remember the alamo-第7部分

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many　words；　but　she　took　her　sister　into　the　garden；　where
they　could　be　quite　alone；　and　she　sought　the　girl's
confidence　because　she　was　sure　she　could　be　to　her　a　loving
guide。

Isabel　was　ready　enough　to　talk；　and　the　morning　was　conducive
to　confidence。　　They　strolled　slowly　between　the　myrtle　hedges
in　the　sweet　gloom　of　overshadowing　trees；　hearing　only　like
a　faint　musical　confusion　the　mingled　murmur　of　the　city。

〃It　was　just　here；〃　said　Isabel。　　〃I　was　walking　and
sitting　and　doing　nothing　at　all　but　looking　at　the　trees　and
the　birds　and　feeling　happy；　and　Don　Luis　came　to　me。　　He
might　have　come　down　from　the　skies；　I　was　so　astonished。　　And
he　looked　so　handsome；　and　he　said　such　words！　　Oh；　Antonia！
they　went　straight　to　my　heart。〃

〃When　was　this；　dear？〃

〃It　was　in　the　morning。　　I　had　been　to　mass　with　Rachela。　　I
had　said　every　prayer　with　my　whole　heart；　and　Rachela　told　me
I　might　stay　in　the　garden　until　the　sun　grew　hot。　　And　as
soon　as　Rachela　was　gone；　Don　Luis　camecame　just　as　sudden
as　an　angel。〃

〃He　must　have　followed　you　from　mass。〃

〃Perhaps。〃

〃He　should　not　have　done　that。〃

〃If　a　thing　is　delightful；　nobody　should　do　it。　　Luis　said　he
knew　that　it　was　decided　that　we　should　marry；　but　that　he
wanted　me　to　be　his　wife　because　I　loved　him。　　His　face　was
shining　with　joy；　his　eyes　were　like　two　stars；　he　called　me
his　life；　his　adorable　mistress；　his　queen；　and　he　knelt　down
and　took　my　hands　and　kissed　them。　　I　was　too　happy　to　speak。〃

〃Oh；　Iza！〃

〃Very　well；　Antonia！　　It　is　easy　to　say　‘Oh；　Iza'；　but　what
would　you　have　done？　　And　reflect　on　this；　no　one；　not　even
Rachela；　saw　him。　　So　then；　our　angels　were　quite　agreeable
and　willing。　　And　II　was　in　such　joy；　that　I　went　straight
in　and　told　Holy　Maria　of　my　happiness。　　But　when　a　person　has
not　been　in　love；　how　can　they　know；　and　I　see　that　you　are
going　to　say　as　Sister　Sacrementa　said　to　Lores　Valdez‘You
are　a　wicked　girl；　and　such　things　are　not　to　be　spoken　of！'〃

〃Oh；　my　darling　one；　I　am　not　so　cruel。　　I　think　you　did
nothing　very　wrong；　Iza。　　When　love　comes　into　your　soul；　it
is　like　a　new　life。　　If　it　is　a　pure；　good　love；　it　is　a　kind
of　murder　to　kill　it　in　any　way。〃

〃It　has　just　struck　me；　Antonia；　that　you　may　be　in　love
also。〃

〃When　I　was　in　New　York；　our　brother　Jack　had　a　friend；　and　he
loved　me；　and　I　loved　him。〃

〃But　did　grandmamma　let　him　talk　to　you？〃

〃He　came　every　night。　　We　went　walking　and　driving。　　In　the
summer　we　sailed　upon　the　river；　in　the　winter　we　skated　upon
the　ice。　　He　helped　me　with　my　lessons。　　He　went　with　me
to　church。〃

〃And　was　grandmamma　with　you？〃

〃Very　seldom。　　Often　Jack　was　with　us；　more　often　we　were
quite　alone。〃

〃Holy　Virgin！　　Who　ever　heard　tell　of　such　good　fortune？　
Consuelo　Ladrello　had　never　been　an　hour　alone　with　Don
Domingo　before　they　were　married。〃

〃A　good　girl　does　not　need　a　duenna　to　watch　her；　that　is　what
I　think。　　And　an　American　girl；　pure　and　free；　would　not
suffer　herself　to　be　watched　by　any　woman；　old　or　young。　　Her
lover　comes　boldly　into　her　home；　she　is　too　proud；　to　meet
him　in　secret。〃

