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TITLE CARD Towards the end of the sixteenth century Philip the Second, King of Spain, undertook the invasion of England. As the ruler of the most powerful army of his time, ’La Armada,’ he was challenged by Lucrecia de Leon, a 20-year-old maiden who foresaw the destruction of Philip’s navy upon the English shores. FADE IN: 1 INT/EXT. WEEKEND HOUSE CLOSE TO MADRID, 1590. SUNRISE. 1 21 year-old LUCRECIA, wearing a white underwear dress, is looking out a wide window. A beam of sunlight enters, brightening her face. Her expression is blank. The wind touches her hair. Her lips are dry. Under the frame of the window is 29-year old DIEGO, in the foreground of a terra-cotta flat landscape. There is a soft whisper in the air. In the distance, a small cloud of dust hovers in the air. Diego comes inside the bedroom and dresses quickly. DIEGO God! Lucrecia doesn’t move. DIEGO (continuing; Impatient.) We still can escape through the backdoor! LUCRECIA They are coming for me! They won’t harm you. DIEGO (Taking a musket.) Lucrecia! LUCRECIA (looking at him) The time has come. There are no escapes. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 2. Diego opens the bedroom’s door. A strong wind hits him. There is a corridor and a staircase reaching the first floor. DIEGO (Screaming) Daniela! The whisper sounds louder. Lucrecia looks indifferently at the cloud of dust, bigger than before. DIEGO (continuing) Daniela? Inside feathers hover in the air. Sounds of horses running are heard. Diego steps back into the bedroom. DIEGO (continuing) Bishop Larvaez... Diego looks at Lucrecia, who shedding tears looks at the cloud of dust. He crosses the bedroom an observes through the window the panorama. He sees a group of Inquisition Soldiers marching into the immediate landscape, appearing and disappearing in the depressions of the field and amongst the dust cloud’s opacity. One of them holds a long golden cross and another an Inquisition flag. LUCRECIA (grasping Diego’s hands) Had I know what your love was about--a sword without a handle... Diego, seemingly struck by fear, recoils. LUCRECIA (continuing) But you know--you know I will forgive you. Diego leaves the bedroom. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 3. Lucrecia goes out to the terrace and ascends the stairs to the top of the house. From the sky, Diego flees northwards from the house. The Inquisition Soldiers arrive from the opposite direction. Lucrecia raises her head to the sky. LUCRECIA (continuing) Sancta Maria! Ora pro nobis! Lucrecia looks to a cloud: a sunbeam casts on her. She kneels on the floor. Soldiers are forcing themselves into the house. Lucrecia sees the sun, powerful, shining. CUT TO: 2 INT/EXT. LIVING ROOM AND PATIO MARIO’S HOUSE. DAY. 2 TITLE CARD Madrid. 1585 16 year-old Lucrecia hesitates as she stares awestruck at a broken pot. 16-year-old Diego and 16-year-old MARIO stand besides her. Diego carries a heavy black cape. Lucrecia wears a dark red dress; Diego and Mario dark suits full of lace. She looks around: a wide and dark living room. There are many paintings on the walls and some statues of saints. MARIO directs his fearful attention to Lucrecia. MARIO The Marquees has fallen in love with you. He won’t denounce you-- but I will... Unless you show him your hips, Lucrecia. 16-year old DIEGO looks embarrassed at Lucrecia. Lucrecia looks at Mario with an ambiguous expression--the same smile depicted in The Monalisa: between sadness and irony. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 4. MARIO (continuing) The Marquees often forgets that you are a plebeian. To be frank with you, we despise your mother. She is a prattler who boasts about our charity day and night. LUCRECIA I beg your pardon, don Mario, but my father is an old Catholic, as my mother and I. He will pay for the pot. MARIO Wouldn’t it be more convenient for us to say that I broke it? My mother won’t be bothered. Otherwise you would jeopardize your stay. LUCRECIA It will be worse, don Mario, if I disclose parts of my body. Marcela del Piñon satisfied your curiosity about one year ago--an error that brought her to the convent. Mario guides Lucrecia to a patio, surrounded by giant white walls. MARIO Barely for nine months. We won’t attempt against your maidenhood, Lucrecia. Even though you are an adopted child, you deserve our respect. I would like you to see you taking out your dress. I assure you that nobody on earth will know of it. I can give you my word-- that of a Duke. LUCRECIA You are not a Duke yet, don Mario. MARIO (upset) Did you hear what this bastard said, Marquees? LUCRECIA (to Mario) You are visiting hell with that insult, don Mario. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 5. MARIO Hell without me wouldn’t be hell, would it? Mario Laughs. MARIO (continuing; to Diego) At what time does mother come back? DIEGO (calm) In about one hour my Lord. LUCRECIA Earlier perhaps. She went to the Church. DIEGO To confess her sins, true. MARIO Don’t play her game, Marquees. She wants to kindle our desires. DIEGO (blushed) Wouldn’t be better for us to return home, my Lord? MARIO Marquees! (whispering to his ear) Has this Moorish slut bewitch you? (to Lucrecia) We would like to christen you! LUCRECIA (smiling) What do you men? MARIO As I did with Marcela del Piñón. LUCRECIA (nervously) We must be back at home before sunset. MARIO I will decide the hour of you return. I’m your protector. Diego kneels at Mario’s feet. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 6. DIEGO Stop, my Lord! I beg you! MARIO looks at him. MARIO I pity him. He loves you. But that’s a feeling you cannot reciprocate. All your smiles are mine. I don’t blame you. All women in Madrid ask their daughters to court me. Lucrecia steps forward. Mario grasps her by her arm and pushes her to a baroque pool, where the statue of an Incubus spouts water from his groin. Lucrecia cries. Mario laughs. Diego looks in horror. MARIO (continuing) I have been your protector for one year. Is not about time you start paying your fare? LUCRECIA Mercy! MARIO I want to hear that lovely voice from the water. Mario submerges Lucrecia’s head in the water. MARIO (continuing) What are we waiting for? Mario lifts Lucrecia’s dress and places his body against her. His expression is lusty. He laughs, touching Lucrecia’s breasts with naughtiness. DIEGO (O.S.) My Lord... Mario lifts his head. Diego’s fist smashes his face. Mario fells. Lucrecia takes her head out of the water. She breaths deeply. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 7. DIEGO (blushed) I? Are you? MARIO You have betrayed me! Mario runs away. LUCRECIA Oh, Diego! Lucrecia embraces him. Sound of barking dogs. SOFIA (O.S.) God have mercy on him! Lucrecia and Diego look at each other. CUT TO: 3 INT. MARIO’S HOUSE LIVING ROOM. DAY. 3 Mario bites on his nails. His nose is black and swollen. He, Lucrecia and Diego stand up in front of SEGISMUNDA, a haughty woman with a thick dark red dress. She sits on a golden chair and caresses a lapdog. Besides her are two female servants, SOFIA and VICTORIA, dressed in black clothes. MARIO She’s conceited, mother! Mocking our games, talking to herself! When I asked her about the broken pot, she said: "you are visiting hell with your questions, don Mario. Hell without you wouldn’t be hell." SEGISMUNDA (looking at Lucrecia) Is that true? Lucrecia looks at Mario, who smiles evilly at her. SEGISMUNDA (continuing; soft) Diego... (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 8. DIEGO The Duke mistreated her... Mario burst into tears. MARIO (in anguish) She has ruined my friendship with Diego, Mother! I don’t want to see them again! She is a plebeian and a jew! VICTORIA God! MARIO Once I surprised her in the backyard talking to the plants and trees! SEGISMUNDA (to Lucrecia) Have you noticed that the Duke eats his nails when you upset him? Segismunda studies Lucrecia’s face. VICTORIA She also visits the Duke in his dreams. MARIO Every night. Naked. Diego stops biting his nails. SEGISMUNDA (to Lucrecia.) How often do you read the bible? LUCRECIA (almost crying) I... Lucrecia looks directly at Segismunda, who avoids her eyes. SEGISMUNDA (to Lucrecia) I cannot host you any longer, Lucrecia. I know it’s difficult to play with boys, in particular with the Duke. I would like to forgive you for this incident, but my (More) (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 9. SEGISMUNDA (continuing) trustful servants have complained about you as well. (pause) You and Diego are not very fond my son, whose nobility you insist to ignore. Lucrecia challenges Segismunda’s authority with her sight. The dog barks noisily at Lucrecia. CUT TO: 4 INT. LUCRECIA’S HOUSE. DAY. 4 Lucrecia lies on her bed. BEATRIZ, her mother, is seated on a chair next to her. She covers Lucrecia’s forehead with a wet piece of silk. Light enters through the door. Beneath the threshold, MARIA DE LA VEGA, a nanny, looks at them. Lucrecia looks weak and tired. Beatriz kisses her, stands up and goes to Maria. BEATRIZ She is not very ill. Tomorrow you both will go to the Church. Her confessor will intercede for her. MARIA May I remind you that we went there yesterday? BEATRIZ She needs to return to the house of her protectors. That is my will. MARIA Shouldn’t we ask Lucrecia what happened yesterday? Some people believe the Guardiola family follows very few of the ten commandments. BEATRIZ (angry) I won’t argue with you, Maria de la Vega y Carpio. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 10. Beatriz leaves the place. Maria goes to Lucrecia’s bed and sits down on the chair. LUCRECIA Did she say I have to go back? Maria holds Lucrecia’s hand. Lucrecia cries. MARIA Don’t be weak, Lucrecia. And stand up. Your father wouldn’t like to know you are ill. Lucrecia stops crying. She holds Maria. LUCRECIA The Duchess... I thought she was my protector... And Diego. He is an orphan. He sacrificed his future for my honor... Lucrecia can’t go on. Maria embraces her. CUT TO: 5 INT. ROYAL CAMERA AT EL ESCORIAL. DAY. 5 Face of 63-year-old Philip the second, sovereign of Spain. As he talks we discover a long room surrounded by gray-granite walls where several portraits hang. Light enters through big windows covered with heavy black and white curtains, shaping long cross-shaped shadows over the space. There is a bed, a big desk and some book shelves around. A great crucifix lies on one wall. PHILIP (who never smiles) After seven years of challenging my authority, clashing the Spanish ships against the Moorish empire, you are begging my forgiveness. He stands up wearing white clothing. He is tall and thin. There are three desks around with a WRITER seated in front of each of them. They take notes of the event. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 11. PHILIP (continuing) But I can’t. Because whereas I’m the King, you are the beloved hero of Christianity. And, as far as I can judge, you haven’t committed any offense. He walks alongside a wall where Bausch’s THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS hangs. At the end of the wall we will see BAUSCH painting the final judgment. PHILIP (continuing) Only God knows how much I love you, don Juan. Today, finally, I can congratulate you for your deeds; enterprises undertaken against my orders, and yet so wisely accomplished. And I ask myself, how can I, as your brother and monarch, give justice to the man who defeated thousands of infidels in Lepanto--the bud of the Ottoman empire? How can I, as a Castillian, express to you the joyfulness you gave us when you sent to the sea’s entrails the Moorish admirals--the corsairs who had been for so many years the scourge of our shores? Philip Moves through the next wall. There we see the paintings of the rulers of Spain, and shelves with books carefully ordered. Five men are seated: JERONIMO DE CESPEDES, a bald fat middle-age man with a coarse voice, LARVAEZ, a middle-age bird-like chinless Dominican priest with a high-pitch voice, PACHECO, a 65-year old toad-like courtier, HECTOR MENDOZA, a 55 year-old bald Dominican priest with enormous and rounded eyes, and ANTONIO DE PEREZ, the royal secretary. We see two open gates, with three SOLDIERS at each side. Seated behind them we see QUEEN ISABEL DE VALOIS and ANA DE MENDOZA. They look at the scene from the distance. Ana is a beautiful and sensual woman, who has, nevertheless, lost her right eyesight. She covers it with a black embroidered patch. PHILIP (continuing) Yes, you, the man who ended the threat of slavery imposed by (More) (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 12. PHILIP (continuing) the Ottomans over our women and children. (Cold) Stand up, you, my dear brother. Philip opens his arms. At the center of the room, DON JUAN OF AUSTRIA, kneeling on the floor, remains with his nodded head. He looks like his brother. Blue tones dominate his clothes. Behind him, ESCOBEDO, don Juan of Austria’s Secretary, stands holding don Juan’s cape--Escobedo’s clothes emulate don Juan’s. Don Juan gets up and looks at Philip who ceremoniously embraces him. Even if proud, his face expresses fear. Dark shadows appear on his face indicating physical and mental sickness. PHILIP (continuing) Receive this embrace as proof of my affection. Don Juan talks nervously to his brother. DON JUAN I came not as your brother, but as your vassal, your majesty... He glances at the picture of Greed, in the painting by Bausch. DON JUAN (continuing) I have been an ambitious man. After the battle of Lepanto, I disobeyed your orders and attempted to subdued the entire Ottoman Empire. I was acting for myself, not for my King. And I risked the lives of our men against your will... But God has made me pay my price. He takes out his sword. Some soldiers move against don Juan, but Philip, undisturbed, stops them with a gesture. DON JUAN (continuing) I’m contrite, and today, publicly, I’m ending my career as a soldier. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 13. Don Juan kneels again and leaves his gleaming sword on the floor. Whispers. Commotion amongst the six men. Antonio shows anxiety. Philip moves to the other side of the room: his desk. He sits down and looks out through the window. He sees the landscape of Madrid. He remains silent. DON JUAN (continuing) I beg you grant me a humble position in your court, as your adviser. Philip looks at him, wondering how to refute his want. Don Juan’s face becomes vexatious while we listen to a voice: ANTONIO (V.O.) And Philip proved once more his skillfulness. Of course, I knew he was not going to allow his brother to live with him under the same roof. Instead of accepting his proposals, he sent don Juan of Austria to the Netherlands, to prove his boldness commanding a defeated army. CUT TO: 6 INT. ANTONIO DE PEREZ HOUSE LIVING ROOM. MAGIC HOUR. 6 Around a square table, Lucrecia, Beatriz, NEPOMUCENO, Antonio de Perez and doña ANA DE MENDOZA talk and eat. They are in a house full of portraits. The wind touches translucent curtains covering the windows. [Lucrecia will be very interested in this conversation--In fact her expression should be the most important image during this scene.] ANTONIO (continuing) Without him in Madrid, Philip doesn’t have to be worried about conspiracies. Moreover, nobody will (More) (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 14. ANTONIO (continuing) say that he was unfair with his brother. The Catholic world hopes don Juan will defeat the Protestant forces by the end of this year. Two SERVANTS serve wine to Antonio and Nepomuceno, and water to Ana. NEPOMUCENO Well, the Duke of Alba lost that war. Do you think don Juan of Austria could succeed better than him? ANTONIO Turkey, France and England tremble at his name. I know he can win--if he has economic resources. Nepomuceno smiles gently, as understanding a subtle petition. NEPOMUCENO Believe me, don Antonio. Our bankers are trying to fulfill Philip’srequests. But they would like to know the government’s position. ANTONIO On waht? NEPOMUCENO They mean, Philip’s intention towards don Juan. Does he send him to the Netherlands to die? Antonio laughs noisily. ANTONIO Personally, I admire don Juan. He is a brave soldier. But as the royal secretary, I consider him too independent, an unsuitable vassal of our King. Philip can’t be disobey. (pause) However, if this bastard wins the Netherlands... (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 15. NEPOMUCENO You mean, don Juan. ANA (CONCILIATORY) I think you both, don Antonio and don Nepomuceno, are going too far with this discussion. (to Antonio) Philip has a natural indisposition against other prominent male members of his family. (to Nepomuceno) And we invited you, don Nepomuceno, no to confirm or deny gossips about our King, but to discuss a loan. NEPOMUCENO I apologize, doña Ana. (pause) We are expecting some letters from the Genoese bankers. They want, however, a guarantee. ANTONIO Go on. NEPOMUCENO Can I assure the bankers that the Crown will provide them with a guarantee? I mean, in the unlike event that Spain loses the Netherlands... ANTONIO Would the Portuguese crown be guarantee enough? NEPOMUCENO Jesus Christ! ANTONIO Sebastian, its King, as you know, died last year leaving a vacancy in his throne. Philip is the most suitable candidate to rule the second biggest empire on earth. Nepomuceno looks at his family disconcerted. They look at him in silence. NEPOMUCENO Well, that’s certainly a guarantee. But the Portuguese won’t give up (More) (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 16. NEPOMUCENO (continuing) their empire without resistance. And at this moment, without don Juan, Spain lacks a capable general. LUCRECIA (sudenly) Philip will recall the Duke de Alba. Everyone else display gestures of surprise. BEATRIZ Lucrecia! ANTONIO (smiling) How does she know? NEPOMUCENO Excuse her, don Antonio. ANTONIO How did you know that, little lady? Lucrecia stammers. BEATRIZ Answer, Lucrecia. Don Antonio asked you a question. LUCRECIA He will kill more people. That’s what Piedraola said. Silence. Antonio’s face is flush. Nepomuceno is angry. ANTONIO Where did you hear him? LUCRECIA In front of the Church. I was there with Maria when he began to pray. ANA (sardonically) To pray! Beatriz holds Lucrecia’s right hand. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 17. LUCRECIA Where are we going? BEATRIZ It’s too late. LUCRECIA The evening just started. BEATRIZ Don’t talk back to your mother! They leave the room. Beatriz pushes Lucrecia through a corridor. A servant guides them. BEATRIZ (continuing) Listen to me, Lucrecia. Never, never again talk to a man without first being asked. Lucrecia opens her terrorized eyes to her mother. CUT TO: 7 DREAM SEQUENCE: EXT. MARIO’S HOUSE. DAY. 7 Lucrecia, Mario and Diego are on the patio dancing. Lucrecia throws a stone. A bird falls dead. Diego takes the bird and gives it to Mario, who piles it with many others birds. Suddenly, Lucrecia throws a stone at Mario. He falls over the green grass. Diego sees his body. Looking at Lucrecia he asks: DIEGO What should we do with his body? Lucrecia looks at the pile of dead birds. LUCRECIA We shall bury him with her mother. Lucrecia stares at Segismunda, whose body falls into the same coffin as Mario’s body rests. CUT TO:
18. 8 EXT. FRONT OF MARIO’S HOUSE. DAY. 8 Beatriz knocks on a door. Lucrecia, besides her, looks at the street. It is empty. Victoria opens the door. VICTORIA Good morning. BEATRIZ Good morning, Victoria. Is Doña Segismunda at home? VICTORIA Did she send you an invitation? BEATRIZ Yes, she did. Beatriz opens her purse and takes out a letter. She displays a letter before Victoria’s face. VICTORIA Come in, please. Victoria leads Beatriz into the house. Lucrecia remains still, nervous. Beatriz steps back and grasps Lucrecia by her arm. BEATRIZ Come with me. LUCRECIA I... I don’t want. Beatriz pushes Lucrecia into the house. CUT TO: 9 INT. MARIO’S HOUSE LIVING ROOM. DAY. 9 Lucrecia stands up in the same place where she was scolded by Segismunda. She looks with suspicion at the portrait’s countenances. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 19. To her right, seated in front of a small desk, she discovers Sofia, who writes a letter. Lucrecia recoils before the stern expression of Victoria, who stands up besides Sofia’s desk. At the bottom of a long corridor she sees her mother, who talks to Segismunda. Lucrecia hears laughs and voices. She looks at the patio. There she sees Mario playing with MARCELA, a 18-year old girl. She throws a little cat into the air. MARIO Make it fly! Lucrecia smiles at them. Mario approaches her. MARIO (CONTINUING) Lucrecia! Here you are again. We missed you. Do you want to play with us? LUCRECIA I’d like to, but I’m just visiting. MARIO It doesn’t matter. I forgive you. Look, Marcela, Lucrecia’s coming back. MARCELA Uh! The prudish girl! MARIO This is Marcela del Piñon. And this is her cat. She says it flies. Marcela and Mario laughs. LUCRECIA Where is Diego? Mario touches Marcela’s buttocks. MARIO (to Marcela) She asks about my page. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 20. MARCELA (laughing) The Marquees? (to Lucrecia) The Duchess send him to Toledo. LUCRECIA What for? MARIO To study theology. MARIO My mother is a generous woman. Have you noticed Sofia’s smile? Diego points out at Sofia, who crosses the patio smiling. MARIO (continuing) The Queen has chosen her as her maiden. HER MAI-DEN. MARCELA (to Lucrecia) The Marquees don Diego de Quiroga will visit us next month. Would you like us to greet him on your behalf? Marcela and Mario giggle. BEATRIZ (O.S.) Lucrecia! Lucrecia sees her mother at the threshold of the house. Beatriz approaches her. BEATRIZ You didn’t tell me they had forbidden you to come back to this house. LUCRECIA But they forgave me, mother. Ask them. Beatriz looks gravely at Lucrecia. Lucrecia looks at Mario and Marcela. They laugh and run back towards the patio. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 21. Lucrecia glances at her mother. BEATRIZ You have lost your only opportunity to become a lady. Beatriz moves away. Lucrecia follows her under the stern look of the servants. CUT TO: 10 EXT. A MADRID SREET. DAY 10 There is a market on the street. A MAIDEN prepares food. A CARPENTER buys tools. An OLD WOMAN choses vegetables, a BOY buys meat. Two MONKS buy fruit. Lucrecia and Maria de la Vega walk leaving the place. Each one carries a basket full of tomatoes. LUCRECIA I didn’t want to see them again, Maria. I didn’t want to. MARIA You won’t see them again, for sure. LUCRECIA Will my confessor help me? MARIA Tell him everything he asks. Lucrecia lowers her eyes. MARIA (continuing) Don’t feel guilty. Your parents are too ambitious. You don’t have noble blood, and there is no worse family in Spain than the Guardiola. LUCRECIA My father is an old catholic. MARIA It doesn’t matter. Your father is a banker. To the eyes of the nobility anyone who deals with money is a sinner. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 22. They enter into a narrow and endless street, fenced by big white houses. The crowd has vanished. LUCRECIA That was long time ago. My father is respected by everyone, even by the Royal Secretary Maria laughs. MARIA If your father were as respected as he believes, he could have had a richer and far more beautiful wife than Beatriz. LUCRECIA (angry) Maria! Maria becomes silent. LUCRECIA She brought you here. MARIA Against my will. Cordoba is my home. I don’t have friends in Madrid. And it was your father who adopted me. LUCRECIA Now you are a catholic woman, your soul will be saved. MARIA Saved of what? LUCRECIA Of Hell. Cordoba is a city of Moors and Marranos. But I know all. My mother told me you were a Marrano once. MARIA What do you know about the Marranos? LUCRECIA They are Jews. They hate the Pope. Maria remains silent. They continue walking. The street becomes wider and noisy. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 23. A male voice is heard: PIEDRAOLA (O.S.) Because I have been sent, as Elijah and Malachi, to prevent the sins of my King. Philip, O, Philip, King of Castilla and the new world, don’t be indifferent to my words!... They join a group of people and arrive to a plaza, in front of a Church, where the crowd forms a circle around PIEDRAOLA, a 35-year old man who wears a soldier’s outfit. LUCRECIA Let’s get out of here, Maria! MARIA Listen! LUCRECIA But my father told you... MARIA He won’t know. Piedraola addresses his speech to the sky and to ’El Escorial,’ a castle encrusted in a remote mountain. PIEDRAOLA I pray for your repentance, O, Philip, King of Castilla. If you start another war I can see the walls of my country, if once strong, forever crumbled. Women groan over the gravestones of their sons. Wolfs and vultures feed on their bodies. Their hearts are sacrificed in pagan rituals to the demons of lust and hate. Renounce your greed, o, King! Forgive your bastard brother and curse the company of the Duke of Alba. Piedraola fells into a mystic ecstasy, waving his hands. Whispers are heard among the crowd. WOMAN 1 (to woman 2) He is a saint! (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 24. WOMAN 2 (to woman 1, crying) The holy spirit protects him. I see him memorizing the entire bible in one night. OLD MAN (to the castle, screaming and crying) I lost one of my sons in the Netherlands. And now my other son is going to Portugal! Oh, Philip, you, the cruelest King! Have pity on us! A priest kneels in front of Piedraola. A PRIEST (to Piedraola, crying) God save your soul, don Miguel de Piedraola! And forgive me because I doubted you! Some people kneel after the priest. Lucrecia starts to kneel, but Maria stops her. MARIA Enough! Let’s go! Lucrecia moves away. She and Maria encounter two Dominique priests: Larvaez and FRAY LUIS DE LEON, a monk in his thirties. Lucrecia and Maria express fear. They turn immediately back. LARVAEZ (cold) With a candied tongue he subdues the crowd every week! He’s able to get the favor of many different people. FRAY LUIS You can’t deny he has the prophetic gift, Father Larvaez. He foresaw our war against Portugal. LARVAEZ I can also foresee a war every year, even every month, Fray Luis. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 25. DOMINIQUE PRIEST "Who is far from God doesn’t have ears for peace." When did he say that? LUCRECIA (SUDDENLY) Last Friday, in front of the Church! The monks look at her. Maria smiles and brings Lucrecia back to the same endless and empty street they walked before. LUCRECIA (continuing) Did I say something wrong? MARIA What did your mother tell you? Never, never again, talk to a man without first being asked! LUCRECIA He asked. MARIA (impatient) They are Dominicans, Lucrecia. They will burn Piedraola at the stake, and, believe me, all these fanatic people who kneel in front of him will undergo his fate as well. LUCRECIA No! Piedraola won’t be burned. You are a liar! MARIA Lucrecia! Listen to me! He is just another charlatan. A fake prophet protected by the King’s enemies. A shepherd crosses the street. He guides a cattle. LUCRECIA So, why did you stop to listen to him? Pause. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 26. MARIA He lives in a state of grace. LUCRECIA What do you mean? MARIA He relies on eternity. Nothing can intimidate him, not even death. Lucrecia meditates. MARIA (continuing) Philip fears him. He won’t dare to touch him. But the Inquisitors will. Lucrecia looks at her. They walk casting long shadows on the street. CUT TO: 11 INT. OLD CHURCH. DAY. 11 Lucrecia, seated on a bench, hears far-away baby cries. She looks at the statues of saints on the walls. They are placed in a long and narrow corridor. All of them are life-sized. One of them looks at the ceiling, another at the floor, a woman at Lucrecia--what they have in common is their mystical expression (between pain and happiness). Sunlight filters into the space through small windows built at the top of the walls. Lucrecia is the first of a long row of young and old woman waiting for confession. All of them are seated against one side of the wall. There is a door at the end of the corridor. This door opens and a pale silhouette of a woman appears: Maria. Lucrecia stands up. The row moves one place ahead. Maria ignores Lucrecia and walks away. Lucrecia approaches to the door and enters into a chamber lit by candles. FRANCISCO (O.S.) Close the door. Lucrecia closes the door and comes to a confessional box. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 27. She kneels on a pillow. FRANCISCO (O.S.) (continuing) Who are you? LUCRECIA Lucrecia, daughter of don Nepomuceno Franco de Leon and Beatriz Ordoñez de Leon. FRANCISCO, a skinny and tall priest, leaves the confessional box and comes to a desk surrounded by candles. There he sits on a bench and takes a notebook. He thumbs it until he points out a written name. FRANCISCO Yes, yes. Lucrecia! Your parents are worried about your spiritual health. Lucrecia stands up nervously. FRANCISCO (continuing) Come here. She stands in front of him. He takes a pen and dips it into an ink glass. FRANCISCO (continuing) The capital sin of all business men is greed. You are a beautiful maiden, Lucrecia, and I would like to see you married. I wonder whether your father will pay your dowry. (pause) Would you like to confess? LUCRECIA I want to deliver a fair testimony of my sins. He makes the sign of the cross. FRANCISCO In nomine Patris et Filii et Spiritus Sancti. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 28. Lucrecia kneels at front of him. In a corner of the room a little spider weaves its web. We hear again babies’ cries. Lucrecia moves her lips. Francisco looks up at the ceiling. A fly falls in the spider’s web. The spider approaches it. The wind blows over a candle and it lights up the web. Lucrecia’s tears come out of her eyes. Francisco looks at her with happiness and love. FRANCISCO (continuing) Your tears are sincere. And I know your parents are good Catholic people. I see what I can do. LUCRECIA Will you talk to Segismunda? FRANCISCO Who has despised you once, will never forgive you. Lucrecia’s face gets paler. FRANCISCO (continuing) Don’t lose your spirit. I will talk to the Duke of Alba’s secretary. He needs a maiden for his court. Lucrecia remains silent. FRANCISCO (continuing) Many ladies would like to be under the Duke’s protection. LUCRECIA Of course. FRANCISCO He’s a warrior of our faith. Pause. Francisco stands up and lights the candle. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 29. On the web two spiders attack each other. Francisco looks at them with curiosity. He looks at Lucrecia. FRANCISCO (continuing) I know some people don’t like the Duke. They say he was cruel with the Dutch. Has your father ever talked to you about it? LUCRECIA To me? No. But I heard him once talking to don Antonio about the Duke. FRANCISCO Don Antonio? Yes, our Royal Secretary. I heard they are negotiating a new loan for the crown. What did you hear last night? LUCRECIA Nothing. Francisco takes a book near the cobweb. FRANCISCO Tell me, Lucrecia, do you believe wars are necessary? LUCRECIA No. Francisco scorches the spiders and the web with his candle. FRANCISCO Why not? LUCRECIA Because people die. If we live in a state of war, who is going to till the fields? Francisco comes to the desk and opens his book to a page headed: ANTONIO’S FOLLOWERS There he adds to a long list: "Nepomuceno Franco de Leon". CUT TO:
30. 12 INT. LUCRECIA’S HOUSE LIVING ROOM. NIGHT. 12 Lucrecia, sitting on her bed, talks to Maria. Moonlight enters through the window. LUCRECIA Yes! I deem him a saint, as the people of Toledo do. He even asked me about my father. MARIA What did he ask you? LUCRECIA Is it important? MARIA Not at all. He can’t prattle about your testimony. Now let’s sleep. Tomorrow you have to wake up early. Maria comes to her bed. LUCRECIA Has my mother talked to you about my future? MARIA I’m sure whe will do it on due time. Good night. Lucrecia covers herself with the blanket She sees the moon through her window. MARIA (continuing) Lucrecia... LUCRECIA Yes? MARIA How did you know that the Duke of Alba was coming back to fight another war? LUCRECIA Piedraola said that. MARIA No, he didn’t. The moon is covered by a cloud. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 31. LUCRECIA He told me that in a dream. Lucrecia’s face is covered by the cloud’s shadow. CUT TO: 13 DREAM SEQUENCE: INT. OLD CHURCH. NIGHT. 13 Lucrecia walks through the Church corridor, circling around the various statues of the saints and martyrs. She perceives pain in their faces: one has the eyes on his hands; another has her breast chopped on a dish; San Jeronimo’s groin bleeds; San Sebastian’s head is pierced by arrows. She enters into the chamber. There, Jesus, bearing his thorn crown, stands at the confessional gate. Underneath the confessional gate, she sees a pig in the place of the priest. Blood drips onto the pig’s head. The Jesus icon has now turned into Francisco, the priest, who stares down at Lucrecia. She falls to the floor, as the blood drips on her head. The pig is not there anymore. FRANCISCO I have come to purge your sins. Lucrecia looks at him in pain. FRANCISCO (continuing) Pain have redeemed Piedraola. On your behalf I will be second after the King. Beware of your father. Francisco stands besides Lucrecia. He takes off his crown of thorns and places it onto Lucrecia’s head, as she moans. CUT TO:
32. 14 DREAM SEQUENCE: EXT. FLANDES, NIGHT 14 Lucrecia sees a reddish sunset to her right, but as she turns to her left she sees a foggy field, covered by the cadavers of warriors and nuns. Some bodies groan. She hears a male voice singing a religious song: DIEGO (O.S.) Cuando mis seres amados me condenan/ En la creencia que toda iniquidad fue mía/ Congoja y Soberbia me enajenan/ Mas si mi ser sus penas al Señor confía/ Es éxtasis el que mis ojos destilan. DIEGO [When my beloved ones condemn me/in the belief that all spitefulness was mine/ Woe and arrogance split me apart/But if my soul its sorrows to my Lord entrust/ There is only ecstasy in my bleeding eyes] She moves through ashes and smog until she arrives at a fire. She recognizes a group of soldiers around it. They cry. Lucrecia faces Diego, who plays a broken lute. Besides him is DUKE OF ALBA a tall skinny 82-year-old warrior who wears a black outfit. He holds a heavy rosary in his hands. Piedraola and Lucrecia stand in front of him. DUKE There is only one God. If there were more, we wouldn’t be able to believe. PIEDRAOLA We are all together, believers and unbelievers in the blood of Christ. DUKE (smiling, looking at Lucrecia) I want Portugal; the King wants Portugal; you want Portugal. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 33. LUCRECIA Will you win Portugal? DUKE I have lost it already. Only a Popess can win it... Lucrecia sees besides the Duke the corpse of the SUPERIOR NUN on a chair. She wears Queen’s clothes. LUCRECIA Is she dead? The Duke remains silent. LUCRECIA (continuing) She is not my mother. DUKE She was the queen. CUT TO: 15 INT. LUCRECIA’S HOUSE. NIGHT. 15 Lucrecia wakes up in the night. She hears a continuous moaning. She looks at Maria’s bed. It’s empty. She follows the sounds through a corridor, the living room and the stairs, until she reaches their source: a bedroom. She pushes the door and looks inside: Nepomuceno on top of Maria, two naked bodies in motion. CUT TO: 16 INT. LUCRECIA’S HOUSE. DAY. 16 Lucrecia wakes up in the morning. She recognizes her mother’s cries. She comes to Maria’s bed, and shakes her. LUCRECIA Maria! Maria! Maria wakes up. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 34. MARIA What happened? LUCRECIA It’s my mother again. Maria stands up, wears her robe and comes out. Lucrecia follows her. They walk through the corridor and climb the stairs, until they reach the second floor. A door is wide open. Beatriz emerges wearing a night dress. Nepomuceno, tottering, follows her laughing and grabs her hair. She screams. NEPOMUCENO Come back! You, whore! Beatrice faces Maria and Lucrecia. She becomes quiet. Nepomuceno pushes back Beatriz into the bedroom. He faces Lucrecia and Maria. NEPOMUCENO (continuing) What are you looking at? Lucrecia looks at Maria. MARIA Nothing. We just... Lucrecia steps forward. LUCRECIA What are you doing to my mother? NEPOMUCENO (irritated) You won’t understand. LUCRECIA (crying) But she was crying. NEPOMUCENO (laughing) Women cry all the time. Uh! Now I have a judge in my own house! (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 35. (he staggers) Hush up! Go to your room and try on your new dress. And bring the breakfast to our room, Maria. Maria moves downstairs. Nepomuceno enters into his bedroom. Beatriz comes out of the bedroom wearing a robe and addresses Lucrecia coldly. BEATRIZ Keep your tears for yourself, Lucrecia. Lucrecia looks at her mother. BEATRIZ (continuing) Your father ordered you to go back to your bedroom and try on your dress. Lucrecia looks at her in silence. Her father gets into the room. CUT TO: 17 INT. LUCRECIA’S HOUSE BEDROOM. DAY. 17 Beatriz is half naked on a chair. Maria, besides her, sitting on a little bench, holds a bowl of water. She dips a piece of cloth into it. She passes it on to Beatriz, who gently rubs her stomach. Lucrecia enters into the room wearing a new black dress. Maria stands up. BEATRIZ Oh, it looks wonderful! LUCRECIA (TO MARIA) Do you like it? MARIA (leaving--cold) It’s a mourning dress. Silence. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 36. BEATRIZ Your father bought this dress out of his savings. He wants you to impress the Superior Nun. LUCRECIA Am supposed to talk to her? Beatriz looks at the window. A bird crosses its frame. BEATRIZ Christ has chosen you as his bride. She looks at Beatriz, whose expression is resigned. Lucrecia walks around the room without direction. LUCRECIA (visible shocked) But I want to have children. Silence. Beatriz remains still. LUCRECIA (continuing) I must marry someone. BEATRIZ (stern) Who? LUCRECIA (triumphal) The Marquees de Quiroga! He loves me! BEATRIZ (laughing) Mario Guardiola’s servant? LUCRECIA He is a Marqueess! BEATRIZ (derogatory) His father sold his title long ago. LUCRECIA O, mother! Am I not beautiful? BEATRIZ We have decided the best for you. Lucrecia screams. She falls onto the floor sobbing. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 37. BEATRIZ (continuing) You make others feel inferior. The Guardiola family’s incident persuaded your father that the convent is the most suitable place for you. Enclosed, you will cultivate meekness. Lucrecia stops crying--a call for fighting lights her soul. BEATRIZ (continuing) Your father also cried when you were born. Your delivery was so painful... (pause) When he learned I wasn’t able to have another child, he left me for three days. I never saw him so upset. One night I woke up and saw him looking at the sky. He was cursing God. (pause) I’m afraid he has lost his faith. Your prayers can heal him. Lucrecia, kneeling on the floor, represses her crying. LUCRECIA Why me? God has more willing women. I don’t want to be a nun. BEATRIZ Lucrecia... Lucrecia has turned her pain into wrath. LUCRECIA (caustic) I know my father doesn’t want to pay my dowry. He is so... contemptuous! He beats you! How can you live with such a man? BEATRIZ (surprised) I’m proud to have a man like your father, Lucrecia. He respects me. LUCRECIA (confused) Fray Francisco has a place for me at the Duke de Alba’s court. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 38. BEATRIZ Fray Francisco? He was the one who recommended you for the convent. Lucrecia is puzzled. BEATRIZ (continuing) But... Now I see. The Duke of Alba might be the main benefactor of the nuns. Beatriz lies on her bed and covers herself with a blanket. Lucrecia remembers an image: CUT TO: 18 INT. OLD CHURCH. NIGHT. 18 Francisco, stares down at Lucrecia. FRANCISCO Beware of your father. CUT TO: 19 INT. LUCRECIA’S HOME. DAY. 19 LUCRECIA Fray Francisco did that just to measure my father’s greed. Maria comes back with a basket of tomatoes. Lucrecia grins at Maria. LUCRECIA (to Maria) We should leave. Lucrecia laughs, takes her dress and exits whistling, singing and dancing. Maria and Beatriz look at each other in perplexity. Lucrecia crosses the house till she arrives to the patio. LUCRECIA (continuing) Cuando mis seres amados me condenan/ En la creencia que toda iniquidad fue mía/ Congoja y (More) (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 39. LUCRECIA (continuing) Soberbia me enajenan/ Mas si mi ser sus penas al Señor confía/ Es éxtasis el que mis ojos destilan. From the upper floor Nepomuceno observes her daughter dancing. CUT TO: 20 INT. NEPUMOCENO’S OFFICE. DAY. 20 Nepomuceno’s office is a small room with four desks placed one at each corner. Three of them are covered by handfuls of documents. Nepomuceno’s, in front of the only open window, is clean and organized: ink, two pens and a small pile of documents lie on it. Nepomuceno writes a letter. We hear some sounds from the streets of Madrid at sunset: dogs barking, screams of people calling other people and the shrill sound of a carriage’s wheels smashing the street’s stones. On the letter he writes the next italic characters: TEXT OF THE LETTER ..., nor other Genoese Banker from Toledo can provide more loans for this new war. Nevertheless, I wrote a letter to Felipe Centurione. He agreed to provide the entire amount the King wants, but just in case you ensure the return of the Duke of Alba... He is interrupted by the presence of a dark tall figure. The dark figure comes into the light: Francisco. NEPOMUCENO (surprised) O, Father! I m sorry. We are closing. I mean... FRANCISCO The door was open. Only our Lord knows his ways. Can I talk to you, don Nepomuceno? Now? (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 40. NEPOMUCENO (against his will) Well, yes! But, sit down, Father, please! Nepomuceno displaces a chair. Francisco approaches Nepomuceno’s desk. He takes and peruses the letter written by Nepomuceno. NEPOMUCENO (continuing) It’s a private letter. Francisco looks at Nepomuceno, who trembles nervously. Francisco hands out the letter to Nepomuceno. FRANCISCO I understand. Francisco goes to the next chair and randomly takes a book. NEPOMUCENO It’s an account book. Francisco looks out at the window: Lucrecia and Maria cross the street. They laugh. Maria wears a purple dress. Lucrecia fits in her new dress. Lucrecia recognizes him, turns away her eyes and moves on; Maria follows her. Francisco smiles, steps back and takes an account book. He peruses it. He leaves the book on the desk and looks at Nepomuceno. FRANCISCO What is your daughter doing on the street? NEPOMUCENO (hesitating) She is supposed to be at the Carmelite convent. FRANCISCO Another maiden who will pray for our sins. NEPOMUCENO She was vanquished from the Guardiola family. No noble man would have married her. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 41. FRANCISCO She could have met a good husband. Nepomuceno, Nepomuceno... You are too afraid. Have you forgotten Christ’s first temptation? Would you like to go out for a walk? Nepomuceno assents nodding her head. CUT TO: 21 EXT. MADRID STREET. DAY. 21 The street is almost empty. Lucrecia walks along Maria. A couple of peasants approach from the opposite direction. LUCRECIA (excited) Do you believe in dreams, Maria? MARIA Certainly no. LUCRECIA Everything is becoming. MARIA (pause) You just want to be the female Piedraola. LUCRECIA (surprised) I’m just telling you. MARIA Why not the female pope? (sarcastic) To become a prophet! You admire Piedraola. That’s all! Your father was right, I shouldn’t have brought you to see him again! LUCRECIA I thought he was... When did you tell him? MARIA (puzzled) I haven’t told him anything. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 42. LUCRECIA I dreamt you were with him in bed... Or perhaps it was not a dream. Didn’t I see you? MARIA (laughing, but reddish) Are you accusing us of lechery? Lucrecia looks at Maria with amazement. LUCRECIA (nervous) Never! Maria smiles. Lucrecia emulates her. They cross in front of Nepomuceno’s office. MARIA You can ask you father what does he think about your prophesies Lucrecia laughs louder until she sees Francisco looking at her from the window. She, visibly intimidated, moves on. LUCRECIA Go on, and don’t look up. Maria follows her. MARIA Is your father there? Did he see you? LUCRECIA I saw fray Francisco. (pause) He scares me. (pause) I dreamed he was an influential man. MARIA (concerned) Lucrecia, please, stop telling your dreams to everybody. The inquisition will come after you. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 43. LUCRECIA I’m not afraid. God protects me. MARIA (impatient) God protects everyone. Still, you are the only person responsible for your fate. Don’t you see that our lives are changing? You have lost your protectors and now your father wants to enclose you in a convent. (beat) Have you wondered why? LUCRECIA No. MARIA He doesn’t believe you are his daughter. (pause) And you didn’t foresee anything. He wants to have a child with me. Lucrecia looks at her. A carriage with the royal arms crosses the street. LUCRECIA (remembering a dream) The King will win Portugal. A couple of PEASANTS pass near Lucrecia; they wear black clothes. Maria looks at them. The woman’s eyes pour tears. MARIA Your prophesies rely on what you see. LUCRECIA What do you mean? MARIA Have you predicted someone’s death? LUCRECIA I have seen many cadavers: nuns and warriors. (cold) And Mario Guardiola. CUT TO:
44. 22 EXT. MADRID STREET. DAY. 22 Francisco and Nepomuceno walk on the street taking the same path as Maria and Lucrecia. FRANCISCO Jesus went to the desert, and the demon met him... CUT TO: 23 EXT. DESERT. DAY. 23 JESUS is a bony man sitting on the middle of an endless pebbled scorching white surface. His skin is burnt by the sun. The sky is blue and the soil is white. A black and white horizontal striped snake crawls on his body. DEMON (V.O.) If you are the son of God, command these stones to become bread. Jesus looks at the stones. DEMON (V.O.) (continuing) You can provide bread to the hungry. The world will be a paradise again. CUT TO: 24 EXT./INT. MADRID STREET. DAY. 24 Francisco and Nepomuceno walk along the street. Some carriages cross the street following the same way taken by Francisco and Nepomuceno. FRANCISCO Our Lord refused. Why? Because our sustenance is less important than the effort we make to obtain it. The fear os survival is our first temptation. In our effort to ensure our bread we, men and women, display our baseness. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 45. Groups of people walk on the street. Most of them wear black clothes. The crowd rushes on in the same direction. FRANCISCO (continuing) Fear of famine will encourage us to acquire more bread than necessary. Then greed persuades us to acquire property and land--our neighbor’s land. Alas! It won’t be enough. Sooner or later we’ll long for slaves to crop the wheat. Some people cry. FRANCISCO (continuing) Do you understand? NEPOMUCENO I’m an old catholic, father. FRANCISCO (laughing) I’m not an Inquisitor, Nepomuceno. (pause) Our century of decadence and crime has proven how powerful money can be. There are the bankers, not the Kings or Queens, who decide our fates. They can support or delay wars, grow empires, destroy them. Francisco arrives to a Church. The crowd enters through the principal gate. Francisco shuns the crowd and approaches a small door on the street. He leads the way to the dark chamber we saw in scene 9. FRANCISCO (continuing) You work for the bankers. I would like you to understand that to the eyes of God we are either one of his servants or one of the devil’s. Nepomuceno pales. He sits on the closest chair. NEPOMUCENO You have been my confessor for three weeks, fray Francisco. You know my weaknesses, but over all... (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 46. Nepomuceno’s voice fades off. FRANCISCO The Church needs your assistance. About a couple of weeks ago you dined at Antonio de Perez’ house. We would like to know what was the theme of your conversation. Nepomuceno’s jaw trembles. NEPOMUCENO It was private. Don Antonio de Perez invited my entire family. FRANCISCO Just for convenience. I know Ana de Mendoza was there. (beat) It’s clear to me that there are powerful forces that want to change the King’s mind about the Duke of Alba’s return to the battlefield. Nepomuceno, kneeling on the floor, cries. Francisco rubs his head. FRANCISCO (continuing) But we both know that at this very moment, the Duke is the only warrior in Spain willing to fight for the glory of our Lord. CUT TO: 25 INT. CARMELITE CONVENT-MADRID. DAY. 25 Lucrecia and Maria are amidst the walls of a spacious white hall. They face an iron wall. A black crucifix hangs on the front wall. There are no chairs. A door is open and the Superior nun and a FAT NUN approach them. They whisper to each other: (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 47. LUCRECIA I rather die than to live in this mausoleum, Maria. MARIA It was built by the architects that destroyed La Mezquita. LUCRECIA Will you flee with me there? MARIA Flee? Since the Caliphate of Cordoba was destroyed there is no place where to flee in Spain. The nuns arrive. The superior nun’s face sweats; her eyes are red. SUPERIOR NUN Who is Lucrecia de Leon? LUCRECIA I am. Lucrecia recognizes her face as the face of the woman she saw in her dream--the woman seated besides the Duke of Alba. Lucrecia studies the nun’s sweat. LUCRECIA (continuing) I have seen you. SUPERIOR NUN (skeptical) That would be impossible. I’ve never left this place in forty years. (to the fat nun) Would you make the questions? I don’t feel very well. Lucrecia looks at a black spot on the nun’s hand. LUCRECIA Are you ill? The nun looks at Lucrecia. Lucrecia’s sight is inquisitive. The nun opens her lips--they are dry. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 48. Maria covers her open mouth with his hands. The nun screams and falls to the floor, agonizing. Ten NUNS invade the place running and screaming. The superior nun grasps Maria’s dress and looks at her with horror. White matter comes out from her mouth. MARIA (horrified) The plague! She releases the nun, grips Lucrecia’s hand and abandons the room and the tide of hysterical nuns. CUT TO: 26 INT. ANTONIO DE PEREZ LIVING ROOM. NIGHT. 26 Flashback: continuation of scene 6. Lucrecia and Beatriz leave under Antonio, Ana and Nepomuceno’s sight. ANA Our children are the easiest victims of those "prophets". I sincerely envy their ability to control people’s minds. I have even advise Antonio to hire Piedraola. ANTONIO (earnest) That prattler disconcerts me. What your daughter heard from him was true. The King has recalled his oldest warrior. I’m quite disappointed. NEPOMUCENO (drinking wine) If the Duke of Alba returns, the Genoese bankers will be reluctant to lend money to the Crown. They haven’t forgotten his slaughter in the Netherlands. ANTONIO Remember that Alba is also my enemy. That’s why you are here. The Duke is old and sick... (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 49. Ana smiles at Nepomuceno as she pours more wine in his cup-- over her image we listen: NEPOMUCENO (V.O.) First I thought on a conspiracy against Alba. Now I’m not sure. They concealed their thoughts behind metaphors and allegories. And then Ana mentioned the name of the Queen. She may try to hinder Alba’s return. CUT TO: 27 INT. OLD CHURCH. DAY. 27 Francisco listens attentively to Nepomuceno. The later is knelt on the floor; the former looks out through a window. Francisco sees a black-clothed multitude entering into the Church. NEPOMUCENO The bankers no longer want to mediate with the Church. Yesterday they gave me instructions to deal strictly with the King’s secretary. FRANCISCO I will talk to the royal confessor. I’ll inform you of your testimony. And about the bankers: Can you change their mind? Nepomuceno sweats. NEPOMUCENO I’m an employee father. FRANCISCO We are by our very nature. Francisco looks outside. Thunder. It rains. FRANCISCO (continuing) And now, please, leave me alone. There is a burial at the Church.
50. CUT TO: 28 INT. MADRID CHURCH. DAY. 28 Maria and Lucrecia come back home. Lucrecia’s dress is torn. Maria’s face is dirty. The street is empty. Thunder. It rains. MARIA Many will die. They face the Church and Larvaez, who approaches from the opposite direction. They run into the Church in an effort to avoid him. The walls inside the Church are shrouded in black clothes. Women cry. Lucrecia sees a coffin in the altar. Maria looks inquiringly at her. Lucrecia approaches the coffin. She faces Segismunda, who cries. She peeps into the coffin. She sees Mario’s cadaver inside. Marcela, who stands besides the coffin, looks at her. LUCRECIA (to Marcela) How did he die? MARCELA (deliriously) Nobody knows. Two weeks ago he fell while we were laughing together. Segismunda approaches Lucrecia. SEGISMUNDA Lucrecia, you were one of his best friends. Tell me: have you forgiven him? (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 51. MARIA (to Segismunda) How did he die? Segismunda sobs and sits besides Francisco. Lucrecia and Maria follow her. FRANCISCO (to Lucrecia) Aren’t you supposed to be at the convent? LUCRECIA (springing back) God! Marcela breaths noisily. She stumbles and grabs the coffin. LUCRECIA It was unwholesome. FRANCISCO Where? MARIA The nuns were ill. They hear Victoria’s scream. Marcela bends dead over the coffin. She and the coffin fall. Women scream. MARIA (crying) The plague! General screams and commotion. Mario’s corpse rolls and stops before Francisco’s feet. He kneels down and tears Mario’s shroud: exception made of his face, Mario’s corpse reveals to be covered by black spots. Segismunda screams and covers his son’s naked body with her cape. Lucrecia acquires an uncanny state of serenity. Around her panicking men and women move, shudder and scream. The Church’s doors are wide open. A gush of wind extinguishes the candles. The water of the rain sprinkles Marcela’s lifeless face. Thunders blend with screams. People stumble before the gates, blocking their way out. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 52. The wind blows the walls’ clothes into the air. People climb up the church’s walls in a desperate effort to escape. They fall. Francisco looks at Lucrecia’s relaxed expression with perplexity. Unable to control his fear, he flees struggling against the human tide. Maria, sobbing by fear, grasps Lucrecia’s hand. Fire spreads inside the Church. Lucrecia faces Segismunda, who agonizingly coughs on the floor. Her eyes are wide open. SEGISMUNDA Forgive my only son! Segismunda is trampled by people who try to flee in all directions, one struggling against each other. Lucrecia faces a crucifix on a wall... and a small window just over the floor. Lucrecia crawls into it. Maria follows her. Francisco looks at them. CUT TO: 29 EXT. MADRID STREET. DAY. 29 Lucrecia and Maria walk under the rain, until they face the main entrance of the Church. The scene is sinister: tens of men and women who piled over each other cannot move. They scream as the fire burns over the Church. Francisco arrives and kneels down. FRANCISCO (screaming) Let’s pray! Let’s pray to God! All people, including Lucrecia and Maria, kneel down and pray. The rain increases deadening the fire. CUT TO:
53. 30 EXT. ROYAL COURT AT EL ESCORIAL. NIGHT. 30 A terrace. The full moon is covered by dark clouds. Philip, seated on a wooden sofa meditates as Antonio de Perez talks. He looks at Madrid: a small weak-lit sheet lost in a field of darkness. Pacheco, Francisco and RUY LOPEZ, a 40-year old man, are seated at one side. Hector Mendoza, Fray Luis and Larvaez at the other. All they are seated around, on sofas and chairs, creating an irregular circle. At the center, Ana de Mendoza shares one bench with 16-year- old ISABELLA, Philip’s daughter, whose hair and eyes are black. The group is lit by candles. They look at Antonio de Perez, who hoisting a letter in his hands speaks with arrogance. ANTONIO Spain, a country of Jews! That’s what the Pope wrote in this letter to the Duke of Alba! I warn you, Philip! Reject that bloody man now! Otherwise, he will slaughter half of Portugal before he can grasp it! {Your knight is dead} Antonio {who plays the black pieces} comes closer to a chess game on a table and moves his light-bishop, taking out from the board a white knight. His chair remains empty, in front of the table. Philip looks at Antonio and Jeronimo de Cespedes. The latter is seated on a chair in front of the table. Jeronimo copes with Antonio’s passionate speech with repressed anger. JERONIMO I won’t forsake my bishop. Jeronimo {white pieces} moves his light-bishop taking out Antonio’s light-bishop. JERONIMO (continuing) Rome believes that only Alba can bring back unity to our Church. (More) (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 54. JERONIMO (continuing) After Luther and Calvin’s impish deeds, our soul’s strength has been weakened enough. We don’t need to listen to your words again, Antonio, Prince of Eboli, in order to realize how ominous your intentions are. And how contrary to Alba, who merely wants to preserve our commonwealth. While they continue their discussion, Ana and Isabella talk in the foreground. ISABELLA (whispering) Fray Jeronimo could be a skillful spiritual adviser, but as a chess player he can’t control himself. He is taking too much care of his Queen. ANA (who is more concerned about the discussion than about the game:) What for your father is a passion, should be less than a fashion for you. ISABELLA Wise advice, Doña Ana, but I also may get involved in politics some day. ANA (sardonic) As Elizabeth of England? The Virgin Queen? ISABELLA As you doña Ana. Isabella smiles and looks at Antonio. ANTONIO Alba is sick! A fanatic! That’s why our King banished him. JERONIMO Under your advice... Pause. Jeronimo smiles at Philip. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 55. Philip’s expression is neutral--he awaits for the next move. JERONIMO (continuing) Fortunately our majesty Philip the Second, here present, intends to revoke such a decree. ANTONIO He may confirm it as well. (concentrated in the game) Such move doesn’t deserve forgiveness. Your second knight is dead. Whispers. Antonio moves his Queen taking out a white knight. Jeronimo concentrates on the board. In the foreground Pacheco whispers to Francisco. PACHECO (with envy) Don Antonio has been placed too high by Philip. FRANCISCO That’s wise, Baron Pacheco. Half of Spain supports him. PACHECO (evil) That’s what he says. Jeronimo moves his Queen and takes out Antonio’s Queen. JERONIMO I regret your Queen won’t be longer with us. Jeronimo laughs pleasantly. He looks at Ana. Antonio moves his jaw nervously. JERONIMO (continuing) It was Alba’s idea to claim Portugal, not yours. He wants to see Rome together. The whole world! (smiling to Philip:) Have you realized how strong our Church can be? (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 56. ANTONIO (ironic) Rome’s minister speaks! (to Philip) Don’t listen to the serpent! (to Jeronimo) And believe me Fray Jeronimo, in politics we don’t need you--nor Rome, nor the Pope’s weak protection. The inquisition--that’s the real Church! In the background, Hector Mendoza smiles. MENDOZA (to Larvaez, in a low tone of voice:) I knew this game was going to finish in a political discussion. You can see how much Philip enjoys division amongst his ministers. LARVAEZ As Inquisitors we should envy not only his political skills, but overall his well displayed earnestness. Mendoza looks angrily at Larvaez, who ignores the meaning of his glance. Mendoza opens his mouth--ready to speak back. Jeronimo’s voice refrains him. JERONIMO God came to us through Rome! Don’t forget it! ANTONIO But Rome betrayed us! If the papacy wants power, we are the power! We are the church! Antonio signalizes Mendoza with his finger. Mendoza snuggles his body in his chair. Everyone, but the King, looks at him. ANTONIO (continuing) And nobody else will tell us what to do with our fate! Once we tame England, we will bring the Holy See from the Vatican to Toledo! (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 57. Antonio calms down. He moves his bishop threatening the white king. ANTONIO (continuing) Your pope is dead. In two movements. My Queen... lured you. Ana smiles. Jeronimo’s face shows wrath. JERONIMO You mean..., my King. ANTONIO (smiling with revenge’s pleasure) For you, what’s the difference? Jeronimo looks at the board. He lies down his King. Philip, deeply concentrated in the game, gets up. PHILIP It was an excellent game. Prince of Eboly! Royal confessor! Thanks for accepting my proposal. I know how difficult it is to conciliate two opposite minds in a chess game. But discord, rather than agreement, is the banner of our times. He looks at Antonio and Jeronimo. They, under his sight, look at each other and shake their hands with challenging hate. CUT TO: 31 INT. OFFICE AT EL ESCORIAL. NIGHT. 31 In the background we see an imperial chair. Around it, each one seated on a bench, Antonio de Perez, Ana de Mendoza, Hector Mendoza and Larvaez wait anxiously. The silence is broken by the sound of a door opening. From darkness two soldiers appear. Between them, Philip comes out. A secretary follows him. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 58. Antonio and its train stand up. Philip sits down. To a Philip’s gesture they sit down again. The secretary takes a seat before a desk and starts writing. PHILIP Tomorrow night we’ll start the campaign to conquer Portugal. Alba will rule my army. Antonio moves anxiously in his seat. Philip notices it. ANTONIO (flattering) I must confess that even at his age Alba’s battlefield skills are outstanding. PHILIP You will represent me in my absence, prince of Eboli. Cope with the plague and with my brother’s requisitions. ANTONIO I’ll do my Lord. PHILIP This illness has come from the Netherlands. (to Mendoza) I would like to edify my people before God. Antonio smiles, understanding a subtle meaning. PHILIP (continuing; To Mendoza) I would like to offer an Auto de fe on my return from Lisbon. MENDOZA (shocked) With all your respect, your majesty, the Inquisition hasn’t condemned a heretic in ten months. PHILIP Our prisons are empty, then? LARVAEZ (who wants to please Philip) Madrid is full of enemies of our faith, your Majesty. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 59. MENDOZA (to Larvaez, hiding his surprise) You own obedience to the General Inquisitor of Toledo, who is not present here, Father Larvaez. Our King knows we can’t condemn catholic believers without a fair trial. That will take at least six months... LARVAEZ There could be certain exceptions to that rule, Father Mendoza. Converted Jews who backslide, for instance... Mendoza smiles with hate at Larvaez. MENDOZA (Confused. To Philip) We will do our best, your majesty. Philip looks at Larvaez, who smiles at him. Antonio exchanges a glance of complicity with Ana. PHILIP (to Mendoza) Ecclesiastic affairs are not my concern, Bishop Mendoza. But let me remind you that if the General Inquisitor--whose orders you follow, wants independence from Rome, it must accept my guidance. MENDOZA (nervous) I’m your most loyal servant, your majesty. PHILIP Why didn’t I hear that earlier on? Mendoza’s face pales. Philip faces Ana, who looks back worried at him. PHILIP (continuing; cold, looking at Antonio) The Queen will follow me. Antonio’s smile vanishes. Ana smiles at Philip, trying to recover her gaiety. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 60. PHILIP (continuing; to Larvaez) I would like to have a word with you, Father Larvaez. Mendoza and Larvaez are surprised. Mendoza approaches Philip. PHILIP (continuing; to Mendoza) Alone. All, but Phillip and Larvaez, exit. CUT TO: 32 INT. A ROOM AT EL ESCORIAL. SUNRISE. 32 Philip stands reading a letter. Around him are two soldiers-- both holding anchors. In front of them, Jeronimo, Francisco and Pacheco. Philip throws the letter into a chimney’s fire. He makes a gesture and Jeronimo, Francisco and Pacheco sit down. PHILIP (to Jeronimo) I need you with me in Portugal, Fray Jeronimo. Jeronimo nods his head. Jeronimo points out Francisco. JERONIMO My King, I have talked to you about the zeal that Francisco professes to our Church. PHILIP (to Francisco) What did you find out? FRANCISCO I would like you to see it for yourself, my King. Philip looks back at him. Francisco offers Philip a paper. Philip takes it and gives it to a soldier. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 61. PHILIP (to Jeronimo) At the moment I don’t have time to hear about my enemies conspiracies. I will read that paper after the battle for Portugal... If I take it. JERONIMO You will take it. Thanks to Francisco’s zeal, we got the Pope’s support and a loan from the Venetian bankers. PHILIP (sad) The Pope. (bold) What does he say about transferring the Holy See to Spain? JERONIMO (nervous) Rome was the sacred city that neither Hannibal, nor Attila could defeat! How can I ask that, my son? PHILIP The pope fear my army. JERONIMO Do you want to taint the treets of Rome with the innocent blood of priests and nuns, as your father did? PHILIP (slightly impatient) He didn’t even consider my proposal, then. Philip lowers his face for an instant. He then looks at Jeronimo and raises his hand. Mendoza kneels down and leaves the room. PHILIP (continuing) Did you hear what I heard, Baron Pacheco? PACHECO (controlling his excitement) (More) (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 62. PACHECO (continuing) With a Royal Confessor as Jeronimo de Cespedes, Rome doesn’t need spies in El Escorial. PHILIP How reliable is that monk? Francisco. PACHECO People take him for a saint. His prayers seemed to have saved a multitude. They appeased a fire kindle in the Cathedral during the recent storm. PHILIP We’ll talk further about him later on--in Portugal. PACHECO (bending his body) Your majesty! CUT TO: 33 EXT. LUCRECIA’S HOUSE-PATIO. NIGHT. 33 Moonlight. Lucrecia comes to the patio from her bedroom. Her cheeks are wet. She wears a gown. Maria stands behind her. LUCRECIA I m not a witch! MARIA (grasping Lucrecia) God save me of even thinking it! I just wanted to say that... you are not normal. We need an advisor! LUCRECIA I don’t need to talk to anybody. I just dream--I dream everything! MARIA You can be bewitched! LUCRECIA (in anguish) Are you going to tell my father? (pause) You already told him! (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 63. MARIA (who avoids to give an answer) I told your mother. Don’t be sad. You are my friend, Lucrecia. But everyone saw you at the Church that day! LUCRECIA And? MARIA And? Your behavior was uncanny. LUCRECIA Uncanny? MARIA It seemed like you were not afraid of dying. Maria notices Beatriz presence. BEATRIZ I would like to speak to Lucrecia. Lucrecia looks at Maria with surprise. Maria makes an apologetic gesture. MARIA Doña Beatriz, I... (BEATRIZ) (to Lucrecia) After all, God doesn’t want you to become a nun. Lucrecia and Maria interchange looks. BEATRIZ (continuing; at Lucrecia) God may has chosen you as his prophetess. LUCRECIA Who is going to believe me? BEATRIZ (after a pause) We’ll talk to you confessor. LUCRECIA He intimidates me. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 64. BEATRIZ Why? LUCRECIA I dreamt that he was going to become the royal confessor. BEATRIZ He is a wise man then. Maria is shocked by Beatriz’ reaction. MARIA (conciliatory) I don’t trust him at all, neither. BEATRIZ I recognize that Fray Francisco is somehow skeptical about these matters. But we should rely on him. I know he will keep it as a confessional secret. Pause. Lucrecia seems confused. She looks at Maria, who with her hands grasps her stomach. BEATRIZ (continuing) However, I’ll write a letter to the General Inquisition’s first assistant, Father Hector Mendoza. Let him decide if Lucrecia’s dreams are inspired by God. Lucrecia helps Maria to stand up. Beatriz also helps her. BEATRIZ (continuing; to Maria) Do you feel weak? MARIA I need to rest. Beatriz touches Maria’s neck. MARIA (continuing; scared, at Beatriz) I haven’t gotten the plague. BEATRIZ (controlling her fear) Let’s go inside. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 65. Lucrecia looks at the castle. MARIA I need to rest. Maria sits down on the floor grabbing her stomach. Beatriz looks at the castle: El Escorial. This castle is encrusted in the mountain. It’s in darkness yet, a light spreads out from a small window. DISSOLVE TO: 34 INT. QUEEN’S CAMERA AT EL ESCORIAL. NIGHT. 34 Face of Isabella de Valois, Queen of Spain. She is just 35 years old, but her sadness confers to her a 60-year-old age look. Seated on before a table, Isabella looks out through a window. Ana de Mendoza, seated in front of the Queen, casts three tarot cards over the table: The fool, the death and the tower. ANA You shouldn’t go to Lisbon. Without you we are exposed to death and sickness. QUEEN (who looks at the wall, as contemplating a cadaver) My efforts to protect your interest are pointless. With Alba’s return you and Antonio have lost my husband’s favor. ANA (in anguish) My Queen! I beg you! Insist! Alba will act against the disposition of the Genovese bankers. QUEEN The bankers want a guarantee only. The Duke enjoys the support of the crowd and the protection of the Pope. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 66. ANA (passionate) Till when are we going to rely on Rome? QUEEN (with remorse) I don’t have the power. Ana stands up and moves close to a wall where two big portraits hang. She points at the first: don Carlos. ANA A King who forsakes his own son doesn’t deserve any respect from me! The Queen cries. Ana grasps furiously her arm. ANA (continuing) We know don Carlos didn’t die! We know it! The queen stands up and runs to a window. QUEEN (while moving) Ana, please... Ana takes the queen’s right hand and leads her till the second portrait: don Juan de Austria. ANA And just one year ago he expatriated his half brother. How many hopes Spain had on Don Juan. All me mourn his departure. Isabella, what has Philip done to you? QUEEN (who, struggling, gets out from Ana’s hold) Philip is the father of my children! Ana is astonished. Isabella recovers her majesty. She grasps a rosary which hangs from her neck and sits down again. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 67. QUEEN (continuing) They have grown up... Ana kneels at front of the queen. ANA (taking her hands) Isabella! My beloved friend. QUEEN (looking at Ana’s eyes) You are so beautiful, Ana. I’m so fond of you and Antonio. Ana appears to be shocked. QUEEN (continuing) The whole court plots against you both. They cannot forgive your happiness. Ana looks at Isabella nervously. The Queen see the tarot cards. QUEEN (continuing) Don’t be afraid. As long as I live Philip won’t dare to harm you. CUT TO: 35 DREAM SEQUENCE: EXT. DESERT. DAY. 35 A bare tree grows in the center. Under the tree, a monk covers his head from the sun. Three people approach him from different directions: a fisherman from the north, a warrior from the west and an beggar from the east. The monk looks at his back. A sand-storm raises in the distance. They stop around the monk. The monk unveils himself: Lucrecia. FISHERMAN God be with you Lucrecia. Renounce the worldly charms and let’s go to the sea, where the whispers of the (More) (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 68. FISHERMAN (continuing) waves give joy to our soul. Or let’s stay on this desert, as quiet as your life. WARRIOR Listen, Lucrecia, God sent me on behalf of the people who suffer injustice in Spain. They have prayed in hunger. They have chosen you. He offers his sword to her. Lucrecia takes it. WARRIOR (continuing) Use it, beautiful maiden. As long as you preserve your virginity I will protect you in your fight--We both shall defeat pain, misery and deceit. OLD MAN (smiling) Accept my weakness, Lucrecia. Our humanity will build a more powerful Church with you as God’s vicar. Rituals will be held on your honor, books dedicated to your name and new institutions created to the memory of Popess Lucrecia. Lucrecia faces them with awe. She doesn’t have the warrior’s sword. She turns around and faces the storm. She screams and looks back at them. [They will talk with their own voices, but they will have different heads.] FISHERMAN (with don Juan’s face) Don Juan of Austria will be killed tomorrow. (with Philip’s face) Nevertheless, for the King, death lives in Toledo. WARRIOR (with Diego’s face) Lucrecia, I must return to you. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 69. OLD MAN (with Maria’s face) Soon you will unfold my fate! Lucrecia holds her head in astonishment and fear. The landscape spins around her. The three man repeat the last three sentences at the same time. She screams. CUT TO: 36 EXT. OPEN VALLEY ON ALCANTARA, PORTUGAL. DAY 36 Smoke raises over a field where cannonballs explode. PORTUGUESE and SPANISH SOLDIERS fight against each other. Body parts are scattered on the ground. SPANISH SOLDIER 1 cuts the head of PORTUGUESE SOLDIER 1 with his sword. PORTUGUESE SOLDIER 2 screams and trespass Spanish soldier 1 with a spear. PORTUGUESE SOLDIER 3 shoots his musket over the face of SPANISH SOLDIER 2. SPANISH SOLDIER 3 and SPANISH SOLDIER 4 attack PORTUGUESE SOLDIER 4 with their swords, but are outmaneuvered and killed by P. Soldier 4. P. Soldier 4 is blown by a cannonball. CUT TO: 37 EXT. ROYAL TEND ON AN OPEN VALLEY ON ALCANTARA, PORTUGAL. DAY. 37 The top of a hillock. It’s noon--the sunlight gleams over the space. Three thousand SPANISH SOLDIERS march in formation, disappearing into the landscape’s horizon. The Duke OF ALBA wears a gleaming iron armor and a red cape. Standing up, he signs some documents given by his secretary: DARIO, a dwarf. Alba dominates with his sight the entire troops. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 70. Besides him Philip, wearing a golden armor, looks with pleasure at his forces in motion. Seated on a comfortable chair, he’s being fanned by a bulky slave. Philip drinks wine and eats fruits from a platter placed on a golden table. Signing some letters, Pacheco is seated in front of a small wooden table. In the distance, a red figure approaches them: Jeronimo de Cespedes. ALBA (with majesty) It was about twenty two years ago when I first told you Portugal had to be added to Spain. PHILIP (jealous, with the scorn that a kid feels before his father’s superiority) What about Flanders? ALBA In the Netherlands I didn’t have the authority you granted me today. The discipline imposed on our troops open the path to victory. PHILIP The conquest of Portugal was an easy task. They didn’t have another choice. It was me, or that English harlot. Pacheco looks at Alba with scorn. Dario looks angrily at Philip. Alba doesn’t alter her paternal expression. ALBA English troops are strong on the sea, but weak on land. I think this is a unique opportunity to attack Elizabeth’s Kingdom. I would like us to join don Juan of Austria’s forces in Scotland. PHILIP (irritated) I don’t want to talk about my brother. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 71. (very slow) Can I enjoy this... ALBA (interrupting the pause made by Philip) This triumph? You will forgive my insistence, my sovereign. But I must persuade you: God has given us... Philip gets up suddenly, throwing out his drinks and the platter with fruits. PHILIP (yelling) Should I be interrupted? Alba faces Philip with calm. The wind raffles his clothing. PHILIP (continuing; angry) God has given us? God has given me! You could have been the best warrior! You could have dominated the whole world. Because I know better than anyone that there is no man with more military skill than you in Europe--but neither you, nor my bastard brother are going to be admired by anyone, because none of you learnt to respect me as the King I am. And without me you are nothing! Philip breathes deeply and sits down. His slave puts everything back in order. PHILIP (continuing) I’d rather loose my Kingdom before seeing you invading England. Alba looks proudly at him. Dario cries. Philip doesn’t look at him Dario follows Alba. Philip looks at the horizon. Alba faces Jeronimo for an instant. Alba leaves. Jeronimo looks dazzled at Philip. Philip faces him. Jeronimo recoils with fear. He follows Alba’s steps. Pacheco smiles at Philip. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 72. PHILIP (to Pacheco, while looking at Alba) I will be remembered as the most ungrateful King. CUT TO: 38 EXT. MADRID’S PARK. NIGHT. 38 A park with many trees and thick bushes. ESCOBEDO gets down from his horse. He wears a hat and a cape. A dark figure comes to him. DARK FIGURE Do you have the letter? ESCOBEDO (restrained) Have you organized the rendezvous? DARK FIGURE With all the conspirators. Escobedo gives him a sealed envelope ESCOBEDO Should I talk to don Antonio first? My interview with Alba may... DARK FIGURE My son! Didn’t you hear what happened to Alba in Portugal? After a sign, Escobedo lends his ear to the dark figure. Escobedo changes his expression from attention to pain. The dark figure steps back. Moonlight falls on the dark figure’s countenance, unveiling half of Larvaez’ face. Larvaez, looking at Escobedo’s stomach, whispers: LARVAEZ You, Lutheran... You, traitor... Escobedo looks at him, and afterwards at his heart, where he sees a Toledian dagger’s handle. ESCOBEDO Treason! Treason... (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 73. Escobedo attempts to grasp his horse, but it flees, whipped by Larvaez’s hand. Escobedo falls down. Larvaez recoils into darkness while Escobedo agonizes face up. CUT TO: 39 INT. ANTONIO DE PEREZ OFFICE AT MADRID. DAY. 39 A desk, a portrait of Antonio and another of Philip. Red walls. An open window allows the air to raffle a white curtain. A voice is heard: PIEDRAOLA (O.S.) This lifeless blood was Escobedo! He, don Juan de Austria’s beloved Secretary, was stabbed by coward hands! Bitterly, today I see Madrid covered by sin and shame! From the window we see the park--and Piedraola preaching. CUT TO: 40 EXT. A MADRID SREET. DAY. 40 The sky is gray. A soft cold wind raffles the trees’ leaves. Nepomuceno approaches the scene. PEOPLE around Piedraola displays scant interest on his words. They wear dirty rags. Sane people and sick people are mixed together. A pile of cadavers lies against a wall. Besides it, a cart covered by black linen. Two FAT MEN carry bodies from the pile into the cart. Nepomuceno stops and looks sharply at Piedraola. PIEDRAOLA God sent us this plague not as a curse, but as a blessing--because earthy we are, and earthy we shall die. Praise the diseases that unveil your most secret crimes! I blame you, Duke of Alba! I blame you Philip, King of Spain! Because you both despise don Juan’s peace effort, in order to display your (More) (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 74. PIEDRAOLA (continuing) might over starving soldiers, widows and children! The fat-men pick up Escobedo’s cadaver. Piedraola looks angrily at Antonio de Perez office. He takes his head in his hands. Antonio is at the Terrace. He moves into the office. CUT TO: 41 INT. EXT. ANTONIO DE PEREZ OFFICE AT MADRID. DAY. 41 Antonio faces Ana, who stands up. Antonio kisses her with passion. ANTONIO Ana! ANA I cannot longer cry. The plague has taught me to coexist with death. ANTONIO (with remorse) It was very timely. Otherwise I would have had to cope with a rebellion. ANA Escobedo’s? ANTONIO (in an affirmative gesture) I should have protected him! ANA Don’t put the blame on yourself. Philip is the true mastermind behind this crime. Ana recoils and sits down besides Antonio’s desk. She picks up a letter from it. She opens it. She peruses it. ANA (continuing) Do we know the Duke of Alba’s whereabouts? (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 75. ANTONIO His home and his grave, I am afraid. He didn’t even wait for Philip’s orders to resign. They hear three knocks at the door. Antonio and Ana look at each other. ANTONIO (continuing) Yes? NEPOMUCENO (V.O.) Nepomuceno. Antonio opens the door. Nepomuceno enters. NEPOMUCENO The Genoese bankers are overjoy by Alba’s victory. Antonio leads Nepomuceno and Ana into the living-room. ANTONIO He proved to be an efficient general afterall. Nepomuceno follows him as he takes a large envelope out from his coat. He passes it on to Antonio. NEPOMUCENO A letter of congratulations from the Genoese bankers. ANTONIO (dry) The King appreciates your diligence. Nepomuceno bends down his head. The door opens abruptly. Nepomuceno recoils. Antonio faces Larvaez, who walks into the room. ANTONIO (continuing) Father Larvaez! I’m sure you know Nepomuceno, the secretary of the Genovese bankers. Nepomuceno remains tense. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 76. LARVAEZ You are involved in a very serious affair, Nepomuceno. Antonio giggles. Nepomuceno looks nervously at Larvaez. LARVAEZ (continuing) A member of your family has been accused of heresy. CUT TO: 42 EXT. MADRID’S CHURCH. DAY. 42 Francisco looks inquisitively at Lucrecia. She stands his scrutiny. We see a blue sky behind Francisco. Maria and Beatriz look at them from the distance. They are on a terrace, in a Madrid Church. As they move, we see a two-headed man shaped cloud. FRANCISCO Say that again. LUCRECIA You are going to be the royal confessor. The wind raffles Francisco’s clothes. FRANCISCO (after a pause) Should I infer that Fray Jeronimo de Cespedes will be recalled by Rome? LUCRECIA Perhaps... I don’t know. FRANCISCO ’For the King, death lives in Toledo’--that’s what you said. LUCRECIA That’s what I heard. FRANCISCO Have you heard about Fray Jeronimo’s efforts to move the Holy See to Toledo? (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 77. LUCRECIA (calm) No, my Lord. FRANCISCO (agitated) Can you read Latin? LUCRECIA I was taught at the Guardiola family. FRANCISCO (who grimaces) If your prophesies are truthful they are either inspired by God or by the devil. Lucrecia looks intensively at him. FRANCISCO (continuing) Maidens are often tempted by vanity. Lucrecia kisses his hand. LUCRECIA (in anguish) I’m a good christian. FRANCISCO I haven’t forgotten what happened in the Temple. (intimidated) I would need another opinion... Francisco turns around and walks towards Maria and Ana. Lucrecia intertwines her hands and raises her head to the sky. The sun is covered by a horned-shaped cloud. CUT TO: 43 INT. LISBOA’S ROYAL PALACE. SUNSET. 