remember the alamo-第37节

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the　independence　of　Texas。　　They　will　also　conquer　Mexico。　
There　are　kingdoms　in　the　moon　for　them。　　I　envy　such
exaltationsand　regret　them。　　GRACE　OF　GOD；　Senorita！　　My
heart　ached　to　see　the　crowds　of　bright　young　faces。　　With　a
Napoleonwith　a　Washington　to　lead　themthey　would　do
miracles。〃

〃What　say　you　to　Houston？〃

〃I　know　him　not。　　At　Goliad　they　are　all　Houstons。　　They
believe　each　man　in　himself。　　On　the　contrary；　I　wish　that
each　man　looked　to　the　same　leader。〃

〃Do　you　know　that　Santa　Anna　is　in　San　Antonio？〃

〃I　felt　it；　though　I　had　no　certain　news。　　I　came　far　around；
and　hid　myself　from　all　passers…by；　for　the　sake　of　the　wagon
and　the　horses。　　I　have　the　happiness　to　say　they　are　safe。　
The　wagon　is　within　the　enclosure；　the　horses　are　on　the
prairie。　　They　have　been　well　trained；　and　will　come　to　my
call。　　As　for　me；　I　will　now　go　into　the　city；　for　there　will
be　much　to　see　and　to　hear　that　may　be　important　to　us。　
Senoritas；　for　all　your　desires；　I　am　at　your　service。〃

When　Ortiz　was　gone；　Isabel　had　a　little　fret　of
disappointment。　　Luis　might　have　found　some　messenger　to　bring
her　a　word　of　his　love　and　life。　　What　was　love　worth　that　did
not　annihilate　impossibilities！　　However；　it　consoled　her　a
little　to　carry　Jack's　letter　to　his　mother。　　The　Senora　had
taken　her　morning　chocolate　and　fallen　asleep。　　When　Isabel
awakened　her；　she　opened　her　eyes　　with　a　sigh；　and　a　look　of
hopeless　misery。　　These　pallid　depressions　attacked　her　most
cruelly　in　the　morning；　when　the　room；　shabby　and　unfamiliar；
gave　both　her　memory；　and　anticipation　a　shock。

But　the　sight　of　the　letter　flushed　her　face　with　expectation。　
She　took　it　with　smiles。　　She　covered　it　with　kisses。　　When
she　opened　it；　a　curl　from　Jack's　head　fell　on　to　her　lap。　
She　pressed　it　to　her　heart；　and　then　rose　and　laid　it　at　the
feet　of　her　Madonna。　　〃She　must　share　my　joy；〃　she　said　with
a　pathetic　childishness；　〃she　will　understand　it。〃　　Then；　with
her　arm　around　Isabel；　and　the　girl's　head　on　his　shoulder；
they　read　together　Jack's　loving　words：

〃Mi　madre；　mi　madre；　you　have　Juan's　heart　in　your　heart。　
Believe　me；　that　in　all　this　trouble　I　sorrow　only　for　you。　
When　victory　is　won　I　shall　fly　to　you。　　Other　young　men　have
other　loves；　I　have　only　you；　sweet　mother。　　There　is　always
the　cry　in　my　heart　for　the　kiss　I　missed　when　I　left　you。　　If
I　could　hold　your　hand　to…night；　if　I　could　hear　your　voice；
if　I　could　lay　my　head　on　your　breast；　I　would　say　that　the
Holy　One　had　given　me　the　best　blessings　He　had　in　heaven。　
Send　to　me　a　letter；　madrea　letter　full　of　love　and　kisses。　
Forgive　Juan！　　Think　of　this　only：　HE　IS　MY　BOY！　　If　I
live；　it　is　for　you；　who　are　the　loveliest　and　dearest　of
mothers。　　If　I　die；　I　shall　die　with　your　name　on　my
lips。　　I　embrace　you　with　my　soul。　　I　kiss　your　hands；　and
remember　how　often　they　have　clasped　mine。　　I　kiss　your　eyes；
your　cheeks；　your　dear　lips。　　Mi　madre；　remember　me！　　In　your
prayers；　remember　Juan！〃

With　what　tears　and　sobs　was　this　loving　letter　read　by　all
the　women；　and　the　Senora　finally　laid　it　where　she　had　laid
the　precious　curl　that　had　come　with　it。　　She　wanted　〃the
Woman　blessed　among　women〃　to　share　the　mother　joy　and　the
mother　anguish　in　her　heart。　　Besides；　she　was　a　little
nervous　about　Jack's　memento　of　himself。　　Her　superstitious
lore　taught　her　that　severed　hair　is　a　token　of　severed　love。　
She　wished　he　had　not　sent　it；　and　yet　she　could　not　bear　to
have　it　out　of　her　sight。

〃Gracias　a　Dios！〃　she　kept　ejaculating。　　〃I　have　one　child
that　loves　me；　and　me　only。　　I　shall　forgive　Juan　everything。　
I　shall　not　forgive　Thomas　many　things。　　But　Juan！　oh！　it　is
impossible　not　to　love　him　entirely。　　There　is　no　one　like　him
in　the　world。　　If　the　good　God　will　only　give　him　back　to　me；
I　will　say　a　prayer　of　thanks　every　day　of　my　life　long。　
Oh；　Juan！　　Juan！　my　boy！　my　dear　one！〃

Thus　she　talked　to　herself　and　her　daughters　continually。　　She
wrote　a　letter　full　of　motherly　affection　and　loving
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
th