Monologue From Romeo's First Epilogue To Antonio

I’d be delighted to instruct you in anything you need,’ he said, vigorously shaking Antonio’s hand. ‘I think the main thing is training me to fire a pistol.’ ‘That’s easier to say than do, but of course I can teach you. We have a range here we can use. It’s actually inside the palace not far from here but underground. You also need training in hand-to-hand fighting and the use of a dagger, from what the secretary says. What mission are they sending you on? It would help to know that.’ ‘It’s very secret and I’m not supposed to tell anyone. Do you mind if I ask the regidor first?’ ‘You are new and I understand that you will want to make a good start with him so do ask him. In the meantime, we’ll arrange for you to come again. How about tomorrow …show more content…

I’ll take you back to the Armoury gate,’ he said, not yet trusting Antonio to go back alone. *** As Antonio reached the palace entrance, he realised he had to see the regidor before going. He returned, knocked on the outer door and went in. ‘Ah, Señor Hidalgo, said the private secretary. I hope your meeting with the armourer went well.’ ‘It did, thank you,’ smiled Antonio. ‘The regidor wanted to speak to me before I went.’ ‘He’s expecting you. Come in.’ The regidor stood up, came round to the front of his desk and shook Antonio’s hand once again, almost if he’d been away on a mission. ‘I have two things to deal with. First, let’s sit down and I want to give you some advice. Call it an instruction if you wish! It’s about meeting this Pedro character in the tavern off the Platería. If, as I suspect, he will be testing you and hoping to engage you, play a hard game with him. Don’t agree when he first suggests it that you will work for him. Play him like a fish on a line. Enjoy teasing him. That will minimise any suspicion of you having a priori agreed to join …show more content…

It seemed as if the man Pedro had been there all evening with his eye on the door. He looked straight into Antonio’s eye as he entered. ‘I knew you’d come, Antonio. Good to see you. How’s our violinist?’ ‘Very well, Pedro. And you?’ ‘Much the same but very busy. Looking after the interests of my people. It’s quite a responsibility you know.’ Not to miss an opportunity like this, Antonio leapt at him with a question. ‘So what are you doing to protect the interests of your people? I suppose you are talking about the Moriscos?’ ‘That’s a difficult question. I promised you a glass of my favourite rioja. Wait there and I’ll get you one!’ Antonio sat at the table opposite Pedro’s large glass of red wine and pondered how he could wheedle his way into the trust of this man. To Antonio, he seemed a shrewd individual who wouldn’t part with a maravedí unless he had to, let alone some critical piece of information. Antonio could see two ways into this. He could get Pedro drunk and hope he’d blurt something out that he’d rather have not said. Or he could pretend great sympathy with the ‘plight of the Moriscos’, as the Corregidor of Guadalajara rather carelessly said. He’d follow the latter course and see where it took