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."