01x35 - The Tightening Noose

[bunniefuu]

♪ Out of the night when
the full moon is bright

♪ Comes a horseman
known as Zorro

♪ This bold renegade
carves a "Z" with his blade

♪ A "Z" that stands for Zorro

♪ Zorro!

♪ The Fox so cunning and free

♪ Zorro!

♪ Who makes the sign of the "Z"!

♪ Zorro, Zorro, Zorro

♪ Zorro, Zorro ♪

No, I won't do it. I'm not
criticizing you, Don Alejandro.

I am not condemning the
others who have signed the oath.

But why should I place myself
and my family in jeopardy

when I am leaving?

It is my father's position that
you should not leave. Not now.

I'm glad your father
is no longer with us.

He could not have
stood the spectacle

of his son running from a fight.

I am not running from a fight.

And I did not
come here to argue.

I have reached a time of life

when a man wants peace,
security and contentment.

This is no longer
possible in California.

Was there ever a time
when men could find security

if they were not
willing to fight?

Please. My mind is made up.

Do you not realize
what you are doing?

If you leave now, it is
the first hole in the d*ke.

Others may decide to leave also.

We have worked
and built and dreamed.

All of this is for our children
and our children's children.

How can we surrender
it without a fight?

These are the same arguments
you gave me six months ago.

And each day, things have
become worse instead of better.

Let me tell you one thing.

Things will never
get better anywhere

if people run from
their problems.

Perhaps things would get better
here if the landowners united.

Then it is your thought that we
take the law into our own hands?

Absolutely not. I am leaving
tomorrow for Monterey.

I will ask the governor to
give us official recognition.

We will stand as an
army, but without uniforms.

We will be ready
to defend our home,

country, king
against any enemies,

from without or from within.

We are so far from Spain and it
is so difficult to get reinforcements,

that it seems this
is the only solution.

I just hope I'm not signing
my own death warrant.

You will not be
sorry, Don Alfredo.

We will stand
together. All of us.

You know, there are other
men signing oaths like this,

in San Diego, Santa Barbara,
Buenaventura and elsewhere.

Shall I take this
to the library?

Si, por favor.

Con permiso.

I will take the signed
petition to Monterey.

But Diego will have a
list of those who signed.

In case of any great
emergency while I'm gone,

he may call all of you together.

Did you come through
the entrance in the sala?

Be more careful. Even
though my father is not at home,

there are the servants.

Sergeant Garcia?

Oh, there you are, Don Diego.

This is an unexpected pleasure.

Si.

Won't you step inside? Gracias.

Be seated, Sergeant.

Well, to what do we owe
the honor of this visit?

I am the bearer of good news.
You are about to have company.

That is good news. Who's coming?

His Excellency Jose
Sebastian de Varga,

the new Administrado
for this area.

He's on his way now.

He's coming to visit me?

Si.

Thank you for
bringing information.

I shall endeavor to
receive him properly.

Do you think I could persuade
him to remain for dinner?

Si. I think so.

If you'll excuse me,
I'll inform the servants.

Oh, uh, will there be others?

Don Diego, there's a little
something I think I should explain.

The Administrado
wants a hacienda

while his house
is being repaired.

And just think, Don Diego,

of all the many fine haciendas
in the area, he chose yours!

Let me see if I understand you.

Do you mean to tell me, the Administrado
intends to come here and take over,

whether I want him to or not?

I did not mean to imply that.

But it's true?

Si.

I cannot allow this.

I am sorry.

I will ask you to wait outside.

You can tell the Administrado,
if he wants this hacienda,

he will have to
take it by force!

Do not take this attitude.

My father and my
father's father defended it.

I will do the same.

How? The Administrado has
the soldiers at his command.

We have no choice!

Leave now, or I start
my battle immediately.

I will wait outside if you wish,

but put away that sword
before you cut yourself.

You heard?

Well, this is it, Bernardo.

No more pretense,
no more masquerading.

I will fight as
Diego de la Vega.

I will defend this
hacienda or die.

I know you heard.

You mean we could
eavesdrop on the Administrado?

You're right as usual, Bernardo.

At least we can listen and
learn the meaning of this.

Now there are too many
things we do not know.

I'm sorry, but the Administrado
is here. I thought I should tell you.

