Man of La Mancha (9 page)

DON QUIXOTE
She wishes me to feel the beating of her heart. And such is her innocence she does not even know where it is.

(
The
GIRL
seizes
QUIXOTE’
s other hand and presses it to her other breast
)

SANCHO
(
Cynically
) Or even how many she has!

(
The
MOORS
dance and wail; the
PIMP
caterwauls, beating his breast
)

DON QUIXOTE
(
Listening gravely
) Much as I surmised.

SANCHO
What’s he saying?

DON QUIXOTE
A most grievous tale. The noble Sidi ben Mali hath been taken captive and even now lies deep in a dungeon not five leagues from here. While these, his faithful family and retainers, travel the countryside in hope of raising a ransom. (
The
GIRL
dances, putting a coin on her forehead
) See, Sancho, how quaint the customs of these Africans! In this charming manner they ask that I make contribution to their cause.

SANCHO
Don’t do it!

DON QUIXOTE
(
Incredulously
) Thou would’st ignore a fellow knight in jeopardy? Here, sweet maiden—with all my heart. (
He gives money to the
GIRL
,
and the other
MOORS
take the opportunity to lift his money pouch and other belongings. Meanwhile, to
SANCHO
) Shame on thee for a reluctant Christian! Shame on thee for a parsimonious wretch! Shame on thee for a small-hearted peasant! Shame on thee, Sancho, multiple shame!
(SANCHO
,
overcome by the rebuke, drops a coin in
QUIXOTE
’
s
golden helmet which the
GIRL
is holding
) Ah, Sancho, I knew it, I knew thy heart was good! (
The
MOORS
dance wildly
) How inspiring is their gratitude. Let us celebrate in their fashion!

(
QUIXOTE
and
SANCHO
join the dance; the
MOORS
steal everything in sight, including the “horses.”
QUIXOTE
and
SANCHO
finally fall, exhausted but happy. Then, as they discover with dismay what has befallen them, the lights black out.

The lights come up on the courtyard of the Inn. The
INNKEEPER,
humming happily, is crossing the courtyard. From offstage, the discordant bleat of
SANCHO’
s bugle. He stops and turns a haunted face toward the gates
.
MARIA
comes crashing from the inn
)

MARIA
(
A shriek
) Don’t open the gates! Don’t let him in!

INNKEEPER
(
His face clearing
) It’s the pig-butcher. Don’t you remember? We expected him yesterday.

MARIA
No, no! Don’t open!

(
The
INNKEEPER
goes to the gates as
QUIXOTE
and
SANCHO
appear, supporting each other
.
MARIA
screams and runs off
)

INNKEEPER
Not
again?
(
Trying to bar the way
) This place is closed. This castle has gone out of business!

DON QUIXOTE
(
Feeble but stern
) What, sir? Deny the right of sanctuary?

INNKEEPER
I hate to, but—

DON QUIXOTE
And
to a knight dubbed by thy own hand?

INNKEEPER
(
Wavering
) It
doesn’t
seem right …

DON QUIXOTE
Not by any rule of chivalry!

(
The
INNKEEPER,
yielding with a sigh, allows them to enter
.
QUIXOTE
and
SANCHO
totter into the courtyard—footsore and in very bad shape. The
INNKEEPER
looks them over
)

INNKEEPER
More muleteers?

SANCHO
(
Hollowly
) Moors. They stole our money.

DON QUIXOTE
Have done, Sancho.

SANCHO
They stole our animals.

DON QUIXOTE
   Must thou harp on it?

SANCHO
They stole everything we
had
.

INNKEEPER
(
With pity
) Why don’t you declare a truce?

DON QUIXOTE
And allow wickedness to flourish?

INNKEEPER
I’m afraid wickedness wears thick armor.

(
In the background, unseen by the three
,
ALDONZA
enters
)

DON QUIXOTE
(
Roused
) And for that wouldst thou have me surrender? Nay, let a man be overthrown ten thousand times, still must he rise and again do battle. The Enchanter may confuse the outcome, but the effort remains sublime!

ALDONZA
(
Bitterly
) Lies. Madness and lies.

INNKEEPER
(
Horrified at her bruises, her tattered rags
) Aldonza! What happened?

ALDONZA
Ask
him
.

INNKEEPER
(
Calling as he exits
) Maria! Maria!

DON QUIXOTE
(
Rising, aghast
) I shall punish them that did this crime.

ALDONZA
Crime! You know the worst crime of all? Being born. For that you get punished your whole life!

DON QUIXOTE
Dulcinea—

ALDONZA
Enough of that! Get yourself to a madhouse. Rave about nobility where no one can hear!

DON QUIXOTE
My lady—

ALDONZA
(
Passionately
) I am not your lady! I am not any kind of a lady! (
Singing
)

I was spawned in a ditch by a mother who left me there

Naked and cold and too hungry to cry;

I never blamed her, I’m sure she left hoping

That I’d have the good sense to die!

Then, of course, there’s my father—I’m told that young ladies

Can point to their fathers with maidenly pride;

Mine was some regiment here for an hour,

I can’t even tell you which side!

So of course I became, as befitted my delicate birth,

The most casual bride of the murdering scum of the earth!

DON QUIXOTE
And still thou art my lady.

ALDONZA
And still he torments me! Lady! How should I be a lady? (
Singing
)

For a lady has modest and maidenly airs

And a virtue I somehow suspect that I lack;

It’s hard to remember those maidenly airs

In a stable laid flat on your back.

Won’t you look at me, look at me, God, won’t you look at me,

Look at the kitchen slut reeking of sweat!

Born on a dungheap to die on a dungheap,

A strumpet men use and forget!

