Puslapio vaizdai
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"WHEN?' DEMANDED BARZILLA. TELL ME THAT, SEÑOR; WHEN?'"

hacienda is more better than a ship, yas. Those ship' is ver' lonesome and also ver' seasick. Caramba! I know, who have sail'."

Rising, Schwartz walked ponderously to the edge of the gallery and called to the

señora.

"Come," he said as she looked up. "Also der captain und der liddle daughter -all come quick."

He ceremoniously placed chairs for them all, and, standing before the señora, smiled down upon her as he asked:

"You like my liddle hacienda, Señora?" "Like!" she cried. "Caramba! Señor, I lofe it so nice like that heaven, you un'stand? No noise and fight, like those Pasaquimento; no hot street; no hot house in the long row-no mens." She giggled, looking at us under lowered eyelids.

"No mens, Maria Pascala?" said PasSOS. "How you-"

"Not many mens," she corrected herself; "just small, lit' imperfection."

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der vedding-gift. Ach! You t'ink dat iss goot?"

She sprang to her feet, wondering bewilderment in her wide eyes.

"To me the hacienda!" she cried. "Madre de Dios! Señor, you going get crezzy? ?"

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'Not very crazy," he mimicked her. "I go to Chermany alretty, but der liddle place I leaf to you for der vedding-gift. Gewiss, it iss very becoming to you.

"But, Señor-" she looked at Captain. Miranda and cast down her eyes"but-"

"Ah, Señor," said Captain Miranda, gently, "you un'stand how the señora beholds that difficult'? 'T is ver' muc.. appreciate', yas. Hola! I myself have the tear to my eye bec-ause of the ver' gr-reat generousness; but, Señor, you behol' how she shall depart in similar manner to you? Therefore shall that wedding-gift be left desert'."

"Like the rice thrown after a bride," I suggested.

Captain Miranda turned to me and bowed.

"Ver' much similar to that," he said

gravely; "and that is ver' impolite to leave present in such manner, you un'stand?" "But why shall she be desert'?" eagerly demanded Barzilla. ""T is this manner, Señor. The Señor Schwartz he declare the hacienda is ver' becoming to the señora. We behol' the perfectness. Ver' well. But is the Cape Horn, the high sea, also perfectness? Señor, I shall display the truth: Maria Pascala is going get ver' scare' by them."

"I am scare' this ver' minute," confessed the Señora Pascala.

"Aha! did I not relate the truth?" cried Barzilla, triumphantly. "Ver' well, is not all smoothed by so fine present? You shall sell your ship, and return to the perfectness. We shall welcome you-all present inclusive to be countrymens to us. Behol', Señor Capitan, how all is nicely manufac' by us to gr-reat perfect

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like the cat-quick in those manner." She turned to Schwartz, her face beaming, her eyes pools of liquid gratitude. "Dear, kind friend, I think you so nice like some angel." She faced Captain Miranda, a new timidity in her voice as she asked: "You like, Señor? You consider those present beautiful like me?"

"The Señor Schwartz is ver' large to the heart," replied Captain Miranda; "yas, tha' 's so." He rose, wrung Schwartz's hand, then turned to the señora. "But, Señora," he said, "you are ver' much mistak' concerning this sea. She is ver' loving; spoil', perhaps, like some beautiful childs, but yet loving, Señora. Do I not know, who have known her so lengthily? You are scare' of her firstly, but lastly you love her. She shall rock you to sleep in my little sheep, and you shall laugh at the scare, Señora. You shall behol' all as I say.”

Drawn by Charles J. Post

"SHE IS VER' LOVING; SPOIL', PERHAPS, LIKE SOME BEAU

TIFUL CHILDS'"

The señora placed her hand lovingly on his shoulders as she said in a troubled voice:

"Tha''s all correc' like you say, of co'se, Señor, but-but my heart is scare' all the same. Tha' 's ver' foolish,-yas, of co'se,

but that frightness is in my heart so much I think I going get crezzy off it. Tha''s ver' sad business to get crezzy, I think, yas.'

It was then that Barzilla spoke again, breaking in eagerly upon Captain Miranda's hesitation.

"Pardon, Señor," he began, "you were going say how? But firstly I may ask some question, perhaps? Gracias, Señor. 'T is only the lit' small question: you have loaded your vessel too deep, is it not so?"

