Caray, Caray!

As Pola and Alejo walk through the market, Alejo notes that it appears that people do not like her. They’ll like me now that I have a señor, she says. But, she wishes it wasn’t that way. She tries to get Alejo to help her buy fruit. Me? Yes, when we marry you might have to do that.

Nariño and Tonito ride into town. The mayor feels it is his duty to tell these strangers to hit the road because he doesn’t want any trouble. Pola comes forward and tells him the man is Don Antonio Nariño, a hero. She finds them a place to stay at Domingo’s without charge.

Francisco and María Teresa go to Ignacía’s convent. He tells the nun that they are there to read her a letter. The nun reveals that María Ignacia’s stay has not yielded expected results. Anyway, after being reminded of Gaspar’s generosity, the nun allows them five minutes with María Ignacia.

When they arrive at her cell, Ignacia is hysterical and cries, “he is dead, he is dead.” Francisco reads the letter to her, but it only makes her want to leave immediately. Francisco can’t get her out without her father’s permission. She wants Alejo to get her out as her betrothed. Screaming and yelling from her does not stop Francisco and María Teresa from leaving her. María Teresa questions whether or not she would be a suitable wife for Alejo. Of corse, Francisco can see peso signs and is going to have this marriage happen come hell or high water.

Tonito tells Pola how hard it was to get his father out of jail. Pola asks about getting Carbonel’s help and finds out that he is in jail.

The marqués tells Jorge that he spoke to Magda. He doesn’t understand how Jorge could have taken advantage of a woman so desemparada. He calls him a coward. But, unfortunately, he cannot pull the trigger on his own brother. He tells Jorge that Nariño is returning and that he will have to watch the two of them and suffer for it. He also says that he will help Nariño if necessary.

At Domingo’s dinner table that night Nariño asks Pola if she helped Carbonel. Yes, as you ordered, she says. We got rid of the viceroys, chapetones and oidores who looked on the people as cockroaches. Among them was there a Sr. Juan Hernández de Alba? Yes. Good. He made my life miserable.

Alejo asks him to tell them about things that will happen now. What will happen or what ought to happen, asks Nariño. What ought to happen is that we have a united country with equal rights for all and that we own our own land. What will happen when the king returns, he is asked.

Pray that doesn’t happen. This annoys Alejo who asks do we have to be against the king? If the king returns to the throne, says Nariño, he will interpret what has happened as treason. He will send his army to fight us. The punishment for treason is death. We have two alternatives: unite and fight or die.

They put me in jail and took all my possessions for translating a book. What do you think they will do to people who removed their viceroys and officials? They will come after us for blood. We have to prepare to fight.

After Francisco and María Teresa return to Popayan, Francisco prepares for his trip. She notices that he is bringing some of Gaspar’s finery. Acacia comes forward with a question. He points to her and tells her she is going, too. You can’t do that, say María Teresa, she is Ignacia’s favorite slave. You are going to sell her! Francisco tells her that Acacia is the only one who can tell Gaspar and Eusebia what really happened to their possessions. Tell them it was a robbery he says to María Teresa, make something up.

Domingo is delighted with Cata. She has given him a reason to get up every day. Gertrudis told the secret. She also told Cata that she is grateful to San Andrés. What saint is that, asks Cata. (Yes, since when is the mayor a saint?)

Alejo later tells Pola that Nariño is an enemy of the king. This man is very important to you. No, she says. Our marriage is most important to me. If you prefer Nariño, you should wait to marry me. They will have to make mutual sacrifices as they realize the quandary they are in. They embrace.

` Nariño tells Tonito that he cannot deny that it would please him to be part of this government, but, his place now is at his mother’s side. He feels guilty. The guilty party, says Tonito, is Spain. She has suffered through such terrible things for me.

Meanwhile the little group of revolutionaries discuss how they will deal with Nariño. They have to try to get him on their side. They will let Carbonel out of jail.

Torres himself goes to the jail to let Carbonel out and tells him he has suffered an injustice.

Tonito tells Alejo that he is very lucky to have Pola because she is so intelligent. She will be useful in Santa Fé. Alejo tells him they are going to Honda. He also tells Nariño that he is wrong and that he is on the side of the king. Nariño wishes him well in his marriage to Pola.

Carbonel’s friends greet him and tell him Nariño is on his way home.

Pola asks Nariño if he will take his rightful place. It is at home, he says. The best homage to my father is to fight. The people need you. People come up to him and offer him food. Pola has told them that he is the man who will set them free. So, she says, will you fight or not?

Labels: LaPola