〃Ah！　that　would　be　a　perfect　joy。　　That　is　what　I　would　like！　
But　fancy　what　Rachela　would　say；　and　mi　madre　would　cover　her
eyes　and　refuse　to　see　me　if　I　said　such　words。　　Believe　this。　
It　was　in　the　spring　Luis　told　me　that　he　loved　me；　and　though
I　have　seen　him　often　since；　he　has　never　found　another　moment
to　speak　to　me　alone；　not　for　one　five　minutes。　　Oh；　Antonia！
let　me　have　one　five　minutes　this　afternoon！　　He　is　going
away；　and　there　is　to　be　war；　and　I　may　never；　never　see
him　again！〃

〃Do　not　weep；　little　dove。　　How　can　you　see　him　this
afternoon？〃

〃He　will　be　here；　in　this　very　place；　I　know　he　will。　　When　he
put　the　suchil　flower　to　his　lips　last　night　he　made　me
understand　it。　　This　afternoon；　during　the　hour　of　siesta；
will　you　come　with　me？　　Only　for　five　minutes；　Antonia！　　You
can　manage　Rachela；　I　am　sure　you　can。〃

〃I　can　manage　Rachela；　and　you　shall　have　one　whole　hour；　Iza。　
One　whole　hour！　　Come；　now；　we　must　make　a　visit　to　our
mother。　　She　will　be　wondering　at　our　delay。〃

The　Senora　had　not　yet　risen。　　She　had　taken　her　chocolate　and
smoked　her　cigarito；　but　was　still　drowsing。　　〃I　have　had　a
bad　night；　children；〃　she　said　　full　of　dreadful　dreams。　　It
must　have　been　that　American。　　Yet；　Holy　Mother；　how　handsome
he　is！　　And　I　assure　you　that　he　has　the　good　manners　of　a
courtier。　　Still；　it　was　an　imprudence；　and　Senora　Valdez　will
make　some　great　thing　of　it。〃

〃You　were　in　your　own　house；　mother。　　What　has　Senora　Valdez
to　do　with　the　guest　in　it？　　We　might　as　well　make　some
great　thing　about　Captain　Morello　being　present　at　her　party。〃

〃I　have　to　say　to　you；　Antonia；　that　Morello　is　a　Castilian；
his　family　is　without　a　cross。　　He　has　the　parchments　of　his
noble　ancestry　to　show。〃

And　Senor　Houston　is　an　AmericanScotch…American；　he　said；
last　night。　　Pardon；　my　mother；　but　do　you　know　what　the　men
of　Scotland　are？〃

〃Si！；　　They　are　monsters！　　Fray　Ignatius　has　told　me。　　They
are　heretics　of　the　worst　kind。　　It　is　their　special　delight
to　put　to　death　good　Catholic　priests。　　I　saw　that　in　a　book；
it　must　be　true。〃

〃Oh；　no；　mother！　　It　is　not　true！　　It　is　mere　nonsense。　
Scotchmen　do　not　molest　priests；　women；　and　children。　　They
are　the　greatest　fighters　in　the　world。〃

〃Quien　sabe？　　Who　has　taught　you　so　much　about　these　savages？〃

〃Indeed；　mother；　they　are　not　savages。　　They　are　a　very
learned　race　of　men；　and　very　pious　also。　　Jack　has　many
Scotch…American　friends。　　I　know　one　of　them　very　well〃；　and
with　the　last　words　her　face　flushed；　and　her　voice　fell
insensibly　into　slow　and　soft　inflections。

〃Jack　knows　many　of　them！　　That　is　likely。　　Your　father　would
send　him　to　New　York。　　All　kinds　of　men　are　in　New　York。　　Fray
Ignatius　says　they　have　to　keep　an　army　of　police　there。　　No
wonder！　　And　my　son　is　so　full　of　nobilities；　so　generous；　so
honorable；　he　will　not　keep　himself　exclusive。　　He　is　the　true
resemblance　of　my　brother　Don　Juan　Flores。　　Juan　was　always
pitying　the　poor　and　making　friends　with　those　beneath　him。　
At　last　he　went　into　the　convent　of　the　Bernardines　and　died
like　a　very　saint。〃

〃I　think　our　Jack　will　be　more　likely　to　die　like　a　very　hero。　
If　there　is　any　thing　Jack　hates；　it　is　oppression。　　He　would
right　a　beggar；　if　he　saw　him　wronged。〃

〃Poco　a　poco！　　I　am　tired　of　rights　and　wrongs。　　Let　us　talk
a　little　about　our　dresses；　for　there　will　be　a　gay　winter。　
Senora　Valdez　assured　me　of　it；　many　soldiers　are　coming　here；
and　we　shall　have　parties；　and　cock…fights；　and；　perhaps；　even
a　bull…feast。〃