Captain Miranda laughed and waved his

hand lightly, in disparagement of Barzilla's serious tone.

"Perhaps, Señor," he replied. "Yas, 't is confess'; a little. But, caramba! I load always in such manner, and am I not here after many such loading'? Those lit' small vessel', are they not similar to the donkey, to be loaded much to make the pay? Otherwise the loss, yas."

"And she leaks, is it not so?" Barzilla went on relentlessly. "Each morning the crew is to the pumps; they become ver' tiresome."

"Como no? Why not?" demanded the captain. "A little leak, -a few hundred stroke',-what is that? Basta! It is trifle." He snapped his fingers.

"Ah, tha' 's all just like I hear to the landing," said Barzilla. "Some peop' they behol' your vessel, and they shake the head. 'Ha!' they declare, 'she is load' too deep. Oh, those reckless! They load too deep, yet they arrive; yet some day they shall not arrive.' Señor-" Barzilla leaned forward and solemnly laid his hand on Captain Miranda's knee—“consider if on that day you arrive not, the Señora Pascala arrive not also. Consider that, and also how she was ver' scare' to those sea and those vessel."

"But if that vessel is sell," broke in the Señora Pascala, eagerly, "is there not the hacienda yet, Señor? You want desert so nice present off the Señor Schwartz. You want make him ver' sawrry?"

"I want make nobuddy sawrry, Señora," replied Captain Miranda, humbly, "and leastly of all peop' you. Therefore shall it be like you desire. Caramba! what other shall I ask but your desire? You desire it so? Hola! it is so. shall remain by that wedding-gift."

You

'And you also, Señor?" she asked; "of co'se. Tha' 's ver' foolish to ask. I think I get crezzy."

"I shall go, but to return," he replied. "It is not possible to sell my lit' sheep here. Caramba! no. Therefore, 't is nec.essar' to go; but only to return, you un'stand?"

She stooped and kissed him before us all. "Vaga con Dios! Go with God, Señor!" she murmured. "He shall bring you back to me ver' quick."

He smiled up into her face.

"We shall burn some candle' to St. Anthony to watch on me," he said tenderly.

"They shall burn always before his shrine till you come," she declared.

"And if I come not bec-ause those sea' She placed her hand quickly over his lips. "'Sh!" she cried. "You going let St. Anthony think you think he cannot fix those sea nice-unbeliever?"

"Not unbeliever, Señora," he replied; "but when you desire the heaven ver' much, and think 't is ver' near, and, caramba! you find 't is ten thousand mile' off you, you think mebbe-you think—” Then he paused.

"You think how, Señor?" she asked almost sharply. Her brow was wrinkled with anxiety.

'Nothing, Señora."

"You think what, Señor?" she repeated. "You un'stand how I ask you some question?"

He bowed as he said:

"You think those ten thousand mile' is ver' far off those heaven, Señora-just that manner."

"Señor, you think more. Please to declare all," she said, and stood back, eying him sternly.

"Tha''s all-almost all," he answered stoutly. "Of co'se you think long distance like that ver' lonesome; but, caramba! the more lonesomeness firstly, the greater gladness lastly, you un'stand?"

She still stood doubtful.

"Señor," she said slowly, "I ask you recollec' those ship too much load' and those leak' and those sea. Now, you recollec' all?-now, did you not think mebbe those ten thous' mile' to bec-ome nevair— you nevair get back once more? Did you? Please to tell me."

He laughed light-heartedly as he cried: "Zut! you try make me get scare' off those long ways, Señora? Caramba! I

shall swim so far like that for such heaven." He looked up into her face and smiled, and she returned the look, gravely smiling.

"I shall pray to St. Anthony to make it not necessar' to swim," she cried.

Schwartz, rapidly walking to and fro on the gallery, now paused beside us. I think he had scarcely heard our talk.

"It grows dark," he said. "I t'ink ve shall enter der house, nicht wahr?"

We trooped into the great living-room, where lamps were already lighted, with something of new interest in it for all of

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"'SEÑORA,' HE SAID-SEÑORA, BE PLEASE' TO RETURN A LITTLE""

room and look about her. paused at her side.

