Very well. But remember, these are secret matters.
I have a ring...
from Rome, given me by Señor Incubo himself.
10,000 spells.
I repeat. 10,000 separate spells went into the making of it.
I expect a queen to buy it for a tub of gold.
It's worth no less.
Could you lend it to me for just a little while, señor?
I couldn't part with it. The ring is priceless.
Oh, go on. Go on. Have it your own way.
It's known as the Rose of Delight.
Put it on your finger. No, wait.
Let me slip it on your thumb.
In a minute you'll feel the heat of it. Such is the power it holds.
Meat.
Now that is what I call magic.
Oh, it's wonderful, señor. I can feel the heat already.
- Good. I'll let you see it again sometime. - Oh, please, señor.
If you let me keep it, I'll mend for you, I'll wash for you.
I'll save you the choicest bits of the pot.
Woman, you're a robber. I told you the ring is priceless.
Washing and mending, eh?
All right. Have it your way. A kind heart was always my undoing.
Keep the ring, but guard it preciously.
If you lose it, the seven curses of Incubo will shrivel you up like an onion.
More meat.
Oh. Thank you, Botello. Thank you.
I will guard the ring.
I'll guard it with my life.
Hey, Catana! Give us a zarabanda!
- Zarabanda! - Oh, to the devil with you!
I've been working and slogging all day.
- You think I'm going to kick up my heels all night to amuse you? - Oh, come on!
Oh, come on. Give us a little fun.
It takes two to do the zarabanda.
- Who's dancing against me? - At your service, señ—
Do you have to invite someone to dance when I'm around?
Zarabanda!
Music, hombres.
What's wrong, bonita? I'm not a ghost.
You took me by surprise, señor.
I hadn't seen you.
- Take the ring back. - Oh, no, no.
- Take it back! - No. Keep it till tomorrow. It worked, didn't it?
I never want to see it again. I hate it!
Catana.
No. Please, no, señor.
You're beautiful, Catana.
- I didn't realize you were so beautiful. - Oh, no.
No. Please.
It came to me tonight that I love you.
- It's like a fever. - Oh, please, señor.
You don't know what you're saying. You don't love me.
It was the ring.
The ring? What ring?
The ring that Botello gave me.
I wanted to make you love me...
but now I know it isn't love.
It's the spell of magic.
- What sort of nonsense is this? - It's true, señor.
I couldn't wait for you to come to me of your own accord.
I had to put a spell on you.
But I did come to you of my own accord.
Will you marry me, Catana?
What did you say, my lord?
Father Bartolomé is waiting.
- He will marry us tonight. - Oh, you're mad, señor.
Noblemen don't marry camp giris.
How could you return to Spain?
- Sir, there's a village in that valley just over the ridge. - With ample water?
- Yes, sir. - Any signs of hostility?
No, but there's another delegation of ambassadors from the Emperor Moctezuma.
We'll take no chances. If there's an attack, I want the advantage of higher ground.
Captain Sandoval.
- Go to the rear and speed up the column. - Yes, sir.
- Doña Marina. - Yes, milord?
There's a village in the next valley. Do you know what tribe lives there?
Yes, milord. They are the Totonacos.
- Are they friendly? - Well, sometimes they are, sometimes they are not.
By heavens, Captain.
A king's ransom!
Yes. The closer we come to the mines, gentlemen, the bigger the nuggets.
These jewels and treasures will go to His Majesty, Don Carlos.
- They'll secure the recognition we need for our colony. - But, sir—
The price comes high, gentlemen, but it's worth it...
to get the governor of Cuba off our tail.
In other words, a bribe from the Emperor Moctezuma, ruler of this heathen land...
to bribe His Catholic Majesty, ruler of Christian Spain.
By my soul, Father, that's neatly put.
Is gold the only thought of this enterprise?
Is it the ducat or the cross we bear upon our banner?
I leave such theological matters to you, Father...
while I proceed with His Majesty's business—
and my own.
My dear, this seems to have been made just to fit your beautiful neck.
Thank you, milord.
- Doña Marina. - Yes, milord?