43 The Queen lies on a bed, covered by a blue sheet. The expression in her eyes is empty. A small table is placed besides her bed; we distinguish on it a white jar and a metallic cup. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 78. The wind enters through a window. Far-away mumbling is heard. Light falls on her face--it filters through a tall window. There is a gradation of light along the bedroom, from white (window) to almost darkness (door). Candles in a sconce illuminate the background of the room. Bausch’s "Saint Anthony’s Temptations" triptych hangs on the wall. Philip, standing besides the bed, studies the Queen’s countenance. A GUARD leaves the room and closes the door. The Queen wakes up. She swings her head in anguish. PHILIP I couldn’t be crowned today because of your disease. QUEEN (weak) Phillip, please. PHILIP Only dead can we understand the nature of our love. Philip sits down on the bed--besides her. He looks tired and sad. PHILIP (continuing) Time has passed away. I’ve been a good husband, haven’t I? After my son’s death, I was accused by my subjects of murder--but I wasn’t afraid to marry you. My children were the force that supported me. QUEEN (looking tenderly at him) I love you! Oh, only God knows how much I love you. PHILIP (bitter) Even my enemies praise your devotion. How could you believe I killed my own son? (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 79. QUEEN I’m thirsty... Slowly, Philip pours water in the cup. He lifts his wife’s head in his arms. PHILIP I must confess I’m jealous of him. The rascal! He won your heart as a cadaver. Philip pours water in her lips. PHILIP (continuing) We are alone. Indeed. Alone. Where is God? My fear is so elusive. Philip sobs. With difficulty he adds: PHILIP (continuing) How could you betray me? You chose don Antonio de Perez and Doña Ana de Mendoza’s friendship over mine. An adulterer! A murderer! He intends to slaughter all my children. History will know that three of them were killed. And you helped them--Ignorantia non excusat... Silence. Philip holds the cup in his hand. The Queen agonizes in her bed. He looks fascinated at her. The Queen screams and dies. Philip listens to a sound behind him. He looks at her back. Jeronimo de Cespedes stands--still. He holds a letter in his hand. Philip looks sharply at him. PHILIP (continuing) How did you enter? Jeronimo de Cespedes gasps. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 80. JERONIMO I got a letter from Madrid. PHILIP A letter! Philip closes the eyes of the Queen. PHILIP (continuing) What is it about? JERONIMO Don Juan de Austria’s secretary was stabbed. (with apprehension) Don Antonio de Perez blames the Duke of Alba! You know that’s impossible, but Madrid is infested by foretellers. They say--Oh, my God, that death is close to you... Jeronimo is interrupted by the sudden vision of the Queen’s body. Jeronimo trembles. He raises his eyes to Philip with horror. Philip rubs his eyes. He comes to Jeronimo, who steps back. Philip takes the letter from his hand. PHILIP Her health was weak. JERONIMO How could she...? PHILIP (interrupting and screaming) She was sick!!! Jeronimo looks gravely at Philip. JERONIMO O, my son... You did it. Philip’s expression is cold. He takes the cup and offers it to Jeronimo. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 81. PHILIP If you don’t know my will you don’t know God’s will. Jeronimo stands up in an effort to escape. Possessed by an unnatural force, Philip grasps him with one arm. With the other he shoves the cups’ liquor in his mouth. Jeronimo’s eyes pour tears. Jeronimo faces Bausch’s triptych: he fixes his eyes on Saint Anthony’s image--a resemblance of Philip. This image seems to be looking at Jeronimo. Philip throws Jeronimo’s agonizing body over the floor. He moans weakly. He faces the triptych once again: the earth burns in it--we hear the whisper of the flames. Philip’s face is lit by the red light of the sunset. Jeronimo screams. He is surrounded by the Bausch’s fiendish figures: the pale woman on a rat, the porcine priest, the fish, the owl. CUT TO: 44 EXT./INT. THE FRONT OF DON JUAN OF AUSTRIA’S QUARTERS ON THE NETHERLANDS. NIGHT. 44 The camera moves through the space as don Juan of Austria’s scream is heard. The space is covered by fires--each surrounded by SOLDIERS. Soldiers stand up and cross the space towards his tent. The screams keep on. Soldiers, MONKS and OFFICIALS--almost all of them wearing their night-robes, surround the tend. Inside, don Juan of Austria is grasped by two soldiers. Pacheco looks sternly at him. He carries a scroll in his hands. The soldiers mumble amongst them. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 82. Don Juan is absent. He opens his mouth in pain. His fingers tremble in the air. His forehead frowns in agony. SPANISH SOLDIER 5 arrives. SOLDIER 5 Don Juan? SOLDIER 6 His messenger was murdered. PACHECO I loathe to be the bearer of bad news. Our King wants to assure you, nonetheless, that none of the murderers will go unpunished. SOLDIER 5 (whispering, to Don Juan) He killed him. SOLDIER 6 Death to Philip! SOLDIER Death to Philip! Pacheco recoils. Other soldiers scream against Philip. Pacheco walks out amongst furious soldiers. He gets into a carriage parked outside the tent. CUT TO: 45 INT. CARRIAGE. DAY. 45 Pacheco enters into his carriage. PACHECO (to the coachman:) To Madrid. COACHMAN You must rest, my Lord! Pacheco beats the coachman on his head with his rod. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 83. PACHECO Whip the horse now or I will send you to the galleys! The coachman whips the horses. CUT TO: 46 INT. INQUISITION PALACE, MADRID. DAY. 46 Hector Mendoza, seated in his chair, looks pensive at Lucrecia. Fray Luis de Leon and three monks are seated in lower seats around him. The Inquisition Palace is white. The walls are notoriously naked of portraits. On the ceiling, however, there is a Tiepolo fresco--in which semi-naked angels fly over a blue sky. In the lower ground, Beatriz and Maria whisper to each other. There are seated amongst a small audience. Next to them Diego-- bearing a profuse beard, studies Lucrecia’s countenance. Several guards stand besides the doors. MARIA (whispering) And Francisco? BEATRIZ (looking around) It seems he had more urgent matters to attend. MARIA Lucrecia doesn’t fit into this place. Inquisitors and monks are all branches of the same tree... MENDOZA (to Lucrecia) If your confessor thinks your dreams are prophetic, he must be right. Does he know you for a long time? LUCRECIA For one month, Monsignor. Whispers amongst the audience. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 84. FRAY LUIS What did you dream last night? LUCRECIA My Lord was taking my heart into his hands. BEATRIZ (almost crying, in a mix of pleasure and pain) She’s a saint. FRAY LUIS Many feigned prophets wonder throughout Spain, your Excellency. Nonetheless, we must recognize God’s messengers as well. The people of Madrid needs them--now more than ever. They sense that the revelations of Saint John are at hand. DIEGO (standing up) Every single dead carries the entire destruction of the world. Whispers. MENDOZA (to Diego) Marquees de Quiroga! As a student of theology, what do you think of these maiden’s prophetic gifts? Diego stands up and approaches Lucrecia. DIEGO Although I would have liked to listen a entire description of her dreams... Lucrecia smiles at him. Diego’s eyes shine. DIEGO (continuing) And although my knowledge on mysticism is scant, I must say that Lucrecia’s dreams are consistent. I doubt they are a product of female fantasy. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 85. LARVAEZ (O.S.) (suddenly, interrupting Diego) What are these people doing here? All of them turn around and see Larvaez, who enters into the room followed by four inquisition guards. MENDOZA Father Larvaez! I wasn’t expecting you... LARVAEZ (challenging Mendoza) I lament to interrupt your audience. Larvaez looks threatening at Lucrecia, Beatriz and... Maria. Lucrecia approaches Beatriz. LARVAEZ (continuing) But as soon as I heard that Nepomuceno de Leon’s family was here, I couldn’t resist my duty. (with emphasis) I have some saddening news. Whispers. LARVAEZ (continuing) Although our King defeated the Portuguese army, the Queen and the royal confessor have been taken by the plague. Beatriz, Maria and Mendoza look at Lucrecia. MARIA (in admiration, looking at Tiepolo’s painting) She foresaw it! MENDOZA (saddened) The Queen? LARVAEZ (ignoring his reaction) Your first priority, Father Mendoza, is to prosecute the enemies of our faith, rather than to hold audiences with them. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 86. DIEGO (shocked) Lucrecia? LARVAEZ (pointing out the three woman) A mask of innocence conceals them. JERONIMO You are in a holy place. FRAY LUIF I see cruelty in your face, Father Larvaez. LARVAEZ (dry) You are an able interpreter, fray Luis. Maria looks at the door. Larvaez approaches Beatriz. He breathes in front of her. LARVAEZ (continuing) I have made some inquires on the past of de Leon family. Beatriz and Lucrecia: two virtuous women scarcely tainted by deceit. For years, perhaps without knowing it, they have sheltered a Marrana. Mumbling amongst the audience. Beatriz looks at Maria, who flees out of the room. Larvaez remains calm. LARVAEZ (to Mendoza) What are you waiting for? MENDOZA Yes, yes... (confused; to the soldiers) Don’t allow her to escape. The guards run behind Maria. LARVAEZ Her escape is the clearest confirmation of her guilt. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 87. Mendoza looks angrily at Beatriz and Lucrecia. He stands up and exits. Beatriz approaches Mendoza and kneels at his feet. BEATRIZ (with trembling voice) We didn’t know it, your excellency. It was my husband who brought her from Cordoba. LARVAEZ (to Lucrecia) Be prudent on your dreams. LUCRECIA Pardon me? LARVAEZ You are young, (looking at Fray Luis) and this is a superstitious city. A tear falls from Lucrecia’s eye, while she looks at him. CUT TO: 47 EXT. MADRID INQUISITION PALACE. DAY. 47 Persecution sequence. Maria runs through white corridors, panting. Two guards run behind her. She crosses a room where thre HERETICS are being tortured. Five TORTURERS see her climbing up the stairs. She climbs up until she reaches the belfry. From it she sees a ground covered by cadavers. She grasps her stomach. The guards stop near her. GUARD 1 Don’t do it! Maria looks down. A WOMAN on the street screams. Maria jumps. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 88. The woman sees Ana hanging on the tower. A soldier grasps Maria’s dress. She faints. CUT TO: 48 EXT. MADRID’S PUBLIC SQUARE. NIGHT. 48 A square surrounded by torches. 200 children sing a Gregorian mass. Larvaez conducts them. A large audience looks at them. Peasants and beggars stand at one side. On the opposite side, according to their rank and position, ladies and gentlemen are seated in comfortable chairs placed over a wooden platform. Priests and monks hold long thin golden crosses. They wear mourning habits: white, black and purple. Nuns are spread out in groups. Two high wooden platforms domain the scene. In one of them we see black-dressed Philip seated in a red chair. He listens attentively to the choir’s chant. A white-dressed figure stands by his side: Francisco. On the second platform we recognized Diego, inquisitors and priests, who stand around Mendoza. Mendoza remains seated besides the GENERAL INQUISITOR, a decrepit man who mumbles Latin prayers. There is a table in front of him, on wich we recognized the objects and books required to celebrate a mass. Philip glances at Mendoza. Mendoza nods his head, stands up and raises his hand. A PENITENT looks at Mendoza. He bears a torch. He kindles two bonfires. The chant is overwhelmed by wild cries of pain. Tied to the bonfire’s central post we recognized a group of nuns; tied to another, a group of monks. They scream as they are burned. The choir sings louder. Beatriz, Nepomuceno, Segismunda and Lucrecia are seated in the first row, very close to the fire. They look at the flames. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 89. SEGISMUNDA (to herself, but in a loud tone:) Death to the sodomites! The penitent kindle another bonfire. Seven black men tied to a post are lit. Nepomuceno dries his sweaty forehead with his handkerchief. Lucrecia and Beatriz move amongst the crowd and face a pile of wood where 7 men and 8 women are tied up--amongst them, Maria. The penitent kindle the bonfire. MARIA Lucrecia! Lucrecia scream. The crowd scream in a mix of pity, fear and scorn. Many of them look jarred at the sky. A group of nuns pray in ecstasy. They pour tears and laugh. The penitents come and go, dilating and controlling the flame. Some priests wander mumbling Latin sentences and sprinkling with holy water to the crowd. The crowd kneels with pleasure to the water. As the choir ends its chant, we heard painful screams: CONDEMNED (in pain) God is love! God is love! God is love! Philip looks around him in a gesture of impatience. The crowd boos the condemned. Larvaez looks at the General Inquisitor, who imperatively gestures at him. Larvaez gives a signal to the children who sing. Their voices drown the screams of the condemned. The crowd cries wildly. Lucrecia, Nepomuceno, Beatriz and Segismunda sob and smile. Maria’s body is covered by the fire. CUT TO:
90. 49 EXT. MADRID’S OPEN PLACE. DAY. 49 The sky is blue, with clouds in motion. The same place of the last scene, next morning. On an almost empty space Lucrecia walks. She wears a nigh-cloak. In the place of the bonfires she faces enormous piles of ashes and pieces of black wood. The structures made for the King and the bishops are empty. At the center there is high post. Three skeletons without skulls are tied around them. A staircase is set besides them. The fisherman, wearing a black robe, approaches with four skulls in his hands. Lucrecia observes him. He approaches directly and asks: FISHERMAN Three cadavers lay on this post, Nay, but three skulls should they have. Beheaded they were--four I took. Now: whose skull is the fourth? LUCRECIA Death’s. From the tower of the Church, Lucrecia sees herself talking to the fisherman. She turns around and meets Philip, who seated on a chair outstretches his arms over a large table. She is seated on a chair as well--at the opposite side of the large table. She wears the Queen’s clothes--those worn during her death. Philip eats a pig’s head. She looks at her food: chicken fingers. PHILIP Debauchery was the sin of my youth. I begot many children then. You may be one of them, Lucrecia. Lucrecia looks at him in horror. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 91. PHILIP Who else was executed last night? LUCRECIA The plague. Philip looks sternly at her. PHILIP True. The table is shorter. Philip looks at her with desire. PHILIP (continuing) How many more secrets do you keep for me, Lucrecia? LUCRECIA My Lord has sent you to me, my King. He will bring bread to the poor and peace to the rich. PHILIP Many other prophets failed to persuade me before. This world is not our Lord’s concern. LUCRECIA Our Lord was born and die over this soil. There is no table. Philip looks at Lucrecia vis-a-vis. PHILIP You are so chaste. Philip tries to kiss her, but she shuns him. Her head bleeds. Lucrecia, standing besides the fisherman looks at the Church’s tower, where her body looks at the sky--as in scene 1. FISHERMAN Would you abuse your prophetic gifts? LUCRECIA (to the fisherman) Would I? The fisherman has been replaced by the warrior. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 92. WARRIOR A Queen in a Kingdom without Pope-- A Pope in a kingdom without a King. That’s your fate. But-- beware! Dread the temptations of the flesh! The warrior points out to a woman seated on a chair. She cries--concealing her face behind her hands. Her clothes are heavy. The chair is on the middle of a Madrid street. The chair spins over its axis towards Lucrecia. Lucrecia faces 60-year-old infant Isabella. Her hair is white. Her eyes ooze red tears. Lucrecia turns around and faces Jesus. She smiles and kneels down before him. JESUS (sad) You also will betray me. LUCRECIA (hurt) Am I not human, my Lord? Lucrecia looks at Jesus, who turns to be the face of a demon that screams. CUT TO: 50 INT. LUCRECIA’S BEDROOM. DAY. 50 Lucrecia lies in her bed. Her eyes are closed. She hears a bird’s singing, the movement of a body around her bedroom and a voice. MARIA (V.O.) My only sin was to be born in Cordoba. Didn’t I become a faithful follower of the Pope? I used to talk to Cathars and gypsies during my childhood--true. We are so absent at night. Maria stands up and arranges her bed. Lucrecia’s eyes remain close as she smiles. As Maria talks Lucrecia will snuggle in her bed--in a struggle to wake up. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 93. MARIA (calm) Do not cry for me, Lucrecia. Everything is so calm here. I worry about your upbringing. The Kingdom of ignorance is so brief, and yet so painful. She smiles at Lucrecia. Lucrecia opens her eyes smiling. Her smile vanishes. The space is empty. NEPOMUCENO Maria! She sits on her bed and looks at Maria’s bed: it’s empty. Lucrecia cries and throws herself along Maria’s bed. She looks at the door. Nepomuceno faces her. He approaches her and embraces her. NEPOMUCENO (continuing) We must forget her. LUCRECIA She could have lived in Cordoba. We brought her here to die. NEPOMUCENO It was her or one of us, Lucrecia. Beatriz runs into the room. She holds a letter in her hands. BEATRIZ (joyful) Lucrecia! LUCRECIA I didn’t dream her death, and... (beat) You betrayed her! Nepomuceno stands up. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 94. NEPOMUCENO (to Beatriz) Thus she acknowledges my protection. LUCRECIA You... NEPOMUCENO I saved you! LUCRECIA I don’t believe you! NEPOMUCENO Why? Because you haven’t dreamt it? It was your conversation about foretelling which called Larvaez’ attention. The Inquisition hangs over our heads. Would you be able to foresee it? Lucrecia avoids her father’s sight and sobs in a low tone. Beatriz sits down besides her. BEATRIZ You shouldn’t blame anyone. Maria died for you. LUCRECIA (crying) I didn’t kill her! BEATRIZ Francisco has been called by Philip. He is now the royal confessor. Lucrecia rubs her eyes. NEPOMUCENO Did he... write you? Beatriz gives her letter to Nepomuceno. He reads it. BEATRIZ (smiling) Since now you will live in El Escorial. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 95. NEPOMUCENO (inspired) You may even get marry to a Duke. Lucrecia gets up and exits the room. She walks over the backyard. It snows. CUT TO: 51 INT. EL ESCORIAL BEDROOM. DAY. 51 Infant Isabella is being dressed by two maidens--one of them Sofia. Her dress is red and blue. Lucrecia, standing close to her, wears a green new dress. This bedroom is white. The morning light enters through wide windows. 6 maidens clean the room. ISABELLA Life is not fun here, indeed. With the exception of the chess games encouraged by my father, and the evening concerts of harpsichord, there are few things you can enjoy in El Escorial. LUCRECIA Your company alone will rapt my days living in this castle, my princess. ISABELLA Castle? That’s a courteous retort for this mausoleum, SOFIA (to Isabella) Lucrecia de Leon was educated by the Guardiola family. ISABELLA You both know each other, I gather. (to Lucrecia) Madrid talks about your prophetic skills. I’ve been wondering. Do you believe that we can change the future? (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 96. LUCRECIA Which is predictable doesn’t have necessarily to be immutable. ISABELLA (mockingly--slightly bothered) Did anyone, by any chance, understand what I just heard? SOFIA I didn’t. ISABELLA (to Lucrecia) Have you fallen in love with a theologian? Sofia and the second maiden giggle. Lucrecia smiles confused. LUCRECIA I’m afraid I didn’t address my princess rightly. I beg you will accept my apologies for my lack of knowledge in court manners. Isabella laughs. ISABELLA (conciliatory) Keep your ceremony for my father and his court, Lucrecia. LUCRECIA I hope you won’t get a bad first impression of me ISABELLA From now on you are part of an insurgent group whose first rule is informality. Isabella is finally dressed. Doña PASCUALA--a Moorish middle-age court lady, arrives. PASCUALA Fray Francisco awaits for you at the counsel. ISABELLA We are ready. (to Sofia) (More) (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 97. ISABELLA (continuing) Is it true that the Marquees of Quiroga has come to the court today? SOFIA True, my princess. ISABELLA (to Lucrecia) Another handsome noble man without fortune. (beat) Perhaps he wants to marry one of my maidens. LUCRECIA (flushed) Does he? Sofia, the second maiden and Isabella giggle. ISABELLA (to Pascuala) We are going. Pascuala leaves. Isabella leads Lucrecia. During the next dialogue they will walk along rooms, halls and corridors--every door will be opened by two maidens, exception made of the last door--which will be opened by two soldiers. ISABELLA (continuing; to Lucrecia) Fray Francisco talks quite often about your visions. Have you ever heard the voice of God? LUCRECIA Sometimes I hear a voice. I believe it’s holy. If it is from the Demon or God, I cannot judge. ISABELLA I don’t see the world in those terms. It could be also from you. LUCRECIA What terms? (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 98. ISABELLA Good and evil--that’s an invention taken from the heretics by the Dominicans. As you see the soldiers of Christ are many! She laughs. Lucrecia smiles unable to understand her joke. ISABELLA (continuing) Even the Marranos! Isabella laughs louder. Lucrecia blushes. Isabella meets don Antonio de Perez--who crosses the room. She suddenly calms down, recovering her majestic mood. ISABELLA (continuing; loudly, trying to be heard by don Antonio--who moves away) But--believe me, living in the court I’ve learnt that everyone must take care of himself. LUCRECIA (smiling) A philosopher would advise our ruler to rely on lies. ISABELLA (excited) Oh, I’m sure you have many gossips to tell us--I’m anxious to know what people from Madrid think of us! LUCRECIA People don’t think, my princess. They just believe. ISABELLA You are a cunning woman, Lucrecia. Call me Isabella. (whispering) I mean, in private. LUCRECIA (smiling) As you like it. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 99. ISABELLA My father wants people to believe there are two factions in the court. I guess you have heard of that. LUCRECIA (assenting) To rule is a difficult enterprise. ISABELLA Oh, my father loves it! I know he learnt it from my grandfather. LUCRECIA Charles the fifth? ISABELLA In order to conquer, he must divide. LUCRECIA (flattering) That’s wise. ISABELLA (ironic, but friendly) You don’t have to flatter my family in order to be my friend, Lucrecia. LUCRECIA I apologize, my princess. Silence. They walk through a room full of politicians and lawyers. Nepomuceno is last in a row. He carries some papers under his arms. Lucrecia faces him. He looks at her. He lifts his arm. She ignores him, fixing her eyes on the front door. She and Isabella exit the room. LUCRECIA (continuing) People believe that Antonio de Perez ruled without control during our King’s absence. ISABELLA Only the King rules Spain. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 100. LUCRECIA People believe he wished Escobedo’s death. ISABELLA If don Antonio committed an injustice against my uncle, he will pay. LUCRECIA Baron Pacheco might replace him. ISABELLA Baron Pacheco? Did you dream it? LUCRECIA No, my princess. ISABELLA You seem quite confident. LUCRECIA The Baron’s diligence has called the attention of our King. ISABELLA His flattery? I see! They giggle. ISABELLA (continuing) Would it happen, I won’t pity the Prince of Eboli. He is, after all, a lecher--the lover of his stepfather’s widow. LUCRECIA (shocked) Doña Ana? ISABELLA (delighted) Once I surprised them in mortal sin. In their office. Some tongues affirm that the old prince of Eboli--that is, Antonio’s stepfather, suffered a heart attack when he found them performing nasty games. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 101. LUCRECIA (scandalized) And does your father know it? ISABELLA Of course, he knows. And he approves it. In comparison to those two any King can considered himself a virtuous man. They arrive to the big hall where scene 5 took place. QUEVEDO, a 45-year old man, with small spectacles over his nose, plays a harpsichord installed on a corner. Pacheco, Diego, Francisco--wearing new clothes, and Mendoza are seated next to each other. They talk in Latin. Isabella smiles at Diego. Diego nods gently his head. Diego smiles at Lucrecia. Lucrecia smiles back at him, shifting her sight to Philip’s empty throne. Fray Luis examines Bausch’s paintings. Writers prepare their staff--they are seated in front of their desks. Some group of bankers wearing red and blue clothing walk talking of Michelangelo. Mendoza joins Fray Luis. They chat. Antonio and Ana talk to each other--while smiling at Larvaez, who, next to them, speak to two black-dressed Jesuits. Lucrecia and Isabella stop their walk in front of Diego and Francisco. FRANCISCO Good morning, little ladies. I hope God sent you nice dreams last night. Lucrecia and Isabella look at each other with uneasiness. DIEGO (to Isabella, after kissing her hand) It’s a pleasure to see you again after so many years. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 102. ISABELLA (introducing Lucrecia and Diego to each other) One of my childhood’s friends, Lucrecia. DIEGO We were introduced to each other about three years ago. ISABELLA (bluffing) Of course! At the Duke of Guardiola’s house! I should have figured it out. DIEGO Now you are Lucrecia de Leon, the dreamer and the prophetess. Diego kisses Lucrecia’s hand. LUCRECIA (blushing) Marques... DIEGO Have you followed my advice? Lucrecia smiles at him. LUCRECIA I am twice indebted to you. They stare intensely at each other. Francisco notices it. FRANCISCO (to Isabella) We can sit down. Diego bends his body, turns around and joins Fray Luis and Mendoza, Lucrecia, Francisco and Isabella take a seat. Francisco studies Lucrecia’s face. FRANCISCO (continuing) I trust you have learnt enough court manners at the Guardiola family to impress the King. He’s anxious to meet you. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 103. LUCRECIA I must thank you for your recommendation. FRANCISCO (teasing) Didn’t you foresee I was going to help you? LUCRECIA God... FRANCISCO (skeptical) Have you realize, Lucrecia, that your position is mainly due to the superstition of the crowd? Lucrecia’s permanent smile vanishes. FRANCISCO (continuing; whispering) I hope you won’t be so foolish as to address your prophesies against our King. ISABELLA (suddenly, to Francisco) Has my father talked to you about my bridegroom? FRANCISCO Not yet. Too many matters keep him busy. But I am sure he wants the most convenient marriage for you. LUCRECIA (with a sudden impulse) Himself? FRANCISCO Pardon me? LUCRECIA Does my King wants his daughter living in the castle? ISABELLA (to Lucrecia-- surprised, realizing the fact...) Is it another prophesy? An announcer and a trumpeter enter suddenly into the room. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 104. FRANCISCO (impatient) Nonsense! (to Isabella) Our King has--as a matter of fact, asked me to formulate my opinion about who may be the incoming Queen of France. Isabella doesn’t listened to him. The trumpeter plays. Everyone stands up--Isabella being the last one. ANNOUNCER Your majesty, the Catholic King; sovereign of Castilla, Aragon, and Portugal, of its territories in Africa and the Indies, and of the incommensurable new world beyond the sea!... Trumped is played. ANNOUNCER (continuing) Our holy King, Philip the Second, The Prudent. Isabella laughs. Francisco looks sternly at her. FRANCISCO (to Isabella, in a low voice:) Do you feel well? ISABELLA (with pain and joy) It’s always so ridiculous. The announcer moves to one side. The trumpeter goes to the door, where other three trumpeters wait for him. They play. Philip enters followed by a retinue of six men-- his advisers and flatterers--one of them Pacheco. Writers prepare their stuff--they stand stiffly besides their desks. Philip stands in front of the throne. He raises his arm and the music ceases. (CONTINUES)
CONTINUING: 105. PHILIP Divina natura dedid agros, ars humana aedificat urbes. [Holy nature gave us the fields--human skill builds the cities.] Philip sits down in his throne. He raises his hand. Everyone else sits down. Isabella looks coldly at him. DISSOLVE TO: 52 INT. ROYAL CAMERA. DAY. 52 Isabella, sitting on the same place, looks at the window, where the snow falls furiously over the ground. Lucrecia listens with attention to a neighboring conversation: ANTONIO ...Inasmuch as England has become our main economic ally. The root of an antipapal tree has been planted there--true. But politics must be separated from religion in order to overcome our differences. Otherwise Spain and England will sink altogether in this sea of bigotry, with storms so opportunely encouraged by the pope. Lucrecia looks at Antonio, who stands in front of Pacheco. Both men are in the middle of the room. Philip observes them. PACHECO I contend that a Britannic surrender won’t render as much glory to Rome as to Spain. Our vessels are the only means Europe has to persuade the British aristocracy of the universality of Rome’s Church. P
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