〃Oh！〃　cried　Isabel　clapping　her　hands　enthusiastically；　〃a
bull…feast！　　That　is　what　I　long　to　see！〃

At　this　moment　the　doctor　entered　the　room；　and　Isabel　ran　to
meet　him。　　No　father　could　have　resisted　her　pretty　ways；　her
kisses；　her　endearments；　her　coaxing　diminutives　of　speech；
her　childlike　loveliness　and　simplicity。

〃What　is　making　you　so　happy；　Queridita？〃＇1＇

＇1＇　　Little　dear。


〃Mi　madre　says　there　is　perhaps　to　be　a　bullfeast　this　winter。　
Holy　Virgin；　think　of　it！　　That　is　the　one　thing　I　long　to
see！〃

With　her　clinging　arms　around　him；　and　her　eager　face　lifted
to　his　for　sympathy；　the　father　could　not　dash　the　hope　which
he　knew　in　his　heart　was　very　unlikely　to　be　realized。　
Neither　did　he　think　it　necessary　to　express　opposition　or
disapproval　for　what　had　as　yet　no　tangible　existence。　　So　he
answered　her　with　smiles　and　caresses；　and　a　little　quotation
which　committed　him　to　nothing：

　　　　　　　　〃As；　Panem　et　Circenses　was　the　cry
　　　　　　　　Among　the　Roman　populace　of　old；
　　　　　　　　So；　Pany　Toros！　is　the　cry　of　Spain。〃


The　Senora　smiled　appreciatively　and　put　out　her　hand。　
〃Pan　y　Toros！〃　she　repeated。　　〃And　have　you　reflected；
children；　that　no　other　nation　in　the　world　cries　it。　　Only
Spain　and　her　children！　　That　is　because　only　men　of　the
Spanish　race　are　brave　enough　to　fight　bulls；　and　only　Spanish
bulls　are　brave　enough　to　fight　men。〃

She　was　quite　pleased　with　herself　for　this　speech；　and
finding　no　one　inclined　to　dispute　the　statement；　she　went　on
to　describe　a　festival　of　bulls　she　had　been　present　at　in　the
city　of　Mexico。　　The　subject　delighted　her；　and　she　grew
eloquent　over　it；　and；　conscious　only　of　Isabel's　shining　eyes
and　enthusiastic　interest；　she　did　not　notice　the　air　of
thoughtfulness　which　had　settled　over　her　husband's　face；　nor
yet　Antonia's　ill…disguised　weariness　and　anxiety。

On　the　night　of　the　Valdez's　party　her　father　had　said　he
would　talk　with　her。　　Antonia　was　watching　for　the　confidence；
but　　not　with　any　great　desire。　　Her　heart　and　her
intelligence　told　her　it　would　mean　trouble；　and　she　had　that
natural　feeling　of　youth　which　gladly　postpones　the　evil　day。　
And　while　her　father　was　silent　she　believed　there　were　still
possibilities　of　escape　from　it。　　So　she　was　not　sorry
that　he　again　went　to　his　office　in　the　city　without　any
special　word　for　her。　　It　was　another　day　stolen　from　the
uncertain　future；　for　the　calm　usage　of　the　present；　and　she
was　determined　to　make　happiness　in　it。

When　all　was　still　in　the　afternoon　Isabel　came　to　her。　　She
would　not　put　the　child　to　the　necessity　of　again　asking　her
help。　　She　rose　at　once；　and　said：

〃Sit　here；　Iza；　until　I　have　opened　the　door　for　us。　　Then　she
took　a　rich　silk　kerchief；　blue　as　the　sky；　in　her　hand；　and
went　to　the　wide；　matted　hall。　　There　she　found　Rachela；
asleep　on　a　cane　lounge。　　Antonia　woke　her。

〃Rachela；　I　wish　to　go　into　the　garden　for　an　hour。〃

The　Senorita　does　the　thing　she　wants　to；　Rachela　would　not
presume　to　interfere。　　The　Senorita　became　an　Americano　in　New
York。〃

〃There　are　good　things　in　New　York；　Rachela；　for　instance；
this　kerchief。〃

〃That　is　indeed　magnificent！〃

〃If　you　permit　my　sister　to　walk　in　the　garden　with　me；　I
shall　give　it　to　you　this　moment。〃

〃Dona　Isabel　is　different。　　She　is　a　Mexicaine。　　She　must　be
watched　continually。〃

〃For　what　reason？　　She　is　as　innocent　as　an　angel。〃

〃Let　her　simply　grow　up；　and　you　will　see　that　she　is　not
in