Say to the ambassadors that I am gratified by this further evidence of goodwill...
and look forward eagerly to visiting their emperor soon— in person.
Yes, milord.
Milord, the ambassador says...
Emperor Moctezuma knows you and your men tired after long journey...
and warns any further advance, big danger.
He says you must turn back. Leave this country now.
Tell the ambassador that Castilians are never tired...
and that we're well able to meet and dispose of any dangers that lie ahead of us.
Yes, milord.
- You. Pedro de Vargas. - Yes, sir.
- Come with me. Captain Alvarado. - Yes, sir.
Have this treasure moved to the temple we're using as a guardhouse.
Yes, sir.
De Vargas, I promised you an opportunity to win promotion.
- I'm now giving you that opportunity. - Thank you, sir.
- He's crazy! - He's not only drunk, he's crazy!
- Stop him! - Take aim, Sanchez.
Blast you, Garcia, I'll not have my men murdered by a maniac.
One, two, three!
Oh, put down that knife, you fool. Don't make me have to kill you.
- Slobbering over the torture of women and children. - Four, five...
six, seven—
- Burn my mother at the stake, will ya? - Eight!
- Come on, you fiends! - Nine!You fool!You can't stop a steel bolt.
- Ready, Sanchez? - Yes, sir.
- Ten! - Don't do it.
- Vargas! - Vargas!
Juan.
Juan, don't you know me?
It's Pedro, your friend.
Look to yourself, dog.
You're not de Silva.
Why, you're—
I knew I could count on you, lad.
These dogs.
They'll not burn my mother.
I'll kill her with my own hands first.
These are your friends, Juan.
Your friends.
Friends?
Phew!Holy saints, that was close!
I'm grateful to you, de Vargas.
Would've been a shame to kill him, but what could I do? He was bent on murder.
- Douse him with a pail of water. - No, sir.
It would be better to let him sleep it off.
A word, señores. You've all known Juan Garcia as a sober man and a good friend.
Will you do him and me the favor to keep this to yourselves?
It would be a poor thing if we couldn't do that for old Bull.
And, gentlemen, not a word about me in this either.
- I left my post to come here. - Well, you get back there quickly.
And I'll cut the ears off of anybody who talks.
- Thank you, sir. - I'll stay here with him, señor.
Good. Put a bucket of water beside him. He'll be on fire when he wakes up.
Yes, sir.
You, Jose, go get him a bucket of water.
- All quiet? - Not a sound.
Gracias.
Since when have you taken the liberty of opening those chests?
Be good enough to hand over those gems.
- I don't have them, sir. - Where are they?
I don't know, sir. They're gone.
I went out of my way to give you an opportunity for advancement, de Vargas.
I, uh—
I had just discovered that the lock was broken, sir.
The fact is, I left my post and had just returned—
You, the son of Francisco de Vargas, disobeyed orders, deserted your post?
Juan Garcia was ill, sir. They sent for me.
So a soldier in charge of an important post walks off at his pleasure...
to hold the hand of a sick friend.
Very charitable. We'll deal with that in its place.
What were your two guards doing? Were they off for a stroll too?
Or are you suggesting they rifled the chest?
- No, sir. I locked the door myself when I went out. - Heaven give me patience.
Do you expect me to believe someone walked through solid masonry into this room?
Now hand over those gems. Don't force me to have you stripped.
- Whoever took the gems, sir, came through that door in the wall. - What door? I see no door!
One moment, sir. By your leave.
When I came back it was ajar.
By my faith, de Vargas, I misjudged you.
You're even a poor liar.
I'm not lying, sir. On my honor, there's a door here somewhere.
Don't speak to me of honor. Consider yourself under arrest. Guard!
Look, sir!
Bless my soul.
Hmm.
And I had a door built.
- Where's the lock to this chest? - Right here.
That's odd. This has been filed.
The Indians have no steel. It must have been one of our own men.
I should hate to see you hang, de Vargas...
but I have no doubt that will be the decision of my captains, unless these gems are recovered.
I'll give you until this hour tomorrow to recover them.
You're relieved of your duty.
Yes, sir.
Guard. Call additional men to move these chests to my quarters.
