remember the alamo-第42章

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incoherencies；　and　if　Jack　had　ever　received　it　he　would
doubtless　have　understood　and　kissed　every　word；　and　worn　the
white　messenger　close　to　his　heart。　　But　between　writing
letters　and　sending　them；　there　were　in　those　days　intervals
full　of　impossibilities。　　Love　then　had　to　be　taken　on　trust。　
Rarely；　indeed；　could　it　send　assurances　of　fidelity　and
affection。

Jack's　letter　brightened　the　day；　and　formed　a　new　topic　of
conversation；　until　Ortiz　returned　in　the　evening。　　His
disguise　had　enabled　him　to　linger　about　the　Plaza　and　monte
table；　and　to　hear　and　observe　all　that　was　going　on。

〃The　city　is　enjoying　itself；　and　making　money；〃　he　said；　in
reply　to　question　from　the　Senora。　　〃Certainly　the　San
Antonians　approve　of　liberty；　but　what　would　you　do？　　In　Rome
one　does　not　quarrel　with　the　Pope；　in　San　Antonio　one　must
approve　of　despotism；　when　Santa　Anna　parades　himself　there。〃

〃Has　he　made　any　preparations　for　attacking　the　Alamo？　　Will
the　Americans　resist　him？〃

〃Senorita　Antonia；　he　is　erecting　a　battery　on　the　river　bank；
three　hundred　yards　from　the　Alamo。　　This　morning；　ere　the
ground　was　touched；　he　reviewed　his　men　in　the　Plaza。　　He
stood　on　an　elevation　at　the　church　door；　surrounded　by　his
officers　and　the　priests；　and　unfurled　the　Mexican　flag。〃

〃That　was　about　eleven　o'clock；　Captain？〃

〃Si；　Senorita。　　You　are　precisely　exact。〃

〃I　heard　at　that　hour　a　dull　roar　of　human　voicesa　roar　like
nothing　on　earth　but　the　distant　roar　of　the　ocean。〃

〃To　be　sure；　it　was　the　shouting　of　the　people。　　When　all　was
still；　Fray　Ignatius　blessed　the　flag；　and　sprinkled　over　it
holy　water。　　Then　Santa　Anna　raised　it　to　his　lips　and　kissed
it。　　Holy　Maria！　another　shout。　　Then　he　crossed　his　sword
upon　the　flag；　and　cried　out〃Soldados！　you　are　here　to
defend　this　banner；　which　is　the　emblem　of　your　holy　faith　and
of　your　native　land；　against　heretics；　infidels　and　ungrateful
traitors。　　Do　you　swear　to　do　it？　　And　the　whole　army　answered
‘Si！　si！　juramos！'　（yes；　we　swear。）　　Again　he　kissed　the
flag；　and　laid　his　sword　across　it；　and；　to　be　sure；　then
another　shout。　　It　was　a　very　clever　thing；　I　assure　you；
Senora；　and　it　sent　every　soldier　to　the　battery　with　a　great
heart。〃

The　Senora's　easily　touched　feelings　were　all　on　fire　at　the
description。　　〃I　wish　I　could　have　seen　the　blessing　of　the
banner；〃　she　said；　〃it　is　a　ceremony　to　fill　the　soul。　　I　have
always　wept　at　it。　　Mark；　Antonia！　　This　confirms　what　I
assured　you　ofthe　Mexicans　make　war　with　a　religious　feeling
and　a　true　refinement。　　And　pray；　Captain　Ortiz；　how　will　the
Americans　oppose　these　magnificent　soldiers；　full　of　piety　and
patriotism？〃

〃They　have　the　Alamo；　and　one　hundred　and　eighty…three　men　in
it。〃

〃And　four　thousand　men　against　them？〃

〃Si。　　May　the　Virgin　de　los　Remedios＇4＇　be　their　help！　　An
urgent　appeal　for　assistance　was　sent　to　Fanning　at　Goliad。　
Senor　Navarre；　took　it　on　a　horse　fleet　as　the　wind。　　You　will
see　that　on　the　third　day　he　will　be　smoking　in　his　balcony；
in　the　way　which　is　usual　to　him。〃


＇4＇　The　Virgin　appealed　to　in　military　straits。


〃Will　Fanning　answer　the　appeal？〃

〃If　the　answer　be　permitted　him。　　But　Urrea　may　prevent。　　Also
other　things。〃

Santa　Anna　entered　San　Antonio　on　Tuesday　the　twenty…third　of
February；　1836；　and　by　the　twenty…seventh　the　siege　had　become
a　very　close　one。　　Entrenched　encampments　encircled　the　doomed
men　in　the　Alamo；　and　from　dawn　to　sunset　the　bombardment　went
on。　　The　tumult　of　the　fightthe　hurrying　in　and　out　of　the
citythe　clashing　of　church　bells　between　the　booming　of
cannonthese　things　the　Senora　and　her　daughters　could　hear
and　see；　but　all　else　was　for　twelve　days　mere　surmise。　　But
only　one　surmise　was　possible；　when　it　was　known　that　the
little　band　of　defiant　heroes　were　fighting　twenty；　times
their　own　numberthat　no　help　could　come　to　themthat　the
Mexicans　were　cutting　off　their　water；　and　that　their
provisions　were　getting　very　low。　　The　face　of　Ortiz　grew
constantly　more　gloomy；　and　yet　there　was　something　of　triumph
in　his　tone　as　he　told　the　miserably　anxious　women　with　what
desperate　valor　the　Americans　were　fighting；　and　how　fatally
every　one　of　their　shots　told。

