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！
When the duty was completed； she went into the garden to
listen for the Angelus。 The young ladies of to…day would
doubtless consider her toilet frightfully unbecoming； but
Antonia looked lovely in it； though but a white muslin frock；
with a straight skirt and low waist and short； full sleeves。
It was confined by a blue belt with a gold buckle； and her
feet were in sandalled slippers of black satin。
The Angelus tolled； and the thousands of Hail Maries！ which
blended with its swinging vibrations were uttered； and left to
their fate； as all spoken words must be。 Antonia still
observed the form。 It lent for a moment a solemn beauty to
her face。 She was about to re…enter the house； when she saw
a stranger approaching it。 He was dressed in a handsome
buckskin suit； and a wide Mexican hat； but she knew at once
that he was an American； and she waited to receive him。
As soon as he saw her； he removed his hat and approached with
it in his hand。 Perhaps he was conscious that the act not
only did homage to womanhood； but revealed more perfectly a
face of remarkable beauty and nobility。 For the rest； he was
very tall； powerfully built； elegantly proportioned； and his
address had the grace and polish of a cultured gentleman。
〃I wish to see Dr。 Worth； Dona。〃
With a gentle inclination of the head； she led him to the door
of her father's office。 She was the only one in the Doctor's
family at all familiar with the room。 The Senora said so
many books made her feel as if she were in a church or
monastery； she was afraid to say anything but paternosters in
it。 Isabel cowered before the poor skeleton in the corner；
and the centipedes and snakes that filled the bottles on the
shelves。 There was not a servant that would enter the room。
But Antonia did not regard books as a part of some vague
spiritual power。 She knew the history of the skeleton。 She
had seen the death of many of those 〃little devils〃 corked up
in alcohol。 She knew that at this hour； if her father were at
home he was always disengaged； and she opened the door
fearlessly； saying； 〃Father； here is a gentleman who wishes to
see you。〃
The doctor had quite refreshed himself； and； in a house…suit
of clean； white linen； was lying on a couch reading。 He arose
with alacrity； and with his pleasant smile seemed to welcome
the intruder； as he stepped behind him and closed the door。
Antonia had disappeared。 They were quite alone。
〃You are Doctor Robert Worth； sir？〃
Their eyes met； their souls knew each other。
〃And you are Sam Houston？〃
The questions were answered in a hand grip； a sympathetic
smile on both facesthe freemasonry of kindred spirits。
〃I have a letter from your son Thomas； doctor； and I think；
also； that you will have something to say to me； and I to
you。〃
The most prudent of patriots could not have resisted this man。
He had that true imperial look which all born rulers of men
possessthat look that half coerces； and wholly persuades。
Robert Worth acknowledged its power by his instant and
decisive answer。
〃I have； indeed； much to say to you。 We shall have dinner
directly； then you will give the night to me？〃
After a short conversation he led him into the sala and
introduced him to Antonia。 He himself had to prepare the
Senora for her visitor； and he had a little quaking of the
heart as he entered her room。 She was dressed for dinner； and
turned with a laughing face to meet him。
〃I have been listening to the cooks quarrelling over the olla；
Roberto。 But what can my poor Manuel say when your Irishwoman
attacks him。 Listen to her！ ‘Take your dirty stew aff
the fire then！ Shure it isn't fit for a Christian to ate at
all！'〃
〃I hope it is； Maria； for we have a visitor to…night。〃
〃Who； then； my love？〃
〃Mr。 Houston。〃
〃Sam Houston？ Holy Virgin of Guadalupe preserve us！ I will
not see the man。〃
〃I think you will； Maria。 He has brought this letter for you
from our son Thomas； and he has been so kind as to take charge
of some fine horses； and sell them well for him in San
Antonio。 When a man does us a kindness； we should say thank
you。〃
〃That is truth； if the man is not the Evil One。 As for this
Sam Houston； you should have heard what was said of him at the
Valdez's。〃
〃I did hear。 Everything was a lie。〃
〃But he is a very common man。〃
〃Maria； do you call a soldier； a lawyer； a member of the
United States Congress； a governor of a great State like
Tennessee； a common man？ Houston has been all of these
things。〃
〃It is； however； true that he has lived with Indians； and with
those Americans； who are bad； who have no God； who are
infidels； and perhaps even cannibals。 If he is a good
man； why does he live with bad men？ Not even the saints could
do that。 A good man should be in his home。 Why does he not
stay at home。〃
〃Alas！ Maria； that is a woman's fault。 He loved a beautiful
girl。 He married her。 My dear one； she did not bless his
life as you have blessed mine。 No one knows what his sorrow
was； for he told no one。 And he never blamed her； only he
left his high office and turned his back forever on his home。〃
〃Ah！ the cruel woman。 Holy Virgin； what hard hearts thou hast
to pray for！〃
〃Come down and smile upon him； Maria。 I should like him to
see a high…born Mexican lady。 Are they not the kindest and
fairest among all God's women？ I know； at least； Maria； that
you are kind and fair〃； and he took her hands； and drew her
within his embrace。
What good wife can resist her husband's wooing？ Maria did
not。 She lifted her face； her eyes shone through happy tears；
she whispered softly： 〃My Robert； it is a joy to please you。
I will be kind； I will be grateful about Thomas。 You
shall see that I will make a pleasant evening。〃
So the triumphant husband went down； proud and happy； with his
smiling wife upon his arm。 Isabel was already in the room。
She also wore a white frock； but her hair was pinned back with
gold butterflies； and she had a beautiful golden necklace
around her throat。 And the Senora kept her word。 She paid
her guest great attention。 She talked to him of his
adventures with the Indians。 She requested her daughters to
sing to him。 She told him stories of the old Castilian
families with which she was connected； and described her visit
to New Orleans with a great deal of pleasant humor。 She felt
that she was doing herself justice； that she was charming；
and； consequently； she also was charmed with the guest and the
occasion which had been so favorable to her。
After the ladies had retired； the doctor led his visitor into
his study。 He sat down silently and placed a chair for
Houston。 Both men hesitated for a moment to open the
conversation。 Worth； because he was treading on unknown
ground； Houston； because he did not wish to force； even by
a question； a resolution which he felt sure would come
voluntarily。
The jar of tobacco stood between them； and they filled their
pipes silently。 Then Worth laid a letter upon the table； and
said： 〃I unstand｛sic｝ from this； that my son Thomas thinks
the time has come for decisive action。〃
〃Thomas Worth is right。 With such souls as his the foundation
of the state must be laid。〃
〃I am glad Thomas has taken the position he has； but you must
remember； sir； that he is unmarried and unembarrassed by many
circumstances which render decisive movement on my part a much
more difficult thing。 Yet no man now living has watched the
Americanizing of Texas with the interest that I have。〃
〃You have been long on the watch； sir。〃
〃I was here when my countrymen came first； in little companies
of five or ten men。 I saw the party of twenty； who joined the
priest Hidalgo in eighteen hundred and ten； when Mexico made
her first attempt to throw off the Spanish yoke。〃
〃An unsuccessful attempt。〃
〃Yes。 The next year I made a pretended professional journey
to Chihuahua； to try and save their lives。 I failed。
They were shot with Hidalgo there。〃
〃Yet the strife for liberty went on。〃
〃It did。 Two years afterwards； Magee and Bernardo； with
twelve hundred Americans； raised the standard of independence
on the Trinity River。 I saw them them｛sic｝ take this very
city； though it was ably defended by Salcedo。 They fought
like heroes。 I had many of the wounded in my house。 I
succored them with my purse。
〃It was a great deed for a handful of men。〃
〃The fame of it brought young Americans by hundreds here。 To
a man they joined the Mexican party struggling to free
themselves from the tyranny of old Spain。 I do not think any
one of them received money。 The love of freedom and the love
of adventure were alike their motive and their reward。〃
〃Mexico owed these men a debt she has forgotten。〃
〃She forgot it very quickly。 In the following year； though
they had again defended San Antonio against the Spaniards； the
Mexicans drove all the Americans out of the city their rifles
had saved。〃
〃You were here； tell me the true reason。〃
〃It was not altogether ingratitude。 It was the instinct of
self…preservation。 The very bravery of the Americans made the
men whom they had defended hate and fear them； and