Sí, señor.
Oh. Oh.
Oh, my head. Oh!Oh!
Oh, my poor head.
Oh.
- Botello. What happened? - What misery.
- I'm lucky to even be alive. Oh, my poor head. - But what happened?
- You won't tell on me, Pedro, lad? - Of course not.
I was just taking a stroll with one of the Indian ladies.
Ugly as sin, of course. Color of mud.
But charming, dear boy. Charming.
You know the penalty for touching an Indian.
Now, now, Pedro. You know orders don't apply to a cockroach like me.
- Did she hit you? - Oh, no. We—We were just out here, under the trees...
when suddenly two men— I could swear they were Castilians—
came right through the wall of the temple— and not a door in sight.
- Just ran right out and hit me. - Two men. Who were they?
I was paying no attention.
Trying to save her soul I was, may the saints credit it to me.
- Well, did you see which way the men went? - Yes. That way.
The devil's curse on them. Oh, my poor head.
- The road to Villa Rica and the coast. - And welcome they are to it.
You won't tell on me, Pedro, lad?
No, not a word.
- Not a word out of you either. - No.
- Can you make it home all right? - I think so.
And the upshot of it is that we sail at dawn.
We could stand more water and supplies. It's a long stretch to Cuba.
Believe me, gentlemen. A lame goat takes no siesta.
If something's to be done, do it.
- Right. Then we sail with the dawn wind. - Now listen, men.
You all know that everyone who follows Cortez...
is going to be in great trouble with the governor of Cuba.
Especially when he finds out that Cortez is...
planning to cheat him out of his share of the treasure...
turn it all over to His Majesty, the ruler of Spain.
Our only chance is to get back to Cuba now...
tell the governor what's going on here...
let him see we're his friends...
and get our reward.
Corio, this is the wisest decision you've ever made.
- You've got the gems with you. - Unfortunately, no.
No? What about the secret door to the temple?
Pedro de Vargas was on guard, and we couldn't get him away from his post.
We even got his friend Juan Garcia drunk and sent for him...
- but he—he wouldn't budge. - We didn't want to risk the whole project for a few trinkets.
What difference does it make anyway, as long as we get the whole cargo in the end?
Just this: The governor of Cuba will get it, not us.
Don't worry about your share, Corio.
I'll see that every man on this ship gets a double share.
Ho! What are you doing there?
Who is this man? I caught him eavesdropping!
Pedro de Vargas.
Let me have the handling of him!
Before you let these men kill me, ask them to tell you...
what they did with the gems they took from the treasure chest tonight.
- Stand aside. - Hold your tongue!
- What did you say, de Vargas? - Trust one of Cortez's spies to lie.
Wait a minute! What makes you say they got the gems?
Because they did get me to leave my post.
Because the gems were taken while I was gone.
And because the secret door was left partly open.
By my soul.
And you talk about liars.
We'll have every stitch off of them!
Curse you for a hothead, Corio.
Didn't you ever hear of a joke?
Cermeno and I were only jesting.
Thought we'd surprise you later, before we arrived in Cuba.
Sure enough. The gems.
- You were right, de Vargas. - Thank you, sir.
What are you going to do with them?
I'm placing the gems in this chest.
Everybody bear witness to that.
Look, gentlemen. I now throw the key into the water.
The character of the sea is above suspicion.
Chain him.
De Vargas.
- De Vargas. - What do you want?
It's me.
How much would it be worth to Cortez if this ship does not sail for Cuba?
A thousand ducats for you.
The gems in that chest are worth 50 times that.
- There's no market in Cuba for jewels like those. - Huh?
Who would you sell them to?
Escudero's the man who'd get rich.
He already has the ear of the governor.
Even as a friend, he's proven how much you can depend on him.
I'm not in this for my health. I'm tired of songs and promises.
What security have I that Cortez will pay?
- You've heard of my father? - Yes.
I swear on his honor that I'll show you the way to Cortez's favor.
Agreed.
I'll get the chains off you.
If we can delay the sailing by an hour, we'll have them.
Good.
Here.
- We'll take the gems with us. - There's no time for us to break open the safe.
