remember the alamo-第29章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of authority。
〃Dear mother； do as the beloved and kindhearted Ruth did。
Like you； she married one not of her race and not of her
religion。 Even when God had taken him from her； she chose
to remain with his peopleto leave her own people and
abide with his mother。 For this act God blessed her；
and all nations in all ages have honored her。〃
〃Ruth！ Ruth！ Ruth！ What has Ruth to do with the question？
Presumptuous one！ Ruth was a heathen womana Moabitea race
ten times accursed。〃
〃Pardon； father。 Ruth was the ancestress of our blessed
Saviour； and of the Virgin Mary。〃
〃Believe not the wicked one； Senora？ She is blinded with
false knowledge。 She is a heretic。 I have long suspected it。
She has not been to confession for nine months。〃
〃You wrong me； father。 Every day； twice a day； I confess my
sins humbly。〃
〃Chito！ You are in outrageous sin。 But； then； what else？ I
hear； indeed； that you read wicked bookseven upon your knees
you read them。〃
〃I read my Bible； father。〃
〃Bring it to me。 How could a child like you read the Bible？
It is a book for bishops and archbishops； and the Immaculate
Father himself。 What an arrogance？ What an insolence of
self…conceit must possess so young a heart？ Saints of God！
It confounds me。〃
The girl stood with burning cheeks gazing at the proud；
passionate man； but she did not obey his order。
〃Senora； my daughter！ See you with your own eyes the fruit of
your sin。 Will you dare to become a partner in such
wickedness？〃
〃Antonia！ Antonia！ Go at once and bring here this wicked
book。 Oh； how can you make so miserable a mother who loves
you so much？〃
In a few moments Antonia returned with the objectionable book。
〃My dear grandmother gave it to me；〃 she said。 〃Look； mi
madre； here is my name in her writing。 Is it conceivable that
she would give to your Antonia a book that she ought not to
read？〃
The Senora took it in her hands and turned the leaves very
much as a child might turn those of a book in an unknown
tongue； in which there were no illustrations nor anything that
looked the least interesting。 It was a pretty volume of
moderate size； bound in purple morocco； and fastened with
gilt clasps。
〃I see the word GOD in it very often； Fray Ignatius。
Perhaps； indeed； it is not bad。〃
〃It is a heretic Bible； I am sure。 Could anything be more
sinful； more disrespectful to God； more dangerous for a young
girl？〃 and as he said the words he took it from the Senora's
listless hands； glanced at the obnoxious title…page； and then；
stepping hastily to the hearth； flung the book upon the
burning logs。
With a cry of horror； pain； amazement； all blended； Antonia
sprang towards the fire； but Fray Ignatius stood with
outstretched arms； before it。
〃Stand back！〃 he cried。 〃To save your soul from eternal
fires； I burn the book that has misled you！〃
〃Oh； my Bible！ Oh； my Bible！ Oh； mother！ mother！〃 and
sobbing and crying out in her fear and anger； she fled down
stairs and called the peon Ortiz。
〃Do you know where to find the Senor Doctor？ If you do；
Ortiz； take the swiftest horse and bring him here。〃
The man looked with anger into the girl's troubled face。 For
a moment he was something unlike himself。 〃I can find him； I
will bring him in fifteen minutes。 Corpus Christi it is here
he should be。〃
The saddled horse in the stable was mounted as he muttered one
adjuration and oath after another； and Antonia sat down at the
window to watch for the result of her message。 Fortunately；
Rachela had been so interested in the proceedings； and so
determined to know all about them； that she seized the
opportunity of the outcry to fly to 〃her poor Senora；〃 and
thus was ignorant of the most unusual step taken by Antonia。
Indeed； no one was aware of it but herself and Ortiz； and the
servants in the kitchen looked with a curious interest at the
doctor riding into the stable yard as if his life depended
upon his speed。 Perhaps it did。 All of them stopped their
work to speculate upon the circumstance。
They saw him fling himself from the saddle they saw Antonia
run to meet him； they heard her voice full of distressthey
knew it was the voice of complaint。 They were aware it was
answered by a stamp on the flagged hall of the doctor's iron…
heeled bootwhich rang through the whole house； and which was
but the accompaniment of the fierce exclamation that went with
it。
They heard them mount the stairs together； and then they were
left to their imaginations。 As for Antonia； she was almost
terrified at the storm she had raised。 Never had she seen
anger so terrible。 Yet； though he had not said a word
directly to her； she was aware of his full sympathy。 He
grasped her hand； and entered the Senora's room with her。 His
first order was to Rachela
〃Leave the house in five minutes； no； in three minutes。 I
will tell Ortiz to send your clothes after you。 Go！〃
〃My Senora！ Fray I〃
〃Go！〃 he thundered。 〃Out of my house！ Fly！ I will not
endure you another moment。〃
The impetus of his words was like a great wind。 They drove
the woman before him； and he shut the door behind her with a
terrifying and amazing rage。 Then he turned to the priest
〃Fray Ignatius； you have abused my hospitality； and my
patience。 You shall do so no longer。 For twenty…six years I
have suffered your interference…〃
〃The Senor is a prudent man。 The wise bear what they
cannot resist〃； and with a gentle smile and lifted eyebrows
Fray Ignatius crossed himself。
〃I have respected your faith； though it was the faith of a
bigot； and your opinions； though they were false and cruel；
because you believed honestly in them。 But you shall not
again interfere with my wife； or my children； or my servants；
or my house。〃
〃The Senor Doctor is not prince； or pope。 ‘Shall；' and
‘SHALL NOT；' no one but my own ecclesiastical superiors can
say to me。〃
〃I say； you shall not again terrify my wife and insult my
daughter； and disorganize my whole household！ And； as the God
of my mother hears me； you shall not again burn up His Holy
Word under my roof。 Never； while I dwell beneath it； enter my
gates； or cross my threshold； or address yourself to any that
bear my name； or eat my bread。〃 With the words； he walked to
the door and held it open。 It was impossible to mistake the
unspoken order； and there was something in the concentrated
yet controlled passion of Robert Worth which even the haughty
priest did not care to irritate beyond its bounds。
He gathered his robe together； and with lifted eyes muttered
an ejaculatory prayer。 Then he said in slow； cold； precise
tones：
〃For the present； I go。 Very good。 I shall come back again。
The saints will take care of that。 Senora； I give you my
blessing。 Senor； you may yet find the curse of a poor priest
an inconvenience。〃
He crossed himself at the door； and cast a last look at the
Senora； who had thown herself upon her knees； and was crying
out to Mary and the saints in a passion of excuses and
reproaches。 She was deaf to all her husband said。 She would
not suffer Antonia to approach her。 She felt that now was the
hour of her supreme trial。 She had tolerated the rebellion of
her husband； and her sons； and her daughter； and now she was
justly punished。 They had driven away from her the confessor；
and the maid who had been her counsellor and her reliance from
her girlhood。
Her grief and terror were genuine； and therefore pitiful； and；
in spite of his annoyance； the doctor recognized the fact。 In
a moment； as soon as they were alone； he put aside his anger。
He knelt beside her； he soothed her with tender words； he
pleaded the justice of his indignation。 And ere long she
began to listen to his excuses； and to complain to him：
He had been born a heretic； and therefore might be excused a
little； even by Almighty God。 But Antonia！ Her sin was
beyond endurance。 She herself； and the good Sisters； and Fray
Ignatius； had all taught her in her infancy the true religion。
And her Roberto must see that this was a holy wara war for
the Holy Catholic Church。 No wonder Fray Ignatius was angry。
〃My dear Maria； every ch
