Caray, Caray!

Elena has gotten the cemetery watchman, Miguel, drunk. He starts to get fresh with her but Guillermo hits him over the head. They leave him to go dig up Hugo’s grave.

In Hugo’s house:
A: Marina!
M: You called?
A: As a confidential employee [It’s kind of hard to translate ‘hombre de confianza,’ literally ‘man of confidence.’ It seems like their ought to be a word in English for a personal servant who is trusted to handle his employer’s business affairs but I can’t come up with one so I’ll use confidential employee.] of Hugo, Boris would know about any secret illness Hugo had, wouldn’t he?
M: I don’t know, señor. When Don Hugo fainted, Boris stayed all night with him and then they went together to the Soledad’s birthday party at the Club.
A: He never told you anything about that?
Marina: No, señor. Is something wrong?
A: No, nothing. Good night.
Alcides leaves the telegrams on the table and goes out. Marina takes them and reads the telegram from Boris saying that he is returning that night.

Soledad is sitting with Úrsula and crying:
Ú: Your parents want to force you to marry Alcides? But we just buried Don Hugo!
S: They don’t care. From what I heard, my parents don’t have any money and the only thing they care about is saving their position. It doesn’t matter if they sell me.
Ú: They can’t be that cruel.
S: I am not surprised at my mother but I am about my father. Now I understand everything. They were only interested in Hugo’s money. That was why they changed their attitude about our marriage. What an idiot I was! They deceived us. They only wanted to use us.
Ú: Now that Hugo is gone, they are going to make you marry Alcides.
S: They don’t care about my grief. They are too selfish to think about me. I don’t matter to them.
Ú: Don’t cry any more. There must be a solution.
S: I think there is. Ursula, my parents will do anything to get what they want. The best thing is for us to leave this house.
There is thunder and lightening outside.
Ú: You are pregnant. You can’t just leave. Think of the baby.
S: I have to do this for the baby but if you want to stay, I understand.
Ú: Now more than ever I don’t want to leave you alone. What about this? We can go to my parents’ house. They are poor but there wouldn’t be any problem about taking us in.
S: You think so?
Ú: Yes, it would please my mother to meet you. I’ve told her a lot about you.
S: I am so lucky to be able to count on you. We have to get everything ready. We will leave tonight at daybreak.

Alcides is at Arturo’s house-
Ar: Alcides de Medina. To what do I owe the honor of a visit at this hour?
Al: I need to borrow a few of your men. I have an important matter to take care of.
Ar: What is the emergency? With the death of your brother, I thought our worries were behind us.
Al: The confidential employee of my brother is coming back tonight and he will want to know what happened to his master.
Ar: And you are afraid that he will suspect you?
Al: If they find out about me, they find out about you. Are you going to call your men or not?

In the cemetery, Guillermo is digging up Hugo’s grave. Helena tells him to hurry up.


Miguel comes up behind her with his gun. He tells them to freeze. “So you are the grave robbers,” he says.

Boris is riding. Lightening flashes and his horse shies. A hand with a gun shoots at him. He is hit and falls from his horse. He manages to get his own gun out and returns fire.


Helena tells Miguel to put the gun down. She says that he can’t think that she and Guillermo are tomb robbers. Guillermo says that he and Helena are respectable independent merchants. “Sure,” says Miguel, “then what are you doing with that shovel? Planting a tree in Don Hugo’s grave?” Los Burke laugh at his joke and says it isn’t like that. “I’m a fool,” says Miguel, “but not that much of a fool.” [‘Soy tonto, pero no tanto.” This works better in Spanish where the word for ‘fool,’ ‘tonto’ and ‘so much,’ ‘tanto’ are almost the same.] Miguel says that he is going to bring Los Burke to Inspector Duarte. The diminutive duo tells the none-too-bright (and drunk) Miguel that they are only digging up Hugo’s grave because Guillermo was never paid for a job he did for Hugo. Since they are in debt up to their ears, they had no alternative to dig up Hugo and get their payment from the jewelry Hugo is wearing. They tell Miguel that because they like him a lot they are willing to share the haul with him in return for not turning them in.

Soledad and Úrsula meet in the garden outside the house. [The night sounds of the Casa Obragón are always dogs barking.] Úrsula says that the stable is locked up. Soledad’s parents must be suspicious. Úrsula suggest waiting until the next day to get the public carriage out of the city but Soledad says that they can’t stay. They will go on foot. Úrsula is concerned about Soledad’s condition but Soledad is sure that someone will come along and pick them up.

