remember the alamo-第26节

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〃Bring　it　to　me。　　How　could　a　child　like　you　read　the　Bible？　
It　is　a　book　for　bishops　and　archbishops；　and　the　Immaculate
Father　himself。　　What　an　arrogance？　　What　an　insolence　of
self…conceit　must　possess　so　young　a　heart？　　Saints　of　God！　
It　confounds　me。〃

The　girl　stood　with　burning　cheeks　gazing　at　the　proud；
passionate　man；　but　she　did　not　obey　his　order。

〃Senora；　my　daughter！　　See　you　with　your　own　eyes　the　fruit　of
your　sin。　　Will　you　dare　to　become　a　partner　in　such
wickedness？〃

〃Antonia！　　Antonia！　　Go　at　once　and　bring　here　this　wicked
book。　　Oh；　how　can　you　make　so　miserable　a　mother　who　loves
you　so　much？〃

In　a　few　moments　Antonia　returned　with　the　objectionable　book。　
〃My　dear　grandmother　gave　it　to　me；〃　she　said。　　〃Look；　mi
madre；　here　is　my　name　in　her　writing。　　Is　it　conceivable　that
she　would　give　to　your　Antonia　a　book　that　she　ought　not　to
read？〃

The　Senora　took　it　in　her　hands　and　turned　the　leaves　very
much　as　a　child　might　turn　those　of　a　book　in　an　unknown
tongue；　in　which　there　were　no　illustrations　nor　anything　that
looked　the　least　interesting。　　It　was　a　pretty　volume　of
moderate　size；　bound　in　purple　morocco；　and　fastened　with
gilt　clasps。

〃I　see　the　word　GOD　in　it　very　often；　Fray　Ignatius。　
Perhaps；　indeed；　it　is　not　bad。〃

〃It　is　a　heretic　Bible；　I　am　sure。　　Could　anything　be　more
sinful；　more　disrespectful　to　God；　more　dangerous　for　a　young
girl？〃　and　as　he　said　the　words　he　took　it　from　the　Senora's
listless　hands；　glanced　at　the　obnoxious　title…page；　and　then；
stepping　hastily　to　the　hearth；　flung　the　book　upon　the
burning　logs。

With　a　cry　of　horror；　pain；　amazement；　all　blended；　Antonia
sprang　towards　the　fire；　but　Fray　Ignatius　stood　with
outstretched　arms；　before　it。

〃Stand　back！〃　he　cried。　　〃To　save　your　soul　from　eternal
fires；　I　burn　the　book　that　has　misled　you！〃

〃Oh；　my　Bible！　　Oh；　my　Bible！　　Oh；　mother！　mother！〃　and
sobbing　and　crying　out　in　her　fear　and　anger；　she　fled　down
stairs　and　called　the　peon　Ortiz。

〃Do　you　know　where　to　find　the　Senor　Doctor？　　If　you　do；
Ortiz；　take　the　swiftest　horse　and　bring　him　here。〃

The　man　looked　with　anger　into　the　girl's　troubled　face。　　For
a　moment　he　was　something　unlike　himself。　　〃I　can　find　him；　I
will　bring　him　in　fifteen　minutes。　　Corpus　Christi　it　is　here
he　should　be。〃

The　saddled　horse　in　the　stable　was　mounted　as　he　muttered　one
adjuration　and　oath　after　another；　and　Antonia　sat　down　at　the
window　to　watch　for　the　result　of　her　message。　　Fortunately；
Rachela　had　been　so　interested　in　the　proceedings；　and　so
determined　to　know　all　about　them；　that　she　seized　the
opportunity　of　the　outcry　to　fly　to　〃her　poor　Senora；〃　and
thus　was　ignorant　of　the　most　unusual　step　taken　by　Antonia。

Indeed；　no　one　was　aware　of　it　but　herself　and　Ortiz；　and　the
servants　in　the　kitchen　looked　with　a　curious　interest　at　the
doctor　riding　into　the　stable　yard　as　if　his　life　depended
upon　his　speed。　　Perhaps　it　did。　　All　of　them　stopped　their
work　to　speculate　upon　the　circumstance。

