Telenovela Alborada, #31

This is a recap of the Univision telenovela Alborada. In order to read the whole post, you click "read the rest" at the bottom of this summary!

If you are new, please visit the recaps in ORDER - they are listed to the right under a picture of Doña Juana and Modesta. See the bottom of this post for more information.

I see "La Fea Mas Bella" will be Alborada's replacement. Stay tune for news of the new telenovela blog, named "Caray, Caray!" I went to the beach and couldn't recap Thursday and Friday, so two able substitutes provided the synopses for those days. Thanks, Sylvia and Lisa!

Wednesday: After Hipólita shouts that she is expecting a second child by Luis, Antonio slaps her to the floor and follows her out the door shouting that she's worse than a whore. Ada asks what she'll do now - "Wait till Luis gets back." Ada fusses that the two testosterone-engorged men will kill each other. "Get our suitcases, we'll take Rafael to my sister and then go talk to Luis."

Diego walks on top of his fencing partner. Goodness, they're making it very sorry to feel sorry for him with his mysterious sickness.

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Ramon and Arcadio show up, but they don't have much news and Diego sends them away. He goes to talk with Juana about Luis being alive. Just then, coincidentally, Luis and Cristóbal arrive on their horses!

Luis storms in and there is a satisfactory showdown. Diego is bemused by the half-true story Juana has told Luis (that he is an illegitimate son of Don Carlos) and denies it. Juana covers for Diego, saying he didn't know about any of this, and also that he never tried to kill Luis. "He never wanted to hurt you."

This all goes over about as well as you would expect, and Luis grandly spreads his arms and says he has rights over all he possesses (meaning the castle) and Diego lunges for him and Cristóbal says, "we're trying to be calm about all this," and Luis reminds Diego and Juana that they insisted on his presence before they would allow dissolution of the partnership, and, well, here he is!

Juana: "For God's sake, don't do it - it will ruin us and land us in the middle of a huge scandal." Luis to Diego: "You hired Antonio because you thought me dead." "No, because I needed somebody to do the work." "Yes, and here I am, and besides you had no right to hire him because by our agreement I do the hiring around here." Luis says: "I suppose you haven't rented out my room yet" and leaves. Cristóbal: "Luis is angry not only because of the lies about his origen but because you tried to kill him." Denials. "You tried more than once, for money -- and for something much more important." Diego knows what he's implying.

Luis tells Cristóbal he wants to blackmail Antonio this way: "You can keep your job if you give me Hipólita." As usual Cris thinks this unbecoming and says there must be another way but they don't know what.

Antonio comes to talk with Diego; he is nonplussed to hear, from Vicente, that Luis is within, talking with Diego and Juana. (Juana is furious Vicente told Antonio the truth and says, don't do that again.)

Juana tells Diego he must fire Antonio because Luis is back. They can't afford to have Luis retire his money, and the family can't weather more scandal, they're "walking in everybody's mouth." "Why'd you tell Luis he's the son of your brother?" "Because Isabel cornered me, and it's better than saying he's the true Count." "I hate that woman and one day I'll murder her."

Far away, on the road to Camargo, Marcos asks Felipe how Isabel's going to take it when they announce they want to profane her brother's tomb (by opening it to look for baby bones). "She wants the truth as much as we do."

Luis comes to Antonio's house to speak with him. Ada commences to gibber with fear. "If Antonio tells (about the pregnancy) Luis'll kill him." Antonio blows through to ask Hipólita: "Does Luis know you're having his child?" "No." "Then keep quiet, I will not endure more humiliation."

Luis proposes his job-for-woman exchange. "Diego and I have a contract that I do the hiring." "Contracts can be broken... anyway, Hipólita is my woman" "No she's not," "Yes she is -- she's EXPECTING MY CHILD." "It isn't true, she's never slept with you!" "If she said that, she lied."

Luis strides out and shouts for her. Antonio gets out his sword. They each shout at Hipólita, ordering her to say the child is (his or his) and threatening to kill each other. Ada says it is Antonio's baby! Luis: "If it's yours, I'll leave, if it's mine, I'll kill you." "Or maybe I'll kill you!" Hipólita runs away and Antonio taunts Luis: "Before the laws of heaven and earth, she is mine." Luis brings up Perla but Antonio response: "You had a whore when you were married, too!" Luis finishes rather lamely I thought: "Well, if this baby is yours, I want Rafael."

