the devotion of enriquez-第3章

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

bull；　he　is　also　an　acrobat。〃



〃Yes；　but　she　thinks　you　a　clown！a　GRACIOSO　DE　TEATROthere！〃



〃Then　I　have　make　her　laugh？〃　he　said　coolly。



I　don't　think　he　had；　but　I　shrugged　my　shoulders。



〃BUENO！〃　he　said　cheerfully。　　〃Lofe；　he　begin　with　a　laugh；　he　make

feenish　with　a　sigh。〃



I　turned　to　look　at　him　in　the　moonlight。　　His　face　presented　its

habitual　Spanish　gravitya　gravity　that　was　almost　ironical。　　His

small　black　eyes　had　their　characteristic　irresponsible　audacity

the　irresponsibility　of　the　vivacious　young　animal。　　It　could　not

be　possible　that　he　was　really　touched　with　the　placid　frigidities

of　Miss　Mannersley。　　I　remembered　his　equally　elastic　gallantries

with　Miss　Pinkey　Smith；　a　blonde　Western　belle；　from　which　both　had

harmlessly　rebounded。　　As　we　walked　on　slowly　I　continued　more

persuasively：　〃Of　course　this　is　only　your　nonsense；　but　don't　you

see；　Miss　Mannersley　thinks　it　all　in　earnest　and　really　your

nature？〃　　I　hesitated；　for　it　suddenly　struck　me　that　it　WAS　really

his　nature。　　〃Andhang　it　all！you　don't　want　her　to　believe　you

a　common　buffoon。；　or　some　intoxicated　muchacho。〃



〃Intoxicated？〃　repeated　Enriquez；　with　exasperating　languishment。

〃Yes；　that　is　the　word　that　shall　express　itself。　　My　friend；　you

have　made　a　shot　in　the　centeryou　have　ring　the　bell　every　time！

It　is　intoxicationbut　not　of　aguardiente。　　Look！　　I　have　long

time　an　ancestor　of　whom　is　a　pretty　story。　　One　day　in　church　he

have　seen　a　young　girla　mere　peasant　girlpass　to　the

confessional。　　He　look　her　in　her　eye；　he　stagger〃here　Enriquez

wobbled　pantomimically　into　the　road〃he　fall！〃he　would　have

suited　the　action　to　the　word　if　I　had　not　firmly　held　him　up。

〃They　have　taken　him　home；　where　he　have　remain　without　his

clothes；　and　have　dance　and　sing。　　But　it　was　the　drunkenness　of

lofe。　　And；　look　you；　thees　village　girl　was　a　nothing；　not　even

pretty。　　The　name　of　my　ancestor　was〃



〃Don　Quixote　de　La　Mancha；〃　I　suggested　maliciously。　　〃I　suspected

as　much。　　Come　along。　　That　will　do。〃



〃My　ancestor's　name；〃　continued　Enriquez；　gravely；　〃was　Antonio

Hermenegildo　de　Salvatierra；　which　is　not　the　same。　　Thees　Don

Quixote　of　whom　you　speak　exist　not　at　all。〃



〃Never　mind。　　Only；　for　heaven's　sake；　as　we　are　nearing　the　house；

don't　make　a　fool　of　yourself　again。〃



It　was　a　wonderful　moonlight　night。　　The　deep　redwood　porch　of　the

Mannersley　parsonage；　under　the　shadow　of　a　great　oakthe　largest

in　the　Encinalwas　diapered　in　black　and　silver。　　As　the　women

stepped　upon　the　porch　their　shadows　were　silhouetted　against　the

door。　　Miss　Mannersley　paused　for　an　instant；　and　turned　to　give　a

last　look　at　the　beauty　of　the　night　as　Jocasta　entered。　　Her

glance　fell　upon　us　as　we　passed。　　She　nodded　carelessly　and

unaffectedly　to　me；　but　as　she　recognized　Enriquez　she　looked　a

little　longer　at　him　with　her　previous　cold　and　invincible

curiosity。　　To　my　horror　Enriquez　began　instantly　to　affect　a

slight　tremulousness　of　gait　and　a　difficulty　of　breathing；　but　I

gripped　his　arm　savagely；　and　managed　to　get　him　past　the　house　as

the　door　closed　finally　on　the　young　lady。



〃You　do　not　comprehend；　friend　Pancho；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃but　those

eyes　in　their　glass　are　as　the　ESPEJO　USTORIO；　the　burning　mirror。

They　burn；　they　consume　me　here　like　paper。　　Let　us　affix　to

ourselves　thees　tree。　　She　will；　without　doubt；　appear　at　her

window。　　We　shall　salute　her　for　good　night。〃



〃We　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　I　said　sharply。　　Finding　that　I

