remember the alamo-第17章

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youth；　and　she　did　not　feel　as　if　she　could　break　through　the
chill　atmosphere　of　the　man　and　ask：　　〃For　what　reason　have
you　come；　father？〃

A　long；　shrill　shriek　from　the　Senora　was　the　first　answer　to
the　fearful　question　in　her　heart。　　In　a　few　moments　she　was
at　her　mother's　door。　　Rachela　knelt　outside　it；　telling　her
rosary。　　She　stolidly　kept　her　place；　and　a　certain　instinct
for　a　moment　prevented　Antonia　interrupting　her。　　But　the
passionate　words　of　her　mother；　blending　with　the　low；
measured　tones　of　the　priest；　were　something　far　more
positive。

〃Let　me　pass　you；　Rachela。　　What　is　the　matter　with　my
mother？〃

The　woman　was　absorbed　in　her　supplications；　and　Antonia
opened　the　door。　　Isabel　followed　her。　　They　found　themselves
in　the　the｛sic｝　presence　of　an　angry　sorrow　that　appalled
them。　　The　Senora　had　torn　her　lace　mantilla　into　shreds；　and
they　were　scattered　over　the　room　as　she　had　flung　them　from
her　hands　in　her　frantic　walk　about　it。　　The　large　shell　comb
that　confined　her　hair　was　trodden　to　pieces；　and　its　long
coils　had　fallen　about　her　face　and　shoulders。　　Her　bracelets；
her　chain　of　gold；　her　brooch　and　rings　were　scattered　on　the
floor；　and　she　was　standing　in　the　centre　of　it；　like　an
enraged　creature；　tearing　her　handkerchief　into　strips；　as　an
emphasis　to　her　passionate　denunciations。

〃It　serves　him　right！　　JESUS！　　MARIA！　　JOSEPH！　　It　serves
him　right！　　He　must　carry　arms！　　HE；　TOO！　when　it　was
forbidden！　　I　am　glad　he　is　arrested！　　Oh；　Roberto！　　Roberto！〃

〃Patience；　my　daughter！　　This　is　the　hand　of　God。　　What　can
you　do　but　submit？〃

〃What　is　it；　mi　madre？〃　and　Isabel　put　her　arms　around　her
mother　with　the　words　mi　madre。　　〃Tell　Isabel　your　sorrow。〃

〃Your　father　is　arrestedtaken　to　the　Alamohe　will　be　sent
to　the　mines。　　I　told　him　so！　　I　told　him　so！　　He　would
not　listen　to　me！　　How　wicked　he　has　been！〃

〃What　has　my　father　done；　Fray　Ignatius？　　Why　have　they
arrested　him？〃

The　priest　turned　to　Antonia　with　a　cold　face。　　He　did　not
like　her。　　He　felt　that　she　did　not　believe　in　him。

〃Senorita；　he　has　committed　a　treason。　　A　good　citizen　obeys
the　law；　Senor　Worth　has　defied　it。〃

〃Pardon；　father；　I　cannot　believe　it。〃

〃A　great　forbearance　has　been　shown　him；　but　the　end　of　mercy
comes。　　As　he　persisted　in　wearing　arms；　he　has　been　taken　to
the　Alamo　and　disarmed。〃

〃It　is　a　great　shame！　　An　infamous　shame　and　wrong！〃　cried
Antonia。　　〃What　right　has　any　one　to　take　my　father's　arms？　
No　more　than　they　have　to　take　his　purse　or　his　coat。〃

〃General　Santa　Anna〃

〃General　Santa　Anna　is　a　tyrant　and　a　thief。　　I　care　not　who
says　different。〃

〃Antonia！　　Shameless　one！〃

〃Mother；　do　not　strike　me。〃　　Then　she　took　her　mother's　hands
in　her　own；　and　led　her　to　a　couch；　caressing　her　as　she
spoke

〃Don't　believe　any　oneANY　ONE；　mother；　who　says　wrong　of
my　father。　　You　know　that　he　is　the　best　of　men。　　Rachela！　
Come　here　instantly。　　The　rosary　is　not　the　thing；　now。　　You
ought　to　be　attending　to　the　Senora。　　Get　her　some　valerian
and　some　coffee；　and　come　and　remove　her　clothing。　　Fray
Ignatius；　we　will　beg　you　to　leave　us　to…night　to　ourselves。〃

〃Your　mother's　sin；　in　marrying　a　heretic；　has　now　found　her
out。　　It　is　my　duty　to　make　her　see　her　fault。〃

〃My　mother　had　a　dispensation　from　one　greater　than　you。〃

〃Oh；　father；　pray　for　me！　　I　accuse　myself！　　I　accuse　myself！　
Oh；　wretched　woman！　　Oh；　cruel　husband！〃

〃Mother；　you　have　been　a　very　happy　woman。　　You　have　had　the
best　husband　in　the　world。　　Do　not　reproach　my　father　for　the
sins　of　others。　　Do　not　desert　him　when　he　is　in　the　power　of
a　human　tiger。　　My　God；　mother！　let　us　think　of　something　to
be　done　for　his　help！　　I　will　see　the　Navarros；　the　Garcias；
Judge　Valdez；　I　will　go　to　the　Plaza　and　call　on　the　thousands
he　has　cured　and　helped　to　set　him　free。〃

〃You　will　make　of　yourself　something　not　to　be　spoken　of。　
This　is　the　judgment　of　God；　my　daughter。〃

