the devotion of enriquez-第7章

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conundrum　that　shall　be　easy。〃



He　seemed　idiotically　inflexible；　and　did　not　go。　　But　I　did。　　I

found　Miss　Mannersley　exquisitely　dressed　and　looking　singularly

animated　and　pretty。　　The　lambent　glow　of　her　inscrutable　eye　as

she　turned　toward　me　might　have　been　flattering　but　for　my

uneasiness　in　regard　to　Enriquez。　　I　delivered　his　excuses　as

naturally　as　I　could。　　She　stiffened　for　an　instant；　and　seemed　an

inch　higher。　　〃I　am　so　sorry；〃　she　said　at　last　in　a　level　voice。

〃I　thought　he　would　have　been　so　amusing。　　Indeed；　I　had　hoped　we

might　try　an　old　Moorish　dance　together　which　I　have　found　and　was

practicing。〃



〃He　would　have　been　delighted；　I　know。　　It's　a　great　pity　he　didn't

come　with　me；〃　I　said　quickly；　〃but；〃　I　could　not　help　adding；　with

emphasis　on　her　words；　〃he　is　such　an　'extraordinary　creature；'　you

know。〃



〃I　see　nothing　extraordinary　in　his　devotion　to　an　aged　relative；〃

returned　Miss　Mannersley　quietly　as　she　turned　away；　〃except　that

it　justifies　my　respect　for　his　character。〃



I　do　not　know　why　I　did　not　relate　this　to　him。　　Possibly　I　had

given　up　trying　to　understand　them；　perhaps　I　was　beginning　to　have

an　idea　that　he　could　take　care　of　himself。　　But　I　was　somewhat

surprised　a　few　days　later　when；　after　asking　me　to　go　with　him　to

a　rodeo　at　his　uncle's　he　added　composedly；　〃You　will　meet　Mees

Boston。〃



I　stared；　and　but　for　his　manner　would　have　thought　it　part　of　his

extravagance。　　For　the　rodeoa　yearly　chase　of　wild　cattle　for　the

purpose　of　lassoing　and　branding　themwas　a　rather　brutal　affair；

and　purely　a　man's　function；　it　was　also　a　family　affaira

property　stock…taking　of　the　great　Spanish　cattle…ownersand

strangers；　particularly　Americans；　found　it　difficult　to　gain

access　to　its　mysteries　and　the　fiesta　that　followed。



〃But　how　did　she　get　an　invitation？〃　I　asked。　　〃You　did　not　dare　to

ask〃　I　began。



〃My　friend；〃　said　Enriquez；　with　a　singular　deliberation；　〃the

great　and　respectable　Boston　herself；　and　her　serene；　venerable

oncle；　and　other　Boston　magnificos；　have　of　a　truth　done　me　the

inexpressible　honor　to　solicit　of　my　degraded；　papistical　oncle

that　she　shall　comethat　she　shall　of　her　own　superior　eye　behold

the　barbaric　customs　of　our　race。〃



His　tone　and　manner　were　so　peculiar　that　I　stepped　quickly　before

him；　laid　my　hands　on　his　shoulders；　and　looked　down　into　his　face。

But　the　actual　devil　which　I　now　for　the　first　time　saw　in　his　eyes

went　out　of　them　suddenly；　and　he　relapsed　again　in　affected

languishment　in　his　chair。　　〃I　shall　be　there；　friend　Pancho；〃　he

said；　with　a　preposterous　gasp。　　〃I　shall　nerve　my　arm　to　lasso　the

bull；　and　tumble　him　before　her　at　her　feet。　　I　shall　throw　the

'buck…jump'　mustang　at　the　same　sacred　spot。　　I　shall　pluck　for　her

the　buried　chicken　at　full　speed　from　the　ground；　and　present　it　to

her。　　You　shall　see　it；　friend　Pancho。　　I　shall　be　there。〃



He　was　as　good　as　his　word。　　When　Don　Pedro　Amador；　his　uncle；

installed　Miss　Mannersley；　with　Spanish　courtesy；　on　a　raised

platform　in　the　long　valley　where　the　rodeo　took　place；　the　gallant

Enriquez　selected　a　bull　from　the　frightened　and　galloping　herd；

and；　cleverly　isolating　him　from　the　band；　lassoed　his　hind　legs；

and　threw　him　exactly　before　the　platform　where　Miss　Mannersley　was

seated。　　It　was　Enriquez　who　caught　the　unbroken　mustang；　sprang

from　his　own　saddle　to　the　bare　back　of　his　captive；　and　with　the

lasso　for　a　bridle；　halted　him　on　rigid　haunches　at　Miss

Mannersley's　feet。　　It　was　Enriquez　who；　in　the　sports　that

followed；　leaned　from　his　saddle　at　full　speed；　caught　up　the

chicken　buried　to　its　head　in　the　sand；　without　wringing　its　neck；

and　tossed　it　unharmed　and　fluttering　toward　his　mistress。　　As　for

her；　she　wore　the　same　look　of　animation　that　I　had　seen　in　her

face　at　our　previous　meeting。　　Although　she　did　not　bring　her

