Part 130 (1/2)

The Palmerin cart was the most cleverly done and awes and shouts of approval followed it. It showed Palmerin standing by the fountain and surrounded by the scantily clad fairies. Wrapped around the entire cart was a giant, coiled serpent, the monster that protected the fountain. The monster's head had risen behind Palmerin as if it were about to attack the young knight.

And, of course, there was our friend from La Mancha bringing up the rear, following in the footsteps of the literary characters that had twisted his mind. The adventures of the knight-errant was the newest of the characters on parade but had already gained legendary stature. And everyone there, few of whom had ever read a book, knew the story.

Don Quixote was Alonso Quixano, a middle-aged hidalgo, a man who spent his life idle and not at all wealthy, living in the dry, almost infertile region of La Mancha. He became consumed with a pa.s.sion for reading books of chivalry. These books of knights and princesses in distress and dragons to slay were so farfetched and irrational the poor gentlemen lost control of his mind reading them. Soon he was burnis.h.i.+ng his grandfather's ancient armor and preparing his trusty knight's ”steed,” Rosinante, a poor, skinny old stable horse, to carry him into battle. Needing a princess to rescue and love, a necessity for any knight-errant, even ones who confuse windmills for giant monsters, he dubs a simple country la.s.s, Aldonza Lorenza, a d.u.c.h.ess. For a page and servant, he induced a peasant, the gullible Sancho, to accompany him.

On his first outing, the don came to a country inn, which, in his fanciful world, he imagined to be a great castle with a moat and lofty towers. There he is waited on by two prost.i.tutes, whom he fantasizes are great ladies from n.o.ble families. That night the two ”ladies” help him undress.

The float shows the good don in night clothes but wearing his knight's helmet. Two women are next to him. The women, the inn's prost.i.tutes, had helped him get off his rusty armor but were unable to get off his helmet, which he must sleep in.

The women are costumed so that the side of their clothing facing Don Quixote is that of great ladies and their backside, the side he does not see, are the cheap, gaudy clothes of prost.i.tutes.

I barely got a glance at the scenery cart.

”Let's go,” Mateo commanded.

Ay, faithful, stupid, pudgy Sancho trudged away, following Don Quixote on another mission to joust with windmills.

ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-NINE.

We met with Jaime and a prost.i.tute a block from the warehouse.

”You have given the puta her instructions?” Mateo asked.

”Si, senor. But she requires more money to do the task.” Jaime held out that ever-demanding hand.

”Do you remember what I told you about your ears?” Mateo asked. ”You and she are to do what I tell you, or you will both lose your ears and noses. Here,” Mateo said, giving him a single coin, ”this is the last. Finito!”

The hand dropped. But I did not like the look in the boy's eyes. I said so when Mateo and I left them to get into position.

”You should have given the boy more money,” I said.

”No. The little thief's rich already. He's gotten enough.”

”You don't understand the mind of a lepero. There is always famine after feast, so there is never enough.”

Four guards were at the front of the warehouse. Only one was on duty. The other three were around a fire, two of them asleep and one dozing on and off, waiting for his s.h.i.+ft to begin. One guard was at the back. Only one was needed because a yell from him would bring the others.

Jaime and the puta went to work, walking near the back of the warehouse, attracting the guard's attention. Jaime went over to speak to the guard, offering him the woman's service for a nominal amount. It was to be expected that the guard would refuse, not wanting to risk severe punishment by leaving his post. And that is exactly what happened: The boy gave us a subtle hand signal that the guard would not leave his post.

As the boy kept the guard talking, we approached in our costumes.

The guard grinned at us as we came near. Jaime jerked on his sleeve. ”Eh, I offer you a good deal.”

”Get out of here, lepero-”

That was all the guard got out before Mateo put him out with a blow from the hilt of his sword.

”Quick now,” Mateo told Jaime.