the devotion of enriquez-第3节

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pretty。　　The　name　of　my　ancestor　was〃



〃Don　Quixote　de　La　Mancha；〃　I　suggested　maliciously。　　〃I　suspected

as　much。　　Come　along。　　That　will　do。〃



〃My　ancestor's　name；〃　continued　Enriquez；　gravely；　〃was　Antonio

Hermenegildo　de　Salvatierra；　which　is　not　the　same。　　Thees　Don

Quixote　of　whom　you　speak　exist　not　at　all。〃



〃Never　mind。　　Only；　for　heaven's　sake；　as　we　are　nearing　the　house；

don't　make　a　fool　of　yourself　again。〃



It　was　a　wonderful　moonlight　night。　　The　deep　redwood　porch　of　the

Mannersley　parsonage；　under　the　shadow　of　a　great　oakthe　largest

in　the　Encinalwas　diapered　in　black　and　silver。　　As　the　women

stepped　upon　the　porch　their　shadows　were　silhouetted　against　the

door。　　Miss　Mannersley　paused　for　an　instant；　and　turned　to　give　a

last　look　at　the　beauty　of　the　night　as　Jocasta　entered。　　Her

glance　fell　upon　us　as　we　passed。　　She　nodded　carelessly　and

unaffectedly　to　me；　but　as　she　recognized　Enriquez　she　looked　a

little　longer　at　him　with　her　previous　cold　and　invincible

curiosity。　　To　my　horror　Enriquez　began　instantly　to　affect　a

slight　tremulousness　of　gait　and　a　difficulty　of　breathing；　but　I

gripped　his　arm　savagely；　and　managed　to　get　him　past　the　house　as

the　door　closed　finally　on　the　young　lady。



〃You　do　not　comprehend；　friend　Pancho；〃　he　said　gravely；　〃but　those

eyes　in　their　glass　are　as　the　ESPEJO　USTORIO；　the　burning　mirror。

They　burn；　they　consume　me　here　like　paper。　　Let　us　affix　to

ourselves　thees　tree。　　She　will；　without　doubt；　appear　at　her

window。　　We　shall　salute　her　for　good　night。〃



〃We　will　do　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　I　said　sharply。　　Finding　that　I

was　determined；　he　permitted　me　to　lead　him　away。　　I　was　delighted

to　notice；　however；　that　he　had　indicated　the　window　which　I　knew

was　the　minister's　study；　and　that　as　the　bedrooms　were　in　the　rear

of　the　house；　this　later　incident　was　probably　not　overseen　by　the

young　lady　or　the　servant。　　But　I　did　not　part　from　Enriquez　until

I　saw　him　safely　back　to　the　sala；　where　I　left　him　sipping

chocolate；　his　arm　alternating　around　the　waists　of　his　two

previous　partners　in　a　delightful　Arcadian　and　childlike

simplicity；　and　an　apparent　utter　forgetfulness　of　Miss　Mannersley。



The　fandangos　were　usually　held　on　Saturday　night；　and　the　next

day；　being　Sunday；　1　missed　Enriquez；　but　as　he　was　a　devout

Catholic　I　remembered　that　he　was　at　mass　in　the　morning；　and

possibly　at　the　bullfight　at　San　Antonio　in　the　afternoon。　　But　I

was　somewhat　surprised　on　the　Monday　morning　following；　as　I　was

crossing　the　plaza；　to　have　my　arm　taken　by　the　Rev。　Mr。　Mannersley

in　the　nearest　approach　to　familiarity　that　was　consistent　with　the

reserve　of　this　eminent　divine。　　I　looked　at　him　inquiringly。

Although　scrupulously　correct　in　attire；　his　features　always　had　a

singular　resemblance　to　the　national　caricature　known　as　〃Uncle

Sam；〃　but　with　the　humorous　expression　left　out。　　Softly　stroking

his　goatee　with　three　fingers；　he　began　condescendingly：　〃You　are；

I　think；　more　or　less　familiar　with　the　characteristics　and　customs

of　the　Spanish　as　exhibited　by　the　settlers　here。〃　　A　thrill　of

apprehension　went　through　me。　　Had　he　heard　of　Enriquez'

