Chapter 11

Don Diego was simmering and seething inwardly, out of frustration and forced idleness. He hated doing nothing, not being able to do anything, feeling helpless and useless. This was, contrary to what he let show to others, the exact opposite of who and what he was.

And there, at the bedside of this woman who persisted in not regaining consciousness, he felt he was at the apex of his helplessness. His only solace was that since the incident that befell José Rivas over two years ago, the alcalde had learned not to rush to judgment, or at least to sentence, and for the time being Felipe was only in custody. But he might well never be cleared, Zorro seeming right now equally as useless in this matter as Diego felt helpless, as the latter was well aware of. Here was there no criminal or delinquent to catch and turn over to the authorities in lieu of his son, because in spite of appearances there had been no crime or offence.

And only this woman could testify of it and convince the alcalde. As well as the rest of the pueblo.

Even Victoria... Yet he wouldn't have thought...

He let out a long and heavy sigh. Cruel thought. Disillusion, even. A cold shower.

He straightened up, shaking his head: now was not the time to think about that. His only concern at that moment was to be Felipe.

Not that this was a more cheerful subject, far from it. Of all the people Diego had seen so far, his father was the only one who had not believed even for one second the serious charges leveled against him. The alcalde, Mendoza, the doctor, the corporal, the fruit vendor on the plaza, the old cripple begging next to the hitching post, and even Victoria, all believed to some degree in what Felipe was accused of.

AndPadre Benitez? Diego wondered. He too knew Felipe quite well, would he believe in the young man's innocence? He who regularly 'heard' him in confession, who had sometimes advised him, who could look inside the hearts of his flock… would he have enough faith in Felipe not to stop at appearances, although highly adverse?

This made him think that he was himself probably in need of his spiritual assistance in this ordeal, since he couldn't take any action right now. And given Felipe's situation, a prayer to the Holy Mother, comforter of the distressed, would not go amiss anyway. And it would certainly do some good to himself too.

He glanced at the still unconscious woman, who seemed to be peacefully resting. It was siesta time, all was quiet around him and probably throughout the whole pueblo, and he thought that, after all, she did not constantly need someone at her bedside.

And yes, tormented as he was, Diego probably needed a soothing talk with the good padre.

Taking good care not to make any noise so that he wouldn't wake anyone does during this sacrosanct siesta time – after all, had he not mastered that subject, in all these years? – he exited the bedroom, went downstairs and left the tavern, heading for the church.

z~z~z~z~z~z~z

SantaMadre de Dios, Thou who have seen Thy Son be wrongfully condemned, I beg Thee, intercede for mine with our Lord. Nuestra Señora la Reina de Los Ángeles, Mother of all men, who have seen Thy Son suffer and die to redeem us, I beg Thee on my knees, protect mine, support and comfort him throughout this trial.

Saint Joseph,who have welcomed, raised, protected, and loved the child you have not sired, hear my fatherly prayer.

You, mydear mother, who left us at such an early age and never had the joy to know Felipe in your earthly time, watch over this grandson of yours you've never met, but whose heart and worth you now know from your Eternity.

O Dios, have mercy on us.

Saint Philipthe Apostle, you who followed and assisted the Lord during His earthly life and bore His message beyond it, please watch over him who bears your name and hear his word.

SaintJames the Greater, under whose auspices I was baptised and whose name I bear, I beg you, extend your protection to my son.

HolyInnocents, patron saints of foundlings, please keep watching over Felipe and make it so that his innocence is proved.

SaintRaymond Nonnatus, patron saint of those whose lips are sealed and of secret-keeping, of victims of rumours, lies and false testimony, intercede with the Lord so that our lies, through either word or omission, might be forgiven to both of us. And if someone still has to atone for those sins, then may it be granted to me to be the only one to expiate them, and to take upon myself the weight of the lies Felipe has committed for me, to protect me.

Kneeling on a prie-dieu in the transept, before a modest statue of the Virgin and a simple wooden cross, Diego was praying fervently. Though the weight of his lie toward his father burdened him constantly, though what he hid from Victoria always unpleasantly tinged with bitterness the moments he spent – masked or not – with her, he had never really dared question himself about the sin of lying that he was constantly guilty of before men and towards God, who yet saw everything.

Until then he had comforted himself by telling his troubled soul once and for all that the Lord who, precisely, saw everything, also saw inside his heart and understood the need for these constant and repeated lies. He had never really thought about the consequences of making Felipe lie too, even with his total agreement, even if it was his choice. Over the last few years, he had somehow raised Felipe with lie as a constant companion. Probably not the healthiest or soundest environment and companionship for a young soul in development, Diego thought suddenly.

Was what they were experiencing now some backlash? Great perpetrators of lies on a daily basis, they now found themselves trapped in turn by another lie, for which they were this time absolutely not responsible, with which they had for once nothing to do. Ironic, wasn't it?

In this instant, Diego felt the need to seek the padre's assistance, even though he could not, of course, confide in him totally open-heartedly, for the good priest's own safety. But upon his arrival at the church he had been answered that Padre Benitez was away for the rest of the day. He would therefore have to postpone. Too bad, Felipe too would probably have appreciated a visit from good padre.

Roused out of his reverent contemplation, Diego reluctantly got up and decided to get back to his vigil over the sick stranger, before going back to the cuartel to visit Felipe in his cell and spend some time with him, to try to reassure him and take his mind off things, if ever possible.

Thinking about the cuartel and walking along it suddenly gave Diego an idea to try to learn more about the stranger: Felipe had told him that the soldiers had brought back her horse, who limped, and he thought that it was certainly still tied there. She was certainly not traveling empty-handed and had to have some baggage with her, and in this baggage, personal belongings that could 'talk' about their owner.

Indeed, there was there an unfamiliar horse, whose front left ankle had been carefully bandaged but who, paradoxically, had not even been unsaddled, poor thing... But sure enough this suited Don Diego rather well, as he could reach into her saddle bag at leisure. Then, taking pity on the poor animal, he put aside his initial idea and unsaddled the horse, setting saddle and stirrups astride on the hitching post, after what he simply grabbed the saddle bag and brought it back with him to the tavern. It was still siesta time, there was hardly anyone around, and no one did ask him any question.