On　Saturday　night；　the　fifth　of　March；　he　called　Antonia
aside；　and　said；　〃My　Senorita；　you　have　a　great　heart；　and　so
I　speak　to　you。　　The　end　is　close。　　To…day　the　Mexicans
succeeded　in　getting　a　large　cannon　within　gunshot　of　the
Alamo；　just　where　it　is　weakest。　　Senor　Captain　Crockett　has
stood　on　the　roof　all　day；　and　as　the　gunners　have　advanced　to
fire　it　he　has　shot　them　down。　　A　group　of　Americans　were
around　him；　they　loaded　rifles　and　passed　them　to　him　quickly
as　he　could　fire　them。　　Santa　Anna　was　in　a　fury　past
believing。　　He　swore　then　‘by　every　saint　in　heaven　or　hell'
to　enter　the　Alamo　to…morrow。　　Senor　Navarro　says　he　is　raging
like　a　tiger；　and　that　none　of　his　officers　dare　approach　him。　
The　Senor　bade　me　tell　you　that　to…morrow　night　he　will　be
here　to　escort　you　to　Gonzales；　for　no　American　will　his　fury
spare；　he　knows　neither　sex　nor　age　in　his　passions。　　And　when
the　Alamo　falls；　the　soldiers　will　spread　themselves　around
for　plunder；　or　shelter；　and　this　empty　house　is　sure　to
attract　them。　　The　Senorita　sees　with　her　own　intelligence　how
things　must　take　place。〃

〃I　understand；　Captain。　　Will　you　go　with　us？〃

〃I　will　have　the　Jersey　wagon　ready　at　midnight。　　I　know　the
horses。　　Before　sun…up　we　shall　have　made　many　miles。〃

That　night　as　Antonia　and　her　sister　sat　in　the　dark　together；
Antonia　said：　　〃Isabel；　tomorrow　the　Alamo　will　fall。　　There
is　no　hope　for　the　poor；　brave　souls　there。　　Then　Santa　Anna
will　kill　every　American。〃

〃Oh；　dear　Antonia；　what　is　to　become　of　us？　　We　shall　have　no
home；　nothing　to　eat；　nowhere　to　sleep。　　I　think　we　shall　die。　
Also；　there　is　mi　madre。　　How　I　do　pity　her！〃

〃She　is　to　be　your　care；　Isabel。　　I　shall　rely　on　you　to
comfort　and　manage　her。　　I　will　attend　to　all　else。　　We　are
going　to　our　father；　and　Thomasand　Luis。〃

Yes；　and　after　all　I　am　very　tired　of　this　dreadful　life。　　It
is　a　kind　of　convent。　　One　is　buried　alive　here；　and　still　not
safe。　　Do　you　really　imagine　that　Luis　is　with　my　father　and
Thomas？〃

〃I　feel　sure　of　it。〃

〃What　a　great　enjoyment　it　will　be　for　me　to　see　him　again！〃

〃And　how　delighted　he　will　be！　　And　as　it　is　necessary　that　we
go；　Isabel；　we　must　make　the　best　of　the　necessity。　　Try　and
get　mi　madre　to　feel　this。〃

〃I　can　do　that　with　a　few　words；　and　tears；　and　kisses。　　Mi
madre　is　like　one's　good　angelvery　easy　to　persuade。〃

〃And　now　we　must　try　and　sleep；　queridita。〃

〃Are　you　sure　there　is　no　danger　to…night；　Antonia？〃

〃Not　to…night。　　Say　your　prayer；　and　sleep　in　God's　presence。　
There　is　yet　nothing　to　fear。　　Ortiz　and　Lopez　Navarro　are
watching　every　movement。〃

But　at　three　o'clock　in　the　morning；　the　quiet　of　their　rest
was　broken　by　sharp　bugle　calls。　　The　stars　were　yet　in　the
sky；　and　all　was　so　still　that　they　thrilled　the　air　like
something　unearthly。　　Antonia　started　up；　and　ran　to　the　roof。　
Bugle　was　answering　bugle；　and　their　tones　were　imperative　and
cruel；　as　if　they　were　blown　by　evil　spirits。　　It　was
impossible　to　avoid　the　feeling　that　the　call　was　a
PREDESTINED　summons；　full　of　the　notes　of　calamity。　　She
was　weighed　down　by　this　sorrowful　presentiment；　because；　as
yet；　neither　experience　nor　years　had　taught　her　that
PREDESTINED　ILLS　ARE　NEVER　LOST。

The　unseen　moving　multitudes　troubled　the　atmosphere　between
them。　　In　wild；　savage　gusts；　she　heard　the　military　bands
playing　the　infamous　Dequelo；　whose　notes　of　blood　and　fire
commingled；　shrieked　in　every　ear〃NO　QUARTER！　　NO
QUARTER！〃　　A　prolonged　shout；　the　booming　of　cannon；　an　awful
murmurous　tumult；　a　sense　of　horror；　of　crash　and　conflict；
answered　the　merciless；　frenzied　notes；　and　drowned　them　in
the　shrieks　and　curses　they　called　for。

It　was　yet　scarcely　dawn。　　Her　soul；　moved　by　influences　so
various　and　so　awful；　became　almost　rebellious。　　Why　did　God
permit　such　cruelties？　　Did　He　know？　　Would　He　allow　a　handful
of　men　to　be　overpowered　by　numbers？