They　saw　him　fling　himself　from　the　saddle　they　saw　Antonia
run　to　meet　him；　they　heard　her　voice　full　of　distressthey
knew　it　was　the　voice　of　complaint。　　They　were　aware　it　was
answered　by　a　stamp　on　the　flagged　hall　of　the　doctor's　iron…
heeled　bootwhich　rang　through　the　whole　house；　and　which　was
but　the　accompaniment　of　the　fierce　exclamation　that　went　with
it。

They　heard　them　mount　the　stairs　together；　and　then　they　were
left　to　their　imaginations。　　As　for　Antonia；　she　was　almost
terrified　at　the　storm　she　had　raised。　　Never　had　she　seen
anger　so　terrible。　　Yet；　though　he　had　not　said　a　word
directly　to　her；　she　was　aware　of　his　full　sympathy。　　He
grasped　her　hand；　and　entered　the　Senora's　room　with　her。　　His
first　order　was　to　Rachela

〃Leave　the　house　in　five　minutes；　no；　in　three　minutes。　　I
will　tell　Ortiz　to　send　your　clothes　after　you。　　Go！〃

〃My　Senora！　　Fray　I〃

〃Go！〃　he　thundered。　　〃Out　of　my　house！　　Fly！　　I　will　not
endure　you　another　moment。〃

The　impetus　of　his　words　was　like　a　great　wind。　　They　drove
the　woman　before　him；　and　he　shut　the　door　behind　her　with　a
terrifying　and　amazing　rage。　　Then　he　turned　to　the　priest

〃Fray　Ignatius；　you　have　abused　my　hospitality；　and　my
patience。　　You　shall　do　so　no　longer。　　For　twenty…six　years　I
have　suffered　your　interference…〃

〃The　Senor　is　a　prudent　man。　　The　wise　bear　what　they
cannot　resist〃；　and　with　a　gentle　smile　and　lifted　eyebrows
Fray　Ignatius　crossed　himself。

〃I　have　respected　your　faith；　though　it　was　the　faith　of　a
bigot；　and　your　opinions；　though　they　were　false　and　cruel；
because　you　believed　honestly　in　them。　　But　you　shall　not
again　interfere　with　my　wife；　or　my　children；　or　my　servants；
or　my　house。〃

〃The　Senor　Doctor　is　not　prince；　or　pope。　　‘Shall；'　and
‘SHALL　NOT；'　no　one　but　my　own　ecclesiastical　superiors　can
say　to　me。〃

〃I　say；　you　shall　not　again　terrify　my　wife　and　insult　my
daughter；　and　disorganize　my　whole　household！　　And；　as　the　God
of　my　mother　hears　me；　you　shall　not　again　burn　up　His　Holy
Word　under　my　roof。　　Never；　while　I　dwell　beneath　it；　enter　my
gates；　or　cross　my　threshold；　or　address　yourself　to　any　that
bear　my　name；　or　eat　my　bread。〃　　With　the　words；　he　walked　to
the　door　and　held　it　open。　　It　was　impossible　to　mistake　the
unspoken　order；　and　there　was　something　in　the　concentrated
yet　controlled　passion　of　Robert　Worth　which　even　the　haughty
priest　did　not　care　to　irritate　beyond　its　bounds。

He　gathered　his　robe　together；　and　with　lifted　eyes　muttered
an　ejaculatory　prayer。　　Then　he　said　in　slow；　cold；　precise
tones：

〃For　the　present；　I　go。　　Very　good。　　I　shall　come　back　again。　
The　saints　will　take　care　of　that。　　Senora；　I　give　you　my
blessing。　　Senor；　you　may　yet　find　the　curse　of　a　poor　priest
an　inconvenience。〃

