Bless Me, Ultima

Antonio again dreams about his brothers, this time following them across the river to Rosie’s brothel. He sees a naked young woman through the doorway, who is soon joined by María. León and Eugene enter the brothel, but Antonio refuses, protesting that a future priest cannot think sinful thoughts. Andrew agrees to wait outside the brothel until Antonio loses his innocence. Antonio replies that innocence is forever, but María tells him that innocence comes from ignorance, and Antonio already knows too much of “the flesh and blood of the Márez men” (71). A priest appears and reassures Antonio that once he takes communion, he will understand good and evil.

Finally, Ultima appears and points Antonio toward his birthplace of Las Pasturas, indicating that his innocence was left behind there. Antonio wakes to find his brothers in the midst of an argument about leaving the llano. Gabriel wants them to work on a highway crew and then come with him to California, and María wants them to stay on the llano to farm. María observes that the Márez restlessness has driven her sons away from home, destroying Gabriel’s dream.

León and Eugene depart the following morning, but Andrew stays, wanting to make María happy.