Adventures of Don Juan Page #3

Welcome, seores.

Welcome to the finest inn in all Madrid.

- How do you know it's the finest?

- Must be.

All the others have been taxed out

of existence.

- May I be of service, seores?

- Indeed you may.

- Food and wine, if you please.

- This way, please.

The best in the house.

I must apologize, seores.

These days the best we have

is only humble fare.

What? This from a man who's always

served the best food in all Spain.

- In all Europe.

- Oh, thank you, seores.

My wife and I we shall do our best

to please you.

Maria, we have guests.

You don't know this place.

A few lies can sometimes

make a man feel happy.

Excuse me, seor,

is there anything I can bring you?

Seorita, you've already brought me

what I want.

Proof again that in all the world

the most beautiful...

- No thanks.

- Michaela.

- I will serve the gentlemen.

- Yes, Mother.

Forgive me, seor,

we mothers can't be too careful.

Don Juan is about to return to Madrid.

This fellow bring the black plague

with him?

Worse than that, he brings himself.

You know his reputation.

- I shudder with fear.

- Oh, and I with anticipation.

Hussy! Get about your work.

Soup, seores.

Father, the Duke de Lorca's men.

A proclamation. Give heed.

"By order of the king's minister,

the Duke de Lorca, we call on all men...

...with stout hearts and willing hands

to join with us for the glory of Spain...

...in volunteering for service

with the Spanish fleet.

Adventure and gold for all."

Any volunteers?

You, you will volunteer. Take him along.

- No, Father, no.

- No, he's my son. You have no right.

- Quiet, old man, or we'll take you too.

- You can't.

We are free men.

Take him out.

What is this disturbance?

Can't you see I'm having my meal?

You shall have a carving lesson

to go with it, seor.

He's in there.

Seor! Seor!

Oh, bless you, seor.

- What happened?

- Oh, it was a press gang.

And they tried to take my son and me

for the fleet. This gentleman saved us.

Oh, it is nothing.

Once in St. Petersburg, we were set up...

What are you boasting about?

You think it's a pleasure...

...to come home after 10 years

and find myself in a brawl?

Your favor, good people. Now, perhaps,

we can finish our meal in peace.

What...? What is your master's name

so I may thank him properly?

Don Juan de Maraa.

- Don Juan?

- Did you hear?

Don Juan? Don Juan!

He's come back!

Michaela, what are you waiting for?

Serve Don Juan at once.

More wine, seor.

Please. You've had so many adventures.

Seores, seoritas.

These stories you've been hearing,

they're mere legends. Old wives' tales.

We've only heard about young wives.

Is it true that you swam the Bosphorus

to visit the caliph's daughter?

Certainly, my dear.

We'd sank the whole Turkish fleet

on the way.

- Is it true?

- Why, of course, it's true.

It's all true.

But what we crave is news of Spain.

Yes, of our own country.

What of the court, for instance,

and the new king and queen? What?

I thought we're among friends.

Well, seor, the queen

works for the welfare of Spain.

- And the king?

- The king does not work at all.

Pacheco, how much longer

must we straddle this contraption?

Yes, how much longer?

But, Your Majesty, I've just begun.

You have just begun.

But His Majesty has been straddling

for years.

Be quiet, Sebastian.

If Your Majesty will be patient

for just a few moments more.

- Oh, very well.

- Oh, very well.

- Your Majesty.

- Yes?

The Duke de Lorca seeks private audience

with Your Majesty.

Oh, have him come in.

Diego, help Sebastian.

The things we do for posterity.

Yes, the things we do for posterity.

Sorry, Pacheco, affairs of state.

I understand, Your Majesty.

- Your Majesty.

- Gentlemen, come in. Come in.

Lorca. Rodrigo.

Well, how do you like our portrait?

A perfect likeness, sire.

The artist has proven himself

worthy of the subject.

- Hear that, Pacheco?

- It is high praise indeed, Your Majesty.

Yes, it is. It is.

We'll continue this another time.

Gentlemen,

we wish to see the duke alone.

Run along, Sebastian.

Sire, be sure to lock up the paints

and brushes.

- Why, monkey?

- Because His Grace is not in the picture.

And he'll try to rectify that.

He goes too far.

- One day, I shall send him further.

- Come, come, gentlemen.

He says even worse things about me.

Now, what do you want of us?

We have received news

that the English queen...

...refuses to sign our treaty of peace.

- What's that?

She demands further guarantees

and concessions.

- But we've already given her our word.

- Exactly.

She has seen fit to doubt the word

of the king of Spain.

This is a serious matter.

What do you suggest?

What I have constantly suggested:

we prepare ourselves as they do.

Then strike first and strike suddenly.

- But isn't this rather drastic?

- Drastic, sire?

At this moment the English

are building ships and arming them.

Suppose they attack first

and we are defenseless, what then?

It does present a problem.

It's all very well to talk about war,

but where's the money coming from?

I will see to that, Your Majesty.

With your help, of course.

There are taxes to be collected

and levies to be imposed.

- This document will help solve the problem.

- What is it?

An order for the recall

of our ambassador to England.

Recall de Polan? But on what grounds?

The New World is our colony, sire,

and consequently...

...all profit from New World merchandise

should be ours too.

Instead, it is being paid to the count

and held by him.

- By who's authority?

- By yours, sire.

The queen persuaded you

to sign a paper to that effect.

Someone's always getting me

to sign papers.

- I'll not do it anymore.

- It'll be to your advantage to sign this one.

- But I can't. De Polan is our friend.

- The queen's friend, sire.

Well, why not write him

and ask him for the money?

He refuses to turn it over to us.

He and the queen are using it to promote

trade between England and Spain.

Sire, with this money we could build a great

and invulnerable navy. An armada.

Yes, but the last time we built an armada,

the confounded English sank it.

Last time, every Englishman

from the chimney sweep...

...to Sir Francis Drake

knew our armada and were prepared.

This time we'll build in secret.

Even the queen need know nothing of this

until de Polan turns the money over.

- Yes, but...

- Sire, without ships we are powerless.

A second-rate nation.

But with ships...

...our arms will sweep over England,

Africa, Eurasia...

...over the New World

and thence to Cathay and the East Indies.

This is the destiny of Spain.

Your destiny.

To carve out an empire and be proclaimed

an emperor greater even than Charlemagne.

Charlemagne?

Yes. Yes.

In years to come your people

will bless you for this.

Well, here's for the people.

Her Majesty, Queen Margaret.

Your Majesty.

How now, Margaret?

Your Majesty granted several audiences.

They await us.

Oh, audiences are such a bore.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes