remember the alamo-第48节

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conscious　silence；　which　Luis　happily　ended；　by　chanting
softly　a　verse　from　the　hymn　of　the　Three　Angels：

　　　　　　　　　〃'WHO　LIKE　THE　LORD？'　thunders　Michael　the　Chief。
　　　　　　　　　　　Raphael；　‘THE　CURE　OF　GOD；'　bringeth　relief；
　　　　　　　　　　　And；　as　at　Nazareth；　prophet　of　peace；
　　　　　　　　　　　Gabriel；　‘THE　LIGHT　OF　GOD；'　bringeth　release。〃


The　noble　syllables　floated　outward　and　upward；　and　Antonia
and　Lopez　softly　intoned　the　last　line　together；　letting　them
fall　slowly　and　softly　into　the　sensitive　atmosphere。

〃And　as　for　trouble　coming　from　the　devil；〃　said　Lopez；　〃I
think；　Senora；　that　Fray　Ignatius　is　wrong。　　Trouble　is　not
the　worst　thing　that　can　come　to　a　man　or　woman。　　On　the
contrary；　our　Lady　of　Prosperity　is　said　to　do；　them　far
greater　harm。　　Let　me　repeat　to　you　what　the　ever　wise　Don
Francisco　de　Quevedo　Villegas　says　about　her：

〃'Where　is　the　virtue　prosperity　has　not　staggered？　　Where　the
folly　she　has　not　augmented？　　She　takes　no　counsel；　she
fears　no　punishment。　　She　furnishes　matter　for　scandal；
experience；　and　for　story。　　How　many　souls；　innocent　while
poor；　have　fallen　into　sin　and　impiety　as　soon　as　they　drank
of　the　enchanted　cup　of　prosperity？　　Men　that　can　bear
prosperity；　are　for　heaven；　even　wise　devils　leave　them　alone。　
As　for　the　one　who　persecuted　and　beggared　job；　how　foolish
and　impertinent　he　was！　　If　he　had　understood　humanity；　he
would　have　multiplied　his　riches；　and　possessed　him　of　health；
and　honors；　and　pleasures：　THAT　is　the　　trial　it　cannot
bear。'〃

〃Oh；　to　be　sure！　　Quevedo　was　a　wise　man。　　But　even　wise　men
don't　know　everything。　　However；　WE　ARE　GOING　HOME！　　I
thank　the　saints　for　this　immeasurable　favor。　　It　is　a
prosperity　that　is　good　for　women。　　I　will　stake　my　Santiguida
on　that！　　And　will　you　observe　that　it　is　Sunday　again？　　Just
before　sunset　I　heard　the　vesper　bells　clearly。　　Remember　that
we　left　San　Antonio　on　Sunday　also！　　I　have　always　heard　that
Sunday　was　a　good　day　to　begin　a　journey　on。〃

〃If　it　had　been　on　a　Friday〃

〃Friday！　　Indeed；　Luis；　I　would　not　have　gone　one　hundred
yards　upon　a　Friday。　　How　can　you　suppose　what　is　so
inconceivably　foolish？〃

〃I　think　much　of　the　right　hour　to　undertake　anything；〃　said
Lopez。　　〃The　first　movements　are　not　in　the　hands　of　men；　and
we　are　subject　to　more　influences　than　we　comprehend。　　There
is　a　ripe　time　for　events；　as　well　as　for　fruits：　but　the　hour
depends　upon　forces　which　we　cannot　control　by　giving　to　them
the　name　of　the　day；　and　our　sage　Quevedo　has　made　a　pleasant
mockery　thereon。　　It　is　at　my　lips；　if　your　ears　care　to　hear
it。〃

〃Quevedo；　again！　　No；　it　is　not　proper；　Senor。　　Every　day　has
its　duties　and　its　favors；　Senor。　　That　man　actually　said　that
fasting　on　Friday　was　not　a　special　means　of　grace！　　Quevedo
was　almost　a　heretic。　　I　have　heard　Fray　Ignatius　say　so。　　He
did　not　approve　of　him。〃

〃Mi　madre；　let　us　hear　what　is　to　be　said。　　Rachela　told　me；
I　must　fast　on　a　Friday；　and　cut　my　nails　on　a　Wednesday；　and
never　cut　them　on　a　Sunday；　and　take　medicine　on　a　Monday；　and
look　after　money　on　Tuesday；　and　pay　calls　and　give　gifts　on
Saturday；　very　well；　I　do　not　think　much　of　Rachela；　just
suppose；　for　the　passing　of　the　time；　that　we　listen　to　what
Quevedo　says。〃

〃Here　are　four　against　me；　well；　then；　proceed；　Senor。〃

〃‘On　Monday；'　says　the　wise　and　witty　one；　buy　all　that　you
can　meet　with；　and　take　all　that　is　to　be　had　for　nothing。　　On
Tuesday；　receive　all　that　is　given　you；　for　it　is　Mar's　day；
and　he　will　look　on　you　with　an　ill　aspect　if　you　refuse　the
first　proffer　and　have　not　a　second。　　On　Wednesday；　ask　of　all
you　meet；　perhaps　Mercury　may　give　some　one　vanity　enough　to
grant　you　something。　　Thursday　is　a　good　day　to　believe
nothing　that　flatterers　say。　　Friday　it　is　well　to　shun
creditors。　　On　Saturday　it　is　well　to　lie　long　abed；　to　walk
at　your　ease；　to　eat　a　good　dinner；　and　to　wear　comfortable
shoes；　because　Saturn　is　old；　and　loves　his　ease。'〃

〃And　Sunday；　Senor？〃

〃Pardon；　Senorita　Isabel；　Sunday　comes　not　into　a　pasquinade。　
Senora；　let　me　tell　you　that　it　draws　near　to　eleven。　　If　we
leave　now　we　shall　reach　San　Antonio　in　time　to　say　the　prayer
of　gratitude　before　the　blessed　day　of　the　seven　is　past。〃

〃Holy　Mary！　that　is　what　I　should　desire。　　Come；　my　children；
I　thank　you；　Senor；　for　such　a　blessed　memory。　　My　heart　is
indeed　full　of　joy　and　thankfulness。〃

A　slight　disappointment；　however；　awaited　the　Senora。　　Without
asking　any　questions；　without　taking　anything　into
consideration；　perhaps；　indeed；　because　she　feared　to　ask　or
consider；　she　had　assumed　that　she　would　immediately　re…enter
her　own　home。　　With　the　unreason　of　a　child；　she　had　insisted
upon　expecting　that　somehow；　or　by　some　not　explained　efforts；
she　would　find　her　house　precisely　as　she　left　it。　　Little　had
been　said　of　its　occupancy　by　Fray　Ignatius　and　his　brothers；
perhaps　she　did　not　quite　believe　in　the　statement；　perhaps
she　expected　Fray　Ignatius　to　respect　the　arrangements　which
he　knew　had　been　so　dear　to　her。

It　was　therefore　a　trialindeed；　something　of　a　shockwhen
she　found　they　were　to　be　the　guests　of　Navarro；　and　when　it
was　made　clear　to　her　that　her　own　home　had　been　dismantled
and　rearranged　and　was　still　in　the　possession　of　the　Church。　
But；　with　a　child's　unreason；　she　had　also　a　sweet　ductility
of　nature；　she　was　easily　persuaded；　easily　pleased；　and
quite　ready　to　console　herself　with　the　assurance　that　it　only
needed　Doctor　Worth's　presence　and　personal　influence　to　drive
away　all　intruders　upon　her　rights。

In　the　mean　time　she　was　contented。　　The　finest　goods　in　San
Antonio　were　sent　early　on　the　following　morning　to　her　room；
and　the　selection　of　three　entire　wardrobes　gave　her　abundance
of　delightful　employment。　　She　almost　wept　with　joy　as　she
passed　the　fine　lawns　and　rich　silks　through　her　worn　fingers。　
And　when　she　could　cast　off　forever　her　garment　of　heaviness
and　of　weariful　wanderings；　and　array　herself　in　the　splendid
robes　which　she　wore　with　such　grace　and　pleasure；　she　was　an
honestly　grateful　woman。

Then　she　permitted　Lopez　to　let　her　old　acquaintances　know　of
her　presence　in　her　native　city；　and　she　was　comforted　when
she　began　to　receive　calls　from　the　Senora　Alveda；　and　judge
and　Senora　Valdez；　and　many　other　of　her　friends　and
associates。　　They　encouraged　her　to　talk　of　her　sufferings　and
her　great　loss。　　Even　the　judge　thought　it　worth　his　while；
now；　to　conciliate　the　simple　little　woman。　　He　had
wisdom　enough　to　perceive　that　Mexican　domination　was　over；
and　that　the　American　influence　of　Doctor　Worth　was　likely　to
be　of　service　to　him。

The　Senora　found　herself　a　heroine；　more　than　that；　she　became
aware　that　for　some　reason　those　who　had　once　patronized　her
were　now　disposed　to　pay　her　a　kind　of　court。　　But　this　did
not　lessen　her　satisfaction；　she　suspected　no　motive　but　real
kindness；　for　she　had　that　innate　rectitude　which　has　always
confidence　in　the　honesty　of　others。

There　was　now　full　reconciliation　between　Luis　and　his　mother
and　uncles；　and　his　betrothal　to　Isabel　was　acknowledged　with
all　the　customary　rejoicings　and　complimentary　calls　and
receptions。　　Life　quickly　began　to　fall　back　into　its　well…
defined　grooves；　if　there　was　anything　unusual；　every　one　made
an　effort　to　pass　it　by　without　notice。　　The　city　was
conspicuously　in　this　mind。　　American　rule　was　accepted　in　the
quiescent　temper　with　which　men　and　women　accept　weather　which
may　or　may　not　be　agreeable；　but　which　is　known　to　be
unavoidable。　　Americans　were　coming　by　hundreds　and　by
thousands：　and　those　Mexicans　who　could　not　make　up　their
minds　to　become　Texans；　and　to　assimilate　with　the　new
elements　sure　to　predominate；　were　quietly　breaking　up　their
homes　and　transferring　their　interests　across　the　Rio　Grande。

They　were　not　missed；　even　for　a　day。　　Some　American　was　ready
to　step　into　their　place；　and　the　pushing；　progressive　spirit
of　the　race　was　soon　evident　in　the　hearty　way　with　which　they
set　to　work；　not　only　to　repair　what　war　had　destroyed；　but　to
inaugurate　those　movements　which　are　always　among　their　first
necessities。　　Ministers；　physicians；　teachers；　mechanics　of
all　kinds；　were　soon　at　work；　churches　were　built；　Bibles　were
publicly　sold；　or　given　away；　schools　were　advertised；　the
city　was　changing　its　tone　as　easily　as　a　woman　changes　the
fashion　of　her　dress。　　Santa　Anna　had　said　truly　enough　to
Houston；　that　the　Texans　had　no　flag　to　fight　under；　but　the
young　Republic　very　soon　flung　her　ensign　out　among　those　of
the　gray　nations　of　the　world。　　It　floated　above　the　twice
glorious　Alamo：　a　bright　blue　standard；　with　one　white　star　in
the　centre。　　It　was　run　up　at　sunrise　one　morning。　　The
city　was　watching　for　it；　and　when　it　suddenly　flew　out　in
their　sight；　it　was　greeted　with　the　most　triumphant
enthusiasm。　　The　lonely　star　in　its　field　of　blue　touched
every　heart's　chivalry。　　It　said　to　them；　I　stand　alone！　　I
have　no　sister　states　to　encourage　and　help　me！　　I　rely　only
on　the　brave　hearts　and　strong　arms　that　I　set　me　here！〃　　And
they　answered　the　silent　appeal　with　a　cheer　that　promised
everything