Hipólita reproaches Ada miserably: "What have you done? Why didn't you keep your mouth shut?" "I was afraid they'd kill each other, in front of the child, like rutting rams (carneros en celo)." "Ada, Luis will take Rafael!" "Hmm, I didn't think of that."

Catalina tells Cristobal - making him promise to tell nobody - that Hipolita is expecting another child by Luis. Then Luis shows up at Lara, furious! And Cristobal can't tell him! "I'm going to Camargo so I don't kill Antonio! Hipólita is expecting his child, Ada told me so." "Maybe Ada she lied, talk to her!" "No, I'm leaving and I want to go alone. If you really want to help me, get the tribunal to accept my dissolution of the partnership so I can ruin Diego -- and Antonio along with him!" Immediately after, Catalina is morose: "I shouldn't have made a big deal of the promise, you should have told him." Cristóbal isn't sure he believes Hipólita. "Maybe as husband Antonio exercised his rights." "No, this morning I talked to her. Believe me, I know her and she's not that kind of woman."

Hipólita, still miserable: "I can't let Luis think this, he'll think I'm a lier, I swore I hadn't slept with Antonio."

Perla plays with little rocks and then Antonio comes, in a very pissy mood. He asks for brandy. And starts shouting: "I fought with Luis because I can't stand him! Him and all those stuck-up aristocrats, and in fact he doesn't even have the lineage! Juana plucked him up from wherever!" Perla asks if he'll lose his job. Diego says no. "The more I know aristocrats I see what liers they are, perverse and malevolent! Let's talk of other things, I come here for distraction, to forget my problems." "It was you who came with complaints." "OK tell me, what are you doing, have you hired a servant?" "I'm used to doing it all myself, so I don't get bored." She tells him she has a friend and he asks, "What kind of friend?" "Well, she's like me..." "I don't want you with those women!" "But, then, who can I hang out with? Women of society won't talk to me." He says he understands and they have sex.

Juana tells Modesta she's worried about Diego, he seems ...

Desquiciado: crazy. "Tengo los nervios desquiciados" - "My nerves are in tatters."

They discuss his falling, even when he hasn't been drinking. The doctor's coming to see Juana next day, she'll have him check Diego then too. Modesta scolds: "You have to eat because your fingers are getting skinny." "Food disgusts me. ... and I'm so mad at Isabel, that hypocrite, all this time she knew Luis was alive... " "You don't want to tick her off, she's owner here now." "Don't remind me."

Hipólita takes Ada to Lara and convinces Cristobal that she's truly pregnant by Luis. She wants to talk to him, but he's gone off to Camargo, angry and feeling betrayed.

Antonio goes back yet again to talk to Diego but Vincente bars the way. Diego's with the doctor having a lovely conversation about boils, eruptions, pustules, etc. and (my favorite) "larger swelllings in the humid zones."

Then the doctor examines Juana and tells her she has "cancrun" (tumors) will not survive. ("We all die - all our lives are in God's hands.") Then she asks after Diego. "He's lived a 'disorderly' life..." "Tell me straight" "He has syphilis." "Syphilis! The scourge (azote) of humanity!"

Modesta says Diego's marriage should be stopped - but the doctor says it's only contagious early on and that Diego's been ill for more than ten years. The doctor says if Diego's children look ok, they probably are. "Does he suspect?" "Syphilis is known and feared, I'm sure he's heard of it."

"Modesta, it's a punishment from God, we did too much damage. But at least Luis is alive. Diego and I are putrefying from the inside. My son, with such a shameful disease! Nobody should know." "Shouldn't we suspend the wedding? "What, a scandal?" "Are you going to tell him?" "What, that I have cancer and will die? All I want is to see, before I die, that Hipólita and Luis marry and that Rafael is educated as is proper to my brother. Carlos, forgive me!" Then, as she considered the inconvenient fact that Hipólita is still married, Juana made me laugh when out from her wretched tears emerged her hardened Mafia face as she declared: "We have to convince Antonio (to give her a divorce). And if we can't, he has to disappear! I'm going to hell anyway! Asi es y asi será! (Thus it is and thus it shall be!)"

Finally Antonio gets in to see Diego and complains "Yesterday Luis told me I'd lose my work. That he'd take his money out of the partnership..." Diego's answer is orthogonal: "You think Luis has more money than I do?!! For God's sake!" "He also told me you tried to kill him." "He suffers a delirium of persecution. ... (holding up voodoo dolls or biomorphic candleholders): who's better in bed, your wife or your whore? Whores are always better." I would not find this a reassuring interchange with my boss.