Of course. I hope he finds
our hacienda adequate.

Don Diego, this is His Excellency
Jose Sebastian de Varga.

Your Excellency, this
is Don Diego de la Vega.

His Excellency is
the new Administrado

for the southern
area of California.

A pleasure.

Your servant, Senor.

May I present my secretary
and associate, Juan Greco?

I trust you will find
this hacienda adequate.

It is a great privilege, having a
man of your stature as our guest.

Quite impressive, Don Diego.

Gracias, Senor.

I should explain that my father
is away at the present time.

I know.

I had the pleasure of meeting
Alejandro de la Vega in Santa Barbara.

He was going north
as I was coming south.

On his way to
Monterey, I believe.

Si.

To see the governor?

The point I was
making, Your Excellency,

is that you will be
most comfortable

in his room during his absence.

If you will follow my man, he
will show you to my father's room.

I should explain, he
cannot hear or speak.

Well, gentlemen, you must
both be tired after your ride.

Shall we go into the library
for a few moments and relax?

Gracias.

Please, be seated.

Perhaps a glass of wine?

Thank you.

This is our own vintage.
We are quite proud of it.

Gracias.

Most excellent, Don Diego.

Gracias, Senor.

Will Your Excellency
be with us long?

It may be for some time.

My father may be
returning in a week or so.

That is all right. He
will be welcome here.

Welcome in his own home?

I do not believe he
meant it that way.

I meant it exactly that way.

Please understand, Don Diego,

it would be within my province
to take over this hacienda

and request that you
and your father leave it.

But I'm a reasonable man. You
are more than welcome to stay on.

At least for the time being.

The trouble, Your Excellency,

is that my father may
not be so reasonable.

He might be more
inclined to dispute

your right to take
over his home.

You mean he might be
inclined to call on his neighbors,

who fancy themselves
to be soldiers?

They might att*ck the Administrado
and the soldiers of the king?

I did not say that.

It is just as well
that you did not.

That might constitute treason.

There is no need to argue about
the statements a man does not make.

You have a splendid
library, Don Diego.

I had no idea so many books
could be found in Los Angeles.

We are quite proud of it, Senor.

Many of these
books have histories.

I repeat myself.

Your father will be welcome at
this hacienda when he returns,

so long as he recognizes
I am in charge here,

and deports himself accordingly.

If you gentlemen will excuse me,

there are some
things I must attend to.

Might it not be wise,
Your Excellency,

not to arouse young
de la Vega unduly?

He may provide some opposition.

I asked for your advice, did I?

I merely...

I will not have you
tell me what to do.

You will do what
is assigned to you

and you will be much better off.

Si.

Do not be misled
by snap judgments,

impressions picked up
on the spur of the moment.

I know all about
young de la Vega.

A young popinjay. A great
disappointment to his father.

He will run from a fight if
we give him half the chance.

What a pompous, egotistical
fool. This is too much.

I can no longer live in the
same house as this man

and keep up this pretense.

I came within a half-inch of
throwing him out the window.

I have no proof, but I am
sure he is the Eagle's agent.

Oh, and we'd better
get this out of the room.

There may be too
many prying eyes around.

People snooping through drawers.

What is it, Corporal?

I wanted to make sure you
were here before taking my post.

Your post?

I have to stay with you
at all times to protect you.

To protect me from what?

Just to protect you.

You see?

I'm a prisoner in my own house.

It is my understanding

you assigned the corporal
to stay with me to protect me.

Now, uh, may I ask you the
question he was unable to answer?

Protect me from what?

I am sure the corporal
is no specialist.

He would protect you from
anything that might present itself.

You must understand,
it would be embarrassing

for the Administrado if
anything should happen to you

while he was
occupying your hacienda.

All this is most gratifying,

but I feel much more comfortable

if I did not have a
soldier at my elbow.

There is nothing personal.
It's a question of principle.

If it bothers you,

I will assign the corporal
to stand guard outside.

After all, I am sure you're
perfectly safe inside these walls.

Corporal, you are hereby
assigned to stand guard outside.

Shall we adjourn to the library?

If you gentlemen will excuse me,

I will speak to the servants
and join you shortly.

It is not necessary, Don Diego.

I've instructed the soldiers to
take over the menial chores.

But even this I will have
to explain to the servants.