sketchbook　with　her；　as　at　the　bullfight；　she　did　not　shrink　from

the　branding　of　the　cattle；　which　took　place　under　her　very　eyes。



Yet　I　had　never　seen　her　and　Enriquez　together；　they　had　never；　to

my　actual　knowledge；　even　exchanged　words。　　And　now；　although　she

was　the　guest　of　his　uncle；　his　duties　seemed　to　keep　him　in　the

field；　and　apart　from　her。　　Nor；　as　far　as　I　could　detect；　did

either　apparently　make　any　effort　to　have　it　otherwise。　　The

peculiar　circumstance　seemed　to　attract　no　attention　from　anyone

else。　　But　for　what　I　alone　knewor　thought　I　knewof　their

actual　relations；　I　should　have　thought　them　strangers。



But　I　felt　certain　that　the　fiesta　which　took　place　in　the　broad

patio　of　Don　Pedro's　casa　would　bring　them　together。　　And　later　in

the　evening；　as　we　were　all　sitting　on　the　veranda　watching　the

dancing　of　the　Mexican　women；　whose　white…flounced　sayas　were

monotonously　rising　and　falling　to　the　strains　of　two　melancholy

harps；　Miss　Mannersley　rejoined　us　from　the　house。　　She　seemed　to

be　utterly　absorbed　and　abstracted　in　the　barbaric　dances；　and

scarcely　moved　as　she　leaned　over　the　railing　with　her　cheek

resting　on　her　hand。　　Suddenly　she　arose　with　a　little　cry。



〃What　is　it？〃　asked　two　or　three。



〃Nothingonly　I　have　lost　my　fan。〃　　She　had　risen；　and　；was

looking　abstractedly　on　the　floor。



Half　a　dozen　men　jumped　to　their　feet。　　〃Let　me　fetch　it；〃　they

said。



〃No；　thank　you。　　I　think　I　know　where　it　is；　and　will　go　for　it

myself。〃　　She　was　moving　away。



But　Don　Pedro　interposed　with　Spanish　gravity。　　Such　a　thing　was

not　to　be　heard　of　in　his　casa。　　If　the　senorita　would　not　permit

HIMan　old　manto　go　for　it；　it　must　be　brought　by　Enriquez；　her

cavalier　of　the　day。



But　Enriquez　was　not　to　be　found。　　I　glanced　at　Miss　Mannersley's

somewhat　disturbed　face；　and　begged　her　to　let　me　fetch　it。　　I

thought　I　saw　a　flush　of　relief　come　into　her　pale　cheek　as　she

said；　in　a　lower　voice；　〃On　the　stone　seat　in　the　garden。〃



I　hurried　away；　leaving　Don　Pedro　still　protesting。　　I　knew　the

gardens；　and　the　stone　seat　at　an　angle　of　the　wall；　not　a　dozen

yards　from　the　casa。　　The　moon　shone　full　upon　it。　　There；　indeed；

lay　the　little　gray…feathered　fan。　　But　beside　it；　also；　lay　the

crumpled　black　gold…embroidered　riding…gauntlet　that　Enriquez　had

worn　at　the　rodeo。



I　thrust　it　hurriedly　into　my　pocket；　and　ran　back。　　As　I　passed

through　the　gateway　I　asked　a　peon　to　send　Enriquez　to　me。　　The　man

stared。　　Did　I　not　know　that　Don　Enriquez　had　ridden　away　two

minutes　ago？



When　I　reached　the　veranda；　I　handed　the　fan　to　Miss　Mannersley

without　a　word。　　〃BUENO；〃　said　Don　Pedro；　gravely；　〃it　is　as　well。

There　shall　be　no　bones　broken　over　the　getting　of　it；　for

Enriquez；　I　hear；　has　had　to　return　to　the　Encinal　this　very

evening。〃



Miss　Mannersley　retired　early。　　I　did　not　inform　her　of　my

discovery；　nor　did　I　seek　in　any　way　to　penetrate　her　secret。

There　was　no　doubt　that　she　and　Enriquez　had　been　together；　perhaps

not　for　the　first　time；　but　what　was　the　result　of　their　interview？

From　the　young　girl's　demeanor　and　Enriquez'　hurried　departure；　I

could　only　fear　the　worst　for　him。　　Had　he　been　tempted　into　some

further　extravagance　and　been　angrily　rebuked；　or　had　he　avowed　a

real　passion　concealed　under　his　exaggerated　mask　and　been

deliberately　rejected？　　I　tossed　uneasily　half　the　night；　following

in　my　dreams　my　poor　friend's　hurrying　hoofbeats；　and　ever　starting

from　my　sleep　at　what　I　thought　was　the　sound　of　galloping　hoofs。



I　rose　early；　and　lounged　into　the　patio；　but　others　were　there

before　me；　and　a　small　group　of　Don　Pedro's　family　were　excitedly

discussing　something；　and　I　fancied　they　turned　away　awkwardly　and

consciously　as　I　approached。　　There　was　an　air　of　indefinite

uneasiness　everywhere。　　A　strange　fear　came　over　me　with　the　chill

of　the　early　morning　air。　　Had　anything　happened　to　Enriquez？　　I

had　always　looked　upon　his　extravagance　as　part　of　his　playful

humor。　　Could　it　be　p