He　crossed　himself　at　the　door；　and　cast　a　last　look　at　the
Senora；　who　had　thown　herself　upon　her　knees；　and　was　crying
out　to　Mary　and　the　saints　in　a　passion　of　excuses　and
reproaches。　　She　was　deaf　to　all　her　husband　said。　　She　would
not　suffer　Antonia　to　approach　her。　　She　felt　that　now　was　the
hour　of　her　supreme　trial。　　She　had　tolerated　the　rebellion　of
her　husband；　and　her　sons；　and　her　daughter；　and　now　she　was
justly　punished。　　They　had　driven　away　from　her　the　confessor；
and　the　maid　who　had　been　her　counsellor　and　her　reliance　from
her　girlhood。

Her　grief　and　terror　were　genuine；　and　therefore　pitiful；　and；
in　spite　of　his　annoyance；　the　doctor　recognized　the　fact。　　In
a　moment；　as　soon　as　they　were　alone；　he　put　aside　his　anger。　
He　knelt　beside　her；　he　soothed　her　with　tender　words；　he
pleaded　the　justice　of　his　indignation。　　And　ere　long　she
began　to　listen　to　his　excuses；　and　to　complain　to　him：

He　had　been　born　a　heretic；　and　therefore　might　be　excused　a
little；　even　by　Almighty　God。　　But　Antonia！　　Her　sin　was
beyond　endurance。　　She　herself；　and　the　good　Sisters；　and　Fray
Ignatius；　had　all　taught　her　in　her　infancy　the　true　religion。　
And　her　Roberto　must　see　that　this　was　a　holy　wara　war　for
the　Holy　Catholic　Church。　　No　wonder　Fray　Ignatius　was　angry。

〃My　dear　Maria；　every　church　thinks　itself　right；　and　all
other　churches　wrong。　　God　looks　at　the　heart。　　If　it　is
right；　it　makes　all　worship　true。　　But　when　the　Americans　have
won　Texas；　they　will　give　to　every　one　freedom　to　worship　God
as　they　wish。〃

〃Saints　in　heaven；　Roberto！　　That　day　comes　not。　　One　victory！　
Bah！　　That　is　an　accident。　　The　Mexicans　are　a　very　brave
people；the　bravest　in　the　world。　　Did　they　not　drive　the
Spaniards　out　of　their　country；　and　it　is　not　to　be
contradicted　that　the　Spaniards　have　conquered　all　other
nations。　　That　I　saw　in　a　book。　　The　insult　the　Americans
have　given　to　Mexico　will　be　revenged。　　Her　honor　has
been　compromised　before　the　world。　　Very　well；　it　will　be　made
bright　again；　yes；　Fray　Ignatius　says　with　blood　and　fire　it
will　be　made　bright。〃

〃And　in　the　mean　time；　Maria；　we　have　taken　from　them　the　city
they　love　best　of　all。　　An　hour　ago　I　saw；　General　Cos；　with
eleven　hundred　Mexican　soldiers；　pass　before　a　little　band　of
less　than　two　hundred　Americans　and　lay　down　their　arms。　
These　defenders　of　the　Alamo　had　all　been　blessed　by　the
priests。　　Their　banners　had　been　anointed　with　holy　oil　and
holy　water。　　They　had　all　received　absolution　everyday　before
the　fight　began；　they　had　been　promised　a　free　passage　through
purgatory　and　a　triumphant　entry　into　heaven。〃

〃Well；　I　will　tell　you　something；　Fray　Ignatius　showed　it　to
meit　was　a　paper　printed。　　The　rebels　and　their　wives　and
children　are　to　be　sent　from　this　earthyou　may　know　where
they　will　all　go；　RobertoCongress　says　so。　　The　States　will
give　their　treasures。　　The　archbishops　will　give　the　episcopal
treasures。　　The　convents　will　give　their　gems　and　gold
ornaments。　　Ten　thousand　men　had　left　for　San　Antonio；
and　ten　thousand　more　are　to　follow；　the　whole　under　our　great
President　Santa　Anna。　　Oh；　yes！　　The　rebels　in　Washington　are
to　be　punished　also。　　It　is　well　known　that　they　sent　soldiers
to　Nacogdoches。　　Mexicans　are　not　blind　moles；　and　they　have
their　intelligence；　you　know。　　All　t