The Bridge of San Luis Rey Page #2

It's not my fault that nothing memorable

has been produced in this time.

The knowledge

that I may never be loved in return...

...is just too much to bear.

We have all of us

fallen victim to the tyranny...

...of loving more

for the sake of ourselves.

May God grant you the gift of a daughter

who truly loves her mother...

...rather than dazzle her

with secret indifference.

God go with you.

The visit was anticipated with resolutions

well-nourished on self-reproach...

...the one to be patient

and the other undemonstrative.

Both failed.

It is almost impossible to imagine

the pains Doa Maria endured...

...in order to seduce

her daughter's affections.

She would force herself out into society

in order to cull its ridicules...

...insinuate herself into the company

of the most celebrated conversationalists.

Too often, unfortunately,

among harborers of heretical opinion.

Some of us harbored fears

for her sanity.

False fears,

as it happened, Archbishop.

Madness?

The devil's diagnosis.

Artistic more accurately describes

her distracted nature...

...though I know that the Archbishop

paid great personal attention...

...to the perceptions of the Inquisition...

...as I discovered

from the Marquesa's letters...

...even when visiting the Convent of

Santa Rosa de las Rosas on its behalf.

"That strange genius...

...the Abbess Madre Maria del Pilar,

has fallen in love with an idea...

...against the obstinacy of ourworld...

...in her desire to attach a little dignity

to the lives of women. "

Evening prayers. Forgive me.

So... Archbishop.

To what, at such an hour as this,

do we owe the pleasure of your visit?

I have come, dear Mother,

in search of a companion.

I'm well aware of the low opinion...

...with which the Archbishop regards

this establishment...

No, no, no, no, no.

Not for myself.

No, no. My own tastes are

a little more sophisticated.

It appears that, in short,

the Inquisition has recommended...

...that that mad woman,

the Marquesa de Montemayor...

...might not be quite so mad, they say,

were she not always so alone.

I am therefore directed

to find her a suitable companion...

...and as no suitor in his right mind

would have a widow such as she...

-... I thought to approach you.

- Humph.

Although I would do almost anything to

obtain the good offices of my superiors...

...in my search for funds

for this establishment.

Mother Maria, hear me out.

Here in your convent,

in your establishment...

...you have so many bright young girls.

Good girls, every last one of them

a blessing from above.

Quite well-disciplined girls...

...who might benefit

from the worldly experience...

...of living with... and after all, she is

one of the wealthiest women in all Peru.

I thought she might borrow one.

I will think on it.

Think no more on it.

Oonsider it settled.

The Marquesa herself

will call upon you tomorrow...

...and I suggest

that in the interest of your work...

...should you desire your little

establishment to flourish

according to your ambitions...

...that you prepare one of your charges

to take up the post.

Thank you, Pepita.

I'm sure the Archbishop has no call

to command your curtsy.

Such courtesies only serve

to demean the won'th of women.

As ever, I count the cessation

of these meetings...

...as one of the compensations of dying.

Good night, Abbess.

The Archbishop has found positions

for you both about the town...

...that you may better consider

your calling.

It's no fault of yours.

Rather, the nuisance that is nature...

...makes it impossibly distracting that

you remain resident here at the convent.

She's coming!

You may or may not know

that I'm something of a philologist.

I dabble in dialects...

...and I'm storing up notebooks

of quaint vowel and consonant changes...

...from Latin into Spanish

and from Spanish into Indian Spanish...

...against an amusing old age.

So when I heard

about your secret language...

Which one of you is Manuel

and which Esteban?

Well, let us start by extracting verbs.

How would you...

how would you say, say, "I saw"?

Do you have a preference

for Latin or Spanish?

Do you, either of you,

comprehend either language...

...either spoken or written?

From the years

when they first learned to speak...

Do you write?

...they had invented a secret language

forthemselves.

Here.

This language was a symbol

of their profound identity with one another.

Write something here.

Entirely unsuited to clerical work.

They neither read nor write.

They do write, very well.

They've copied endless parts

of the motets of Morales and Vittoria...

...for the choirmasters.

Then let them become scribes.

But not apostles.

A virgirs virtue, then,

is the most palpable miracle of Santa Rosa.

Pepita! Accompany me.

You know that even this work

is as much an education for your future...

...as instruction on begging

or how to plan contagious wards...

...or any spiritual direction.

Every task has

its own tedium and reward.

I know that you value the way

that we work here.

And someday, it's my wish

that you may walk this way...

...and succeed me here.

You know there's a place for you

among the sisters...

...but before you put away

the ways of the world...

...you must know what they are.

You will leave tomorrow...

...and take up the position

at the Palacio de Montemayor.

It will be a burden, I know...

...but one that strengthens.

Ah, my child.

What is your name?

Pepita.

Pepita.

My eyes are tired.

Can you read, Pepita?

Yes, ma'am.

Read this, then.

Let me hear it.

My imperfect letters, you see.

"They have Moreto's Trampa Adelante

playing at La Comedia...

...where La Perichole gives a wonderful

performance as Doa Leonor.

...You should know that I have decided

to go to La Oomedia to find out for myself.

Pepita will accompany me. "

Very good. Carry on.

"Scold me all you like

for a provincial ninny...

...but you have

no such actresses in Spain.

And that curious man, Uncle Pio,

is by her side all the time.

Is he her father,

her lover, or her son?"

Am I not assured

of my daughter's admiration?

There's not another ship for a month.

She devoted herdays entirely

to this quest for her daughter's love...

...sending daily missives to Spain.

Be back, won't you,

before the next ship sails.

But she rarely received

a letter in return.

She felt less than a little loved.

One of life's lonely souls.

I make no mention of martyrdom...

...merely marking the everyday miracle...

...that is present in so many

unexpected acts of selflessness.

You see, I first found mention

of Uncle Pio, and later Don Jaime...

...mysteriously among

the Marquesa's letters.

Her characterization of Uncle Pio

did not contradict...

...the store of unsavory testimonies

that he had acquired elsewhere.

"Our aged harlequin Uncle Pio.

If only he would

write my letters for me...

...then generations would rise up

and call me witty.

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