the devotion of enriquez-第2章

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heard　the　music；　and　dropped　in。　　I　don't　know　what　has　become　of

her；〃　she　added；　glancing　round　the　room　again；　〃she　seemed

perfectly　wild　when　she　saw　that　creature　over　there　bounding　about

with　his　handkerchiefs。　　You　were　speaking　to　him　just　now。　　Do

tell　meis　he　real？〃



〃I　should　think　there　was　little　doubt　of　that；〃　I　said　with　a

vague　laugh。



〃You　know　what　I　mean；〃　she　said　simply。　　〃Is　he　quite　sane？　　Does

he　do　that　because　he　likes　it；　or　is　he　paid　for　it？〃



This　was　too　much。　　I　pointed　out　somewhat　hurriedly　that　he　was　a

scion　of　one　of　the　oldest　Castilian　families；　that　the　performance

was　a　national　gypsy　dance　which　he　had　joined　in　as　a　patriot　and

a　patron；　and　that　he　was　my　dearest　friend。　　At　the　same　time　I

was　conscious　that　I　wished　she　hadn't　seen　his　last　performance。



〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　all　that　he　did　was　in　the　dance？〃　she

said。　　〃I　don't　believe　it。　　It　was　only　like　him。〃　　As　I　hesitated

over　this　palpable　truth；　she　went　on：　〃I　do　wish　he'd　do　it　again。

Don't　you　think　you　could　make　him？〃



〃Perhaps　he　might　if　YOU　asked　him；〃　I　said　a　little　maliciously。



〃Of　course　I　shouldn't　do　that；〃　she　returned　quietly。　　〃All　the

same；　I　do　believe　he　is　really　going　to　do　itor　something　else。

Do　look！〃



I　looked；　and　to　my　horror　saw　that　Enriquez；　possibly　incited　by

the　delicate　gold　eyeglasses　of　Miss　Mannersley；　had　divested

himself　of　his　coat；　and　was　winding　the　four　handkerchiefs；　tied

together；　picturesquely　around　his　waist；　preparatory　to　some　new

performance。　　I　tried　furtively　to　give　him　a　warning　look；　but　in

vain。



〃Isn't　he　really　too　absurd　for　anything？〃　said　Miss　Mannersley；

yet　with　a　certain　comfortable　anticipation　in　her　voice。　　〃You

know；　I　never　saw　anything　like　this　before。　　I　wouldn't　have

believed　such　a　creature　could　have　existed。〃



Even　had　I　succeeded　in　warning　him；　I　doubt　if　it　would　have　been

of　any　avail。　　For；　seizing　a　guitar　from　one　of　the　musicians；　he

struck　a　few　chords；　and　suddenly　began　to　zigzag　into　the　center

of　the　floor；　swaying　his　body　languishingly　from　side　to　side　in

time　with　the　music　and　the　pitch　of　a　thin　Spanish　tenor。　　It　was

a　gypsy　love　song。　　Possibly　Miss　Mannersley's　lingual

accomplishments　did　not　include　a　knowledge　of　Castilian；　but　she

could　not　fail　to　see　that　the　gestures　and　illustrative　pantomime

were　addressed　to　her。　　Passionately　assuring　her　that　she　was　the

most　favored　daughter　of　the　Virgin；　that　her　eyes　were　like　votive

tapers；　and　yet　in　the　same　breath　accusing　her　of　being　a

〃brigand〃　and　〃assassin〃　in　her　attitude　toward　〃his　heart；〃　he

balanced　with　quivering　timidity　toward　her；　threw　an　imaginary

cloak　in　front　of　her　neat　boots　as　a　carpet　for　her　to　tread　on；

and　with　a　final　astonishing　pirouette　and　a　languishing　twang　of

his　guitar；　sank　on　one　knee；　and　blew；　with　a　rose；　a　kiss　at　her

feet。



If　I　had　been　seriously　angry　with　him　before　for　his　grotesque

extravagance；　I　could　have　pitied　him　now　for　the　young　girl's

absolute　unconsciousness　of　anything　but　his　utter　ludicrousness。

The　applause　of　dancers　and　bystanders　was　instantaneous　and

hearty；　her　only　contribution　to　it　was　a　slight　parting　of　her

thin　red　lips　in　a　half…incredulous　smile。　　In　the　silence　that

followed　the　applause；　as　Enriquez　walked　pantingly　away；　I　heard

her　saying；　half　to　herself；　〃Certainly　a　most　extraordinary

creature！〃　　In　my　indignation　I　could　not　help　turning　suddenly

upon　her　and　looking　straight　into　her　eyes。　　They　were　brown；　with

that　peculiar　velvet　opacity　common　to　the　pupils　of　nearsighted

persons；　and　seemed　to　defy　internal　scrutiny。　　She　only　repeated

carelessly；　〃Isn't　he？〃　and　added：　〃Please　see　if　you　can　find

Jocasta。　　I　suppose　we　ought　to　be　going　now；　and　I　dare　say　he

won't　be　doing　it　again。　　Ah！　there　she　is。　　Good　gracious；　child！

what　have　you　got　there？〃



It　was　Enriquez'　rose　which　Jocasta　had　picked　up；　and　was　timidly

holding　out　toward　her　mistress。



〃Heavens！　I　don't　want　it。　　Keep　it　yourself。〃



I　walked　with　them　to　the　door；　as　I　did　not　fancy　a　certain

glitter　in　the　black　eyes　of　the　Senoritas　Manuela　and　Pepita；　who

were　watching　her　curiously。　　But　I　think　she　was　as　oblivious　of

this　as　she　was　of　Enriquez'　particular　attentions。　　As　we　reached

the　street　I　felt　that　I　ought　to　say　something　more。



〃You　know；〃　I　began　casually；　〃that　although　those　poor　people　meet

here　in　this　public　way；　their　gathering　is　really　quite　a　homely

pastoral　and　a　national　custom；　and　these　girls　are　all　honest；

hardworking　peons　or　servants　enjoying　themselves　in　quite　the　old

idyllic　fashion。〃



〃Certainly；〃　said　the　young　girl；　half…abstractedly。　　〃Of　course

it's　a　Moorish　dance；　originally　brought　over；　I　suppose；　by　those

old　Andalusian　immigrants　two　hundred　years　ago。　　It's　quite　Arabic

in　its　suggestions。　　I　have　got　something　like　it　in　an　old

CANCIONERO　I　picked　up　at　a　bookstall　in　Boston。　　But；〃　she　added；

with　a　gasp　of　reminiscent　satisfaction；　〃that's　not　like　HIM！　　Oh；

no！　HE　is　decidedly　original。　　Heavens！　yes。〃



I　turned　away　in　some　discomfiture　to　join　Enriquez；　who　was　calmly

awaiting　me；　with　a　cigarette　in　his　mouth；　outside　the　sala。　　Yet

he　looked　so　unconscious　of　any　previous　absurdity　that　I　hesitated

in　what　I　thought　was　a　necessary　warning。　　He；　however；　quickly

precipitated　it。　　Glancing　after　the　retreating　figures　of　the　two

women；　he　said：　〃Thees　mees　from　Boston　is　return　to　her　house。

You　do　not　accompany　her？　　I　shall。　　Behold　meI　am　there。〃　　But　I

linked　my　arm　firmly　in　his。　　Then　I　pointed　out；　first；　that　she

was　already　accompanied　by　a　servant；　secondly；　that　if　I；　who　knew

her；　had　hesitated　to　offer　myself　as　an　escort；　it　was　hardly

proper　for　him；　a　perfect　stranger；　to　take　that　liberty；　that　Miss

Mannersley　was　very　punctilious　of　etiquette；　which　he；　as　a

Castilian　gentleman；　ought　to　appreciate。



〃But　will　she　not　regard　lofethe　admiration　excessif？〃　he　said；

twirling　his　thin　little　mustache　meditatively。



〃No；　she　will　not；〃　I　returned　sharply；　〃and　you　ought　to

understand　that　she　is　on　a　different　level　from　your　Manuelas　and

Carmens。〃



〃Pardon；　my　friend；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃thees　women　are　ever　the

same。　　There　is　a　proverb　in　my　language。　　Listen：　'Whether　the

sharp　blade　of　the　Toledo　pierce　the　satin　or　the　goatskin；　it

shall　find　behind　it　ever　the　same　heart　to　wound。'　　I　am　that

Toledo　bladepossibly　it　is　you；　my　friend。　　Wherefore；　let　us

together　pursue　this　girl　of　Boston　on　the　instant。〃



But　I　kept　my　grasp　on　Enriquez'　arm；　and　succeeded　in　restraining

his　mercurial　impulses　for　the　moment。　　He　halted；　and　puffed

vigorously　at　his　cigarette；　but　the　next　instant　he　started

forward　again。　　〃Let　us；　however；　follow　with　discretion　in　the

rear；　we　shall　pass　her　house；　we　shall　gaze　at　it；　it　shall　touch

her　heart。〃



Ridiculous　as　was　this　following　of　the　young　girl　we　had　only　just

parted　from；　I　nevertheless　knew　that　Enriquez　was　quite　capable　of

attempting　it　alone；　and　I　thought　it　better　to　humor　him　by

consenting　to　walk　with　him　in　that　direction；　but　I　felt　it

necessary　to　say：



〃I　ought　to　warn　you　that　Miss　Mannersley　already　looks　upon　your

performances　at　the　sala　as　something　outre　and　peculiar；　and　if　I

were　you　I　shouldn't　do　anything　to　deepen　that　impression。〃



〃You　are　saying　she　ees　shock？〃　said　Enriquez；　gravely。



I　felt　I　could　not　conscientiously　say　that　she　was　shocked；　and　he

saw　my　hesitation。　　〃Then　she　have　jealousy　of　the　senoritas；〃　he

observed；　with　insufferable　complacency。　　〃You　observe！　　I　have

already　said。　　It　is　ever　so。〃



I　could　stand　it　no　longer。　　〃Look　here；　Harry；〃　I　said；　〃if　you

must　know　it；　she　looks　upon　you　as　an　acrobata　paid　performer。〃



〃Ah！〃his　black　eyes　sparkled〃the　torero；　the　man　who　fights　the

bull；　he　is