The Mark of Zorro quotes

Again the sheet of rain beat against the roof of red Spanish tile, and the wind shrieked like a soul in torment, and smoke puffed from the big fireplace as the sparks were showered over the hard dirt floor.

“ ’Tis a night for evil deeds!” declared Sergeant Pedro Gonzales, stretching his great feet in their loose boots toward the roaring fire and grasping the hilt of his sword in one hand and a mug filled with thin wine in the other.

Again the sheet of rain beat against the roof of red Spanish tile, and the wind shrieked like a soul in torment, and smoke puffed from the big fireplace as the sparks were showered over the hard dirt floor.

“ ’Tis a night for evil deeds!” declared Sergeant Pedro Gonzales, stretching his great feet in their loose boots toward the roaring fire and grasping the hilt of his sword in one hand and a mug filled with thin wine in the other.

“Devils howl in the wind and demons are in the raindrops! ’Tis an evil night, indeed—eh, señor?”

“Shall it be that I never hear of anything except deeds of bloodshed and violence? Would it be possible in these turbulent times for a man to listen to words of wisdom regarding music or the poets?”

“Meal-mush and goat’s milk!” snorted Sergeant Gonzales in huge disgust.

“If this Señor Zorro wishes to risk his neck, let him. It is his own neck, by the saints! A cutthroat! A thief! Ha!”

The man before them bowed.

“Señor Zorro, at your service!” he said.

“By the saints! Señor Zorro, eh?” Gonzales cried.

“I am weary, and the hacienda is an excellent place to rest,” he said. “I knew it to be the siesta hour, also, and thought everyone would be asleep. It were a shame to awaken you, señorita, but I felt that I must speak.

Your beauty would hinge a man’s tongue in its middle so that both ends might be free to sing your praises.

”

“By the saints!” Captain Ramón cried, “you would taunt me?”

“Never be taunted by the truth,” Don Diego observed.

“He ran you through the shoulder, eh? ’Tis a mere scratch, I doubt not. Should you not be at the presidio instructing your soldiers?”

“You would pay ransom rather than fight him, señor?”

“I have lots of money, but only one life, señorita. Would I be a wise man to risk having my blood let out?”

“It would be the manly part, would it not?” she asked.

“It would be the manly part, would it not?” she asked.

“Any male can be manly at times, but it takes a clever man to be sagacious,” he said.

Don Diego laughed lightly, as if it cost him an effort, and bent forward to speak in lower tones.

“Certainly

Don Diego Vega is not the man for you

,” he went on. “Has he courage, spirit? Is he not a laughingstock because of his weakness?”

“Your chance to be a great lady! Do you think I did not know Don Diego was the man you meant when we spoke in your father’s patio? This is a whim, señorita.”

“It is love, señor, whether anything comes of it or not. And a Pulido does not love twice.”

“What possibly could come of it but distress?”

“We shall see. God is good!”

“Sweet madness, señor!”

He clasped her to him and bent his head again, and again she closed her eyes and took his kiss, only this time the kiss was longer. She made no effort to see his face.

… man, Don Diego, you would go to the presidio, you would call this Captain Ramón to account, you would pass your sword through his body, and call upon all to witness that a man could not insult the señorita you admired and escape the consequences.”

“It is such an exertion to fight!” he said.

“Let us not speak of violence. Perhaps I shall see the fellow and rebuke him.”

“

Bernardo, you are a gem!

” Don Diego said. “You cannot speak or hear, cannot write or read, and have not sense enough to make your wants known by the sign-language.

“I showed her my house in the pueblo, and mentioned my great wealth, and agreed to purchase a new carriage for her,” Don Diego told him.

“Did you show her your heart, mention your love, and agree to be a perfect husband?”

Don Diego looked at him blankly, then batted his eyes rapidly, and scratched at his chin, as he did sometimes when he was puzzled over a matter.

Don Diego looked at him blankly, then batted his eyes rapidly, and scratched at his chin, as he did sometimes when he was puzzled over a matter.

“What a perfectly silly idea!” he exclaimed after a time.

“Try it, caballero. It may have an excellent effect.”

