Subject: Book 2, Summary #2, part 2 Author: Nancy (198.4.159.5) Date: 08-10-1999 18:28 Chapter VII Scene # 1 Monica wakes up and begins to take notice of her surroundings: she is lying on fine sheets and pillows, and she is wearing a white gown. Colibri asks her how she is feeling and then tells her to lie back as he will go get something for her. Monica hasn't quite grasped where she is but she begins to quickly recall everything including her wedding and what happened afterwards. The doctor approaches her bed and just as he begins to inform her of her health Monica faints at the sight of Juan at the door: "El hombre cuya presencia provocara el desmayo de monica se acerca muy despacio, sereno y triste, y queda inmóvil, mirándola… Ahora, sin las rosetas de la fiebre las mejillas de Monica son más blancas que las blancas sábanas en que se envuelve… La mira y la halla hermosa, extraordinariamente hermosa, a pesar de su aspecto débil, enfermizo, con una belleza doliente que la hace más niña." Juan asks the doctor is she is better and when the doctor agrees Juan asks him to leave them alone but Monica asks the doctor to stay. So Juan leaves instead. Monica inquires how long it is since they have returned to Saint-Pierre but the doctor informs her that they are at María Galante. M: Entonces estoy sola… abandonada? D: No creo que "abandono" sea la palabra exacta, Su esposo es un muchacho fuerte y áspero como buen marinero, pero si he de serle franco, diré que por lo menos en los cuatro días que llevan ustedes frente a María Galante, no ha podido portarse mejor. Ha transformado en lo posible, esta pequeña cueva… y no ha omitido ningún gasto para proporcionarle a usted las mayores comodidades. Claro que lo sensato hubiera sido desembarcarla… Yo hasts le insinué a su esposo la posibilidad de dejarla mientras él termina su viaje, pero no accedió y… me parece razonable, Después de lo que le he visto atenderla y cuidarla, considero que sería para él muy duro separarse de usted… Monica is baffled by the idea of Juan taking care of her. Then the idea terrorizes her because she begins to question why Juan would do such a thing. She grows more and more certain that Juan must have consummated the wedding. The doctor introduces himself as Alejandro Faber and tells Monica that she can see a friend in him and he is willing to help her in anything since she reminds him of his daughter who passed away years ago. Monica wants to beg and plead him for help but she feels she can't without revealing the truth about the circumstances that led her there. So instead she resigns herself and asks that he write a letter to her mother telling her that she is alive and well. As the doctor is leaving he stops to speak to Juan, and tells him that Monica's health is improving: Me alegro mucho, doctor-Desmintiendo el tono seco y cortante, los ojos oscuros de Juan se han iluminado. Ha sentido como si su pecho se aflojase, como si pudiese respirar mejor, pero rechaza aquel alivio que a él mismo le sorprende… Then Juan asks the doctor - in a very sarcastic and bitter way--if Monica has complained to him or asked him for help. When the doctor denies it Juan is again relieved. The doctor then asks Juan if he has done something reproachable. When Juan says that he never reproachs himself for anything the doctor jokes about how he's glad because he had come to think that Juan had kidnapped Monica, and dismisses the whole idea as a result of such legends that you tend to hear around the islands. The doctor then asks Juan if Monica is from France which Juan says she is. Just as the doctor is about to leave he timidly ventures to ask Juan about the name Campo Real which Monica mentioned. He muses that he now knows where he had heard of it and of the name D'Autremont. Then he remembers hearing that a Molnar married a D'Autremont. Then he asks Juan his name to which Juan responds: "A mí me llaman Juan del Diablo!" The doctor is taken aback by this response and quickly exits. Juan then orders Segundo to go to shore for provisions so that they can set sail as soon as he returns. Among the things he tells Segundo to get is woman's clothes. Segundo is struck by this but Juan only hurries him forward. Juan then goes to see if Monica is awake. Monica doesn't speak because she is stunned and frightened at the thought of belonging to Juan. Juan begins by telling her that most likely she hasn't wasted any time in informing Dr. Faber of her situation and asking for help. When she denies understanding what he is talking about Juan continues on ranting about how she must have enlisted the doctor's help because after all he is of the same class as she. Juan proceeds to say that he would have loved to have a copy of their marriage certificate to show the doctor; he would have enjoyed seeing the look of surprise on the doctor's face. Juan then tells Monica that he tried to tell her earlier when he asked to speak with her and she asked that the doctor stay instead, but that now he has had to take his precautions and they will continue on their voyage. Juan is surprised to see Monica doesn't protest and he asks her if she cares. Monica asks him if it would change his plans if she cared. Juan approaches the bed and Monica shudders. He tells her not to fear him and she says that she isn't frightened because the worst thing he could do to her now is kill her and its something she has long begged for him to do. "--Me has tomado, como tu doctor Faber, por un pirata, por un asesino profesional? Pero qué te pasa? Por qué estás llorando?… No llores… te hace daño… No tienes por qué llorar ni por que asustarte. No va a pasarte nada, absolutamente nada. No basta que yo te lo digo? Si necesitas otro médico más adelante, lo tendrás… --El Doctor Faber era mi amigo…ahora no tengo a nadie… --Amigos no te faltan en el Luzbel. En cuanto a mí… --No me toque usted, Juan! --Naturalmente que no la toco. No se preocupe, no tengo ningún interés en tocarla…Quédese en paz… Hondamente sentido por la actitud de Mónica, Juan ha abandonado la cabina, subiendo a cubierta…" Juan then bumps into Segundo who informs him that he saw Dr. Faber with the chief of police talking and pointing to el Luzbel. Juan tell Segundo that they will set sail within the hour. When Segundo says something about escaping Juan says that they are not running away but simply setting sail because its time for them to go. Scene # 2 Doña Catalina has just arrived in Campo Real. When Catalina exits her carriage she bumps into Noel and she informs him that she has just been inquiring after Juan's ship which is nowhere to be found. Catalina is eager to see Renato to tell him the truth about everything that happened. She is very sorry about not having spoken up sooner. Sofia comes in and she leads both of them to the office/library. Catalina insists on seeing Renato. She says she should have spoken up sooner and that it's now necessary that they save Monica. Sofia agrees that Catalina should have spoken up sooner, that all of them lied and played with Renato's love and honor. Sofia tells Catalina that she will not allow Catalina to destroy her efforts and her son any further. She says that Monica made her choice and knew what she was getting into. Catalina denies this and claims that both her and Monica thought Juan would let her go back to the convent but when Catalina went to look for her thereshw wasn't there and Juan's ship was nowhere to be found. Sofia blames Catalina for allowing Juan to be near her daughters. Sofia then says that she prefers to think that it wasn't Aimee's fault but Juan's. When Noel tries to protest, saying that Juan loved Aimee and that he was transfigured by that love, Sofia shuts him up. Sofia says that she will not allow another mistake and that she must now protect Aimee also because she is a D'Autremont .Then she proposes that they do what they can for Monica but without Renato's knowledge or intervention. She sends Catalina back to Saint-Pierre to await her arrival and then they will both go to see the governor. Scene # 3 Two days at sea have passed. Segundo is telling Juan that they will soon be out of provisions. Juan tells him to head north and that they will set anchor further ahead but not in the next day or two, he doesn't want to let anyone know where they are. Scene # 4 Monica wakes up to see Colibri next to her and she overcome with tenderness. Colibri asks her if she's well, if she wants anything to eat, if he should make her some tea. When Monica agrees to tea, she asks him if he knows where they are going. Colibri tells her that they are on open sea and no one knows where they are going except Juan. When Monica inquires if he knows, Juan comes in and tells her that he has spent 14 years navigating those waters. Juan then tells Colibri to bring another cup of tea and rushes him out of the room. Monica is once again overcome by angst and fear but she lloks at Juan closely: "…mirandolo despacio, cúanto ha cambiado… ya no viste sus ropas de caballero; se diría un marinero más, la gruesa camiseta de anchas rayas, el blanco pantalón descuidado, la gorra de visera oscura echada hacia atrás mostrando la frente despejada y un mechón de rebeldes cabellos… Ahora, con las mejillas rasuradas, sin la llama del alcohol en los ojos oscuros, parece más joven, su voz no suena a cólera ni hay un femento tan amargo en sus palabras." He tells her he is glad she is better because that will save them from having to stop for another doctor. Monica says she doesn't understand why he worries so much; it would have sufficed if he had just let her die. Juan jokes about it being the first time that she has spoken in his presence. Why do you torment me, asks Monica and Juan claims that he is not trying to torment her, unless his presence is a torment. Monica then asks him where they are going and he tells her that they are not going anywhere, that this is there home. He asks her what she expected: "Cómo pensaste que podría ser tu vida casada con un marinero? Querías que te dejara en el puerto? No, ya tuve una experiencia y me costó muy cara: quien deja una mujer en el puerto corre el peligro de no encontrarla, o de encontrarla junto a otro." Monica protests and asks him if he isn't yet satisfied. She wants to know how long he plans to continue with the lie of the marriage. Juan replies that as far as he knows they are really married. Monica tries to get up from the bed and flee but her knees buckle underneath her. Juan catches and prevents her from falling. He easily lifts her frail body and lays he down in bed again. And then he tells Monica what he meant to tell her before: "Iba a dejarte en María Galante, iba a entregarte al doctor Faber para que te devolviese a tu casa, a los tuyos…Eso fue lo que quise decirte, por eso le pedí al doctoe que nos dejase hablar a solas, pero no quisiste escucharme, Preferiste hablar con él, conchavarte para que me delatara; preferiste calumniarme, traicionarme, burlarte otra vez de mis sentimientos, de mis estúpidos sentimientos…" Monica tells him that she never asked doctor Faber to do anything, only to write to her mother to reassure her that Monica was alive and well. Juan pins her down on the bed, but his gesture is restrained, almost sweet and Monica's fear and angst is dissuaded and all she wants now is for him to believe her. Monica tells him that she speaks the truth, and that she has never lied before, except for the circumstance he already knows about. And then Juan says that he should believe her and that is that is the case then she has paid once again for someone else's indiscretion. Monica then watches him leave: "Se ha alejado con el paso silencioso y elástico de sus pies descalzos, y Monica le mira a través de sus lágrimas, roto de nuevo el dique de su llanto, pero roto también el nudo horrible de su terror, sintiendo que respira, considerando, por primera vez, que el hombre que se aleja no es una fiera, no es un bárbaro, no es un salvaje. Que acaso lata un corazón humano bajo el duro pecho de Juan del Diablo" (Sigh.) Monica then gets up and is trying to walk while holding herself up on the wall. Suddenly there is a jerk in the ship's movement and Monica loses her balance. Colibri comes to her rescue and she asks him what happened. Colibri informs her that Juan has taken the helm of the ship and has changed direction towards shore. He tells her that Juan is happy and has given Segundo all of his remaining tobacco and informed everyone that they are going to the island of Saba for provisions. "…Es bonito ver la tierra después de tanto mirar el mar, verdad mi ama? --Yo ni siquiera había visto el mar… Por la redonda ventana, Monica queda mirando el mar y aspira con ansia aquel aire impregnado de salitre y de yodo, sintiendo que corre más de prisa por sus venas la sangre, que vuelve la vida, esa vida que ha sido para ella tand ura, tan cruel, tan amarga, pero a la que se aferra su juventud con una extraña fuerza, tras haberse sentido agonizar, y profetiza: --Creo que me gustará ver la isla de Saba."