We won't have to. I threw away the wrong key.
¡Vaya! Lucky mistake.
Wasn't it?
Here. You keep them.
They're pretty, but useless to a poor man.
That was a good point of yours— no market.
- You get in the boat. - Right.
Alarm! Alarm!
It's de Vargas! He's escaped!
De Vargas has escaped!
Chepito, Tobal, fetch your crossbows. Look alive!
Don't miss. Don't miss.
Hurry, Father. Hurry.
God forgive me. It's my own fault.
It's a wonder I don't take my cursed life.
We'll discuss that later. How is he?
I'm glad you got here, Your Mercy.
I'm afraid the good youth is beyond human skill.
He's bleeding to death.
What a pity to see him drain out like a stuck pig.
Then hitch up your britches, man, and stop the bleeding. You should have done that at once!
He's weak from the labors of the night.
Now, hold me excused, Your Mercy, if he dies of shock.
Hold you excused?
If he dies, you'll have me to reckon with.
You mean he's going to die?
I'll do the best I can for him, but it's a poor chance. Heaven pity him.
Well, heaven pity you if anything happens to him.
Strip off his shirt. He'll be cooler for it.
Probably won't need it again anyway.
Rip it down the front. It'll be easier to get off.
No, don't tear it. Put it aside. I'll roll you dice for it after.
You pig!You'd cast lots on a dying man's belly for his shroud!
Hey, not so fast. We haven't finished with you yet.
What are you gonna do? Why are you gonna burn me?
Have mercy. Where's Juan? Juan.
I'm here, lad. Lie back. Easy. Don't you understand, boy? It's this or bleed to death.
Hold him. He's gotta be perfectly quiet. Get hold of his legs.
- Sit on his middle. - Help me, someone. Someone help me.
He doesn't know what he's talking about. He's rambling. It's a bad sign.
Your Mercy, get hold of his throat. Hold his head still.
Otherwise he'll jerk.
Be careful, Botello. If you miss, I'll cut your heart out.
Look at him.
Well, it's as I feared, but you wouldn't be warned.
Even my skill can't defeat the will of God.
But I've stopped the bleeding.
You'll have to admit it's a well-seared wound.
No. He's breathing.
It's true. His heart still beats.
Well, why not? In the practice of true science, God often lends a hand.
You may think that anyone can lay a hot iron on an open wound.
Far from it. It has to be timed to the very split of a second.
Had I removed the iron too soon, the wound would not have seared.
Had I applied it just a moment longer...
the patient would most certainly have died.
Be quiet and hand me that liquor.
This native dose would raise the dead.
He'll be all right now, unless he should die of weakness, which is in God's hands.
- How is he? - Asleep, sir.
- No. No, I'm not. - Stay where you are.
You. Tell me one thing. How much pulque did you drink the other night?
- Uh, two gallons, Captain, on my honor. - Liar.
Well, maybe it was three, judging from the weight of my head.
De Vargas...
Corio told me what happened on the ship.
Is it true you promised I'd pay him 500 ducats?
No, sir. I told him that you'd give him a thousand.
Hmm.
Very well. I accept the debt. But he'll have to wait like the rest of us...
- till the end of our venture. - Thank you, sir.
Oh. About your leaving camp contrary to orders.
I'll be frank with you. If you'd failed, I'd have hanged you.
But since you succeeded, I herewith promote you to the rank of captain.
Me? Captain?
I daresay your father will be glad when he hears of this.
Yes, sir.
You made a lucky stroke, Captain de Vargas.
Those men on the Gallega were attempting to escape to Cuba...
to get the aid of Governor Velázquez.
Had they succeeded, they would have defeated this expedition...
destroyed everything we fought for.
Where there's one traitor, there are apt to be two.
And we face a repetition of that same danger as long as we have ships waiting for us.
But, sir, those ships are our only means of communication and— and retreat.
If one can't retreat, he must go forward.
If we survive this expedition, gentlemen...
the order I have given to destroy this armada...
will go down in history as a monument to our resolution and courage.
If we fail, it doesn't matter, as history will forget us.
