The Spanish Gardener Page #4

- But I do love him.

I know you do.

This is your first trout, Nicco.

It'll taste different from anything else.

You'll remember it all your life.

Try it.

Oww!

It's hot!

Give me your rod.

- Will you take me again soon, Jos?

Well, I hope so.

- I'll catch even more fish next time.

Well, goodnight Nicco, sleep well.

See you tomorrow, Jos.

- Um hmm.

So you're back!

Come here.

And where've you been?

Go on, in you go.

What've you been doing, eh?

I told you he'd gone fishing.

It's no business of yours.

Fishing.

Where's the fish?

There's a fisherman for you.

Not cleaned, not prepared.

Not prepared for the master's table.

Stop it! Those are my fish! I caught them.

- You caught them.

Would you like me to

cut your head off too?

Garcia, you fool! Leave him!

Silly little brat!

- Garcia, you fool! Go away from there!

I'll teach you to bring back fish.

Jos! Jos!

What's the matter?

Come and sit down.

What's the matter? What's happened?

It was Garcia, he had a knife.

He cut the heads off my fish.

You have to clean them

before you can eat them.

It wasn't that.

He lifted it up and said

he'd cut my head off.

Cut your head off? Now Nicco!

It's true, Jos.

He would have if I hadn't run away.

He followed me

and tried to break down the door.

What door, where?

- Of my bedroom.

I waited till he'd gone,

then I ran and ran.

You must stop crying.

There's no need to be frightened any more.

We'll go back to the house together.

Don't send me back, Jos,

please, don't send me back.

You'll kill me if you do.

Now he won't kill you. That's

silly, he's drunk, perhaps.

He will, he will.

Now stop it, Nicco.

All right, I won't take you back.

We'll go to my house, to my mother.

Will that do?

When you feel better

we can talk about it.

Better?

Come on, let's go.

It's a pity you've got to take him back.

I'm not taking him back tonight.

You can't keep him here.

What about his father.

What would he say?

I don't know, Maria.

We'll know that tomorrow.

But tonight, Nicco stays here.

But ese, what about us?

You've been in trouble with him before.

This time you'll lose your job.

Don't worry about us for a while.

If I lose my job

I'll get another one. That's all.

You've done so much to help him.

- I've won, I've won!

I'd take him back

early tomorrow, Jos.

Yes, I will.

And I'll talk to his father.

Be careful what you say,

for your own sake.

Don't worry.

What is it, senor?

- Garcia, where is my son?

Your son, senor?

- His bed's not been slept in. Where is he?

But I took him to his room myself, senor.

I shut the door.

But he's not there, I tell you.

He came home late last night, senor, I...

- Just a moment.

Forgive me, senor, I should have

told you, you see yesterday I...

That's all, Garcia.

Nicco.

- Yes, Jos.

When your father comes back,

I'll ask to speak to him.

And if you want me, I'll be nearby.

I'm all right I'm not afraid now.

- Good.

Off you go.

Father! I thought...

- Why are you not wearing your shirt?

And where have you been?

- With Jos.

You spent the night in his house?

Will you please explain

why you took advantage of my absence?

I ran away. Garcia frightened me.

He was going to kill me.

What are you talking about?

- He was drunk, father.

Drunk?

- Yes, Jos said so.

Rubbish.

Now let's have the truth.

It is true.

- I don't like defiance.

But, father, you shouldn't say

I'm not telling the truth when I am.

Where does this new boldness come from?

And what has happened

that you disobey me?

But, father...

But what?

I meant to tell you. I thought you...

- You thought.

Perhaps you gave

some thought to your disobedience.

You gave me your word

that you wouldn't speak to that man.

I didn't to start with,

and it seemed very childish.

There was no reason

why we shouldn't talk together.

Those his words or yours?

- Mine, father.

It's pleasing for your father

to see to what a degree

that friendship sprang up

between you and this illiterate lad.

You don't know him.

- I know him better than you think.

The servant who ingratiates himself,

who lies about other servants.

He doesn't lie.

It's Garcia that lies.

He's not good like Jos.

And who are you to say

what's good or bad?

But Garcia had a knife.

He cut the heads off my fish.

The blood ran all down the table.

- You're out of your wits. What fish?

The fish that I caught.

So you went fishing?

- Yes.

With that oaf?

- With Jos. He taught me how to fish.

So, he taught you how to defy

and disobey your father.

Go away from me.

Go to your room.

Why do you want to see him?

You know why I want to see him.

It's about the boy.

Senor?

- What is it?

The gardener wishes to

speak with you, senor.

Get out.

Hello?

Hello!

I want to make a personal

call to a doctor Harvey.

H- A-R...

Good evening.

- Good evening, senor.

The Consul is expecting you, senor.

- Yes, he is.

Harvey!

Thank God you've come.

Would you mind getting my bag, please?

- Certainly, senor.

Brande, my dear fellow,

what's the matter?

It's Nicholas, Harvey.

Nicholas, is he ill?

No, not that, but if ever I

needed your help, it's now.

I got back from Madrid...

Shall I serve dinner, senor?

We'll have it later, shall we?

I'd like a drink and you

can tell me all about it.

I thought of all these

things for a long time.

The flowers that weren't to be picked.

The fish I brought him,

the rocks I had to move.

For no reason.

It's difficult to understand.

He thinks I'm trying to take

the child away from him.

This is madness.

He admits he was wrong

to take Nicky fishing.

But to look after the boy

when he was obviously...

frightened, was an act of simple kindness.

Senor?

- What is it?

Excuse me, senor.

Will you require anything else tonight?

Thank you, Garcia, no.

I don't believe that

Nicholas was frightened.

This pack of lies about Garcia,

the words were put into his mouth.

No. There's no doubt

that he was frightened.

Without much cause I

think, but there it is.

The gardener says he tried

to see you, to explain.

I couldn't trust myself so to speak to him.

The man who's poisoned my son,

made him disobedient and dishonest.

But you'll have to.

- I never wish to see the man again.

After he's gone, perhaps I'll

regain my son's affection.

If you send him away, you'll

lose Nicky's love altogether.

But he must be punished.

Why? Because Nicky enjoys his company?

Or because you're jealous?

- Jealous?

What other reason is there for you to deny

Nicky this perfectly ordinary friendship?

He'd have gained from it, if you'd let him.

- I don't believe it.

It's true.

I warned you. I asked you

to let him see his mother.

I begged you to send him to

school, but you wouldn't listen.

Your love for Nicky was

too selfish and demanding.

No!

Be honest with yourself for once.

You know it's true.

Thank you Harvey, for your advice.

I can't pretend I find

it easy to accept it.

Nor do I believe that

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes