47 pages • 1 hour read
Marco DeneviRosaura A Las Diez
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1955A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Part 1Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Part 1: “Statement Given by Mrs. Milagros Ramoneda”
Part 1, Chapter 1 Summary
Content Warning: This section of the guide describes and discusses the source text’s treatment of domestic violence, sex trafficking, anti-gay bias, and ableism.
Mrs. Milagros, the widowed owner of La Madrileña, a boarding house, begins her testimony to the inspector by describing how she met Camilo Canegato 12 years ago.
He arrives on her doorstep as a prospective boarder while mourning his recently deceased father. Because he seems more respectable than most other potential clients, she decides to take him in. Despite his respectability, however, she is also left with the distinct impression that he is profoundly sad, nervous, and awkward. With his demeanor in mind, she is unconcerned about the likelihood of him behaving inappropriately with her three daughters. Nonetheless, she warns him that any such behavior will not be tolerated while providing an overview of the house rules. The other residents of La Madrileña are quick to begin mocking Camilo as he struggles to carry his large suitcase through the house. When he gives her his business card, Mrs. Milagros laughs at his name (which roughly translates to “Camilo Dog-and-Cat”) along with her three daughters.
Part 1, Chapter 2 Summary
In the early days of Camilo’s time at La Madrileña, Mrs. Milagros notices that he takes a large number of medications, telling her that they’re “for his brain,” and that he dreams too much (15). Mrs. Milagros assumes that there is nothing wrong with him and encourages him not to take the medications anymore. Other than the medications, however, he is an exceptionally well-behaved boarder. She is particularly impressed by an oil painting he creates of her and her three daughters despite their never having sat for him. Nobody ever comes to visit him except a laundry woman who washes his clothing periodically, but even she disappears eventually. Mrs. Milagros comes to think of Camilo as her daughter’s “bachelor uncle” since he dotes on them in a pseudo-paternal fashion. Though she encourages him to find a woman to marry, Camilo is unconvinced that anyone would marry him, and so she begins to think of him as a part of her family.
Part 1, Chapter 3 Summary
Mrs. Milagros reports that six months before her testimony, perfumed letters on pink paper began arriving at the house addressed to Camilo every week.
Eufrasia Morales, a boarder and former schoolteacher, discovers the letters because she has a habit of waiting for the mailman and taking the packages to snoop on the other residents. Mrs. Milagros and Eufrasia are both shocked by the first letter because Camillo has led such a lonely existence in the time that he has lived at La Madrileña. In addition, the envelope had no return address. Eufrasia urges Mrs. Milagros to open the envelope despite such action being illegal, and Mrs. Milagros refuses before leaving it on Camilo’s bedside table. When she mentions to him that he has received mail, Camilo blushes.
When the letters begin arriving regularly, Mrs. Milagros becomes concerned that Camilo is engaging in “sinful” behavior. Her three daughters laugh at her for this notion, thinking that Camilo is too old to be having a romantic affair, but Mrs. Milagros knows that long, perfumed letters could only be coming from a lover, not a platonic acquaintance. Unable to stand the suspense about what is happening any longer, Mrs. Milagros and her daughters sneak into Camilo’s room one day, so as not to be caught by Eufrasia, and read all the letters. The contents confirm their suspicions that Camilo is having an affair and reveal that the name of his lover is Rosa. The daughters immediately begin to speculate that Rosa must be an older woman, both because Camilo is middle-aged and because the letters themselves seem old-fashioned. Mrs. Milagros struggles to keep her knowledge of the letters a secret, especially under Eufrasia’s scrutiny.
Part 1, Chapter 4 Summary
The eighth week that Camillo receives a letter from Rosa, it arrives at La Madrileña unaddressed to a specific recipient, making it possible for Mrs. Milagros to open it with plausible deniability. Eufrasia encourages her to do so, and seeing an opportunity to be rid of her secret, Mrs. Milagros decides to read the letter aloud in front of all the house’s residents. Eufrasia and the other residents, most notably David Réguel, take great interest in the letter and begin to draw conclusions about the affair almost immediately.
Camilo arrives home shortly afterward, and Mrs. Milagros hands him the letter in front of everyone. It is clear that they are now all aware of his secret. Mrs. Milagros asks to speak with Camilo privately and begins to scold him for keeping such a secret from her. Then, she feels bad and asks him to tell her what exactly happened.
Part 1, Chapter 5 Summary
Camilo recounts the story of his love affair with Rosa to Mrs. Milagros. He claims that one day, he was commissioned by a wealthy older man to restore a painting of the old man’s wife. The man had a particularly intimidating presence and seemed to be constantly scrutinizing Camilo’s skill, but he seemed satisfied by his assessment of the damaged painting and decided to hire him to restore all the paintings in his large home. Camilo claims that he is unaware of the home’s location because the man insisted on his being driven there by a chauffeur, who used a different route to get there every time. In any case, the house was large, mostly empty except for the expensive furnishings and artworks, and had a distinct humidity. The only people Camilo saw there were the man who hired him, the man’s sister-in-law, who did not get along with him, and a wealthy young man who seemed to be a nephew set to inherit the estate. Camillo began going to the house every week to work on his restoration–a life-size painting of the man’s late wife, who was blonde and very beautiful. He was always under the elderly sister-in-law’s supervision.
On one of these days, a young blonde woman who looked just like the lady in the portrait came into the room where he was working and expressed an admiration for painting. Camillo assumed it was the daughter of the man and his late wife and felt an instant connection with her. After talking for some time, she rushed out of the room, and Camillo did not see her again for many weeks. When he finished restoring all of the man’s paintings, Camilo was pleasantly surprised that the man wanted to commission him to paint an oil portrait of his daughter. During her sittings for the portrait, Rosa and Camilo began their covert affair. The sister-in-law would invariably fall asleep during these sessions, and they would talk with one another. Eventually, to make up for their secrecy within her father’s house, Rosa began sending the letters.
After telling his story, Camilo expresses concern that the other residents of La Madrileña will begin to gossip about his relationship with Rosa. In particular, he seems nervous about what David Réguel might say or do. Mrs. Milagros reassures him that all will be well, but she notices that the housemaid, a woman with a disability whom she frequently disregards, has been eavesdropping on them the entire time.
Part 1, Chapter 6 Summary
As the idea of Rosa’s existence begins to settle in, the residents of La Madrileña begin to be more open in their discussions of her. Mrs. Milagros notices that her eldest daughter, Matilda, is particularly open in her disdain for Rosa and has a habit of speculating that she must be ugly. Curious herself, Mrs. Milagros urges Camilo to bring a miniature of the portrait to La Madrileña. Once again, Camilo is nervous about the possibility of Réguel seeing the portrait, but he brings it in and shows the women in secret. To Matilda’s dismay, Rosa is just as beautiful as Camilo claimed she was. David Réguel barges in and looks at the portrait before taunting Camilo with the claim that Rosa “looks familiar.” Eufrasia finds a pretense to sneak into Camilo’s room and look at the portrait.
Matilda, Clotilda, and Enilda begin to suspect that all is not as it seems with Camilo’s romance, and Mrs. Milagros starts fishing for more specific information about Rosa. Camilo admits that he does not know Rosa’s last name and that there is no telephone number to contact her. To make matters worse, Rosa’s father decides that the portrait is done one day after walking in on Camilo’s painting session, leaving the future of their romance uncertain. Rosa reveals to Camilo that her father wants her to marry the wealthy nephew whom he sees occasionally in the house. She tells him that she will try to convince her father to let them be together, but they will not be able to see each other for a little while. The elderly aunt also expresses her support for Camilo and Rosa. Although Mrs. Milagros encourages Camilo to take an active role in saving the relationship, Camilo insists on remaining passive. The boarders all begin to notice how forlorn his demeanor has become.
Part 1, Chapter 7 Summary
A final letter arrives from Rosa telling Camilo that she failed to convince her father to let them be together and that they can never see each other again. Mrs. Milagros is again convinced that Camilo should go to Rosa and either confront her father or convince her to run away together. However, Camilo is resolute and thinks Rosa may be better off marrying her wealthy cousin. Mrs. Milagros even offers to go to Rosa’s house herself, but Camilo begs her to leave the situation alone. Strangely, David Réguel arrives home that night claiming to have seen Rosa and spoken to her on his commute. Camilo has a visible reaction to this story, turning red, but he does not respond to anything Réguel says.
Part 1, Chapter 8 Summary
Dinner that night at La Madrileña is a silent event, but out of nowhere, the doorbell rings at 10 o’clock. Mrs. Milagros rushes to the door, convinced that it is Rosa. Sure enough, a woman who looks just like the one in Camilo’s portrait is standing at the door. Everyone rushes out to see her except Camilo, who remains in the dining room. When Mrs. Milagros drags Rosa in to be with Camilo, the two are oddly formal with one another, not saying anything and shaking hands. Still, since she has arrived at the boarding house, the two are presumed engaged.
Mrs. Milagros notices that Rosa seems very timid and tries to have a one-on-one conversation with her once the others have gone up to bed, but Rosa does not respond to any of her questions. She is openly confused by how everyone in the house seems to recognize her. Mrs. Milagros decides to let her eat in peace but notices that there are signs of physical abuse on her arms when her sleeves shift while eating. She assumes that the bruises occurred during an altercation with her father.
Part 1, Chapter 9 Summary
That evening, Clotilda, Enilda, and Matilda continue to gossip about Rosa’s age and looks, but Mrs. Milagros admonishes them and shares her theory that Rosa has been subject to domestic abuse. Rosa stays at the boarding house before the wedding, and as her stay at La Madrileña progresses, Mrs. Milagros notices that she is consistently quiet and obedient. She also notices that Rosa and Camilo remain distant from one another despite their upcoming nuptials and that Rosa has befriended David Réguel. One day, Mrs. Milagros breaks up an altercation between Réguel and Camilo, presumably over Rosa, and tries to comfort Rosa afterward. On another occasion, policemen come to the house looking for a female boarder, and Mrs. Milagros hides Rosa away in the attic.
Part 1, Chapter 10 Summary
In the days leading up to the wedding, Rosa reveals to Mrs. Milagros and the daughters that her name is actually Marta. Rosa is a false name that she and Camilo decided upon to protect her identity. Enilda asks to see Marta’s identity card, hoping to finally learn how old she is. Marta brings the card back, and to the daughters’ shock, she is a little over 25 years old.
The wedding proceeds as planned, and afterward, the couple heads for the Hotel Wien, which Mrs. Milagros reserved for them. Mrs. Milagros vaguely notices that David Réguel disappeared at some point after the ceremony, and she is shocked when he comes back excitedly claiming that “Camilo killed Rosa in a downtown hotel!” (102).
Part 1 Analysis
Mrs. Milagros’s testimony is the longest in the book and is rife with both essential establishing information and misdirections. Like any other mystery novel, discerning between these two categories of information is the primary challenge for the reader and is made more difficult by the fact that Mrs. Milagros’s interests do not always align with what is needed to solve the case. Small details peppered throughout the testimony will prove to be essential information later, while large swaths of what Mrs. Milagros is focused on are irrelevant. For instance, Mrs. Milagros mentions Camilo’s medications in passing. “Imagine!,” she exclaims, “As if by dropping pills into your stomach, your brain would hear about it!” (16). While she views this anecdote as evidence of her own maternal wisdom, it actually demonstrates her controlling treatment of Camilo and hints at psychological difficulties on Camilo’s part. Situated at the very beginning of the book, however, this detail is easily forgotten until Camilo brings it up again in his testimony.
Masked by a sea of red herrings, these details may seem random and tangential, especially in the earliest stages of the book when Mrs. Milagros’s perspective is the only one that has been presented. These red herrings, however, are also of interest because they reflect Mrs. Milagros’s values. Maintaining a dignified appearance is always her primary concern, even at the expense of solving the murder. Often, she achieves this dignity by degrading others. For example, her preoccupation with convincing the inspector that Eufrasia is a more insidious gossip than she is—“Miss Eufrasia Morales, retired teacher and active snake”— reveals her fear that the inspector will view her as immoral. David Réguel is another target of her character assassinations; she calls him “nosy” and says he has a “peculiar character” (96, 38). Mrs. Milagros is quick to judge others but is rarely self-critical, even when she blatantly engages in the same behaviors she criticizes. Such flagrant hypocrisy establishes her as an unreliable narrator and indicates that her testimony should not be taken at face value.
One aspect that Mrs. Milagros downplays is how La Madrileña functions as an oppressive household for Camilo. Though Mrs. Milagros imagines herself as Camilo’s makeshift mother, La Madrileña has a suffocating, hostile atmosphere right from the start. When Camilo first walks in the door, “a few roomers appeared at the doorways of their respective rooms to observe the little man impudently, and even to utter a few comments, which they may have considered softly spoken, but which he must have heard as clearly as I did” (13). This is a culture of social surveillance that Mrs. Milagros herself contributes to--sneaking into Camilo’s room to read his letters from Rosa--but that she pretends to live separately from. In fact, as the owner of La Madrileña and the self-proclaimed head of her family, she is directly responsible for this toxic culture. This oppressive environment, in which Camilo is subject to the constant scrutiny of others, leads him to seek escape in his romance with Rosa, a desirable love interest whose acquisition will raise his social standing in the eyes of others. The baseline disrespect that exists for Camilo in the house is exemplified by Mrs. Milagros’s initial shock that a woman might be sending him love letters: “Good heavens! How odd!” (22). This sentiment is later echoed by her daughters, who presume that Rosa must be old or ugly since no beautiful young person could possibly fall in love with him. Although Mrs. Milagros later pretends to be fully supportive of the romance, she fails to conceal her low estimation of Camilo’s romantic capacity. She also fails to acknowledge how her daughters’ treatment of the romance is simply mimicry of her own behavior.
While the novel is structured as a series of testimonies, it is not immediately clear what crime has been committed. Mrs. Milagros hints that the crime involves Rosa and Camilo’s relationship, but Rosa’s sudden death at the end of Part 1 still has a shocking factor since her murder occurs on their wedding day. Rosa’s strange character—she rarely speaks and barely interacts with her betrothed—increases the tension and mystery throughout Part 1. Ending Mrs. Milagros’s testimony with the cliffhanger announcing her murder ramps up these feelings and introduces more questions about Rosa and Camilo’s relationship and characters. At the same time, Mrs. Milagros has depicted the following narrator, David Réguel, as an untrustworthy cad, calling his testimony in Part 2 into question.
