remember the alamo-第36章

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It　was　some　minutes　before　the　child　could　be　soothed。　　She
lay　in　her　mother's　arms；　sobbing　in　speechless　distress；　but
at　length　she　was　able　to　articulate　her　fright：

〃Listen；　mi　madre；　and　may　the　Holy　Lady　make　you　believe　me！　
I　have　had　a　dream。　　God　be　blessed　that　it　is　not　yet　true！　
I　will　tell　you。　　It　was　about　Fray　Ignatius　and　our　uncle　the
Marquis　de　Gonzaga。　　My　good　angel　gave　it　to　me；　for　myself
and　you　all　she　gave　it；　and；　as　my　blessed　Lord　lives！　　I
will　not　go　to　them！　　SI！　　I　will　cut　my　white　throat
first！〃　and　she　drew　her　small　hand　with　a　passionate　gesture
across　it。　　She　had　stood　up　as　she　began　to　speak；　and　the
action；　added　to　her　unmistakable　terror；　her　stricken　face
and　air　of　determination；　was　very　impressive。

〃You　have　had　a　dream；　my　darling？〃

〃Yes；　an　awful　dream；　Antonia！　　Mary！　　Mary！　　Tender　Mary；
pity　us！〃

〃And　you　think　we　should　not　go　to　the　house　of　the　marquis？〃

〃Oh；　Antonia！　　I　have　seen　the　way。　　It　is　black　and　cold；　and
full　of　fear　and　pain。　　No　one　shall　make　me　take　it。　　I　have
the　stiletto　of　my　grandmother　Flores。　　I　will　ask　Holy　Mary
to　pardon　me；　and　thenin　a　momentI　would　be　among　the
people　of　the　other　world。　　That　would　be　far　better　than　Fray
Ignatius　and　the　house　of　Gonzaga。〃

The　Senora　was　quite　angry　at　this　fresh　complication。　　It　was
really　incredible　what　she　had　to　endure。　　And　would　Antonia
please　to　tell　her　where　else　they　were　to　go？　　They　had　not
a　friend　left　in　San　Antoniothey　did　not　deserve　to　have
oneand　was　it　to　be　supposed　that　a　lady；　born　noble；　could
follow　the　Americans　in　an　ox…wagon？　　Antonia　might　think　it
preferable　to　the　comfortable　house　of　her　relation；　but
blessed　be　the　hand　of　God；　which　had　opened　the　door　of　a
respectable　shelter　to　her。

〃I　will　go　in　the　ox…wagon；〃　said　Isabel；　with　a　sullen
determination；　〃but　I　will　not　go　into　my　uncle's　house。　　By
the　saint　of　my　birth　I　swear　it。〃

〃Mother；　listen　to　Antonia。　　When　one　door　shuts；　God　opens
another　door。　　Our　own　home　is　yet　undisturbed。　　Do　you
believe　what　Fray　Ignatius　says　of　the　coming　of　Santa　Anna？　
I　do　not。　　Until　he　arrives　we　are　safe　in　our　own　home；　and
when　the　hour　for　going　away　comes；　even　a　little　bird　can
show　us　the　way　to　take。　　And　I　am　certain　that　my　father　is
planning　for　our　safety。　　If　Santa　Anna　was　in　this　city；　and
behaving　with　the　brutality　which　is　natural　to　him；　I　would
not　go　away　until　my　father　sent　the　order。　　Do　you　think　he
forgets　us？　　Be　not　afraid　of　such　a　thing。　　It　cannot　take
place。〃

Towards　dusk　Senor　Navarro　called；　and　the　Senora　brought　him
into　her　private　parlor　and　confided　to　him　the　strait　they
were　in。　　He　looked　with　sympathy　into　the　troubled；　tear…
stained　faces　of　these　three　helpless　women；　and　listened　with
many　expressive　gestures　to　the　proposal　of　the　priest　and　the
offer　of　the　old　marquis。

〃Most　excellent　ladies；〃　he　answered；　〃it　is　a　plot。　　I　assure
you　that　it　is　a　plot。　　Certainly　it　was　not　without　reason　I
was　so　unhappy　about　you　this　afternoon。　　Even　while　I
was　at　the　bull…fight；　I　think　our　angels　were　in　a
consultation　about　your　affairs。　　Your　name　was　in　my　ears
above　all　other　sounds。〃

〃You　say　it　is　a　plot；　Senor。　　Explain　to　us　what　you　mean？〃

〃Yes；　I　will　tell　you。　　Do　you　know　that　Fray　Ignatius　is　the
confessor　of　the　marquis？〃

〃We　had　not　thought　of　such　a　thing。〃

〃It　is　the　truth。　　For　many　years　they　have　been　close　as　the
skin　and　the　flesh。　　Without　Fray　Ignatius　the　marquis　says
neither　yes　or　no。　　Also　the　will　of　the　marquis　has　been
lately　made。　　I　have　seen　a　copy　of　it。　　Everything　he　has　is
left　to　the　brotherhoods　of　the　Church。　　Without　doubt；　Fray
Ignatius　was　the；　lawyer　who　wrote　it。〃

〃Senor；　I　always　believed　that　would　happen。　　At　my　marriage
my　uncle　made　the　determination。　　Indeed；　we　have　never
expected　a　piastreno；　not　even　a　tlaco。　　And　to…day　he　was
kind　to　me；　and　offered　me　his　home。　　Oh；　Holy　Mother；　how
wretched　I　am！　　Can　I　not　trust　in　the　good　words　of　those　who
are　of　my　own　family？〃

