. DIEGO is left looking on, unable to bring himself to

join them.

EXT. CLOISTER - LA RABIDA - DAY

Along the cloister, maps are drying, hanging like laundry

in the light breeze. COLUMBUS pins up a new addition.

Another MONK works nearby, in silence.

PINZON (O.S.)

Senor Colon?

COLUMBUS turns, to see a small, stocky MAN approaching: a

middle-class gentleman. He nods.

PINZON:

Ah, thank God! I've been looking

all over Seville for you! Never

expected to find a sailor in a

monastery, eh?

He laughs. COLUMBUS smiles, but doesn't say anything.

PINZON is clearly a little surprised.

PINZON:

Name's Pinzon, by the way. Martin

Alonzo Pinzon. I'm a ship owner

from Palos...

COLUMBUS glances around cautiously, and walks a little way

down the cloister, away from the other MONK, gesturing for

PINZON to follow him. PINZON is yet more surprised by

this strange behavior.

PINZON:

(indicating the

monk)

Is he a spy?

COLUMBUS shakes his head. PINZON stares at him,

perplexed.

PINZON:

What is it? Are you a Trappist?

COLUMBUS shakes his head again.

PINZON:

Vow of silence...? Penance?

COLUMBUS nods vigorously.

PINZON:

Jesus! Just my luck!

He takes off his hat, wiping his forehead with a silk

cloth.

PINZON:

Listen. I'll do the talking for

both of us. You just nod. Agreed?

Just as I do with the wife.

COLUMBUS nods.

PINZON:

I know that the Commission turned

you down, right? What do you

expect? You're a foreigner... But I

want to help you.

COLUMBUS gives him a glance like one throws a question in

the air.

PINZON:

You wonder why I believe in you?

Hey, I am a seaman. And we don't

like to be told where to go, and

where not to go.

COLUMBUS looks at him, and bursts out laughing. The other

MONK looks round severely. COLUMBUS ducks behind a map,

PINZON following him. PINZON lowers his voice.

PINZON:

I don't look like it, but I have

friends at the Court. The Treasurer

of Aragon, for example. He finances

me. His name's Santangel. Ever

heard of him?

COLUMBUS shakes his head, but looks increasingly

interested by what he's hearing.

PINZON:

He can get you an audience with the

Queen! You know why...? She owes

him money. That's how it is. You

-- me -- the Queen -- the world and

his mistress -- agreed?

COLUMBUS nods.

PINZON:

So. What do you say?

COLUMBUS looks around, catches the disapproving face of

the MONK, crosses himself, then speaks:

COLUMBUS:

Where can I meet this man?

PINZON:

(indicating with a

nod)

Immediately.

COLUMBUS turns and sees an elegant Lord in his fifties,

examining the maps.

EXT. STREETS OF GRANADA - DAY

A huge Islamic Crescent being pulled down from the minaret

of a mosque. SOLDIERS are holding back a crowd at the

foot of the tower. To the ecstatic cries of the crowd, a

Cross is hoisted up in its place... Astride horses,

COLUMBUS and the Treasurer SANTANGEL are watching the

scene.

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