Captain from Castile Page #5

We talk of gold, but maybe we mean

something else. Gold is just the excuse.

Have you space for me

on the Boniface, seor?

- For you?

- Why not?

What has Europe to offer me?

If I'm taken here, it means death.

Italy would be no better.

Spending the rest of my days

scratching fleas in some big lord's kitchen.

I've got no kinsmen

to give me a leg up.

Catana, my mother's kinsmen are the Strozzis.

One of my uncles is a cardinal.

- If you went there, they'd look after you.

- Perhaps.

But I'd be a sow's ear

just the same.

In the islands, it's different.

Juan says it's what you are, not who you are,

that counts. It's a new world.

So it is. Europe's an old road.

This is a new one.

Change your mind, lad.

Think what can happen.

You'll come home, your head high,

on horseback, rich, famous, exonerated.

All the things you hanker for.

Isn't this the answer, seor,

to everything you want...

for yourself, for your family...

for the one whose

handkerchief you carry?

All right, I'll go.

Bravo! Now you're talking

good sense.

To the Indies.

The new road.

Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye!

"In His Majesty's name.

"Tell everyone that the fleet

now in Havana harbor...

"will sail by authority

of His Excellency...

"Diego Velzquez...

"governor of Cuba...

"for trade, settlement

and discovery...

under the command of Hernn Cortez. "

"Enroll for God and His Majesty, Don Carlos...

"under his banner.

Carry the light of our blessed faith

to those in heathen darkness. "

Blast my guts!

If it isn't Bull Garcia!

Humpback Botello!

I thought I'd find you here.

Seen Cortez yet?

That's what I'm here for. Meet my friends,

Pedro de Vargas, Catana Perez.

This is Professor Botello.

He's an astrologer and a sawbones.

Can reads the stars

better than I can a book.

What are you doing here, Professor?

I signed on to give Captain Cortez

the divine wisdom...

of what the stars have in store for him

and to mend any bones that are broken.

We're beginning to be

quite an army already.

Over 400 strong, not counting seamen,

the Indian lords and servants.

Come on.

Let's have a drink.

- Oh, no. Not until after we've

had a talk with the captain.

- All right. See you tonight.

- Come on. Let's go inside and sign up.

- You wait out here, Catana.

"...under the command of Hernn Cortez."

"Enroll for God and His Majesty, Don Carlos...

"under his banner.

- Carry the light!"

- Sign the articles here.

- Your name?

- Emilio Eduardo.

- Can you write?

- S.

- Your name?

- Gonzalo Ochoa.

- Where from?

- Santo Domingo.

- Where from?

- Crdoba.

- Sign the articles.

- Sign the articles.

- Your name?

- Juan Garcia.

- Sign here.

- Where from?

Santo Domingo.

Sign the articles here.

- Your name?

- Pedro de Vargas.

Sign here.

- Where from?

- Jan, Spain.

Are you a relative

of Francisco de Vargas?

- His son, sir.

- I am Hernn Cortez.

Our fathers were friends, though mine

never reached the eminence of yours.

- Your illustrious father is well?

- When I last saw him, sir.

I'm delighted to have you

join us in this venture.

If you have the spirit and merit of your father,

you'll prove worthy of promotion...

- and a command.

- Thank you, Captain.

Oh, gentlemen.

A good omen.

The son of Francisco de Vargas

joins our company.

- This is Corio, the first officer of the Gallega.

- How do you do?

- This is Captain Sandoval.

- Captain.

- Seor.

- Captain Alvarado.

- Welcome to the expedition.

- Thank you.

And this is our chaplain,

Father Bartolom de Olmedo.

- Father.

- De Vargas.

And here we have Seor Juan Escudero

and Seor Diego Cermeno.

- Seores.

- These two gentlemen...

are representatives of His Excellency,

the governor of Cuba.

They came from Santiago at the last moment

to relieve me of my command...

but I believe I've

successfully convinced them...

that I am going to be

the captain of this company...

or there isn't

going to be any captain...

eh, gentlemen?

And who might you be?

- Catana Perez, sir.

- One of our ladies, eh?

We've quite a few

in the army already.

Some married

and some in hopes of it.

Sometimes I think you women

will end up with more gold out of this...

one way or the other,

than any of us.

You wish to inscribe your name on the roll

of the company, little one?

Oh, yes, sir.

Thank you, my lord.

Oh, Father.

Don't get up, Pedro.

I'll join you.

Thinking of Jan, eh?

Yes, Father.

How did you know?

When a young man sits staring to the east

with a lady's handkerchief in his hands...

what else should he be thinking of

but his home and his sweetheart?

Well, cheer up.

Perhaps your dreams will come true.

If I get only half

of what I want, Father...

I'll be satisfied.

Now, let me ask you

a simple question.

Why haven't you been to Mass?

Because...

I killed a man.

And I'd kill him again

without hesitation.

Go on.

But I

I duped the coward

into renouncing God before I killed him.

That's why I haven't been to Mass.

Who was the man?

Diego de Silva, el Supremo

de la Santa Hermandad in Jan.

Why did you kill him?

He caused the death of my sister...

the imprisonment of my parents,

the loss of everything I loved.

And now, Father, I

I place myself in your hands.

No, my son...

you've been

in my hands for two days.

Except for forcing de Silva to renounce God,

you've told me nothing I didn't know already.

Only I wanted to hear it

from your own lips.

This is an order from

the Santa Hermandad...

for your arrest.

I am not in sympathy with the actions

of the Order of Santa Hermandad.

However, had you not

told me this yourself...

I would not have done this.

You have a penance

to perform, my son.

Pray for the soul of Diego de Silva.

This is more of a penance

than you think.

God's love is a heavy burden.

Are you prepared to carry it out?

What is demanded of you is not easy.

Do you, as you hope for salvation,

accept the penance?

Yes, Father.

Milords, the ambassador

has been sent...

by the great emperor, Moctezuma...

to present these gifts

to the great white god.

By my soul, the generosity of the people

of this New World.

In Yucatn, a chief presents me

with a treasure beyond price

this lovely creature who gives me

the voice of these people.

And now this.

Doa Marina,

say to the ambassador...

that on behalf of His Majesty, Don Carlos

of Spain, the mightiest ruler on Earth...

- I thank the Emperor Moctezuma.

- Yes, milord.

Milord, the ambassador regrets...

to say that the emperor's kingdom

is many leagues to the west...

and dangerous to reach.

He desires you to accept these gifts

and return at once to your own country.

The great emperor Moctezuma

sends nuggets of gold to us prospectors

- Looks very pretty on you, my dear.

- Thank you, milord.

And then asks us kindly

not to visit the mine.

- Moctezuma has made a very wise

request, Captain Cortez.

- How wise, Escudero?

We came here to trade

and have a look at the land...

- not to start a war and try to conquer an empire.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes