Subject: Summary, Chapter 13 & excerpts
Author: Robin N (157.198.3.51)
Date: 09-07-1999 17:07
Chapter 13
In the carriage, returning from the jail, Monica is very quiet. She
asks that they leave and Renato offers to take her to Campo Real.
Noel tells him that his mother and everyone is in Saint Pierre. This
surprises Renato, because Sofia hadn’t gone anywhere in 20 years.
She’s in their old house. He tells Monica he’ll take her there but
she tells him, no, take her to her own house, she wants to be alone.
After all, she’s the legitimate wife of Juan and his adversary in
the trial against Juan. He doesn’t want to leave her there, alone,
but she turns on the tears and he backs down.
Once home, she doesn’t even pause to open the windows, but walks
instead along the patio to the rocks facing the sea. She’s sprayed
lightly by the waves crashing on the rocks, but doesn’t care. She
can see the Luzbel offshore. Bitter and jealous tears fill her eyes
and she speaks, “Juan… Juan… Aun eres de ella, aun le perteneces…
Para siempre le perteneceras.. Eres mendigo de sus besos, esclavo de
su carne.. No es cierto que te quiera con toda su alma. Acaso tiene
alma? No, no la tiene ni vale la pena de tenerla!” She believes that
he’s happy with Aimee. Don Noel draws close, concerned that she’ll
slip on the rocks. He implies that she might jump (suicide?), but
she tells him no, she’s a Christian. He tells her that he made
Renato leave him there, that he couldn’t leave Monica. He asks her,
“that wasn’t a lawyer with Juan, was it? It was a woman, no?” Monica
confirms this, but asks him not to speak. Noel sees quite clearly
that Monica loves Juan and tells her so. She replies, but without
conviction, “No! no! Why do I have to love him? What I feel for Juan
is a little gratitude, that’s all!” Noel asks her to speak frankly
with him. “Don’t look at me as an enemy of Juan’s, I never was.
Don’t look at me as an employee of the D’Autremont. I was and
probably will be until I die, but feelings are something different.
The truth is that I shouldn’t continue speaking—it would be
indiscreet, but…” Monica tells him that he’s not indiscreet. She
knows perfectly well who Juan is and why he serves the D’Autremont’s
even though he puts himself forward for Juan. She knows how society
ignores the truth and how the governor will try to avoid his
responsibilities.
Noel tells her that she goes too far, but she replies, “No, Noel, I
would go very far, but it was an impossible dream. I’m back in
reality now, I’ve woken up and these rocks, this beach, this sea
show me the truth that the heart rejects. The dream was far away, on
the beaches of San Cristobal, the old streets of Saba, in the
fountain that showed our faces together, searching for our souls.
The dream lived only in me, I alone had it in my mind, only I gave
it human warmth. It was an illusion and it’s disappeared, a sand
castle crumbling under the first wave. Juan is the one who always
was, who always will be… They have lost there way. It’s him that
always was.. and I am nothing, I am nobody.” Noel tells her that
she’s mistaken, “Usted es la unica que puede sacar a Juan del abismo
en que esta… No se deje llevar por un sentimiento de violencia.”
Monica rejects this plea. She tells him that she was like a
sleepwalker, but now her eyes are opened. She knows the sad path
that she must take. She tells him that she’ll see him at the trial.
He wants to know if he can accompany her, but she tells him no, that
wouldn’t look well, what with him being the D’Autremont family
notary. He concedes this point and asks if there isn’t something he
can do for her. She asks him to try and get Colibri freed into her
care. He leaves and her hands seek blindly for her rosary. She
begins to pray and murmers, “Todo fue un sueño, un sueño y nada
mas.”
Aimee sees Renato and goes into the loving wife routine. “Renato de
mi vida!” He tells her to calm herself and explain why she’s not
where he left her. She blames it on Sofia, that she made her
accompany her. He makes as if to go verify this with Sofia and she
tells him to wait. Caught in this she tells him that she’s his wife
and should be with him. His love is the only thing that matters to
her. He doesn’t believe this for a minute. She pretends to be
wounded by his doubt, “Que ciego y que malo eres preguntandomelo de
esa manera!” She winds her arms around him and he just looks at her.
She tells him that she needs things to be the way they were before,
but he tells her that he knows they’ve committed errors, that it
would be better if he returns her to her mother. She has no desire
to be abandoned so. Renato, after all, knows that he can’t have
Monica, she’s legally Juan’s wife. He’s bitter that Monica’s so
attached to Juan. This is news to Aimee, “Adhesion a Juan? Monica es
adicta a Juan?” Renato tells her yes, “En cuerpo y alma. Al menos,
esa es su actitud, actitud que me enfurece, que me ofende, pero
frente a la que no tengo fuerza moral.” Aimee speculates that Monica
is strange, perhaps she likes the beast that is Juan.
“Likes him? You think that she could like him? Answer me! You think
that she can like him? You’re a woman and….” He grabs Aimee fiercely
and she tells him that he’s hurting her. He tells her that sometimes
he thinks she’s a child, then he can forgive her, but other times he
thinks she’s worse than a sinner. He asks her to swear to him that
she has nothing else to confess to him and she does… “Bueno, por,
por… Te lo juro por nuestro hijo! Por ese hijo que no ha nacido.”
She swears on their unborn child and this is the first Renato knows
of the child. He grabs her by the hair and looks into her eyes. He
doesn’t know what to make of this. She tells him that the battle is
won, he has Juan in his hands. He denies this. He did what he did
because he had no other recourse, he had to free Monica. He will be
cruel, but he won’t be a coward. She can hate him, but he’s going to
follow the path of justice. He tells her to go rest. Aimee tells him
not to leave her alone too long and leaves.
Once he’s alone, Yanina enters. She manages to tell him that Aimee
used the private audience that Sofia requested with the governor and
that she was with him the entire afternoon. He sends her to his
mother. Once again, he’s inflamed by Aimee’s perfidy. He goes to her
room and demands that she open the door at once. Ana opens the door
and tells him that Aimee’s bathing. He asks Ana if Aimee went out
that afternoon and she tells him yes, that they went to the
governor’s office because Aimee was concerned about Sofia’s illness.
He asks her to tell him everything that happened that afternoon and
think carefully before telling him any lies to excuse her behavior.
Ana tells him that there were there only a short while, nothing
more, and she told them in the kitchen that they were there the
whole afternoon to make them mad/jealous, especially Yanina, who’s
so full of herself. Then something nice happened. She’s about to
tell him about the clothing switch and Aimee’s visit and she catches
herself in time. She tells him that they took a very nice drive and
then they came home so Aimee could bathe.
Aimee calls to Ana and discovers Renato. He asks her why she didn’t
tell him that she visited the governor. She’s been eavesdropping on
Ana and Renato and knows what’s been said, so tells him that she’s
just a ninny and didn’t want to annoy him, that she promised Sofia…
etc. She promised Sofia that she would do everything to avoid a
scandal, that’s why they came to Saint-Pierre. She promised to help
her. She tells him that she spoke to the governor, but nothing about
his part, just herself and she’s promised to say nothing of it. As
for her drive, she’s tired of staying in the country, she wanted to
enjoy the city. It was just an innocent little drive—ask Ana.
Noel, meanwhile, is working to get Colibri free. He has a chance to
visit Juan as well. He tells him that he’s sorry to find him in the
jail cell. Juan acerbically replies, “Supongo que no habran faltado
sus buenos oficios para lograrlo.” Noel tells him that he’s very far
from the truth in this supposition. He did nothing to trap him, nor
would he ever, he’s come to speak to him of Monica. Juan bitterly
wonders if she’s soliciting dates to ask Rome for an annulment or
perhaps to divorce him, or just to make sure he’s locked up good and
tight! Well she can rest assured, they all are, even Colibri! Noel
asks him to change his tone so disagreeable and unjust.
“Desagradable? Puede… Injusto? Injusto, si, es verdad! No es ese el
tono que debo usar para hablar de ella. Debo decir que es la
comediante mas refinada, la mas cruel y vengativa de las
simuladoras, la mas malvada de las perfidas… Todo eso es mi
ilustrisima esposa! Pero, que quiere de mi? Que mas pretende? Acabe
de hablar, Noel!”
Noel tries to get a word in edgewise into this tirade. He shows him
the orders to free Colibri and Juan mocking comments that she’s
showing a little compassion. Noel tells him that she had nothing to
do with any of this and she’s terrible disgusted with Renato and the
way things have happened. Juan misinterprets this and sarcastically
says, “Santa Monica! Oh tierno corazon de mujer cristiana!” He goes
on furiously and Noel chastises him for being ever the furious wolf.
He reminds him that Juan will soon stand trial for his crimes and he
has committed many in reality. Juan says, “such as kidnapping
Monica,” but Noel tells him that’s not one of the charges, however,
he doesn’t know what she’ll say in court.
Juan’s a little surprised by this. She’ll go personally? He thought
she’d delegate her knight errant Renato. By the way, has he taken
her to Campo Real? Noel tells him that she insisted on going to her
own house, and that he’s sure that no one can force her to do
anything against her own conscience. He chides Juan for thinking
Renato will try to buy the trial outcome. He’s a loyal enemy, but
he’s really not his enemy. Juan retorts that he’s certainly done ill
by him! And after this he will be his enemy with all his soul. He
turns to Colibri and tells him to get up. He’s going to go with Don
Noel, thanks to Santa Monica. Noel cautions him to not poison the
child’s mind. He’ll take him to Monica. Colibri doesn’t want to go
without Juan, but he sends him away. Noel tells him that he’s sorry
that he can’t make him understand that Monica’s not at fault for any
of this.
“De nada? Esta usted muy seguro, Noel? Podria asegurar con la misma
firmeza que no fueron las cartas de Monica las que movieron a
Renato?” Noel tells him that he doesn’t know Monica that well, but
he knows her enough to know that he can assure him that they
weren’t. Juan replies, “Usted no, claro… pero yo soñe demasiado….”
Noel’s surprised by this sad response and asks him to explain,
however the horn sounds indicating it’s time for Noel to leave.
Juan, left by himself, murmurs, “ Gratitud…. gratitud…. Sin embargo,
ella dijo: felicidad…. y habia luz de dicha en sus ojos. Por que se
iluminaban? Era la luz del triunfo? Se burlaba acaso? Habia amor en
sus ojos…. pero, para quien era ese amor? His hands close over the
hard iron bars and he lowers his head. “Si, era amor…. Amor…. por
Renato!”
Monica’s on the beach; it seems to be the only place that calms her.
The waves wash over her feet and she sees the same dawning light
that Juan sees through his cell window and she despairs. It seems
like a lie to have returned. It was on this beach that the love
affair between Aimee and Juan played out. Why did she come here to
torment herself? She cries to herself, “Juan…. mi Juan! Pero no.
Nunca fue mio…. Jamas…. Jamas…. Es de ella, de la que supo ahogarlo
con su perfuma, de la que supo sepultarlo en su fango! Solo por ella
vivia, solo por ella esperaba!” She falls to her knees and tells
herself that she should forget, tear him from her heart. Her
thoughts turn to Renato and finds it incredible to think that at one
time in her adolescence she loved him. Now it is Juan who is burned
into her soul. “Juan, el pirata. Juan el salvaje. Juan del Diablo.”
She questions whether it was love or hate that burned in Juan’s eyes
when he looked at her. “Amor, si, amor por Aimee. Su amor de
siempre! Su amor, que no se acaba!”
Aimee sidles up to Renato. He’s working on papers, ignoring
champagne and fresh fruits. He tells her to let him finish his
paperwork. She wants to know what he’s working on so late all night
through. He’s amazed that he’s worked all night. He’s working on his
case against Juan. Aimee wonders why he doesn’t leave this to other
lawyers, why is it so important to him. They get into it and accuse
each other of jealousy, especially Aimee. “Si no lo haces, pensare
que toda tu proteccion a Monica no es mas que por celos. Si….. por
celos de Juan!” He shoves her aside and goes to prepare for the
trial.
Meanwhile, Monica, who’s been wandering along the beach, hears the
bells and realizes that it’s time for the trial.