That's strange, Bernardo.

These are not clipped
as were the others.

At least we know the
Administrado works for the Eagle.

Sergeant. Well, what is it?

This wine is for
the Administrado.

Take it to him, in the library.

Si. But you told me I should show
you everything before I served it.

Those were the Administrado's
orders. You've shown me. Serve it.

Si. Then I'll come back
and take away the dishes.

Well, Corporal? There you
are. I was looking for you.

Did you expect to find me
sitting on top of the table?

No. But since I was
looking in this direction,

I thought there might be
something left of that leg of mutton.

But I don't see it.

Obviously, they ate it all up.

The bone too?

What are you doing here?

You're supposed to
be guarding Don Diego.

The Administrado told
me to stand guard outside.

Outside?

Follow me.

Sergeant! Si, Administrado.

There's a satchel
on the stand. Bring it.

Of course.

You were supposed to
guard outside, so go outside.

Outside!

I'm going to see what's
going on in the library.

Si, Administrado. I will
personally remain on guard.

I warn you,

you'll pay with your life for
any more of these mistakes.

Do you mean the satchel?

I told you not to let
it out of your sight.

Anyone could have picked it up.

What would it mean?

Do not argue with me.
Do not question me.

When I tell you to do
something, I want it done.

Somehow we must find
out who these men are

who would make
up de la Vega's army.

Well, say something!
Don't just sit there.

Yes. Remain here and watch.
I'm going to the secret room.

Look for a moving
panel or a loose board.

Or any group of books
fastened together.

I've been over this and
haven't found a thing.

There are no loose
boards I could find.

But I know these old
haciendas and how they are built.

Many have secret passageways,

and almost all, secret
compartments to hide valuables.

Slow down.

You mean you think they've
found the secret passages?

We will go over the
hacienda, inch by inch,

until we find what we want.

We cannot wait. Somehow
we must stop them.

Yes, come.

Don Alejandro
claims to have a list

of 50 men willing to
die for their country.

How can you be
sure he has a list?

Perhaps the names
are in his head.

Not 50 names.

I'm sure he must have them
written down somewhere.

If they are so willing
to die for their country,

we will soon oblige them.

I think I've found something.

Look at these.

Those are not important now.

Let us first get
rid of our enemies

and we can pick up
ornaments by the bushel.

Maybe this is it.

A list of names!

Drop the list. If you read one
name I will k*ll you. Drop it!

Make no outcry, I warn you.

Permit me to introduce myself.

I am El Zorro.

Take your bandas off
and stand back to back.

Zorro!

Guards! Zorro is in the sala!

I have him trapped. Capture him!

Help! Help me!

Help!

Hold him, Don
Diego! We are coming.

It's locked. Then break it down.

He went over the balcony.

Look! There he goes!

Whenever you gentlemen are
ready, I will show you the rancho.

It would be a good idea if one
of your vaqueros rode with us.

Yes. Acquaint us with the
boundaries and help locate the cattle.

Oh, I just remembered,

I have to write a
letter to my father

before the coach leaves today.

Would you excuse me?

If the vaquero comes with
us, we won't need Don Diego.

Of course.

What's the matter?

These are my father's papers
that Zorro took from the library.

"Senor, I have one question.

"How much are
you willing to pay?

"Meet me in Los Angeles.

"Have your answer
and money ready.

"Signed, the Eagle."

Apparently this is a letter
Varga received from the Eagle.

You're right. This has not
passed through the mails.

Well, this can
mean only one thing.

Our pompous house
guest is the Eagle!

But why did he come
here personally?

There's no doubt. He is here
to tighten the noose on us all.

We have almost reached
the hour of decision.

Our lives, our fortunes, the
future of California is at stake.

No. I'm afraid a dozen
Zorros couldn't stop these men.

They're too well-organized.

We'll fight to the limit of our
ability. We will do our best.

No man can ask more
than that, even of himself.

Next week, death for
Zorro draws ever closer.

As the agents of the Eagle
set a most cunning trap.

Because I'm asking it of you.

Do what you wish with the
sword. I will tell you nothing.

Get him!

Drop the sword, Senor.

Next week, intrigue mounts,

adventure and action
sweep to an amazing climax

in the exciting life
of Zorro. life of Zorro.