Schwartz their necks in unconventional and open curiosity in our doings.

"You vill not change it, Señora?" he said. "I vill be gladt to t'ink of der room like dis, mit you herein."

"No, Señor," she promised.

The night wind, blowing through, set candles flickering and shadows dancing on the walls. The spacious room looked very airy and cool, with its broad stairway and

So the señora stood in rapt joy, turning slowly on her heels, till suddenly, with a little cry, she darted across the tiled floor to the rear of the room, where, in a deep niche in the wall, a tall, red water-cooler stood. She took the water-cooler down, and, holding it in her arms, turned to Schwartz.

"This alone, Señor," she said "this alone is it permit' to change? Here shall stand that image of St. Anthony; here shall burn those candle'. You forgive those lit', small change, Señor. You get sawrry for those?"

"Gewiss!" Schwartz cried, “I vill myself place dot imache dere."

"St. Anthony of Padua, you un'stand, Señor?" warned Captain Miranda. ""T is he that watches on sailormens. You can procure him to the lit', small shop of the Señor Barca. Tha''s behine those cathedral, you know-lit' yaller house."

"I vill get him," Schwartz promised. "I have the lit', small image to him in my cabin," said the captain.

"You have him to your cabin?" said the señora, delightedly.

"Always, Señora," he answered. ""Tis he that bring me to you firstly; he shall return me back once more."

"Sure-lee," she agreed. "How anybuddy going trust him once more when he fail in such manner?"

"Nobuddy," he replied.

"Tha' 's how I think, yas. Also, SeAlso, Señor, twice the day, in the mornings by seven, in the nights by seven, I shall tell him to return you back. You going recollec' those hour'?"

"Yas; and ask him similar like you," he declared.

"Ah!" she cried triumphantly, and for the rest of the evening she was very gay and joyous.

We drank to the health and happiness of the new mistress of the house before we separated for the night, and when she finally left us, we stood together in the middle of the room and watched her go. But as she reached the turn in the stairs and glanced smilingly back, Captain Miranda took a step forward.

"Señora," he said "Señora, be please' to return a little."

She laughed and obediently turned back, stepping down slowly, her hand on the rail.

The captain raised his hand.

"There!" he cried,-"remain there, Señora mia."

With a wondering little laugh she stood still as she said gently:

"Tha' 's ver' fonny, Señor. What you desire?"

speaking, then gently waved his hand in dismissal.

"'T is obtain' already—that desire," he replied. "You see, behol'ing you go, I recollec' ver' sudden how you shall go up and down those stair' efery day, and I shall not behol' you; but now my heart shall behol' you far off where I am,-the image, you un'stand?-similar like you are this minute. Buenas noces, Señora. The pleasant dream." He turned quickly and went out of the door, to walk the tile-paved gallery alone, the better to fix the image in his mind, perhaps.

For a moment she stood and watched him go, with a look on her face that I had never seen there before; for it held neither joy nor fear, hope nor dread, but only an abiding, resolute peace, like that of an aged nun who had put the world behind her, and lived each hour as it came, with no backward or forward look. Then, without a glance at us, she turned and went slowly up the stairs again.

Early in the freshness of the morning, when the dew was on the grass and the hacienda was looking its best, we stood about the carriage that was to take us back to Pasaquimento and waited for the señora to appear. She came around the corner of the house at last, ready for the ride, and holding in her hands a small pot of mignonette. She held it out toward Schwartz, saying timidly:

"Señor, is it permit' to take the lit', small flower?"

He laughed.

"Señora," he said, "iss it not all yours -flower and garden, house and eferyt'ing --der vedding-gift?"

"Señor," she replied, "I think you ver' nice like some angel-generous like that; but, Señor, this lit', small flower is those wedding-gif'. I go in those lit' ship with my hoosban'."

In the face of the storm of protest she only smiled and said:

"Yas, tha' 's all just like you say, Señores; but when he declare' last night how his heart shall see the image to me going up and down those stair', Señores, I think I going die bec-ause of those lonesome heart. Tha''s ver' fonny wedding-gif', to sep'rate ever'buddy in those manner. This is those gift-this lit', small flower, yas. 'T is all I ask; for then shall there be no those

For a moment he gazed at her without heart to nobuddy."

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