was　determined；　he　permitted　me　to　lead　him　away。　　I　was　delighted

to　notice；　however；　that　he　had　indicated　the　window　which　I　knew

was　the　minister's　study；　and　that　as　the　bedrooms　were　in　the　rear

of　the　house；　this　later　incident　was　probably　not　overseen　by　the

young　lady　or　the　servant。　　But　I　did　not　part　from　Enriquez　until

I　saw　him　safely　back　to　the　sala；　where　I　left　him　sipping

chocolate；　his　arm　alternating　around　the　waists　of　his　two

previous　partners　in　a　delightful　Arcadian　and　childlike

simplicity；　and　an　apparent　utter　forgetfulness　of　Miss　Mannersley。



The　fandangos　were　usually　held　on　Saturday　night；　and　the　next

day；　being　Sunday；　1　missed　Enriquez；　but　as　he　was　a　devout

Catholic　I　remembered　that　he　was　at　mass　in　the　morning；　and

possibly　at　the　bullfight　at　San　Antonio　in　the　afternoon。　　But　I

was　somewhat　surprised　on　the　Monday　morning　following；　as　I　was

crossing　the　plaza；　to　have　my　arm　taken　by　the　Rev。　Mr。　Mannersley

in　the　nearest　approach　to　familiarity　that　was　consistent　with　the

reserve　of　this　eminent　divine。　　I　looked　at　him　inquiringly。

Although　scrupulously　correct　in　attire；　his　features　always　had　a

singular　resemblance　to　the　national　caricature　known　as　〃Uncle

Sam；〃　but　with　the　humorous　expression　left　out。　　Softly　stroking

his　goatee　with　three　fingers；　he　began　condescendingly：　〃You　are；

I　think；　more　or　less　familiar　with　the　characteristics　and　customs

of　the　Spanish　as　exhibited　by　the　settlers　here。〃　　A　thrill　of

apprehension　went　through　me。　　Had　he　heard　of　Enriquez'

proceedings？　　Had　Miss　Mannersley　cruelly　betrayed　him　to　her

uncle？　　〃I　have　not　given　that　attention　myself　to　their　language

and　social　peculiarities；〃　he　continued；　with　a　large　wave　of　the

hand；　〃being　much　occupied　with　a　study　of　their　religious　beliefs

and　superstitions〃it　struck　me　that　this　was　apt　to　be　a　common

fault　of　people　of　the　Mannersley　type〃but　I　have　refrained　from

a　personal　discussion　of　them；　on　the　contrary；　I　have　held

somewhat　broad　views　on　the　subject　of　their　remarkable　missionary

work；　and　have　suggested　a　scheme　of　co…operation　with　them；　quite

independent　of　doctrinal　teaching；　to　my　brethren　of　other

Protestant　Christian　sects。　　These　views　I　first　incorporated　in　a

sermon　last　Sunday　week；　which　I　am　told　has　created　considerable

attention。〃　　He　stopped　and　coughed　slightly。　　〃I　have　not　yet

heard　from　any　of　the　Roman　clergy；　but　I　am　led　to　believe　that　my

remarks　were　not　ungrateful　to　Catholics　generally。〃



I　was　relieved；　although　still　in　some　wonder　why　he　should　address

me　on　this　topic。　　I　had　a　vague　remembrance　of　having　heard　that

he　had　said　something　on　Sunday　which　had　offended　some　Puritans　of

his　flock；　but　nothing　more。　　He　continued：　〃I　have　just　said　that

I　was　unacquainted　with　the　characteristics　of　the　Spanish…American

race。　　I　presume；　however；　they　have　the　impulsiveness　of　their

Latin　origin。　　They　gesticulateeh？　　They　express　their　gratitude；

their　joy；　their　affection；　their　emotions　generally；　by　spasmodic

movements？　　They　naturally　dancesingeh？〃　　A　horrible　suspicion

crossed　my　mind；　I　could　only　stare　helplessly　at　him。　　〃I　see；〃　he

said　graciously；　〃perhaps　it　is　a　somewhat　general　question。　　I

will　explain　myself。　　A　rather　singular　occurrence　happened　to　me

the　other　night。　　I　had　returned　from　visiting　a　parishioner；　and

was　alone　in　my　study　reviewing　my　sermon　for　the　next　day。　　It

must　have　been　quite　late　before　I　concluded；　for　I　distinctly

remember　my　niece　had　returned　with　her　servant　fully　an　hour

before。　　Presently　I　heard　the　sounds　of　a　musical　instrument　in

the　road；　with　the　accents　of　someone　singing　or　rehearsing　some

metrical　composition　in　words　that；　although　couched　in　a　language

foreign　to　me；　in　expression　and　modulation　gave　me　the　impression

of　being　distinctly　adulatory。　　For　some　little　time；　in　the

greater　preoccupation　of　my　task；　I　paid　little　attention　to　the

performance；　but　its　persistency　at　length　drew　me　in　no　mere　idle

curiosity　to　the　window。　　From　thence；　standing　in　my　dressing…

gown；　and　believing　myself　unperceived；　I　noticed　under　the　large

oak　in　the　roadside　the　figure　of　a　young　man　who；　by　the　imperfect

light；　appeared　to　be　of　Spanish　extraction。　　But　I　evidently

miscalculated　my　own　invisibility；　for　he　mo