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Authors: James Runcie
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amidst much laughter.
Sylvana looked slowly round the assembled gathering of appreciative faces, blushed, and then burst into tears, as if they had been mocking her.
I rose from the table and followed her into the kitchen, where she sat, head in hands, inconsolable.
‘How can I make such a feast again? Where will we find the ingredients?’ she cried.
I reassured her that we still possessed the vase of beans that I had taken from Montezuma’s treasury and that all might yet be well. We simply needed time and patience in order to work out a plan.
Unfortunately, as is so often the case, neither Sylvana nor I were in control of our destiny. For the very next day Isabella arrived at my home, alone, and unannounced.
She wasted no time in coming to her point.
‘It was you.’
‘I do not know of which you speak.’
‘Why did you do that?’
‘What?’
‘You know perfectly well. Do not dissemble.’
‘Very well,’ I answered as calmly as I could. ‘I did this simply to show you that I could do such a thing. To prove worthy of your love.’
‘You bribed the cook.’
‘I did no such thing.’
‘You gave her the means and taught her the art of making it.’
Now I relished her fury.
‘I did.’
‘And it is the talk of the Barrio Santa Cruz. None can forget it; everyone longs to taste such food again. You have power over me, for we have no means of reproducing such a feast without appealing to your generosity.’
‘The meal cannot be made without cacao beans, I do confess.’
‘Then give me some.’
‘I only have a small supply remaining.’
‘Show me.’
‘Very well. But if you accept the gift, then you must accept my love.’
Of course I did not want such a love, particularly now that I had it within my grasp. I sought victory, forgiveness, dignity and, perhaps, it must be confessed, although I am ashamed to admit to such a thing, Isabella’s humiliation.
‘Show me.’
I pulled out the vase that I had carried from Montezuma’s treasury.
‘These are cacao beans,’ I said, ‘more precious than gold,for when you drink the chocolate concocted from them you are drinking your fortune.’
‘This is the true treasure?’
‘They must be kept dark, and hidden well.’
Isabella was hardly able to contain her impatience.
‘Give them to me.’
‘This vase has been sealed,’ I continued, speaking as if I were a conjuror, ‘and none has touched it but myself. You will be the first – and last – to see these beans since they were placed in Montezuma’s treasury.’
I pulled off the seal.
Isabella’s eyes glistened.
‘Can I touch them?’ she said.
‘Of course,’ I replied. ‘Take thirty beans away with you tonight. Sylvana knows what to do.’
She stared as if they were holy relics or the wafers for Mass. ‘Surely this is a great treasure that makes men fall so silent at its taste.’ I had never seen her so moved.
‘Is this truly my gift?’ she asked.
Victory.
I had met the conditions of her challenge.
‘Take the beans. My felicitations, my admiration, and my deepest respect for your beauty go with them.’
‘I have mistreated you, Diego.’
‘No matter,’ I said, solemnly.
‘You have my love.’
If Isabella had said such a thing two years ago I would have fallen into a swoon.
Now it meant nothing.
Yet I stopped for a moment, knowing that a life of ease and grace awaited me if only I chose to take it.
Such are the attractions of wealth.
‘Come to me tomorrow,’ Isabella continued. ‘I will take these to my cook, and we will taste this elixir once more.’
She held out her hand for me to kiss.
‘Farewell. My father will wish to see you to discuss the marriage dowry. You have succeeded in your quest.’
And with these words she returned to court.
María and Esperanza were delighted by my victory, and began to plan for their immediate employment in the ducal household.
What had I done?
Fear filled my heart as we approached Isabella’s house the
Sylvana looked slowly round the assembled gathering of appreciative faces, blushed, and then burst into tears, as if they had been mocking her.
I rose from the table and followed her into the kitchen, where she sat, head in hands, inconsolable.
‘How can I make such a feast again? Where will we find the ingredients?’ she cried.
I reassured her that we still possessed the vase of beans that I had taken from Montezuma’s treasury and that all might yet be well. We simply needed time and patience in order to work out a plan.
Unfortunately, as is so often the case, neither Sylvana nor I were in control of our destiny. For the very next day Isabella arrived at my home, alone, and unannounced.
She wasted no time in coming to her point.
‘It was you.’
‘I do not know of which you speak.’
‘Why did you do that?’
‘What?’
‘You know perfectly well. Do not dissemble.’
‘Very well,’ I answered as calmly as I could. ‘I did this simply to show you that I could do such a thing. To prove worthy of your love.’
‘You bribed the cook.’
‘I did no such thing.’
‘You gave her the means and taught her the art of making it.’
Now I relished her fury.
‘I did.’
‘And it is the talk of the Barrio Santa Cruz. None can forget it; everyone longs to taste such food again. You have power over me, for we have no means of reproducing such a feast without appealing to your generosity.’
‘The meal cannot be made without cacao beans, I do confess.’
‘Then give me some.’
‘I only have a small supply remaining.’
‘Show me.’
‘Very well. But if you accept the gift, then you must accept my love.’
Of course I did not want such a love, particularly now that I had it within my grasp. I sought victory, forgiveness, dignity and, perhaps, it must be confessed, although I am ashamed to admit to such a thing, Isabella’s humiliation.
‘Show me.’
I pulled out the vase that I had carried from Montezuma’s treasury.
‘These are cacao beans,’ I said, ‘more precious than gold,for when you drink the chocolate concocted from them you are drinking your fortune.’
‘This is the true treasure?’
‘They must be kept dark, and hidden well.’
Isabella was hardly able to contain her impatience.
‘Give them to me.’
‘This vase has been sealed,’ I continued, speaking as if I were a conjuror, ‘and none has touched it but myself. You will be the first – and last – to see these beans since they were placed in Montezuma’s treasury.’
I pulled off the seal.
Isabella’s eyes glistened.
‘Can I touch them?’ she said.
‘Of course,’ I replied. ‘Take thirty beans away with you tonight. Sylvana knows what to do.’
She stared as if they were holy relics or the wafers for Mass. ‘Surely this is a great treasure that makes men fall so silent at its taste.’ I had never seen her so moved.
‘Is this truly my gift?’ she asked.
Victory.
I had met the conditions of her challenge.
‘Take the beans. My felicitations, my admiration, and my deepest respect for your beauty go with them.’
‘I have mistreated you, Diego.’
‘No matter,’ I said, solemnly.
‘You have my love.’
If Isabella had said such a thing two years ago I would have fallen into a swoon.
Now it meant nothing.
Yet I stopped for a moment, knowing that a life of ease and grace awaited me if only I chose to take it.
Such are the attractions of wealth.
‘Come to me tomorrow,’ Isabella continued. ‘I will take these to my cook, and we will taste this elixir once more.’
She held out her hand for me to kiss.
‘Farewell. My father will wish to see you to discuss the marriage dowry. You have succeeded in your quest.’
And with these words she returned to court.
María and Esperanza were delighted by my victory, and began to plan for their immediate employment in the ducal household.
What had I done?
Fear filled my heart as we approached Isabella’s house the
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