Man of La Mancha (7 page)

(
He and the
INNKEEPER
exit separately as the lights pick up the
PADRE
and
CARRASCO
)

PADRE
   There is either the wisest madman or the maddest wise man in the world.

DR. CARRASCO
   He is mad.

PADRE
   Well … in any case we have failed.

DR. CARRASCO
   (
Tightly
) Not necessarily. We know the sickness. Now to find the cure.

(
He exits
)

PADRE
(
Reflecting for a moment
) The cure. May it be not worse than the disease. (
Music: as he sings we will see
QUIXOTE
in half-light reverentially affixing the token to his helmet; and in half-light also,
ALDONZA
in the kitchen studying with mixed emotions the missive which she cannot read
)

To each his Dulcinea,
That he alone can name …
To each a secret hiding place
Where he can find the haunting face
To light his secret flame.

For with his Dulcinea
Beside him so to stand,
A man can do quite anything,
Outfly the bird upon the wing,
Hold moonlight in his hand.

Yet if you build your life on dreams
It’s prudent to recall,
A man with moonlight in his hand
Has nothing there at all.

There is no Dulcinea,
She’s made of flame and air,
And yet how lovely life would seem
If every man could weave a dream
To keep him from despair.

To each his Dulcinea
Though she’s naught but flame and air!

(
The lights on the
PADRE
dim out, and he exits. Music resumes in another motif as the lighting in the courtyard—moonlight—comes to full.

QUIXOTE
is now pacing back and forth, lance in hand, holding vigil over his armor
)

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Pausing
) Now must I consider how sages of the future will describe this historic night. (
He strikes a pose
) “Long after the sun had retired to his couch, darkening the gates and balconies of La Mancha, Don Quixote with measured tread and lofty expression held vigil in the courtyard of a mighty castle!” (
He hears the pompous echo of his voice, bows his head, ashamed
) Oh, maker of empty boasts. On this, of all nights, to give way to vanity. Nay, Don Quixote—take a deep breath of life and consider how it should be lived. (
He kneels
)

Call nothing thy own except thy soul.

Love not what thou art, but only what thou
may become.

Do not pursue pleasure, for thou may have
the misfortune to overtake it.

Look always forward; in last year’s nest
there are no birds this year.

(ALDONZA
has entered the courtyard en route to her rendezvous with
PEDRO
.
She stops, watching
DON QUIXOTE
and listening
)

Be just to all men. Be courteous to all women.

Live in the vision of that one for whom great deeds are done … she that is called Dulcinea.

ALDONZA
   Why do you call me that?

DON QUIXOTE
   (
He opens his eyes
) My lady!

ALDONZA
   Oh, get up from there. Get up! (
DON QUIXOTE
rises worshipfully
) Why do you call me by that name?

DON QUIXOTE
   Because it is thine.

ALDONZA
   My name is Aldonza!

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Shakes his head respectfully
) I know thee, lady.

ALDONZA
   My name is Aldonza and I think you know me
not
.

DON QUIXOTE
   All my years I have known thee. Thy virtue. Thy nobility of spirit.

ALDONZA
(
Laughs scornfully, whips the rebozo from her head
) Take another look!

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Gently
) I have already seen thee in my heart.

ALDONZA
   Your heart doesn’t know much about women!

DON QUIXOTE
   It knows all, my lady. They are the soul of man … the radiance that lights his way. A woman is … glory!

ALDONZA
   (
Anger mashing uncertainty
) What do you want of me?

DON QUIXOTE
Nothing.

ALDONZA
Liar!

DON QUIXOTE
(
Bows his head
)   I deserved the rebuke. I ask of my lady—

ALDONZA
   
Now
we get to it.

DON QUIXOTE
   … that I may be allowed to serve her. That I may hold her in my heart. That I may dedicate each victory and call upon her in defeat. And if at last I give my life I give it in the sacred name of Dulcinea.

ALDONZA
   (
Draws her rebozo about her shoulders and backs away, shaken
) I must go … Pedro is waiting … (
She pauses. Vehemently
) Why do you do these things?

DON QUIXOTE
   What things, my lady?

ALDONZA
   These ridiculous … the things you do!

DON QUIXOTE
   I hope to add some measure of grace to the world.

ALDONZA
   The world’s a dungheap and we are maggots that crawl on it!

DON QUIXOTE
   My lady knows better in her heart.

ALDONZA
   What’s in
my
heart will get me halfway to hell. And you, Señor Don Quixote—you’re going to take such a beating!

DON QUIXOTE
   Whether I win or lose does not matter.

ALDONZA
   What does?

DON QUIXOTE
   Only that I follow the quest.

ALDONZA
   (
Spits in vulgar contempt
)
That
for your quest. (
She turns, marches away, then stops. Music: very softly, as she comes back
) What does it mean—quest?

DON QUIXOTE
   The mission of each true knight … his duty—nay, his privilege! (
He sings
)

To dream the impossible dream,
To fight the unbeatable foe,
To bear with unbearable sorrow,
To run where the brave dare not go.

To right the unrightable wrong,
To love, pure and chaste, from afar,
To try, when your arms are too weary,
To reach the unreachable star!

This is my Quest, to follow that star,
No matter how hopeless, no matter how far,
To fight for the right without question or pause,
To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause!

And I know, if I’ll only be true to this glorious quest,

That my heart will lie peaceful and calm when I’m laid to my rest.

And the world will be better for this,
That one man, scorned and covered with scars,
Still strove, with his last ounce of courage,
To reach the unreachable stars!

