The Stories of Eva Luna

by Isabel Allende

"Two Words"

Belisa Crepusculario sells various "services" related to words and languages. When she is a child, she runs away from home across plains into a small village. There, she discovers writing through a newspaper, learns language through a dictionary, and starts selling "words." When a rebel (in the Mexican Civil War) dubbed The Colonel decides he wants to become more benevolent and presidential, he sends his man El Mulato to find Belisa and bring her to him. With Belisa's help, The Colonel is able to learn the art of public speaking. The Colonel offers to pay Belisa for her services, but she instead gives him two secret words and goes back to her life selling words in the village. After Belisa leaves The Colonel becomes sick, causing El Mulato to believe Belisa cursed him. El Mulato abducts Belisa, believing she has the power to cure The Colonel. When El Mulato presents Belisa to The Colonel, they stare at each other before holding hands.

Though the titular "two words" are never directly mentioned in the story, it is widely presumed that they are "Te amo," "I love you" in Spanish.