Chapter III. In which Monastario receives unpleasant news
Enrique was woken up abruptly by a persistent knocking on the door. Out of habit, he reached for his weapon, but as soon as his fingers touched the sword, he remembered where he was.
"Diego, wake up!" the voice of Don Alejandro de la Vega was heard from behind the door.
Monastario got out of bed at once and, taking his uniform with him, rushed to the secret door near the fireplace.
Seeing that Diego was sleeping on a mattress, Enrique remembered de la Vega's words from the day before, "I have had to sleep on the ground before, believe me," and also that provocation of El Zorro, "Are there real men here?" A poser and a boy! Having unloaded his clothes and sword onto the bench next to Tornado, Monastario touched Diego on his bare shoulder.
He, without opening his eyes, muttered sleepily, "One more minute..."
"Wake up, señor!"
Enrique pulled the blanket off de la Vega, and he, blinking, finally woke up completely.
"Captain! What are you—"
"Your father is banging on the door. Hurry!"
Instantly taking off his nightshirt, Monastario threw it to Diego, who was sleeping in his drawers. The Captain didn't know whether there was a robe in the cave, but judging by the fact that, having pulled on his nightshirt, de la Vega rushed upstairs, it was unlikely. Yawning, Enrique began to put on his underwear—and at that moment he realized with horror that his cavalry boots were left in the bedroom.
It seemed to Diego that he was still sleeping. It was good that Monastario thought to give him his nightshirt, but Diego couldn't remember where his robe had gone. Sleepily answering, "I'm coming, father!" de la Vega rushed to the door, but then his gaze fell on Monastario's cavalry boots. Silently cursing, Diego shoved them under the bed and only then let Don Alejandro in, glad that the shutters on the windows were closed and it was impossible to look into the bedroom from the covered gallery. Don Alejandro would never forgive Diego for Captain Monastario peacefully resting in his son's bed. Diego understood that a real adult, independent life for a Californian began after marriage and the birth of his first child, and Diego, perhaps, could be perceived as rather strange, wanting to live differently. Wanting to live like Zorro, who was on his own. He loved his father, and he almost loathed Monastario, but the Captain was his guest, and Diego was irritated that to Monastario he was still the same sixteen-year-old boy. After all, adult men did not report to anyone. And they did not hide their guests like—
"Diego," Don Alejandro lowered his voice, "you didn't open to me for a very long time, and your bed is so rumpled... There is no point in hiding the señorita on the balcony. Who is she, one of our maids? I do not blame you, I also—" he stopped short and finished predictably, "Although it would be better if you started looking for a wife."
Glancing at the bed, Diego saw that it was indeed very rumpled—Monastario slept quite restlessly. Who would have thought that the Captain had a sensitive soul! It was not for nothing that his temples turned gray at such an early age.
"No, father, I was just sleeping very soundly," the younger de la Vega objected, growing cold at the thought that Don Alejandro might find out the truth.
Compared to current events, their previous struggle with Monastario seemed like a game of cat and mouse. Zorro could have been pardoned by the Governor of Alta California, but Monastario would not have been pardoned by the King of Spain. Monastario—and those who helped him. Diego did not regret his decision for a moment, but he had to do everything to protect his father.
"And you must have had nightmares! I can't wait until the scoundrel Monastario gets what he deserves, and they send us a new Comandante! I am sure that is what Don Esteban wants to talk about. He has sent a messenger, so get ready, we have the honor of having breakfast with the Viceroy and his daughter. They say she is very beautiful," Don Alejandro said meaningfully. "Perhaps you will like each other... Son, you are blushing!"
As soon as his father left, Diego pressed his palm to his burning face, and then opened the shutters, still embarrassed. Why did his father have to remind him of Constancia and Monastario? The Captain was not the kind to be embarrassed, under any circumstances! Diego really hoped that Monastario got dressed already. Got dressed and went to inform on Diego de la Vega, who was the bandit El Zorro... Was that possible? Such a development should probably not be ruled out.
Diego sighed heavily and finally remembered that he had left his robe in the closet. After Diego had grabbed another one for the Captain just in case, he began to descend into the cave.
"There you are!" de la Vega's voice was heard.
Enrique turned around, and at the sight of Diego's confused face, he decided not to lie that he had gotten out of the cave to get some fresh air.
"I wanted to make sure I was alive," he explained briefly, hoping de la Vega would understand.
After a nod, Diego handed Enrique some absolutely terrible burgundy-colored robe, but it was really worth getting dressed, it was cold in just drawers in early April.
"Happy birthday to you, Señor Captain!" de la Vega flashed a smile. "I wish you long and happy years of life!"
"Thank you, Señor Zorro. Or do you prefer to be addressed as 'Don Diego'?"