〃It　is　the　judgment　of　a　wicked　man；　Fray　Ignatius。　　My　mother
is　not　now　able　to　listen　to　you。　　Isabel；　come　here　and
comfort　her。〃　　Isabel　put　her　cheek　to　her　mother's；　she
murmured　caressing　words；　she　kissed　her　face；　and　coiled　up
her　straggling　hair；　and　with　childlike　trust　amid　all；
solicited　Holy　Mary　to　console　them。

Fray　Ignatius　watched　her　with　a　cold　scrutiny。　　He　was　saying
to　himself；　〃It　is　the　fruit　of　sin。　　I　warned　the　Senora；
when　she　married　this　heretic；　that　trouble　would　come　of　it。　
Very　well；　it　has　come。〃　　Then　like　a　flash　a　new　thought
invaded　his　mindIf　the　Senor　Doctor　disappeared　forever；　why
not　induce　the　Senora　and　her　daughters　to　go　into　a　religious
house？　　There　was　a　great　deal　of　money。　　The　church　could　use
it　well。

Antonia　did　not　understand　the　thought；　but　she　understood　its
animus；　and　again　she　requested　his　withdrawal。　　This　time　she
went　close　to　him；　and　bravely　looked　straight　into　his
eyes。　　Their　scornful　gleam　sent　a　chill　to　her　heart　like
that　of　cold　steel。　　At　that　moment　she　understood　that　she
had　turned　a　passive　enemy　into　an　active　one。

He　went；　however；　without　further　parley；　stopping　only　to
warn　the　Senora　against　the　sin　〃of　standing　with　the　enemies
of　God　and　the　Holy　Church；〃　and　to　order　Isabel　to　recite　for
her　mother's　pardon　and　comfort　a　certain　number　of　aves　and
paternosters。　　Antonia　went　with　him　to　the　door；　and　ere　he
left　he　blessed　her；　and　said：　　〃The　Senorita　will　examine　her
soul　and　see　her　sin。　　Then　the　ever　merciful　Church　will　hear
her　confession；　and　give　her　the　satisfying　penance。〃

Antonia　bowed　in　response。　　When　people　are　in　great　domestic
sorrow；　self…examination　is　a　superfluous　advice。　　She
listened　a　moment　to　his　departing　footsteps；　shivering　as　she
stood　in　the　darkness；　for　a　norther　had　sprung　up；　and　the
cold　was　severe。　　She　only　glanced　into　the　pleasant　parlor
where　the　table　was　laid　for　dinner；　and　a　great　fire　of　cedar
logs　was　throwing　red；　dancing　lights　over　the　white　linen　and
the　shining　silver　and　glass。　　The　chairs　were　placed　around
the　table；　her　father's　at　the　head。　　It　had　a　forsaken
air　that　was　unendurable。


The　dinner　hour　was　now　long　past。　　It　would　be　folly　to
attempt　the　meal。　　How　could　she　and　Isabel　sit　down　alone　and
eat；　and　her　father　in　prison；　and　her　mother　frantic　with　a
loss　which　she　was　warned　it　was　sinful　to　mourn　over。　
Antonia　had　a　soul　made　for　extremities　and　not　afraid　to　face
them；　but　invisible　hands　controlled　her。　　What　could　a　woman
do；　whom　society　had　forbidden　to　do　anything；　but　endure　the
pangs　of　patience？

The　Senora　could　offer　no　suggestions。　　She　was　not　indeed　in
a　mood　to　think　of　her　resources。　　A　spiritual　dread　was　upon
her。　　And　with　this　mingled　an　intense　sense　of　personal　wrong
from　her　husband。　　〃Had　she　not　begged　him　to　be　passive？　　And
he　had　put　an　old　rifle　before　her　and　her　daughters！　　It　was
all　that　Senor　Houston's　doing。　　She　had　an　assurance　of
that。〃　　She　invoked　a　thousand　maledictions　on　him。　　She
recalled；　with　passionate　reproaches；　Jack's　infidelity　to　her
and　his　God　and　his　country。　　Her　anger　passed　from　one
subject　to　another　constantly；　finding　in　all；　even　in
the　lukewarmness　of　Antonia　and　Isabel；　and　in　their　affection
for　lovers；　who　were　also　rebels；　an　accumulating　reason　for
a　stupendous　reproach　against　herself；　her　husband；　her
children；　and　her　unhappy　fate。　　Her　whole　nature　was　in
revoltin　that　complete　mental　and　moral　anarchy　from　which
springs　tragedy　and　murder。

Isabel　wept　so　violently　that　she　angered　still　further　the
tearless　suffering　of　her　mother。　　〃God　and　the　saints！〃　she
cried。　　〃What　are　you　weeping　for？　　Will　tears　do　any　good？　
Do　I　weep？　　God　has　forbidden　me　to　weep　for　the　wicked。　　Yet
how　I　suffer！　Mary；　mother　of　sorrows；　pity　me！〃

She　sent　Isabel　away。　　Her　sobs　were　not　to　be　borne。　　And
very　soon　she　felt　Antonia's　white　face　and　silent
companionship　to　be　just　as　unendurable。　　She　would　be　alone。　
Not　even　Rachela　would　she　have　near　her。　　She　put　out　all　the
lights　but　the　taper　above　a　large　crucifix；　and　at　its　foot
she　sat　down　in　tearless　abandon；　alone　with　he