In the woods, Fabio is looking for Boris. He tells his associate that Boris has escaped. Meanwhile Marina is hiding an unconscious Boris under a bush right under their feet. The two would-be murderers leave to look for Boris. Fabio says that they have to find Boris and kill him. Those were Arturo’s orders. When they are gone, Marina tries to get Boris to wake up. She tells him that she saw his telegram and came to look for him. Boris wakes up. He asks about Hugo. Marina tells him that Hugo died and was buried a few hours ago. Boris tell Marina that she has to take him to Hugo but he passes out again.

In his grave, Hugo whispers, “Help me, help me…” His eyes close and his head falls to the side. There is an angelic chorus. Hugo has died. We see Hugo standing in front of a bright light.


He sees his father and mother holding hands.
H: Father.
Father: Son.
H: (wonderingly) Mother!
Mother: Son.
H: I’m dead. If I am with you, I must be dead.

Los Burke and Miguel have gotten Hugo’s casket out of the grave. Helena tells Guillermo to open it. Guillermo nervously excuses himself to answer the call of nature. (He knows that when the the casket is opened, Helena and Miguel are going to find out that Hugo wasn't buried with all the jewels that Guillermo claimed.)

Hugo in heaven-
Father: This is not the time for you to be with us, Hugo. Return.
H: I don’t know if I want to go back.
Father: I would like to keep you from suffering such pain but it is your destiny and you have to confront it. Don’t be afraid.
Mother: We are always with you. Now go back, Hugo.

In the cemetery, Miguel sits next to the open casket. Helena moves away.
Miguel: Helena, don’t leave. Why are you afraid? The dead are harmless. Come here Helenita. See? (he picks up Hugo’s arm and waves it)
Hugo opens his eyes and half sits up then falls back unconscious. Poor Miguel screams in horror, clutches his chest and keels over on top of Hugo’s coffin.

[Let’s make sure we understand the timeline with Hugo’s catalepsy attack and burial. We don’t know but let’s say, to make it easier to calculate, that Hugo was going to be married on a Saturday. That means the bachelor party was on a Friday night. Marina said that after Hugo came back from the club, she heard him come upstairs in ‘la madrugada,’ which could be anytime from midnight to sunrise. Sometime during that time, he succumbed to a catalepsy attack. Let’s say it happened at 5am on Saturday. The wedding was supposed to have been on Saturday morning and Hugo’s wake was Saturday afternoon and evening. He was buried the next day (Sunday). Alcides tells Paquito that the burial was in the morning. Marina tells Boris that it was in the afternoon so let’s split the difference and say he was buried at noon. Hugo woke up from his catalepsy attack shortly after he was buried, let’s say at 1pm. That means that Hugo’s catalepsy attack lasted about 33 hours. Los Burke dug Hugo up that night. We don’t know exactly when but let’s say it was at midnight. That would mean he was buried alive for about 12 hours.]

Soleded and Úrsula are walking.
Ú: We aren’t going to find anyone to take us.
S: I am a little tired.
Ú: That’s natural in your condition. Let’s rest.
S: I can’t. I want to go to the cemetery. I can’t leave without saying goodbye to Hugo.
Ú: It will take us too far out of our way.
S: I have to go! I want to go. I have to see him.
Ú: Señorita, Don Hugo is already in heaven. You don’t need to go to the cemetery to talk to him. I am sure that he can hear you and see you wherever you are.
S: Yes, you are right. We are together forever even though he is dead.
There is a flash of lightening.

In the cemetery-
Guillermo comes back to Hugo's grave.
G: What happened, Gatita? [‘kitten’]
H: I don’t know. I just heard Miguel scream. I don’t know what happened.
G: Maybe he’s robbing some other grave. What’s this?
He finds Miguel’s body and determines that he’s dead.
H: I told you. It’s a curse. Hugo de Medina only brings disaster. Don’t go near him. Let’s leave here.
G: No, Gatita. We can’t leave him just lying here. We have to finish what we started.
H: Miguel touched him and died instantly! Please let us get away from here. I don’t want that to happen to you too.
G: Dr. Max will kill us. We have no other option.
H: What are we going to do with Miguel?
G: We will put him in Hugo’s coffin and rebury it. Relax. I don’t see any other solution.
H: All right. We’ll do what you say but I’m not touching him.