ALDONZA
(
Is quite still after the song. Then pleading suddenly
) Once—just once—would you look at me as I really am?

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Lowering his eyes to gaze into hers
) I see beauty. Purity. I see the woman each man holds secret within him. Dulcinea.

(
ALDONZA
moans in inexpressible despair. She backs away from the steady eyes, shaking her head. She turns to run—and gasps as she collides with
PEDRO
,
who has approached unseen. He grips her in fury
)

PEDRO
   Keep me waiting, will you?

ALDONZA
   I wasn’t—I didn’t—

PEDRO
   (
Mocking ferociously
) My lady. My princess!

(
And he slaps her so that she goes spinning to the ground
)

DON QUIXOTE
   (
A roar of outrage
) Monster!

PEDRO
   Stay clear!

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Advancing
) Thou wouldst strike a woman?!

PEDRO
   Stand back or I’ll break your empty head!

DON QUIXOTE
   Oh, thou heart of flint and bowels of cork! Now shall I chastise thee!

PEDRO
   I warn you—ai-e-ee! (
DON QUIXOTE
,
clubbing his lance, catches
PEDRO
alongside the head, sending him sprawling. Music begins under.
PEDRO
groans
) Oh-h-h, I am killed. (
In a yell, staying on the ground
) Jose! Tenorio! Muleteers!

(
The
MULETEERS
approach on the run
.
ALDONZA
is back on her feet, and has sheltered herself behind the watering-trough.
SANCHO
comes running from the inn
)

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Facing the reinforcements
) Come one, come all! Don Quixote will vanquish armies!

PEDRO
   Beware the lance!

ALDONZA
   (
Stepping out
) Let him be!

PEDRO
   Back, whore!

ALDONZA
   I said let him be! He’s worth a thousand of you!

PEDRO
(
Diverted from
DON QUIXOTE
) You want the same, eh?

(
He lurches toward her.
ALDONZA
snatches
DON QUIXOTE’
s sword from the watering-trough, swings it in a mighty arc, and the flat of the blade sends
PEDRO
bowling butt over elbow
.

Music comes up full, as
QUIXOTE
charges back into the fray. A comic-choreographic treatment of the conflict
.
QUIXOTE
wields the lance
.
ALDONZA
swings hugely with the flat of the sword, and
SANCHO
makes himself useful to both. The battle rages, and finally the
MULETEERS
,
with cries, groans, and howls of pain, fall hors de combat. The music fades out
)

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Gasping but joyful
)
Victory!

SANCHO
   Victory!

ALDONZA
   (
Brandishing the sword
) Victory!

(
The
INNKEEPER
roused from sleep, comes rushing on, wearing nightgown and bedcap
)

INNKEEPER
What is this? All the noise—! (
He sees the
MULETEERS
where they lie groaning in an untidy heap and is aghast
) Oh! Oh! What dreadful thing …?

ALDONZA
   What
glorious
thing!

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Gasping
) Sir Castellano—I would inform you—that the right has triumphed.

(
He sags to the ground
)

SANCHO
   (
Hurrying to him
) Your Grace! Are you hurt?

DON QUIXOTE
   Nay … a little weakness …

ALDONZA
   Oh, he
is
hurt!

(
She drops the sword and hurries to help.
MARIA
,
frightened and in nightclothes, comes running out
)

MARIA
   What is it? (
Sees
QUIXOTE
) The madman! I knew it!

INNKEEPER
   Fetch bandages! Hurry!

ALDONZA
   (
Tearing bandages from her petticoat
) Poor warrior …

MARIA
   (
Bitterly
) Poor lunatic!

INNKEEPER
   Go back to bed, Maria.

MARIA
   I warned you what would happen!

INNKEEPER
   Go to bed.

(MARIA
exits haughtily, as the
INNKEEPER
hauls one of the
MULETEERS
out of the well
.
DON QUIXOTE
stirs and moans
)

SANCHO
   He’s coming around!

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Opens his eyes and is looking at
ALDONZA
,
weakly but with pleasure
) Ah … might I always wake to such a vision!

ALDONZA
   Don’t move.

SANCHO
   I must say, Your Grace, we certainly did a job out here.

DON QUIXOTE
   We routed them, did we?

ALDONZA
   Ha!
That
bunch’ll be walking bowlegged for a week!

DON QUIXOTE
   (
Distressed
) My lady! It is not seemly to gloat over the fallen.

ALDONZA
   Let ’em rot in hell!

(
By now the last of the
MULETEERS
have been helped from the courtyard
)

INNKEEPER
   (
Agitated, to
DON QUIXOTE
) Sir, I am a tame and peaceful man. Please, Sir Knight—I don’t like to be inhospitable—but I must ask you to leave as soon as you are able.

DON QUIXOTE
   (
With dignity
) I am sorry to have offended the dignity of thy castle and I shall depart with daylight. But first, my lord, I must remind thee of thy promise.

INNKEEPER
   Promise?

DON QUIXOTE
   True, it is not yet dawn, but I have kept vigil and proven myself in combat. Therefore I beg thou dub me knight.

INNKEEPER
   (
Remembering
) Oh-h. Certainly. Let’s get it over with.

DON QUIXOTE
   (
To
SANCHO
) Wilt be good enough to fetch my sword? (
Warmly, as
ALDONZA
assists
) Lady, I cannot tell thee how joyful I am that this ceremony should take place in thy presence.

ALDONZA
   (
As he sways
) Be careful, now!

DON QUIXOTE
   It is a solemn moment which seals my vocation …

(SANCHO
hands
QUIXOTE
’
s sword to the
INNKEEPER
)