proceedings？　　Had　Miss　Mannersley　cruelly　betrayed　him　to　her

uncle？　　〃I　have　not　given　that　attention　myself　to　their　language

and　social　peculiarities；〃　he　continued；　with　a　large　wave　of　the

hand；　〃being　much　occupied　with　a　study　of　their　religious　beliefs

and　superstitions〃it　struck　me　that　this　was　apt　to　be　a　common

fault　of　people　of　the　Mannersley　type〃but　I　have　refrained　from

a　personal　discussion　of　them；　on　the　contrary；　I　have　held

somewhat　broad　views　on　the　subject　of　their　remarkable　missionary

work；　and　have　suggested　a　scheme　of　co…operation　with　them；　quite

independent　of　doctrinal　teaching；　to　my　brethren　of　other

Protestant　Christian　sects。　　These　views　I　first　incorporated　in　a

sermon　last　Sunday　week；　which　I　am　told　has　created　considerable

attention。〃　　He　stopped　and　coughed　slightly。　　〃I　have　not　yet

heard　from　any　of　the　Roman　clergy；　but　I　am　led　to　believe　that　my

remarks　were　not　ungrateful　to　Catholics　generally。〃



I　was　relieved；　although　still　in　some　wonder　why　he　should　address

me　on　this　topic。　　I　had　a　vague　remembrance　of　having　heard　that

he　had　said　something　on　Sunday　which　had　offended　some　Puritans　of

his　flock；　but　nothing　more。　　He　continued：　〃I　have　just　said　that

I　was　unacquainted　with　the　characteristics　of　the　Spanish…American

race。　　I　presume；　however；　they　have　the　impulsiveness　of　their

Latin　origin。　　They　gesticulateeh？　　They　express　their　gratitude；

their　joy；　their　affection；　their　emotions　generally；　by　spasmodic

movements？　　They　naturally　dancesingeh？〃　　A　horrible　suspicion

crossed　my　mind；　I　could　only　stare　helplessly　at　him。　　〃I　see；〃　he

said　graciously；　〃perhaps　it　is　a　somewhat　general　question。　　I

will　explain　myself。　　A　rather　singular　occurrence　happened　to　me

the　other　night。　　I　had　returned　from　visiting　a　parishioner；　and

was　alone　in　my　study　reviewing　my　sermon　for　the　next　day。　　It

must　have　been　quite　late　before　I　concluded；　for　I　distinctly

remember　my　niece　had　returned　with　her　servant　fully　an　hour

before。　　Presently　I　heard　the　sounds　of　a　musical　instrument　in

the　road；　with　the　accents　of　someone　singing　or　rehearsing　some

metrical　composition　in　words　that；　although　couched　in　a　language

foreign　to　me；　in　expression　and　modulation　gave　me　the　impression

of　being　distinctly　adulatory。　　For　some　little　time；　in　the

greater　preoccupation　of　my　task；　I　paid　little　attention　to　the

performance；　but　its　persistency　at　length　drew　me　in　no　mere　idle

curiosity　to　the　window。　　From　thence；　standing　in　my　dressing…

gown；　and　believing　myself　unperceived；　I　noticed　under　the　large

oak　in　the　roadside　the　figure　of　a　young　man　who；　by　the　imperfect

light；　appeared　to　be　of　Spanish　extraction。　　But　I　evidently

miscalculated　my　own　invisibility；　for　he　moved　rapidly　forward　as

I　came　to　the　window；　and　in　a　series　of　the　most　extraordinary

pantomimic　gestures　saluted　me。　　Beyond　my　experience　of　a　few

Greek　plays　in　earlier　days；　I　confess　I　am　not　an　adept　in　the

understanding　of　gesticulation；　but　it　struck　me　that　the　various

phases　of　gratitude；　fervor；　reverence；　and　exaltation　were

successively　portrayed。　　He　placed　his　hands　upon　his　head；　his

heart；　and　even　clasped　them　together　in　this　manner。〃　　To　my

consternation　the　reverend　gentleman　here　imitated　Enriquez'　most

extravagant　pantomime。　　〃I　am　willing　to　confess；〃　he　continued；

〃that　I　was　singularly　moved　by　them；　as　well　as　by　the　highly

creditable　and　Christian　interest　that　evidently　produced　them。　　At

last　I　opened　the　window。　　Leaning　out；　I　told　him　that　I　regretted

that　the　lateness　of　the　hour　prevented　any　further　response　from

me　than　a　grateful　though　hurried　acknowledgment　of　his

praiseworthy　emotion；　but　that　I　should　be　glad　to　see　him　for　a

few　moments　in　the　vestry　before　service　the　next　day；　or　at　early

candlelight；　before　the　meeting　of　the　Bible　class。　　I　told　him

that　as　my　sole　purpose　had　been　the　creation　of　an　evangelical

brotherhood　and　the　exclusion　of　merely　doctrinal　views；　nothing

could　be　more　gratifying　to　me　than　his　spontaneous　and　unsolicited

testimony　to　my　motives。　　He　appeared　for　an　instant　to　be　deeply

affected；　and；　indeed；　quite　overcome　with　emotion；　and　then

gracefully　retired；　with　some　agility　and　a　slight　saltatory

movement。〃



He　paused。　　A　sudden　and　overwhelming　idea　took　possession　of　me；

and　I　looked　impulsively　into　his　face。　　Was　it　possible　that　for

once　Enriquez'　ironical　extravagance　had　been　understood；　met；　and

vanquished　by　a　master　hand？　　But　the　Rev。　Mr。　Mannersley's　self…

satisfied　face　betrayed　no　ambiguity　or　lurking　humor。　　He　was

evidently　in　earnest；　he　had　complacently　accepted　for　himself　the

abandoned　Enriquez'　serenade　to　his　niece。　　I　felt　a　hysterical

desire　to　laugh；　but　it　was　checked　by　my　companion's　next　words。



〃I　informed　my　niece　of　the　occurrence　in　the　morning　at　breakfast。

She　had　not　heard　anything　of　the　strange　performance；　but　she

agreed　with　me　as　to　its　undoubted　origin　in　a　grateful　recognition

of　my　liberal　efforts　toward　his　coreligionists。　　It　was　she；　in

fact；　who　suggested　that　your　knowledge　of　these　people　might

corroborate　my　impressions。〃



I　was　dumfounded。　　Had　Miss　Mannersley；　who　must　have　recognized

Enriquez'　hand　in　this；　concealed　the　fact　in　a　desire　to　shield

him？　　But　this　was　so　inconsistent　with　her　utter　indifference　to

him；　except　as　a　grotesque　study；　that　she　would　have　been　more

likely　to　tell　her　uncle　all　about　his　previous　performance。　　Nor

could　it　be　that　she　wished　to　conceal　her　visit　to　the　fandango。

She　was　far　too　independent　for　that；　and　it　was　even　possible　that

the　reverend　gentleman；　in　his　desire　to　know　more　of　Enriquez'

compatriots；　w