Marina is trying to drag an unconscious Boris. Paquito comes along in his carriage, sees her and asks what she is doing and if that is her drunk husband. Marina replies that Boris was coming back from a trip and some men wounded him. She is trying to get him back to her boss’s house. Paquito gets down from the carriage to take a look. He asks who her boss is and Marina replies that she and Boris worked for the late Hugo de Medina. Paquito guesses that Boris is Hugo’s confidential employee who was at the Hacienda. Marina begs Paquito to help her. After seeing how badly Boris is injured, Paquito says that they have to get him to a doctor. He orders Marina to get Boris into the carriage but when she can’t do it alone, he helps her.

At the Obragón house, Ester discovers that Soledad is gone. She wakes Lucas up and shows him the letter Soledad left for them:
“Mother and Father, I always thought I could trust you but I realize that isn’t so. It hurts me so much to know that my own parents deceived me and want to make me marry a man only for money. That is why I am leaving with my child. He is the only thing I have to live for. God forgive you. Soledad.
L: What have we done!
E: Get up and get dressed. We have to go and look for her. She couldn’t have gotten out of the city.

At Hugo’s house, Paquito and Marina bring Boris inside and lay him on a couch. Alcides comes in:
A: What is going on here?
M: Don Alcides, something terrible happened. Someone tried to kill Boris on the road and he is in bad shape.
A: Why did you bring him here? Why didn’t you take him to a hospital?
M: I’m sorry but I was afraid that I might run into the killers on the road again.
P: She is right. (to Boris) Wake up!
A: And you are?
P: How rude! Permit me to introduce myself. My name is Francisco de Morales (Alcides ignores his outstretched hand). I am a society reporter. I write for many papers, principally for the Vespertino. (Alcides leans towards Paquito as if he has become aware of Paquito’s cologne. Alcides sneezes.)
A: You write profiles about the families in the capital.
P: Exactly. I’ve come to write… Forgive me. I’ve come to write an article about your brother. Please accept my condolences.
A: You are too late.
P: His death isn’t the only news. Many people would like to know how your brother lived.
A: My brother was buried this morning (looks at Boris). Marina, this man is in bad shape. Go find Dr. Max. (to Paquito) Help me move him. We will take to a more comfortable place. (They lift Boris up.)
P: He is heavy. You have a very nice house, señor.

Los Burke are driving a wagon. Helena wonders if Dr. Max will pay them for this cadaver like he has for the others. Guillermo replies that even if he doesn’t pay them, they will be making a contribution to science. We see Hugo, under a sheet, being bounced around behind them on the bed of the wagon. He opens his eyes.

Úrsula and Soledad see the wagon approaching. Soledad waves and yells at them to stop.

At Dr. Max's house, Marina begs Dr. Max to help her. She tells him that Boris, Hugo’s butler [she calls him ‘mayordomo’ here] was badly hurt in an attack. She asks him to come with her to Hugo’s house. Dr. Max says that he can’t. He is waiting for a patient and can’t leave. Marina says that she won’t leave unless he goes with her and grudgingly, Dr. Max agrees. He says that he will write a note and they can leave.

Los Burke have stopped the wagon by Soledad and Úrsula.
G: Señorita Soledad.
H: You always show up at the worst possible time.
G: What are you doing here? I could have run you over.
S: I need you to do me a favor. Take us out of the city.
In the wagon, Hugo recognizes Soledad’s voice.
G: I’d love to help you but I’m sorry. We have to be somewhere urgently.
S: The only thing I’m asking is that you take us to the outskirts of the city where we can find our own transportation. I will pay you well.
H: Don’t insist, señorita. My husband has already told you. We’re in a hurry.
B: We have to deliver this merchandise.
Ú: Come, señorita, don’t ask again.
Soledad hears Hugo’s psychic voice calling, “Soledad…. Soledad…”
S: (looking around wonderingly) Hugo!.. Hugo!


Los Burke look at each other guiltily. In the wagon, Hugo raises his head fractionally but he can’t speak. “Soledad…Soledad, help me,” he calls psychically.


Soledad calls his name again and heads toward the back of the wagon. Alarmed, Guillermo whips up the horses and the wagon takes off.
S: Stop! Wait!
Ú: What are you doing?
S: I heard him. Úrsula, I heard him.
Ú: Don’t say that señorita.
Soledad watches the wagon disappear.