"Just Diego."
"In that case," Monastario smiled, "don't forget to call me Enrique."
At these words, de la Vega noticeably relaxed—apparently, only now he truly believed that he had saved his enemy from execution. Although it was stupid to remain at odds after Enrique saved Diego's life, and Diego did the same for Enrique. Moreover, was de la Vega a real bandit? Of course not.
Tightening the knot on his belt, Enrique asked, "May I ask what happened?"
"I do not know," Diego scratched the back of his head. "Don Esteban invited my father and me to breakfast. Perhaps the conversation will be about you..."
"Diego, I am putting you in danger by hiding here."
"I don't think so. Only Bernardo and I know about the cave. I shall come back and we'll think together about when it is best for you to leave."
"Why did you save me?" Enrique asked unexpectedly for himself, although he already knew the answer.
"Doña Constancia asked me," de la Vega replied reluctantly. "And before that, Don Esteban gave me your blade, and I recognized the engraving."
"You recognized it, so what? Four years ago you generously thanked me for a trifling favor, so now I am in your debt."
"You are not." De la Vega dived into the cave.
"Do you like Constancia?" Monastario did not let up, deciding to dot all the i's.
"And you too!" Diego laughed. "My father hopes so, but I have seen you and her, and I wish you both happiness, if possible."
"Hardly," muttered Enrique.
De la Vega kissed Tornado on the nose. Being separated from Blanco, his own beautiful stallion, Monastario felt suddenly sad.
Left alone, Enrique settled down on the bed with a book he found in the bedroom. It was curious, was de la Vega really re-reading The Decameron, or was this collection of short stories, like "The Effects of Moorish Culture on Spanish Poetry," serving the purpose of creating an image of a bookish young man among others? Chuckled, the Captain began to think about his own problems, absentmindedly stroking the book cover, but his thoughts kept stubbornly turning to the question of why he and de la Vega came to the point of hatred if they were able to find a common language? Or, was it under the influence of his father, Padre Felipe and the others that Diego decided that the Comandante was a scoundrel? And Enrique, of course, did not have angelic patience... After all, he was polite to de la Vega, and for a long time, no matter what! And now… now de la Vega was upset that his guest was left without breakfast on his birthday. Enrique was sure that de la Vega ardently supported the uprising in Spain, and therefore Monastario's correspondence with Riego turned the villain into the hero in Diego's eyes. And also memories of youth mattered for him.
Thanks to thinking and reading, time passed quickly, and Enrique was surprised that noon had arrived. De la Vega brought a tray of food and coffee for Monastario. He began pacing around the room nervously, and with every word Enrique grew more and more gloomy.
The Viceroy predictably told the de la Vegas that after dark, Captain Monastario had been freed by Zorro. The surprise was the news that Constancia had been kidnapped by a gang of common outlaws demanding a ransom of three thousand pesos for her life. The bandits also demanded that the soldiers remain in the garrison—and this condition was understandable. The Viceroy was afraid to violate it, worried about the safety of his daughter, and thus could not send soldiers to search for Monastario or Zorro. According to de la Vega, his father, the Viceroy, and Licenciado Piña, who was present at breakfast, decided that Sergeant García would take the money to the place indicated by the outlaws at midnight. Admitting that he was at a loss, Diego suggested that Enrique should leave right now, taking advantage of the fact that no one would search for him.
Having finished his coffee, Monastario said, "I cannot agree, Diego. The outlaws may be many, and you, that is, Zorro, may need my help."
"Do you, Enrique, really love Doña Constancia so much that you are ready to dress up as a bandit to save her?" asked de la Vega, putting on a black shirt. "I thought you were only interested in the fact that she is the Viceroy's daughter, but I see I was mistaken."
"You do not know me at all," Monastario objected. He had to admit that the Zorro costume suited de la Vega more than foppish costumes. Although by reflex, Enrique wanted to grab the blade from its sheath and— "However, I don't know you either," he added, following the Fox into his lair. "But if anything happens to you, I shall resurrect you and personally finish you off."
"Don't worry, I shan't take any unnecessary risks," de la Vega smiled and handed Enrique a bandana. Feeling extremely stupid, Monastario tied it on Diego's head. The Captain had dreamed of taking off Zorro's mask for a long time, but, to be honest, he did not have enough fantasy to imagine that he would help the Fox to get dressed. "If I can't save Doña Constancia myself, I'll come back for you. I still have the suit you have dressed me in before your arrest."
"Your servant doesn't like me," Enrique said the wrong thing, watching Zorro saddle his horse.
El Zorro did not answer.
Coming out of the cave, Monastario thought that he did not like being the one who saw someone off and waited. He would rather by de la Vega's side.