remember the alamo-第39章

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Fray　Ignatius　know　that　SHE　was　not　to　blame　for　the
refusal。

All　the　same　the　priest　hated　her　in　conjunction　with　her
children。　　On　the　morning　after　her　interview　with　her　uncle；
he　went　to　receive　her　submission；　for　the　marquis　had
informed　him　of　all　that　had　passed；　and　he　felt　the　three
women　and　the　valuable　Worth　property　already　under　his　hard
hand。　　He　opened　the　gate　with　the　air　of　a　proprietor。　　He
looked　down　the　lovely　alleys　of　the　garden；　and　up　at　the
latticed　stories　of　the　handsome　house；　with　that　solid
satisfaction　which　is　the　reward　of　what　is　acquired　by
personal　effort　or　wisdom。

When　he　entered　the　door　and　was　confronted　by　Thomas　Worth；
he　was　for　the　moment　nonplussed。　　But　he　did　not　permit　his
confusion　and　disappointment　to　appear。　　He　had　not　seen
Thomas　for　a　long　time。　　He　addressed　him　with　suavity
and　regrets；　and　yet；　〃was　sure　he　would　be　glad　to　hear　that；
in　the　present　dangerous　crisis；　the　Marquis　de　Gonzaga　had
remembered　the　blood…tie　and　offered　his　protection　to　a
family　so　desolate。〃

Thomas　Worth　leaned　upon　the　balusters；　as　if　guarding　the
approach　to　the　Senora's　apartments。　　He　answered：　　〃The
protection　of　the　marquis　is　unnecessary。　　Three　ladies　are
too　great　a　charge　for　one　so　aged。　　We　will　not　impose　it。〃　
The　face　of　the　young　man　was　calm　and　stern；　but　he　spoke
without　visible　temper；　until　the　priest　prepared　to　pass　him。　
Then　he　stretched　out　his　arm　as　a　barrier。

〃Fray　Ignatius；　you　have　already　passed　beyond　the　threshold；
permit　me　to　remind　you　of　Dr。　Worth's　words　on　that　subject。〃

〃I　put　my　duty　before　any　man's　words。〃

〃Sir；　for　my　mother's　sake；　I　would　not　be　disrespectful；　but
I　assure　you；　also；　that　I　will　not　permit　any　man；　while　I
live；　to　disregard　my　father's　orders　regarding　his　own
household。〃

〃I　must　see　the　Senora。〃

〃That；　I　reply；　is　impossible。〃

〃Presume　notdare　not　to　interfere　with　a　priest　in　the
duty　of　his　office。　　It　is　a　mortal　sin。　　The　curse　of　the
Church　will　rest　upon　you。

〃The　curse　of　the　Church　will　not　trouble　me。　　But　to　treat　my
father's　known　wishes　with　contemptthat　is　an　act　of
dishonor　and　disobedience　which　I　will　not　be　guilty　of。〃

〃Santa　Maria！　　Suffer　not　my　spirit　to　be　moved　by　this　wicked
one。　　Out　of　my　path；　Satanas！〃

The　last　word　was　not　one　which　Thomas　Worth　had　expected。　　He
flushed　crimson　at　its　application；　and　with　a　few　muttered
sentences；　intelligible　only　to　the　priest；　he　took　him　firmly
by　the　shoulder；　led　him　outside　the　door；　and　closed　and
barred　it。

The　expulsion　was　not　accomplished　without　noisy　opposition　on
the　part　of　Fray　Ignatius；　and　it　pained　Thomas　deeply　to
hear；　in　the　midst　of　the　priest's　anathemas；　the　shrill　cries
of　his　mother's　distress　and　disapproval。

The　next　domestic　movement　of　Thomas　Worth　was　to　rid　the
house　of　Molly　and　Manuel；　and　the　inferior　servants。　　It　was
not　as　easy　a　task　as　may　be　supposed。　　They　had　been　ordered
by　Fray　Ignatius　to　remain；　and　the　order　had　not　been
countermanded。　　Even　if　the　Senora　and　her　daughters　were
going　east；　and　their　services　were　not　needed；　they　had　no
objections　to　remain　in　the　Worth　house。　　They　understood　that
the　Church　would　take　possession；　and　the　housekeeping　of　the
Church　was　notoriously　easy　and　luxurious。

However；　after　exorbitant　compensation　had　been　made；　and
Molly　had　given　in　return　〃a　bit　of　her　mind；〃　she　left　for
the　Irish　colony　of　San　Patricio；　and　Manuel　immediately
sought　his　favorite　monte　table。　　When　he　had　doubled　his
money；　he　intended　to　obey　Molly's　emphatic　orders；　and　go　and
tell　the　priest　all　about　it。

〃I　would　rather；　face　a　battery　of　cannon　than　Fray　Ignatius
and　the　servants　again；　Antonia。〃　　Antonia　looked　at　her
brother；　he　was　worried　and　weary；　and　his　first　action；　when
he　had　finally　cleared　the　house；　was　to　walk　around　it；　and
bolt　every　door　and　window。　　Antonia　followed　him　silently。　
She　perceived　that　the　crisis　had　come；　and　she　was　doing　as
good　women　in　extremity　dotrying　to　find　in　the　darkness　the
hand　always　stretched　out　to　guide　and　strengthen。　　As
yet　she　had　not　been　able　to　grasp　it。　　She　followed　her
brother　like　one　in　a　troubled　dream；　whispering　faintly；　with
white　lips；　〃O　God；　where　art　Thou？　　Help　and　pity　us！〃