In the nuthouse, Beatriz realizes that it was Alcides who raped her, not Hugo.


[Now we understand why Alcides didn’t wear evening clothes to Soledad’s birthday party. Beatriz apparently realizes that Alcides and the man who raped her were wearing the same clothes.]

At Dr. Max’s, Los Burke find a note from the doctor. Helena reads it with difficulty and Guillermo helps her with the words ‘emergency’ and ‘amphitheater.’ [We will learn later that Guillermo is much better educated than Helena.]: “Mr. & Mrs. Burke, I had to go out to take care of an emergency. The door is open. Bring the cargo to the amphitheater and wait for me. That’s an order. Dr. Max.” Helena says that she can’t wait to get rid of Hugo de Medina. Even dead, he scares her. She reminds Guillermo about what dead Hugo did to Miguel. Guillermo tells her not to go on about that. The best thing is that with this cadaver, they can pay off their debt to Dr. Max and they won’t have to dig up bodies anymore. [Presumably, this debt is from when Dr. Max bailed them out of prison in Episode 10.] Helena tells him not to speak ill of the dead. Thanks to them, they have enough to live on for three months.

At Hugo’s house, Dr. Max tells Marina that he is not sure that he can save Boris. He has stopped the bleeding but Boris has lost a lot of blood. He needs a transfusion. Marina doesn’t know what that is. Dr. Max says that it is the transfer of blood to a patient. The problem is that there isn’t much time. Marina tells him to take what he needs from her. Boris can be saved with that.

Out on the road, Soledad has fainted. Crying, Úrsula begs her to wake up. Ester and Lucas come up in a carriage and find them. Ester accuses Úrsula of being responsible for what happened. Lucas tells Ester to shut up, “If Soledad ran away, it’s our fault.”

In the sanatorium, Beatriz screams to be let out and that she isn’t crazy. She says that the truth has to be told. The doctor appears and has her sedated. [I think the actor who plays the doctor is the same one who plays a priest in Pasión de Gavilanes and Doña Bárbara.]

Dr. Max tells Marina that it appears that Boris tolerated the transfusion very well. Marina asks if this means that he won’t die. Dr. Max says that it is likely unless Boris has a convulsion. If so, let him know. Marina begs the doctor to stay until they are sure Boris is out of danger but Dr. Max says that he has already done all he can.

At the Casa Obragón-
S: (wakes up in her bed) Hugo was calling me. I heard him.
Lucas: How do you feel, darling?
S: What am I doing here?
Ú: You fainted and you parents came along…
E: We went to look for you, daughter. We were worried about you.
S: I don’t have anything to do with this house.
L: Don’t try and get up. You are too weak.
Ester: Calm down. Let’s talk.
S: I don’t have anything to say to either of you and even less to you mama. How could you do this?
E: Lucas, Úrsula, leave the room.
L: Ester, what are you going to tell her? Soledad is very weak.
E: Lucas, don’t you realize? My daughter hates me. I need to talk to her alone.
L: I will be right outside waiting. (They leave.)
E: Look at me. We have to talk about this.
S: What are you going to tell me? That you want to sell me to Alcides? You are wrong, mama because I will not permit it.

Dr. Max is speaking with Alcides. Alcides pretends to be happy that Boris will recover. Dr. Max says that he had to give Boris a transfusion and without that, the result would have been much different. Alcides asks if Boris will wake up. Dr. Max says that he will wake up, it’s just a matter of when. Dr. Max leaves. Alcides pulls out the telegram from Boris about buying the property and reads it again. Then he tears it into little pieces.

At Dr. Max’s, Guillermo finishes laying out an unconscious Hugo on one of the examining tables. [Presumably, Los Burke have avoided touching Hugo since otherwise, they could certainly tell that he isn’t dead.] Guillermo says that he can’t do this kind of work anymore – he hurts everywhere. He says that he is going to the tavern to get a drink and then go to bed. Helena tells him no, they have to wait for Dr. Max. Guillermo says that she can wait for Dr. Max. Helena asks him not to leave her alone with ‘him.’ She indicates Hugo with her head. Guillermo agrees to stay but says that he is going to sleep and lies down next to the stairs. Helena protests again at being left alone with Hugo.