Ramon and the mute show up to work, get brushed off, and, watching Antonio brush brusquely past them also, say, "there goes a cocky guy...

alcazado: cocky, uppity, stuck-up.

... what say we go tell his wife he's been boinking Perla??"

Lastly, on his way to Camargo Luis wades through sheep remembering that he promised Hipolita he would never stop loving her no matter what, nor leave her side.

Thursday, as reported by Sylvia G: At the Palacio Guevara Vicente comes to tell Diego that "the "gentlemen" who came yesterday are here to see you (Ramon and the mute)." Diego tells Gustavo to run them off and tell them never to come back. He looks miserable and brooding, perhaps thinking of the doctor's examination.

Antonio returns to his house and asks about Hipólita. The servant tells him she went to visit her sister, but that Cristobal is waiting for him in his office.

They greet each other stiffly and politely. Cristobal: "I know I shouldn't interfere, but I am because of the deep love I have for Hipolita and Luis. Hipolita is the half sister of my wife." Antonio: "I warn you I won't permit any meddling with my family!" "Hipolita is also part of my family", says Cristobal.
"So what do you want?" "I know that Hipolita is pregnant and that Luis is the father." Antonio: "We won't speak of this". Cristobal: "I don't want to offend you, but understand my position". "What position, busybody or procurer (metiche or alcahuate)? Cristobal: "I am a person seeking the truth. You put her in his hands and God willed that they would have a child together and fall in love, and now another is on the way" "The child is mine!"

Cristobal: "Would you swear it?" Antonio: I don't have to swear anything to you!" "Do you love her?" Antonio: "Of Course". Cristobal: "Loving means giving. Do you want a woman by your side who doesn't love you? Give her her freedom and you also will be free".

Cristobal tells Catalina and Hipolita about his meeting with Antonio. He thinks Antonio is basically a good guy, that it's pride driving him. Hipolita says that what makes her sad is to think that Luis will hate her. "Even though it might have been our fate to live apart, we'd have the comfort of knowing that we love each other, but now... Would he take Rafael from me?" Cristobal says no, that he's noble. Hipolita: "but Juana?"

There are some scenes of Luis on the road, reliving the scene where he and Antonio start to cross swords, he shouts to Hipolita that he said she never went to bed with Antonio, Antonio says she did, and the idiot Adalgisa agrees that they did sleep together.

Ramon and the mute approach Hipolita in the street and say they want to speak with her. She tells them she has nothing to say to them, but Ramon blurts out: "Not even that Perla is your husband's querida (beloved)?"

Hipolita tells Ada maybe she should talk with Perla. Ada: "Why, to give her a piece of your mind?" "No, perhaps he's in love. You noticed he didn't wait even a second to rush off to be with her."

There's a scene in some official building where Antonio is asking for his remesas (remittances of money, I suppose) and is told they aren't there yet. He's extremely frustrated.

Andres, Asuncion and Francisco speak about the upcoming wedding and that it's the same day as Diego's. The insufferable Asuncion babbles on about how Juana will feel if she (Asuncion) doesn't show for Diego's wedding. Francisco orders her to go to his son's wedding.

[UPDATE: Sylvia just informed me that Andrés is NOT Asunción's son, but is a child of Francisco from some other mom I guess. Hopefully Sylvia will tell more. I had no idea, did you?]

... Francisco tells Andres that he accepts his offer to run the hacienda, but that he won't accept any sort of interference, wants that settled at the outset. No doubt so he can divert all profits to himself. Andres insists he must talk this over with Marina. F: "What! You're going to be run by a woman. And don't forget she and her family are Jews and barely deserve you."

Andres tells him that Marina being a Jew is fine with him and he is going to talk with her first. Francisco rants to Asuncion that her daughter is rebellious and now the son is unmanageable, and you say nothing. Asuncion merely says what can I say when you say it all. After he leaves Asuncion says: "Dios bendito, I don't want to go to any hacienda with him. How many years I have paid for my sins!"

Another tender and loving scene between Cristobal and Catalina. She shows him the invitation to Diego's wedding and mentions that it's the same day. "What do you want to do, my love?" "Why, my brother's wedding, of course!" Cristobal: "How about we have the reception here?"

Andres and Antonio bid each other a fond farewell. The same Antonio who is intolerable when around Hipolita is so sweet with Andres. Andres tells him he understands if he has to choose Diego's wedding. Antonio says he'll come to the reception if only for 5 minutes to wish them the best.