Thomas　led　her　finally　to　his　father's　office。　　He　went　to　a
closet　filled　with　drugs；　removed　them；　and　then　a　certain
pressure　of　his　hand　caused　the　back　of　the　closet　to
disappear　in　a　groove；　and　a　receptacle　full　of　coin　and
papers　was　disclosed。

〃We　must　take　with　us　all　the　coin　we　can　carry。　　What　you　are
not　likely　to　require；　is　to　go　to　the　men　in　the　field。　
Then；　hide　in　its　place　the　old　silver；　and　the　laces；　and　the
jewels；　which　came　with　the　Flores　from　Castile；　and　any　other
papers　and　valuables；　which　you　received　from　our　father。　　I
think　even　Fray　Ignatius　will　not　discover　them　here。〃

〃Is　there　any　special　need　to　hurry　to…day？

〃Santa　Anna　is　within　forty…eight　hours　of　San　Antonio。　　He
may　force　a　march；　and　be　here　earlier。　　Travis　told　me　last
night　that　their　advance　scouts　had　come　in　with　this
intelligence。　　To…day　they　will　gather　every　man　they　can；　and
prepare　to　defend　themselves　in　the　Alamo。　　As　soon　as
Santa　Anna　arrives；　we　are　in　danger。　　I　must　leave　here　to…
night。　　I　must　either　take　you　with　me　or　remove　you　to　a
place　of　more　safety。〃

〃Let　us　go　with　you。〃

〃If　my　mother　is　willing。〃

〃If　she　is　not；　what　then？〃

〃Lopez　has　prepared　for　that　emergency。　　He　has　an　empty　house
three　miles　west　of　San　Antonio。　　He　has　had　it　completely
victualled。　　I　will　take　you　there　after　dark　in　the　large
green　chariot。　　Ortiz　will　drive　the　light　Jersey　wagon　on　the
Gonzales　road。　　When　inquiry　is　made；　the　Jersey　wagon　will
have　attracted　the　attention　of　every　Mexican；　and　Fray
Ignatius　will　receive　positive　assurances　that　you　were　in　it
and　are　beyond　his　power。　　And　certainly；　without　definite
intelligence；　he　would　never　suspect　you　of　being　anywhere　on
the　highway　to　Mexico。〃

〃Shall　we　be　quite　alone？〃

〃For　two　or　three　days　you　will　be　quite　alone。　　Ortiz　will；
however；　return　with　the　wagon　by　a　circuitous　route；　for；
sooner　or　later；　you　are　sure　to　need　it。　　Fear　not　to　trust
him。　　Only　in　one　respect　will　you　need　to　supplement　his
advice　by　your　own　intelligence：　he　is　so　eager　to　fight　Santa
Anna；　he　may　persuade　himself　and　you　that　it　is　necessary　to
fly　eastward　when　it　is　not。　　In　all　other　points　you　may　be
guided　by　him；　and　his　disguise　as　a　peon　is　so　perfect　that
it　will　be　easy　for　him　to　gather　in　the　pulquerias　all　the
information　requisite　for　your　direction。　　I　have　been　out　to
the　house；　and　I　can　assure　you　that　Lopez　has　considered
everything　for　your　comfort。〃

〃However；　I　would　rather　go　with　you；　Thomas。〃

〃It　must　be　as　mother　desires。〃

When　the　circumstances　were　explained　to　the　Senora；　she　was
at　first　very　determined　to　accept　neither　alternative。　　〃She
would　remain　where　she　was。　　She　was　a　Flores　and　a　Gonzaga。　
Santa　Anna　knew　better　than　to　molest　her。　　She　would　rather
trust　to　him　than　to　those　dreadful　Americans。〃　　Reminded　of
Fray　Ignatius；　she　shed　a　few　tears　over　the　poor　padrecito；
and　assured　her　children　they　had　made　a　mistake　regarding
him；　which　neither　oil　nor　ointment；　nor　wit　nor　wisdom；　could
get　over。

It　was　almost　impossible　to　induce　her　to　come　to　a　decision
of　any　kind；　and　only　when　she　saw　Antonia　and　Isabel　were
dressed　for　a　journey；　and　that　Thomas　had　locked　up　all　the
rooms　and　was　extinguishing　the　fires；　could　she　bring　herself
to　believe　that　the　trial　so　long　anticipated　had　really　come。

〃My　dearest　mother！　　My　own　life　and　the　lives　of　many　others
may　now　hang　upon　a　few　moments。　　I　can　remain　here　no　longer。　
Where　shall　I　take　you　to？〃

〃I　will　not　leave　my　home。〃

〃Santa　Anna　is　almost　here。　　As　soon　as　he　arrives；　Fray
Ignatius　and　twelve　of　the　Bernardine　monks　are　coming　here。　
I　was　told　that　yesterday。〃

〃Then　I　will　go　to　the　convent。　　I　and　my　daughters。〃

〃No；　mother；　if　you　go　to　the　convent；　Antonia　and　Isabel　must
go　with　me。〃