Sir, this is not an attack. It's a peaceful mission.
- How do you know, de Vargas? Maybe it's a trick. - No. It's another ambassador.
Why waste words on these unpredictable savages?
We'll hear what they have to say and see what they've brought to offer.
All right. Hold your fire.
But watch me.
If these devils make one false move, we'll cut 'em down to the last man.
- Get Doña Marina. - Yes, sir.
Never mind. Here she is.
Once more we have need of your precious voice.
Yes, milord.
Doña Marina, find out who honors us in this royal manner.
Yes, milord.
Who is this? Moctezuma?
No, milord. It is Cacamatzin...
nephew and first councillor of the great emperor Moctezuma.
Indeed! Well!
Say to the royal ambassador that I am pleased to welcome him to my camp.
Will you come, my lord?
Milord, the Emperor Moctezuma send these gifts...
and ask how long you propose to favor his country with your presence.
Tell the royal prince that depends upon...
the Emperor Moctezuma's hospitality and wisdom.
Yes, milord.
Milord, the royal prince says his gods are all-powerful.
They threaten to bring drought, pestilence and war if you remain.
- Captain Alvarado. - Yes, sir.
Train your cannon on that heathen idol and fire when ready.
- Yes, sir. - Tell the royal prince to watch closely...
and see which is the more powerful, his gods or my cannon.
- Ready!
Fire!
Now, Señor Cacamatzin...
tell your uncle, the emperor, how helpless your gods are before us.
Father, I count my chances in purgatory improved by this temple cleaning.
When the time comes for idols to fall, they fall of themselves.
Get a detail of men. Take charge of the treasure.
- Yes, sir. - Milord...
the royal prince says now your only hope of escape...
is to turn back and leave this country at once.
Leave the country? Impossible. We have no ships.
He says 18 ships have just arrived at Villa Rica.
Eighteen ships at Villa Rica?
- That means a thousand men. - Cannon and horses.
Thank the royal prince for this very welcome news.
Our supplies and reinforcements have arrived sooner than expected.
- Yes, milord. - Now, by heaven, we've got them where we want 'em.
Don't be a fool. Those ships come from Cuba, not Spain.
Governor Velázquez is not a man to sit idly by while there's gold to be had.
He's come to hang us from a yardarm.
This royal prince knows more than he's telling. We must act at once.
Divide our force, leave half here, march with the rest to Villa Rica.
- Villa Rica? - It's a hard choice, but it's one thing or the other.
Stay here and we're caught between Governor Velázquez on one side...
and a million savages on the other.
- Doña Marina. - Yes, milord.
Inform the royal prince it will be necessary for five of his chieftains to remain here...
- as a guarantee that there will be no violence while I am gone. - Yes, milord.
- Captain Sandoval. - Yes, sir.
- Prepare to march immediately. - Yes, sir.
- De Vargas. - Yes, sir.
You will be captain of the guard. Prepare quarters for the prisoners.
- See they do not leave this camp. - Yes, sir.
- Doña Marina. - Yes, milord.
Tell Señor Cacamatzin that we take our leave in all respect and friendship.
Yes, milord.
All quiet?
All quiet.
Too quiet, if you ask me.
Regular hurricane weather.
Makes you feel like something was hanging over us.
Listen.
There it goes again.
They're a pretty big pack if they rise.
There's still enough of us to handle them.
I wonder.
Why don't you get some rest, amigo?
You've been in your boots a straight 30 hours.
I want to have a look around first.
Hasta la vista.
- Señor. - Yes?
Will you speak to me, Señor Pedro?
Señor, I know you, but you not know me.
Me Coatl.
Coatl! Why didn't you speak to me?
Señor Pedro Castilian. I hate Castilians.
But you and I are friends, Coatl.
I think of that, señor.
I think of what you do for me in Spain.
I think I speak to you now...
maybe I understand better why you come here.
This is my country, señor. These my people, my gods.
We not come tell you to stop loving your gods. We not come make you slaves.
Why you do this, señor?
Well, I'm afraid I haven't any answer for that.
It isn't right for men to worship idols.
There's only one true God.
Maybe your god and my god same god.
Maybe we just call them by different names.
Perhaps. But we're not enemies, you and I.
I give my life for you, señor...
but you hurt my people, I fight you.
I can understand that.
I suppose that... if I were in your place, I'd do the same.
Be still.
I've got to get around this ear.
Careful now. Remember, I'm ticklish.
By my soul, I'd rather clip a horse.
You've been singin' all morning. Why?
- I feel like singing. - Why?
What a picture.
It's a good thing I'm not jealous.
Don't rattle her, Brother Pedro. This is a critical moment.
And if she cuts me—
Señor, you must get some rest.
Oh, those drums. If only they'd stop.
They'll never stop.
Here's a wench for the New World, Brother Pedro.
Bless me if I know which of you I love best.
Catana, if he ever breaks your heart and goes chasing after some fancy lady, I'll—
You'll what?
I don't know. I guess it would break my heart too.
My poor señor.
Four days without sleep.
Go to sleep, my señor.
Go to sleep.
Oh, my señor, I love you.
I love you so much it hurts.
Juan.
Does he still love her a great deal?
- Who? - The Lady Luisa.
No, tell me truly. I want the truth.
I don't know.
Perhaps as a cavalier loves his lady.
He took a pledge to serve her, whatever that means.
I wouldn't understand.
But I understand.
Let him love her if he wants to.
But I shall bear him his first son.
Catana!
That's what I'm so happy about.
Does he know?
No, not yet.
It's a secret. But isn't it wonderful?
Yes.
I've been very wicked all my life, Juan.
It's hard for a girl without parents to be good.
Maybe that's why our Lord has not held it against me— has been so kind.
You don't think he'd take it out on my baby, do you?
- Take what out? - My sins.
Oh, Catana.
My baby is innocent.
Besides, he will be the son of Pedro de Vargas...
and the grandson of Don Francisco de Vargas.
To think that I shall be his mother—
I, Catana Perez, of the Rosario.
We'll name him Francisco.
No, of course not. I forgot.
His father would not want to give his name to... my son.
But I'll bring him up properly. He'll be smart too.
Perhaps he'll be a priest, maybe a bishop.
Why not?
Think of it.
My son a bishop.
Oh, my darling...
I want him to have everything I never had.
But all I can give him is my love for you.
Oh, señor, señor.
I love you, I love you, I love you.
It's Cortez back from Villa Rica! Wake up, Pedro!
- Don't wake him up! - The whole army's with him. Must be more than 100 horses.
- Quick, Pedro, get up, get up! - You can't wake him up.
He's captain of the guard. He's gotta go out to meet Cortez.
Quick, your sword, Pedro.
- Captain de Vargas. - Yes, sir.
- My congratulations, sir. - Now the governor of Cuba will have ample evidence...
of what my intentions are and be convinced that I'm the leader of this expedition.
Come with me. I want to see all my captains in my quarters immediately!
- Congratulations, sir. - Thank you.
God! By my soul, Botello!
- Where did you get that hat? - Pretty, isn't it?
Oh— How did it go?
Well, I'll tell you. The credit in history will go to Cortez...
but I shiver to think what would have happened...
had I not been there to guide him by the stars.
There we were, facing an army of Cubans and Basques.
Every man with the lust of gold in his heart.
Juan, what's the matter? Are you sick?
Let loose of me, you dog! Let loose of me!
Captain Cortez! Captain Cortez!
Mother of God! Why do you stop me?
But for you this dog would have been splattered against that house!
- Pedro. - What is it, Father?
Pedro, may God give you strength in this...
your hour of greatest need, to keep your vow.
Of course, Father, I intend to.
Repeat that vow, Pedro. As you hope for salvation, repeat it now.
That you should attempt to kill Señor de Silva, an emissary of His Majesty...
by whose help the victory at Cempoala was ours.
That man—That swine put my mother on the rack...
tortured her until she prayed for death.
That man is a fugitive from justice—
a murderer— a matricide.
He strangled his own mother.
In the name of the Santa Hermandad, I demand that he be placed under arrest.
