SANTO Y SASTRE

SanSas

REPARTO

I

Pendón brings letters from many suitors to Dorotea, who plans to marry, not for love, someone who will take good care of the money she inherited from her merchant father.  Among her chief suitors are Lelio, a poor caballero, and Grimaldo, a law student.  It is the eve of St. John's Day when, according to tradition, single girls pray for husbands and then take the first words they hear on the street as predictions of things about their husbands-to-be.  Dorotea expresses her disbelief in this tradition, but as she reads her letters an unknown voice outside forecasts that she will marry a tailor, who is both a saint and a tailor (santo y sastre).  Pendón cannot imagine how a tailor could be a saint, saying that is like saying that black is white.  The voice also forecasts sticks, jealousy, and a shroud for Dorotea.

At this point Homo Bono, a tailor, arrives.  Since she did not summon him and he is a tailor, Dorotea attaches some significance to this appearance and is beginning to believe the voice that she heard previously.  She likes Homo Bono and has him fit her for a dress.  As they converse Homo Bono shows himself to be full of wisdom and a man of high moral principles.

After Pendón leaves them alone, she declares herself to Homo Bono, but he becomes upset and goes away, leaving his cape with her.  Dorotea immediately calls for Pendón, telling him that Homo Bono tried to rape her.  Roberto, Homo Bono's father, comes to say that he has just seen his son fleeing from his house without his cape and he wonders what the trouble can be.  At first Dorotea tells the father that Homo Bono raped her, but then she tells him the truth and says that she wants to marry Homo Bono.  Roberto greets this idea with enthusiasm and promises to talk to Homo Bono about it.  Lelio and Grimaldo come, arguing about which one of them Dorotea prefers, and she tells them she will say tomorrow whom she is to marry.

II

Although Homo Bono does not want to marry, preferring to serve God without the hindrance (estorbos) of a woman, his father insists that he wed.  Dorotea's cousin, Sabina, warns her against marrying a tailor, and her servant, Esperanza, says that Homo Bono will preach to her all the time.  When they go to meet Dorotea, Homo Bono confides to his father that he does not know the proper way to address his intended.  He adds that he will not say nice things that he does not mean, because he will not lie.  Roberto tells him to act as if he were in love and he soon will be.  Dorotea proves to be very kind and charming, however, and Homo Bono likes her.  Pendón is attracted to Esperanza, too. Grimaldo and Lelio arrive to hear Dorotea's decision and are told by Pendón that she has chosen a tailor.  Upon hearing this they both are very angry and swear revenge.

After leaving Dorotea's home, Homo Bono encounters a poor man, to whom he gives all of his clothes, leaving himself only rags to wear to his own wedding.  After the poor man dons Homo Bono's clothes, he rises up with rays shining around him and Christ appears and speaks to Homo Bono, telling him that since he has clothed Him he is to be His tailor from now on.

Just after this incident a fire, probably set by Grimaldo and Lelio, breaks out and burns Dorotea's house.  Homo Bono is able to walk through the flames and others can follow the path he opens.  Dorotea herself is on fire, but he saves her by taking her in his arms and praying that she be spared.  Like Job, he asks that his possessions and his body suffer, but not his soul, his life.  He and Dorotea are poor now, and will live with Roberto, but Homo Bono accepts their loss without complaint.

III

Dorotea chides Homo Bono because now that his father is dead he gives away everything and they do not even have enough to eat.  He compares her reproaches to those of Job's wife.  A voice then informs Homo Bono that his chest (arca) will be full of food, so Pendón goes to check and finds it to be true, much to his surprise.  Following Homo Bono's instructions, Pendón distributes the food to the poor.  Dorotea complains to Homo Bono that he ought not to go to church so often, leaving her at home alone, because his honor is at stake.  However, a voice reassures him that his house and Dorotea will be safely guarded.  This voice continues to speak to him as he sews on a dress for a bride, and then a Crucified Christ comes down and he rises up and embraces Him.

Lelio wants to enter while Homo Bono is gone so that he can enjoy Dorotea, but Grimaldo says that would not be right because Homo Bono is a good man and the Lord is on his side.  Lelio tries to force his way into Dorotea's house anyway, but he is met by an angel with a fiery sword in his hand.  This sight causes Lelio to faint.  Soon Homo Bono and Pendón return to find Lelio there, but the latter being able to utter only "aba," cannot explain his presence.  Homo Bono prays that Lelio recover his voice, which he does, and now Lelio, too, is a believer.  Homo Bono makes him promise not to tell what has happened.  Now Home Bono and Pendón discover that during their absence two Angels have come and are sewing on the wedding dress that Homo Bono is supposed to have finished.  They finish their work and fly away, leaving Homo Bono desirous of flying away after them.  Since he cannot do this he goes to the church to seek them there.  Meanwhile, Lelio, Grimaldo, Dorotea, Sabina, and Esperanza are talking together of the miracles performed by Homo Bono when Valerio comes to say that Homo Bono has died, kneeling at the altar in the church and wishing to follow the angels.  Dorotea begs him to take her with him, but Pendón settles the question of their future by sending her to a convent, while he goes to a monastery.  Lelio ends the play by saying that all things are possible with God, even a tailor can be a saint.