remember the alamo-第8部分

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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
innocent　as　the　angels。　　Oh；　indeed！　　I　could　say　something
about　last　night！　　Dona　Isabel　has　no　vocation　for　a　nun；　but；
gracias　a　Dios！　　Rachela　is　not　yet　blind　or　deaf。〃

〃Let　the　child　go　with　me　for　an　hour；　Rachela。　　The　kerchief
will　be　so　becoming　to　you。　　There　is　not　another　in　San
Antonio　like　it。〃

Rachela　was　past　forty；　but　not　yet　past　the　age　of　coquetry。　
〃It　will　look　gorgeous　with　my　gold　ear…rings；　but〃

〃I　will　give　you　also　the　blue　satin　bow　like　it；　to　wear　at
your　breast。〃

〃Si；　si！　　I　will　give　the　permission；　Senoritafor　your　sake
alone。　　The　kerchief　and　bow　are　a　little　thing　to　you。　　To
me；　they　will　be　a　great　adornment。　　You　are　not　to　leave　the
garden；　however；　and　for　one　hour's　walk　only；　Senorita；
certainly　there　is　time　for　no　more。〃

〃I　will　take　care　of　Isabel；　no　harm　shall　come　to　her。　　You
may　keep　your　eyes　shut　for　one　hour；　Rachela；　and　you　may
shut　your　ears　also；　and　put　your　feet　on　the　couch　and　let
them　rest。　　I　will　watch　Isabel　carefully；　be　sure　of　that。〃

〃The　child　is　very　clever；　and　she　has　a　lover　already；　I
fear。　　Keep　your　eyes　on　the　myrtle　hedge　that　skirts　the
road。　　I　have　to　say　thisit　is　not　for　nothing　she　wants　to
walk　with　you　this　afternoon。　　She　would　be　better　fast
asleep。〃

In　a　few　moments　the　kerchief　and　the　bow　were　safely　folded
in　the　capacious　pocket　of　Rachela's　apron；　and　Isabel　and
Antonia　were　softly　treading　the　shady　walk　between　the　myrtle
hedges。　　Rachela's　eyes　were　apparently　fast　closed　when　the
girls　pased｛sic｝　her；　but　she　did　not　fail　to　notice　how
charmingly　Isabel　had　dressed　herself。　　She　wore；　it　is　true；
her　Spanish　costume；　but　she　had　red　roses　at　her　breast；　and
her　white　lace　mantilla　over　her　head。

〃Ah！　she　is　a　clever　little　thing！〃　Rachela　muttered。　　〃She
knows　that　she　is　irresistible　in　her　Castilian　dress。　　Bah！
those　French　frocks　are　enough　to　drive　a　man　a　mile　away。　
I　can　almost　forgive　her　now。　　Had　she　worn　the　French　frock
I　would