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！
〃For what reason？ She is as innocent as an angel。〃
〃Let her simply grow up； and you will see that she is not
innocent as the angels。 Oh； indeed！ I could say something
about last night！ Dona Isabel has no vocation for a nun； but；
gracias a Dios！ Rachela is not yet blind or deaf。〃
〃Let the child go with me for an hour； Rachela。 The kerchief
will be so becoming to you。 There is not another in San
Antonio like it。〃
Rachela was past forty； but not yet past the age of coquetry。
〃It will look gorgeous with my gold ear…rings； but〃
〃I will give you also the blue satin bow like it； to wear at
your breast。〃
〃Si； si！ I will give the permission； Senoritafor your sake
alone。 The kerchief and bow are a little thing to you。 To
me； they will be a great adornment。 You are not to leave the
garden； however； and for one hour's walk only； Senorita；
certainly there is time for no more。〃
〃I will take care of Isabel； no harm shall come to her。 You
may keep your eyes shut for one hour； Rachela； and you may
shut your ears also； and put your feet on the couch and let
them rest。 I will watch Isabel carefully； be sure of that。〃
〃The child is very clever； and she has a lover already； I
fear。 Keep your eyes on the myrtle hedge that skirts the
road。 I have to say thisit is not for nothing she wants to
walk with you this afternoon。 She would be better fast
asleep。〃
In a few moments the kerchief and the bow were safely folded
in the capacious pocket of Rachela's apron； and Isabel and
Antonia were softly treading the shady walk between the myrtle
hedges。 Rachela's eyes were apparently fast closed when the
girls pased｛sic｝ her； but she did not fail to notice how
charmingly Isabel had dressed herself。 She wore； it is true；
her Spanish costume； but she had red roses at her breast； and
her white lace mantilla over her head。
〃Ah！ she is a clever little thing！〃 Rachela muttered。 〃She
knows that she is irresistible in her Castilian dress。 Bah！
those French frocks are enough to drive a man a mile away。
I can almost forgive her now。 Had she worn the French frock
I would not have forgiven her。 I would never have yielded
again； no； not even if the Senorita Antonia should offer me
her scarlet Indian shawl worked in gold。 I was always a
foolHoly Mother forgive me！ Well； then； I used to have my
own loversplenty of themhandsome young arrieros and
rancheros： there was Tadeo； a valento of the first class： and
Buffaandwell； I will sleep； they do not remember me； I
dare say； and I have forgotten their names。〃
In the mean time the sisters sat down beneath a great fig…
tree。 No sunshine； no shower； could penetrate its thick
foliage。 The wide space beneath the spreading branches was a
little parlor； cool and sweet； and full of soft； green lights；
and the earthy smell of turf； and the wandering scents of the
garden。
Isabel's eyes shone with an incomparable light。 She was pale；
but exquisitely beautiful； and even her hands and feet
expressed the idea of expectation。 Antonia had a piece of
needlework in her hand。 She affected the calmness she did
not feel； for her heart was trembling for the tender little
heart beating with so much love and anxiety beside her。
But Isabel's divination； however arrived at； was not at fault。
In a few moments Don Luis lightly leaped the hedge； and
without a moment's hesitation sought the shadow of the fig…
tree。 As he approached； Antonia looked at him with a new
interest。 It was not only that he loved Isabel； but that
Isabel loved him。 She had given him sympathy before； now she
gave him a sister's affection。
〃How handsome he is！〃 she thought。 〃How gallant he looks in
his velvet and silver and embroidered jacket！ And how eager
are his steps！ And how joyful his face！ He is the kind of
Romeo that Shakespeare dreamed about！ Isabel is really an
angel to him。 He would really die for her。 What has this
Spanish knight of the sixteenth century to do in Texas in the
nineteenth century？〃
He answered her mental question in his own charming way。 He
was so happy； so radiantly happy； so persuasive； so
compelling； that Antonia granted him； without a word； the
favor his eyes asked for。 And the lovers hardly heard the
excuse she made； they understood nothing of it； only that she
would be reading in the myrtle walk for one hour； and； by so
doing； would protect them from intrusion。
One whole hour！ Isabel had thought the promise a perfect
magnificence of opportunity｛。？？｝ But how swiftly it went。
Luis had not told her the half of his love and his hopes。 He
had been forced to speak of politics and business； and every
such word was just so many stolen from far sweeter words
words that fell like music from his lips； and were repeated
with infinite power from his eyes。 Low words； that had the
pleading of a thousand voices in them； words full of melody；
thrilling with romance； poetical； and yet real as the sunshine
around them。
In lovers of a colder race； bound by conventional ties； and a
dress rigorously divested of every picturesque element； such
wooing might have appeared ridiculous； but in Don Luis； the
most natural thing about it was its extravagance。 When he
knelt at the feet of his beloved and kissed her hands； the
action was the unavoidable outcome of his temperament。 When
he said to her； 〃Angel mio！ you are the light of my
darkness； the perfume of all flowers that bloom for me； the
love of my loves； my life； my youth； my lyre； my star； had I
a thousand souls with which to love； I would give them all to
you！〃 he believed every word he uttered； and he uttered every
word with the passion of a believer。
He stirred into life also in the heart of Isabel a love as
living as his own。 In that hour she stepped outside all of
her childhood's immaturities。 She became a woman。 She
accepted with joyful tears a woman's lot of love and sorrow。
She said to Antonia：
〃Luis was in my heart before； now； I have put him in my soul。
My soul will never die。 So I shall never forget himnever
cease to love him。〃
Rachela faithfully kept her agreement。 For one hour she was
asleep to all her charge did； and Isabel was in her own room
when the precious sixty minutes were over。 Happy？ So happy
that her soul seemed to have pushed her body aside； as a thing
not to be taken into account。 She sang like a bird for very
gladsomeness。 It was impossible for her to be still； and as
she went about her room with little dancing； balancing
movements of her hands and feet； Antonia knew that they were
keeping their happy rhythmic motion to the melody love sang in
her heart。
And she rejoiced with her little sister； though she was not
free from a certain regret for her concession； for it is the
after…reckoning with conscience that is so disagreeably strict
and uncomfortable。 And yet； why make an element of anger and
suspicion between Isabel and her mother when there appeared to
be no cause to do so？ Don Luis was going away。 He was in
disgrace with his familyalmost disinherited； the country was
on the point of war； and its fortunes might give him some
opportunities no one now foresaw。 But if Isabel