The Saragossa Manuscript Page #5

Your brother is greeting

a gypsy so warmly.

A gypsy?

You'll see in a while

what a gypsy he is.

Welcome, Seor Alfonso.

How do you know

who I am?

Our camp moves

from one place to another,

and my daughters keep

their eyes and ears open.

An enchanted place.

The people of the Sierra

are afraid to go near.

I have no reason

to tell them they're wrong.

It is better that most

of my retinue was left outside.

Seor Avadoro,

in this errant life

you must have encountered

many unusual adventures.

I have.

Then tell us,

and Seor Velasquez will teach

us how to experience poetry

without the help of ghosts.

I do not succumb

to ghosts,

but I fear your magic power,

seora.

I reckon that from one end

of the world to the other,

the story of love

is always the same.

I think you will enjoy hearing

about my youthful adventures.

Some are surprising,

I could even say, miraculous.

Whenever I go back to those

long gone times of my life,

I hear the noise

of a variety of passions

and a mix ed roaring

of storms.

You seem wiser than others,

and I have a delicate problem.

Will you follow me?

I am the lover

of a certain young person.

She tends, I think,

to be fickle.

When you see a woman whose

dress suits this,

you'll see whether

she goes to church,

or in

another direction.

Here.

You'll get another if you

do well.

You're her husband,

not her lover.

I'm paying you to discover

treason, not who I am.

Sharpen your sight,

it's time for vespers.

I'll wait at the inn.

Of lovers.

Of lovers.

- What is this?

- Your beauty troubled me.

Somebody suspects you

of betraying him.

Follow me.

You will give this

to Caballero Toledo.

Noble caballero.

My conscience forbids me taking

payment from both sides.

What is my fortune?

We'll get married

under a big chestnut tree.

Nature will accept our vows.

The rosy glow of dawn

will bless us.

I've lost Caballero Toledo s

address.

He invited me

to a grand feast.

On the other side

of the square.

Until we meet again.

Maybe.

Seor Toledo,

a lady wanted me to give you

this little token.

I appreciate your wit,

my friend, and honor.

Would you like to become one of

my servants?

That's impossible,

I was born a nobleman.

I chose the position

of beggar

as it does not dim

a noblemars jewel.

An answer worthy

of a Spaniard!

Let's have a drink.

Human life

is fragile.

Why these

dark thoughts, seor?

I am a sinner.

I used to leave one mistress for

another, but I concluded that

I was losing too much time

that way,

so I started a new affair before

having broken off the last,

and while planning

a third.

Spanish women

have something...

insistent.

I swore love to each.

The punishment for

breaking oaths is terrible.

Indeed,

in the other world.

Yesterday, a friend

from Malta visited.

His name is Aquillar,

a noble person

and a good Christian.

I cannot understand how,

being endowed with such

contradictory characters,

we have lived

in such friendship.

Aren't you drinking?

I've nearly finished

the bottle.

You haven't

touched your glass.

What are you

thinking about?

I was thinking of the sun

which I saw today,

whether I would see it

again tomorrow.

You doubtless will,

if there is no mist.

I may not live

to see tomorrow.

Are you planning a duel?

I could act as your witness.

You are the last man

I would ask for this favor.

Good heavens!

You took up your old squabble

with my brother?

Shall I lose my friend

or my brother in one duel?

I have an ominous feeling...

wait until midnight.

If I die, I will come to warn

you about the penalties

a sinner faces

after he dies.

I didn't want to see you,

but a voice from heaven

ordered me to come.

Were you killed?

I was.

Is there a purgatory

in the other world?

There is one.

And that's where I am!

Who died?

Tell me, who died?

Toledo fell unconscious.

I'm sorry, but my duties are

calling me.

At such

an interesting point!

Doses of suspense are

the sign of a master.

All that has

made me confused.

I've lost the feeling

of where reality ends,

and fantasy takes over.

You meant to say... poetry.

I do not know what

you are aiming at.

I will tell you something

that is based on the principles

of geometry.

Wanting to define

an infinite number,

I write a horizontal eight and

divide it by one.

If I want to express infinite

smallness,

I write a one and divide it b y

the horizontal eight.

All these signs give me no idea

about what I want to express

infinity... greatness...

In the cosmos, infinite

smallness is an infinite root

of the smallest part

of an atom.

So I am defining infinity,

but without comprehending.

Well, if I do not comprehend

but I can define it,

I am getting near poetry,

which seems to be nearer to life

than we suspect.

Empirical science

leads to lack of faith.

Only an uneducated man

who sees a thing every day

think s he understands it.

A true researcher

proceeds among riddles.

He errs, but he gets

nearer his goal every day.

Seor Avadoro,

will you finish Toledo's story?

I remember he was disturbed

by a voice from the other world.

Yes.

H is tender soul was

very sensitive.

So he was in deep despair.

What will you do?

I want to rethink my life.

Seor Caballero,

let me make one comment.

The voice you heard yesterday

said what you could find

in any catechism.

Do not burden oneself

with premature worries.

My friend, he who once heard

the voice of the dead,

will surely not spend

much more time among the living.

Farewell, my friend.

Tell the lady everything

without getting into detail.

I have chosen you

as I have a delicate problem.

I would be glad to help,

but I am afraid

to leave my client.

I can substitute for you,

it won't be long.

Listen.

I warn you,

he is a prattler and a bore.

You can find something

interesting in every story.

You remember the seor with

whom I drank wine at your inn?

He is the husband

of a young noblewoman.

Discreetly hand

this little jewel over to her.

Seor Lopez Suarez?

Like fortune-telling,

love has its magic.

This tells me

you'll see me again soon.

Maybe.

You are kind,

but the medicine is awful.

I would give you a more tasty

one, but the medic won't let me.

Sit down.

Sit down, when I tell you to.

I have one soft spot

and you will do me a favor.

Take this instrument

in your hand...

and now listen carefully.

I am the son of Gaspar Suarez,

the richest merchant in Cdiz.

You're wasting time again

on romances.

I'm listening, Daddy.

It's time you departed

for Madrid.

You have to get

to know the world.

Daddy, I want

to get married.

First, pass your

examination in life.

These are the rules

you have to follow.

I forbid you to get into

discussions with noblemen.

The lords honor us while

actually they just want credit,

but cannot repay,

understand?

I forbid you

to use the title of "Don".

You are Suarez

and that's that.

And I also forbid you

to use your sword.

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