More scenes of Luis on the road. This time he's fixated by fire again, his own campfire.

Modesta and Juana are discussing the wedding plans. They talk of Diego. Juana says he looks pretty good and perhaps the doctor was mistaken.

Luis arrives at the inn where Isabel, Marcos and Felipe are eating. They are surprised to see him. He's very subdued, clearly depressed, but only says: "I took care of everything in Cuencas and decided to live up to my word and join you here." He says he saw Antonio and also Juana and Diego. Isabel:
"Then they know you're alive! Did they also speak about your being Carlos' son?" Yes.

There is a switch of scene and Tia Isabel is no longer there. Apparently Luis has told them about what happened with Hipolita because they both refuse to believe that the child is Antonio's. Luis says he begged her to tell the truth and she said nothing. "Perhaps she was afraid you two would kill each other, or maybe he threatened her". Felipe: "Marcos and I thought of another possibility concerning your origins. What if we went to Don Leopoldo's grave and there was no child along with him?"

Cristobal goes to see Juana's doctor. Clearly patient confidentiality wasn't a big deal in those days, because he tells Cristobal that Juana has cancer of the stomach. Cristobal also speaks of what he's observed of Diego's symptoms and is told that Diego has advanced syphilis.

Cristobal tells all this to Catalina. She is concerned that Diego infected Marina, but Cristobal tells her it's only contagious in the early stages. Marina and Andres are safe. He also tells her about Juana. Catalina: "Then they both are going to die?"

Perla and her working girl friend are walking in the plaza. The friend says: "Then you're sure you're pregnant? Why don't you tell him?" "Because I'm afraid he'll leave me!" Hipolita approaches, gives Rafael to Ada, and asks to speak with Perla. "I know you're with Antonio." "Did you come to give me a bad time? You already took Luis from me and now you want to take away Antonio's protection!" Hipolita: "Let's talk, woman to woman. Do you love him?" "I have affection for him. He treats me well." Hipolita: "I'm happy for you. And he loves you?" "I make him happy." Hipolita: "Antonio is a good man. He had a hard childhood. I'm fond of him, but that's not enough to make a good marriage." "Are you still in love with Luis?" "Yes, and I'm expecting another child of his. Antonio knows. When he first sought me out in Cuencas he had affection for me. Now, no. But he wants to be with me because he wants children." Perla looks both astonished and calculating at the same time.

Antonio and Perla are dining in her house. She burbles on about hiring a servant and then suddenly blurts out: "I talked with Hipolita today." "You came to my house?" "No, we met in the street and she approached me. She told me that she's pregnant with Luis's child again. She also told me you want to have children." Antonio: "Please, don't let's speak of this". Then, "She knows about us? She threatened you?" "No, she was very civilized about it. Antonio, I have to tell you something. Maybe you won't come back. Maybe you'll hit me. But I'm pregnant. I swear to you it's yours. I haven't been with anyone else since we've been together." "Did you tell Hipolita" "No. I thought about aborting the child, but I'm afraid. But .... if you wish."

Antonio: "Absolutely not. You have your baby, and when it's born, I'll recognize It.". They embrace. Perla looks really good with her eyes welling with tears!

Antonio returns home and goes to Hipolita's room to apologize for hitting her and screaming at her in front of the servants. "I hope you'll give me the opportunity to show you that from now on we can have a normal marriage.

She tells him she spoke with Perla yesterday. "But you are my wife!" No, I think she is more your wife because you love her." He draws himself up: "A whore?" She tells him we all have our dark sides. He wants to know who told her about Perla. "Him? (Luis)" She says no. She wanted to assure Perla that her relationship with him was secure. Perla told her he was kind. He says he doesn't want to talk with her about Perla. She asks why not. "I don't have such an open mind. I prefer to live a respectable life with you." "But I don't want to keep on living with you!!" "You're my wife, so bear it". He stalks out.

Antonio goes to visit Malaquias. I was sort of confused about their conversation. It was about what happens now that Luis is back. He'll have half of everything and rights over hiring and firing. Antonio wants to know why they signed him up, and Malaquias says Diego insisted. Antonio gets very irate and says that whether the "sociedad" is broken or not, he is going to be in a bad position. Antonio asks him to look out for someone to replace Andres as his personal assistant and leaves.

Juana and Sor Teresa go over the menu for Diego's wedding. When Modesta comes to sit by her, Juana mutters about Luis not being back and perhaps he went to Camargo with Isabel?