“You will be the death of me! Don Diego does naught but sit in the sun and dream. He scarcely ever wears a blade, except as a matter of show. He groans if he has to ride a few miles on a horse.

Don Diego is about as dangerous as a lizard basking in the sun.

“But he is an excellent gentleman, for all that!” the landlord added hastily, afraid that his words would reach Don Diego’s ears, and Don Diego would take his custom elsewhere.

“My father! I have been a dutiful son!”

“I would you had been a little wild⁠—it would have been more natural,” Don Alejandro sighed.

“I could overlook a few escapades more easily than I can lifelessness. Arouse yourself, young sir! Remember that you are a Vega.

“Give me my blade and let me stand before him!” one cried.

“If I allowed you to have blade, you would be unable to stand!” the highwayman answered.

“Think you there is one in this company who could fence with me now?”

“I shall keep them in carcel while my troopers run down this highwayman. I shall force him to confess and implicate them—and then they shall have a trial.”

“These turbulent times!” Don Diego complained.

“As a loyal man—and I hope an admirer of mine—you should hope to see foes of the state confounded.”

“You must trust me, señorita,” he said.

“To love is to trust, señor!”

“All things have been arranged. Ask no questions, but do as I bid. Come!”

“May Heaven grant it!” the girl breathed.

“Where there is love, there may be hope, señorita.”

“Then my hope is great, señor.”

“Did I say that he had business with me?”

“The saints are better off your lips, señor⁠—boaster and drunkard!”

“Do you wish to receive another beating, fray? I am riding on his excellency’s business. Do not you delay me further! What said this pretty highwayman?”

“You would dare? You would so affront a fray? You would descend to torture?”

“Meal mush and goat’s milk!” quoth Sergeant Gonzales.

“You fooled me once in some manner, but you will not so fool me again. Search the house, troopers, and be sure that you search it well! I shall remain in this room and keep this entertaining fray company.

One hand came from behind her back, and in it she held a long, keen knife such as sheep skinners used. She put the point of the knife against her breast, and regarded them bravely.

“Señorita Lolita Pulido does not return to the foul carcel now or at any time, señores!”

she said. “Rather would she plunge this knife into her heart, and so die as a woman of good blood should! If his excellency wishes for a dead prisoner, he may have one!”

Captain Ramón rushed again, calling into play his last bit of strength, fencing with what skill he could command. His arms were as lead; his breath was fast. He thrust, he lunged—and made a mistake of a fraction of an inch!

Like the tongue of a serpent, Señor Zorro’s blade shot in.

Thrice it darted forward, and upon the fair brow of Ramón, just between the eyes, there flamed suddenly a red, bloody letter Z!

Like the tongue of a serpent, Señor Zorro’s blade shot in. Thrice it darted forward, and upon the fair brow of Ramón, just between the eyes, there flamed suddenly a red, bloody letter Z!

“The Mark of Zorro!” the highwayman cried. “You wear it forever now, comandante!”

Señor Zorro’s face became more stern. His blade shot in again and came out dripping red. The comandante gasped and slipped to the floor.

“Not that, señorita!” he cried.

“I have given you my heart, señor. Either we live together, or we die together!”

Think what it would mean! His excellency would not dare stand an instant against a Vega. Your parents would have their lands restored. You would be the bride of the richest young man in the country! You would have everything to make you happy—”

“Everything except love, señor, and without love the rest is as naught!”

“Think, señorita, and decide for once and all! You have but a moment now!”

“Think, señorita, and decide for once and all! You have but a moment now!”

“I made my decision long ago, señor. A Pulido loves but once, and does not wed where she cannot love!”

“Cara!” he cried; and pressed her close again.

“His excellency bids me say that this is the last chance, that the offer will not be renewed.”

“His excellency is wise not to waste breath renewing it. He grows fat and his breath is short!”

“What can you expect to gain by resistance, save death!” Gonzales asked. “How can you hope to offstand a score and a half of us!”

“After a few of you have been stretched lifeless on the floor,” Señor Zorro observed. “Who will be the first through the door, my sergeant?”

“Come in and drink a mug of wine with me,” said the highwayman, laughing.

“Meal mush and goat’s milk!” swore Sergeant Gonzales.