Yes, I did it—
killed my own mother—
to keep this dog and his henchmen from burning her alive at the stake.
While she was dying she blessed me for it.
- Captain Sandoval. - Yes, sir.
Put this man in irons and take him away.
We'll hear his case in due time.
A thousand pardons, Señor de Silva, for this regrettable incident.
The man shall pay for it, I assure you.
Put your faith in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
In him you will find strength.
Just a moment, Captain Cortez.
Here is another man who carries in his mind...
- a grievance against me— Pedro de Vargas ofJaén. - Pedro de Vargas?
He's a gallant soldier. He's won promotion in my company.
It distresses me to bother you with these personal matters...
but de Vargas has already made one attempt upon my life.
I have no doubt his grievance will be increased...
when he learns that I have married the lady of his choice— the Lady Luisa de Carvajal.
Señor de Silva has come to us as an emissary of His Majesty...
and as my personal guest.
Under the circumstances, Captain de Vargas...
I shall hold you personally responsible for his safety.
If any harm comes to him...
the penalty will be nothing less than death... by hanging.
Come with me, Señor de Silva.
Forget your vow and God will forget you.
Señor.
Pedro.
Catana.
Moctezuma's city is no ripe plum ready to fall into our laps, gentlemen.
It will require a deal of cultivation.
But thanks to our victory at Cempoala, we'll soon be ready for the harvesting.
But of our plans, more later. You left His Majesty well, señor?
In excellent health, Captain Cortez...
but deeply concerned for the safety and well-being of this company.
How concerned, señor?
His Majesty is convinced that the seeds of heresy are everywhere...
and that they need investigation in this new land as well as in Spain.
He especially enjoined me as supremo of the Santa Hermandad, to look into the matter.
You would bring the Santa Hermandad here?
There was a letter, Captain Cortez—
an order of arrest sent by me concerning a certain heretic in this company.
- It remains unanswered. - I know of no such letter.
- It's possible for a letter to be lost. - Or stolen.
However, it's of no consequence. I myself shall hold an examination.
Have you ever attended an examination of the Santa Hermandad, Captain?
- No, I have not. - It's a valuable experience.
I remember one examination of a supposedly honorable family ofJaén.
One would have thought them above suspicion...
though the evil treachery of the father and son became clear enough later.
There was, I believe, a girl of about 12, outwardly very fair and innocent looking...
but so deeply had the detested roots ofheresy been implanted even in this child...
that she refused to bear witness against her parents...
and it was necessary to hoist her onto the strappado where she was—
Murdered. I compliment you on a noble feat—
the death of a 12-year-old child.
Who spoke of a feat, Captain?
A stroke of policy perhaps, but—
A stroke of inhuman fiendishness.
Careful, señor. I'm His Majesty's emissary.
Do you take refuge behind that?
Refuge?
Yes, refuge! Or have you the stomach to meet me man to man?
If not, then without picking words, I'll ask you, who's the coward here?
And the time and place of this meeting?
- Here and now. - You, sir! Do you forget where you are?
You dare draw your sword at my table?
But, sir, the family this man speaks of is my family. The murdered girl was my sister.
I am not concerned with private feuds. I thought I made it clear we'll have no brawling!
Are you a soldier, Captain de Vargas? If not, hand me your sword.
Sir, do you realize what this man represents?
With him, the Santa Hermandad with all its evils has come to the New World.
A kingdom within a kingdom. A despotism so strong, so powerful...
that it paralyzes the human soul with terror.
Already he speaks of the strappado and tortured children.
That will do, de Vargas. We have no need of oratory here.
This is not oratory, Captain Cortez.
That man is a fiend without honor, an assassin of infants.
Captain Cortez, may I remind you...
that this man is a criminal under sentence of death in Spain.
I crossed the ocean in behalf of His Majesty's affairs...
not to die at the hands of a fugitive who'd so greatly benefit by my death.
My life, valueless as it may be, is your responsibility.
A thousand pardons for this regrettable incident at my dinner table.
However, I must make one thing clear.
The charges you have made against a loyal officer of my company carry no weight here.
Those are matters for an ecclesiastical court...
and the testimony of witnesses, and we have neither the one nor the other.