Isabel, Luis, Felipe and Marcos arrive at a pretty dismal looking churchyard. Isabel complains about everything looking abandoned. They talk the sacristan into opening the crypt. They go inside, more fussing about the bad condition of the crypt. They light candles and pray aloud. Then Luis and Isabel are outside and he's obviously asked her about opening the coffin of her brother. She looks horrified, but finally says that her brother will forgive her. And maybe we can bring his bones closer to home. Felipe and Marcos open the coffin and state that there's only Don Leopoldo's remains inside. (Nothing is shown). Isabel: "What happened to my nephew?" Luis: "Maybe he didn't die!"

There's a scene in the plaza with baroque music and people in wigs doing a minuet. Diego and his fiancé arrive and sit to watch the performance. Victoria, Marina, and Sara arrive. Marina: "Look, grandma, there's Diego."

Sara: "He doesn't look like Carlos. The eyebrows are just like Juana's. Luis looks more like Carlos. If I didn't know better, I'd say that the child of Carlos is not Diego, but the other one." Crash of chords.

Friday, as reported by Lisa R:Antonio asks Hipolita if she will accompany him to Diego's wedding. He angers when she suggests that she prefers to attend Marina and Andres' wedding. He assures her that they can make an appearance at both. She responds that Diego disgusts her and that she does not want to go to the Palacio Guevarra. Antonio responds that they will go because he is not inclined to accept another humiliation and that he does not want people gossiping that they have problems.

In her bedroom, Hipolita tells Adalgisa that she is tired of people telling her what to do.
She does not want to live the kind of life that her mother supports. And she won't live with a man she does not love and who does not care for son and less for the child she is expecting. She vows to tell Luis that the child she is carrying is his and she doesn't care what Antonio says. All he cares about is keeping up appearances. Ada warns her that Luis may not believe her. Hipolita cries and says what can I do? Ada tells her to stay with her husband and submit to him. Because she committed a sin by being with Luis the second time.

On the road back to Cuencas, Isabel, Luis, Felipe and Marcos stop at an inn. After Isabel retires, Luis tells Felipe and Marcos that he does not believe there was ever a dead infant. And that after the death of the Condes de Guevara it occurred to Dona Juana to pass off her son as the son of her dead brother and Luis as her own. He is not the bastard son of Carlos, but the legitimate heir. Marcos and Felipe tell him that they are all in agreement. Luis is disgusted at so many lies and villainy on the part of Dona Juana just to give her son a title.

Antonio does a good imitation of the simpering Diego after he has left Antonio's house. He tells Hipolita that all Diego does is lie to him. He assured him that Luis would not return and not only is he back but that he is going to the tribunals to dissolve his partnership with Diego. And he is also aware that the Palacio Guevara depends on Luis money. He says if the the partnership is dissolved, I will have to raise a dead man, meaning Diego will be left in ruins. Hipolita asks that Antonio not fight with Luis again and he looks at her disgusted.

Antonio in bed with Perla asks her if she became pregnant on purpose. Perla answers skillfully that he asked to be her only lover and that she has been faithful to him. She tells him that the life of a ramera is difficult and these women all pray for a man like him to restore their dignity.

Antonio has hired "a man of confidence" to help with this business affairs. The first task he gives Dagoberto is to find two guards to keep vigil on his house.

Dagoberto goes to the Palacio de Lara and asks Cristobal's man to find the men he needs for his new patron.

In the meantime, Perla's friend suggests that she find a way to get rid of Antonio's wife by denouncing her for adultery.

Luis' entourage arrives in the plaza at Cuencas; they have returned bringing the remains of Don Leopoldo de Leyba. Luis tells his Aunt Isabel that Marcos will accompany her to the Palacio de Guevara and that he and Felip will go to the Cathedral and make arrangements for the new crypt.

As Luis and Felipe approach the church entrance Hipolita, Adalgisa and Rafael are coming out. Luis stares at Hipolita and his face hardens.

This is a recap of the Univision telenovela Alborada. In order to read the whole post, you click "read the rest" at the bottom of this summary!

If you are new, please visit the recaps in ORDER - they are listed to the right under a picture of Doña Juana and Modesta. See the bottom of this post for more information.

New updates Wednesday and Saturday. The list of Alborada recaps is to the right - below the picture of Modesta and Doña Juana, just above the elephant. Click on the numbers in order!

You can buy (cheap) souvenir cards I painted in honor of our Alborada adventure
Amor Real
Entre el Amor y el Odio
"Telenovela villains meet lurid, dreadful deaths"

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