If you feel that you see me not quite at my virginal best,

Cross my palm with a coin and I’ll willingly show you the rest!

DON QUIXOTE
(
Tenderly
) Never deny, thou art Dulcinea.

ALDONZA
(
Ever more frantically
) Take the clouds from your eyes and see me as I really am! (
Singing
)

You have shown me the sky, but what good is the sky

To a creature who’ll never do better than crawl?

Of all the cruel bastards who’ve badgered and battered me,

You are the cruelest of all!

Can’t you see what your gentle insanities do to me?

Rob me of anger and give me despair!

Blows and abuse I can take and give back again,

Tenderness I cannot bear!

So please torture me now with your “Sweet Dulcineas” no more!

I am no one! I’m nothing! I’m only Aldonza the whore!

DON QUIXOTE
Now and forever thou art my lady Dulcinea!

ALDONZA
(
A wail
) No-o-o!

(
She collapses, despairing.
DON QUIXOTE
moves toward her compassionately—but suddenly, off, there is a fanfare of trumpets. Brazen, warlike, ominous in quality.
SANCHO
scurries to look, then backs away from what he sees
)

SANCHO
(
Choking with fear
) Master …!

(Music continues as the gates swing open. A strange cavalcade enters; liveried attendants preceding a
KNIGHT
,
tall and terrifying in fantastic armor. He wears a chain-mail tunic on which are mounted tiny mirrors that glitter and dazzle the eye. On his head is a masklike casque, only his eyes visible through slits. From the crest of the casque spring great plumes, accentuating what
seems already incredible stature. In his hand is a naked, shining sword. The music cuts as the cavalcade comes to a halt
)

KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS
(
His voice harsh, clangorous
) Is there one here calls himself Don Quixote de La Mancha? If there is—and he be not afraid to look upon me—let him stand forth!

DON QUIXOTE
(
At length, voice shaking
) I am Don Quixote, Knight of the Woeful Countenance.

KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS
(
Voice magnified and metallic within the casque
) Now hear me, thou charlatan! Thou art no knight, but a foolish pretender. Thy pretense is a child’s mockery, and thy principles dirt beneath my feet!

DON QUIXOTE
(
Trembling with anger
) Oh, false knight! Discourteous! Before I chastise thee, tell me thy name.

KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS
Thou shalt hear it in due course.

DON QUIXOTE
Then say why thou seekest me out!

KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS
(
Mockingly
) Thou called upon
me
, Don Quixote. Thou reviled me and threatened.

DON QUIXOTE
The Enchanter! (
A moan from
SANCHO
.
The music, under, is the “Enchanter’s Theme.”
DON QUIXOTE
tears off his left gauntlet, flinging it at the
KNIGHT
’
s
feet
) Behold at thy feet the gage of battle!

SANCHO
(
Anguished
) Master—no!

(He runs, scrambles for the gauntlet, but the
KNIGHT
pins it with his sword
)

KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS
(
Suddenly very cold
) On what terms do we fight?

DON QUIXOTE
Choose thine own!

KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS
Very well. If thou art beaten thy freedom is forfeit and thou must obey my every command. (
DON QUIXOTE
bows coldly
) And thy conditions?

DON QUIXOTE
If thou art still alive thou shalt kneel and beg mercy of my lady Dulcinea.

KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS
(
Mockingly
) Where shall I find this lady?

DON QUIXOTE
There she stands.

(The
KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS
turns his eyes to
ALDONZA—
her rags, her bruises, her ruined face. He begins to laugh in cruel derision
)

KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS
Thy lady … is an alley cat!

DON QUIXOTE
(
Drawing his sword in fury
) Monster! Defend thyself!

KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS
(
Stepping back
) Hold! Thou asked my name, Don Quixote. Now I shall tell it. I am called—the Knight of the Mirrors! (
Music: the “Enchanter’s Theme,” as the
KNIGHT
swings forward his shield. Its surface is polished steel, a mirror which blinds and bewilders
DON QUIXOTE
.
The
ATTENDANTS
reveal similar mirrors. In a choreographic pattern
QUIXOTE
will reel from one to the other, fetching up always against his own image
) Look, Don Quixote! Look in the mirror of reality and behold things as they truly are. Look! What seest thou, Don Quixote? A gallant knight? Naught but an aging fool! (
DON QUIXOTE
recoils from his own image, only to be brought up against another
) Look! Dost thou see him? A madman dressed for a
masquerade! (
Attempting escape,
QUIXOTE
finds himself facing another minor
) Look, Don Quixote! See him as he truly is! See the clown! (
QUIXOTE
reels away, only to find the mirrors converging as the
KNIGHT
and his
ATTENDANTS
close down upon him
) Drown, Don Quixote. Drown—drown in the mirror. Go deep—the masquerade is ended! (
QUIXOTE
collapses to his knees
) Confess! Thy lady is a trollop, and thy dream the nightmare of a disordered mind!

DON QUIXOTE
(
In dazed desperation
) I am Don Quixote, knight-errant of La Mancha … and my lady is the Lady Dulcinea. I am Don Quixote, knight-errant … and my lady … my lady …

(
Beaten, weeping, he sinks to the floor
)

KNIGHT OF THE MIRRORS
(
Removing the casque from his head
) It is done!

SANCHO
(
Thunderstruck
) Your Grace! It is Doctor Carrasco! It is only Sansón Carrasco!

DR. CARRASCO
Forgive me, Señor Quijana. It was the only way.

(
Lights dim down to
DON QUIXOTE
,
huddled weeping on the floor
.
ALDONZA
comes toward him, her face devastated by loss and pity. Music bridges as the lighting alters back to that of the prison, and the
CAPTAIN OF THE INQUISITION
is seen entering
)