Father Bartolomé is in charge of the spiritual interests of this enterprise.
And as long as he vouches for Captain de Vargas, that is enough for me.
I must ask you to accept those terms, or return to the coast.
I accept the terms. But will Pedro de Vargas abide by them?
My word on it.
Doña Marina, will you entertain my guests?
I have some matters of state to discuss with Señor de Silva.
Yes, milord.
- Captain de Vargas. - Yes, sir.
If it is necessary to teach 20 rebels the lesson of discipline...
that lesson will be taught.
Carry that thought with you.
Who is it?
- Father, help me. Help me! - Hup.
Father, they arrested Pedro.
Diego de Silva has been murdered.
No. No, Father.
It isn't dying that matters.
I've faced death many times.
But it's leaving you.
What's going to become of you, my beloved?
I shall die too.
No.
You must live.
You must live for our son...
who hasn't yet been born.
Oh, Catana, how are you ever going to tell him that his father was hanged?
You must go back to my father and mother in Italy.
They'll take care of you.
But promise me that you'll never tell them how I died.
My father's a soldier.
If I died in battle, he'd— he'd grieve for me, yes...
but he'd be proud too.
But to be hanged...
and for a crime I didn't commit.
Deliver us, O mercifulJesus...
from that place of darkness and torture...
and receive us into thy paternal bosom, there to love—
- Padre. - And praise and glorify.
- Padre? - Yes, my son?
- Señor Pedro die at dawn? - That is the verdict.
Señor Pedro not kill de Silva. Señor Pedro my friend.
- I know who kill de Silva. - Yes? Go on.
You Christian priest.
I tell you, you not let Señor Pedro die?
In God's name, man, speak.
In a few minutes a man is going to his death.
If you know who killed Diego de Silva, it is your duty to save Pedro now.
I kill de Silva.
Me, Coatl.
- God's will be done. - Yes, Padre.
Guard!
They're coming.
Kiss me good-bye now.
Let me hold you close for this last minute.
Guard!Guard, unlock the prison door.
Good-bye, my love.
Only I know it isn't good-bye.
Pedro, you kept your vow and God didn't desert you.
- You're free. - Free? I've killed him!
- Take her away. - No!
Let me go!
How you must have pained our Lord's heart and that ofhis holy Mother.
It is wrong even to contemplate...
the taking of a life, your own as well as another's.
God is the giver of life. God alone can be the taker.
The sin is all the greater...
since God has placed an unborn soul in your keeping.
But our Lord has a compassionate heart.
He has mercifully ordained that Pedro will live.
You have been blessed, my child, beyond most women in being given a second chance.
May you walk in the light of that knowledge all the days of your life.
Captain de Vargas reporting, sir.
Sandoval reporting, sir.
Everything ready to move as planned, sir.
Gentlemen, this time last year we were fighting mosquitoes in swamps...
accepting paltry gifts and half starving.
But now, we stand knocking at the very door of the great emperor Moctezuma.
We shall meet His Majesty face to face, have done with ambassadors and specks of gold.
This, gentlemen, is just the beginning.
De Vargas, order the first detachment ready to move forward.
- Yes, sir. - Gentlemen, be ready to march.
Yes, sir.
I charge you, put this greed for gold out of your hearts.
Open your eyes to what lies before you.
Go forward not as conquerors, but as men of God!
The sun shines here as fair as in Spain.
Let it shine on all men alike.
Here there shall be neither master nor slave...
no looking up nor looking down...
but here all men shall be equal, according to God's plan.
The Lord has indeed blessed this land.
In its richness it may yet outvalue all the gold of Moctezuma.
And in God's own time...
it will blossom forth under the cross of Christianity...
a haven for the weak, a refuge for the strong...
with all the good of the Old World and none of its ills.
Before this venture is concluded, gentlemen...
we will taste thejoys of victory...
or the bitterness of defeat.
Many will die in the days that lie ahead...
but those who survive will one day return to their homeland...
rich in wisdom and gold, exonerated by His Majesty...
and forever secure in the knowledge...
that they have participated in the opening of a new world.