〃The　tie　of　race　will　come　before　the　tie　of　the　family。　　The
tie　of　religion　is　strongest　of　all；　Senora。　　Let　me　tell　you
what　will　take　place。　　When　you　and　your　children　are　in　the
house　of　the　marquis；　he　will　go　before　the　Alcalde。　　He　will
declare　that　you　have　gone　voluntarily　to　his　care；　and　that
he　is　your　nearest　and　most　natural　guardian。　　Very　well。　　But
further；　he　will　declare；　on　account　of　his　great　age；　and　the
troubled　state　of　the　time；　he　is　unable　to　protect　you；　and
ask　for　the　authority　to　place　you　in　the　religious　care　of
the　holy　sisterhood　of　Saint　Maria。　　And　he　will　obtain　all　he
wants。〃

〃But；　simply；　what　is　to　be　gained　by　such　treachery？　　He　said
to…day　that　I　was　like　his　sister　Mercedes；　and　he　spoke　very
gently　to　me。〃

〃He　would　not　think　such　a　proceeding　really　unkind。　　He　would
assure　himself　that　it　was　good　for　your　eternal　salvation。　
As　to　the　reason；　that　is　to　be　looked　for　in　the　purse；　where
all　reasons　come　from。　　This　house；　which　the　good　doctor
built；　is　the　best　in　the　city。　　It　has　even　two　full　stories。　
It　is　very　suitable　for　a　religious　house。　　It　is　not　far
from　the　Plaza；　yet　secluded　in　its　beautiful　garden。　
Fray　Ignatius　has　long　desired　it。　　When　he　has　removed　you；
possession　will　be　taken；　and　Santa　Anna　will　confirm　the
possession。〃

〃God　succor　our　poor　souls！　　What　shall　we　do　then；　Senor？　
The　Mexican　army　has　entered　Texas；　it　will　soon　be　here。〃

〃Quien　sabe？　　Between　the　Rio　Grande　and　the　San　Antonio　are
many　difficulties。　　Urrea　has　five　thousand　men　with　him；
horses　and　artillery。　　The　horses　must　graze；　the　men　must
rest　and　eat。　　We　shall　have　heavy　rains。　　I　am　sure　that　it
will　be　twenty　days　ere　he　reaches　the　settlements；　and　even
then　his　destination　is　not　San　Antonio；　it　is　Goliad。　　Santa
Anna　will　be　at　least　ten　days　after　him。　　I　suppose；　then；
that　for　a　whole　month　you　are　quite　safe　in　your　own　home。　
That　is　what　I　believe　now。　　If　I　saw　a　reason　to　believe　what
is　different；　I　would　inform　you。　　The　good　doctor；　to　whom　I
owe　my　life　many　times；　has　my　promise。　　Lopez　Navarro　never
broke　his　word　to　any　man。　　The　infamy　would　be　a　thing
impossible；　where　the　safety　of　three　ladies　is　concerned。〃

〃And　in　a　month；　mi　madre；　what　great　things　may　happen！　
Thirty　days　of　possibilities！　　Come；　now；　let　us　be　a　little
happy；　and　listen　to　what　the　Senor　has　to　tell　us。　　I　am　sure
this　house　has　been　as　stupid　as　a　convent〃；　and　Isabel　lifted
the　cigarette　case　of　the　Senora；　and　with　kisses　persuaded
her　to　accept　its　tranquilizing　consolation。

It　was　an　elegant　little　golden　trifle　studded　with　gems。　　Her
husband　had　given　it　to　her　on　the　anniversary　of　their
twenty…fifth　wedding　day；　and　it　recalled　vividly　to　her　the
few　sweet　moments。　　She　was　swayed　as　easily　as　a　child　by　the
nearest　or　strongest　influence；　and；　after　all；　it　did　seem
the　best　to　take　Isabel's　advice；　and　be　a　little　happy　while
she　could。

Lopez　was　delighted　to　humor　this　mood。　　He　told　them　all　the
news　of　their　own　social　set；　and　in　such　vivid　times
something　happened　every　day。　　There　had　been　betrothals　and
marriages；　quarrels　and　entertainments；　and　Lopez；　as　a
fashionable　young　man　of　wealth　and　nobility；　had　taken　his
share　in　what　had　transpired。

Antonia　felt　unspeakably　grateful　to　him。　　After　the
fretful　terror　and　anxiety　of　the　dayafter　the　cruel　visit
of　Fray　Ignatiusit　was　indeed　a　comfort　to　hear　the　pleasant
voice　of　Navarro　in　all　kinds　of　cheerful　modulations。　　By　and
by　there　was　a　slow　rippling　laugh　from　Isabel；　and　the
Senora's　face　lost　its　air　of　dismal　distraction。

At　length　Navarro　had　brought　his　narrative　of　small　events
down　to　the　afternoon　of　that　day。　　There　had　been　a　bull…
fight；　and　Isabel　was　making　him　describe　to　her　the　chulos；
in　their　pale　satin　breeches　and　silk　waist…scarfs；　the
toreros　in　their　scarlet　mantles；　and　the　picadores　on　their
horses。

〃And　I　assure　you；〃　he　said；　〃the　company　of　ladies　was　very
great　and　splendid。　　They　were　in　full　dress；　and　the　golden…
pinned　man