At the Obragón house-
S: How could you mother, sell me like I was merchandise?
E: Soledad, It’s not what you think. I only want to protect you.
S: Don’t lie to me. I heard you when you were talking about this Manrique, the moneylender, that you owe him a lot of money and that Alcides will pay him if he marries me.
E: Forgive me, daughter. I know that it seems terrible but this outcome benefits everyone. Your child will have a father and we can save our house.
S: Every day you surprise me more. You would sell your soul to the devil to preserve your social status. (Ester gasps) I just buried the love of my life. You don’t understand! You don’t care. You accepted our engagement purely for convenience.

E: Where did you get that idea?

S: Don’t deny it. Now I understand the turnaround – one day you were going to drug me to keep me from testifying for Hugo and the next you accepted my engagement to him. The scales have fallen from my eyes. I’m going to say what I want to. You deceived me. You have been using me all this time.
E: I beg you, daughter. You are our salvation. If you don’t marry Alcides, we will lose everything. If you truly love us, do this for us. I beg you. You have to give back for what the have done for you. At least think about it.
S: No! I have a child now. For him and for the memory of Hugo I am not going to let you continue to manipulate me.
L: (coming back in) I agree with my daughter, Ester. I support her. She won’t marry Alcides.

Paquito is looking at the furnishings of Hugo’s house and taking notes. Alcides comes in.
A: What are you doing?
P: I am taking notes about the details of your deceased brother’s house. In the article I’m writing it seems to me to be important to highlight his good taste. I congratulate you. This is a wonderful house.


A: Who would be interested in someone who was surrounded by scandals and shame?

P: Don’t say that Don Alcides! People are interested in knowing about the lowest human passions. I think your brother indulged in those. Those are the rumors, anyway.
A: My brother’s reputation prejudices me because he bore my last name.
P: I understand but there isn’t anything you can do about it.
A: I think there is. What about a comparison between what he was and what I am?
P: Don Alcides, I believe in freedom of expression but I will tell you something that I don’t like – when someone tells me what to write.
A: I am ready to make you a generous offer to make an exception to your rule.
P: What are you trying to say? I am a serious journalist, Señor and I am one of the few people in this City who don’t have a price. (Paquito leaves in a huff.)
A: (sneezing) Entertainment journalist. We’ll see if you can’t be bought. We’ll see about that.


At Dr. Max’s, Helena roams around looking for something to eat while Guillermo sleeps. Meanwhile, Hugo is waking up. His fingers move and his eyelids flutter.

At the Obragón house:
L: Ester, you’ve gone too far this time. I won’t support this absurd marriage to Alcides.
E: Don’t talk to me as if I were the bad guy here. I’m just looking for a solution for my family or have you forgotten that you are to blame for this? It was you who got us into debt, who ruined us.
L : You are right. I made a mistake in my business negotiations but Soledad shouldn’t have to pay for my mistakes.
E: We will lose the house, Lucas. Is that what you want for your family?
L: No. What I want is to to save my daughter from an injustice, a monstrosity.
E: Then she will have to leave. If we are going to be ruined, let’s keep a little dignity. I’m not going to live with that bastard.
L: And I won’t live with you, Ester. My daughter and I will leave together.
E: Don’t threaten me, Lucas. Think long and hard before you do something.
S: Papa, don’t argue.
L: Soledad, for many years, I have tolerated the whims of your mother in silence. But not this time. You and my grandchild are not alone. If I have to separate from your mother, to defend you, I will do it.


E: Don’t you dare, Lucas. If you put a foot outside this house, don’t ever come back.
L: Keep your threats, Ester. This time we aren’t doing things your way.
E: I thought we were a family and that we would move forward together. But I see that it isn’t so. You will regret this decision, Lucas. (to Soledad) And you… (She can’t finish and runs out of the room.)

Lighting flashes and thunder crashes at Dr. Max’s. Helena, with her back to the table where Hugo is, talks to the sleeping Guillermo. She wonders what can be taking Dr. Max so long. She begs Guillermo to wake up. She is hungry. She doesn’t like being here alone. Meanwhile Hugo has managed to get off the examination table silently. He comes up behind Helena and trembling all over like he was cold, he puts his hand on her shoulder.


“Please help me,” he says almost inaudibly. Helena turns and sees him, screams and falls down in a faint.


Hugo staggers toward the exit.
The credits roll.

Labels: la traicion