Remember the Alamo [43]
her
own complaisance. The very knowledge that her husband was
near at hand inspired her with courage. She went to sleep
assuring herself "that not even Fray Ignatius should again
speak evil of her beloved, who never thought of her except
with a loyal affection." For in married life, the wife can
sin against love as well as fidelity; and she thought with a
sob of the cowardice which had permitted Fray Ignatius to call
her dear one "rebel and heretic."
"Santa Dios!" she said in a passionate whisper; "it is not a
mortal sin to think differently from Santa Anna"--and then
more tenderly--"those who love each other are of the same
faith."
And if Fray Ignatius had seen at that moment the savage
whiteness of her small teeth behind the petulant pout of her
parted lips, he might have understood that this woman of small
intelligence had also the unreasoning partisanship and the
implacable sense of anger which generally accompanies small
intelligence, and which indicates a nature governed by
feeling, and utterly irresponsive to reasoning which feeling
does not endorse.
CHAPTER VIII.
MOTHER AND PRIEST.
. . . . "witness,
When the dark-stoled priestly crew,
Came swift trooping where the trumpet
Of foul Santa Anna blew."
* * * * * *
"Rouse thee, Wrath, and be a giant;
People's Will, that hath been pliant,
Long, too long;
Up, and snap the rusty chaining,
Brittle bond for thy restraining,
Know the hour, the weak are reigning
Thou art strong.
* * * * * *
"Rise and right the wrongs of ages;
Balance Time's unequal pages
With the sword."
It was nearly two o'clock when Don Luis mounted his horse and
left the Worth residencia. The storm still raged, the night
was dark, the cold intense, but the home of Lopez Navarro was
scarce a quarter of a mile away; and he found him waiting his
return.
"You have still an hour, Luis. Come in and sit with me."
"As you say; and I wish to show you that I am capable of a
great thing. You do not believe me? Well, then give me again
my own clothes. I will resign these."
"You are most welcome to them, Luis."
"But no; I am in earnest. The fight is at hand--they are too
fine."
"Yes, but I will tell you--I can say anything to you--there is
to be a grand day for freedom; well, then, for a festa one
puts on the best that is to be got. I will even lend you my
Cross of Saint James, if you wish. A young hero should be
dressed like a hero. Honor my poor clothes so far as to wear
them in the fight."
"Thank you, Lopez. I will not disgrace them"; and he bent
forward and looked into his friend's eyes. His glance
prolonged his words--went further than speech--went where
speech could not reach.
"Listen to me, Luis. As a matter of precision, where now are
the Americans?"
"At the mission of Espada."
"La Espada?--the sword--the name is ominous."
"Of success, Lopez."
"Is Houston, then, with you?"
"Until a few days ago. He and General Austin have gone to San
Felipe."
"For what? Is not San Antonio the most important point?"
"It was decided by the vote of the army to send them there to
frame a provisional government. There are plenty of fighters
with us, but not one statesman but Houston. And now it is
necessary that we should have legal authority to obtain loans,
maintain the army in the field, and many other such things
vital to our cause. Austin is to go to the United States. He
will bring back men and money. Houston must draw up our
declaration and manifestoes; direct the civil government;
forward troops; and, in fact, set a new government in motion."
"He is the loadstone in the bosom![2] I wonder that the
Americans permitted that he should leave them."
[2] The loadstone in the bosom is a charm against evil; the
bringer of good fortune.
"He, and he only,
own complaisance. The very knowledge that her husband was
near at hand inspired her with courage. She went to sleep
assuring herself "that not even Fray Ignatius should again
speak evil of her beloved, who never thought of her except
with a loyal affection." For in married life, the wife can
sin against love as well as fidelity; and she thought with a
sob of the cowardice which had permitted Fray Ignatius to call
her dear one "rebel and heretic."
"Santa Dios!" she said in a passionate whisper; "it is not a
mortal sin to think differently from Santa Anna"--and then
more tenderly--"those who love each other are of the same
faith."
And if Fray Ignatius had seen at that moment the savage
whiteness of her small teeth behind the petulant pout of her
parted lips, he might have understood that this woman of small
intelligence had also the unreasoning partisanship and the
implacable sense of anger which generally accompanies small
intelligence, and which indicates a nature governed by
feeling, and utterly irresponsive to reasoning which feeling
does not endorse.
CHAPTER VIII.
MOTHER AND PRIEST.
. . . . "witness,
When the dark-stoled priestly crew,
Came swift trooping where the trumpet
Of foul Santa Anna blew."
* * * * * *
"Rouse thee, Wrath, and be a giant;
People's Will, that hath been pliant,
Long, too long;
Up, and snap the rusty chaining,
Brittle bond for thy restraining,
Know the hour, the weak are reigning
Thou art strong.
* * * * * *
"Rise and right the wrongs of ages;
Balance Time's unequal pages
With the sword."
It was nearly two o'clock when Don Luis mounted his horse and
left the Worth residencia. The storm still raged, the night
was dark, the cold intense, but the home of Lopez Navarro was
scarce a quarter of a mile away; and he found him waiting his
return.
"You have still an hour, Luis. Come in and sit with me."
"As you say; and I wish to show you that I am capable of a
great thing. You do not believe me? Well, then give me again
my own clothes. I will resign these."
"You are most welcome to them, Luis."
"But no; I am in earnest. The fight is at hand--they are too
fine."
"Yes, but I will tell you--I can say anything to you--there is
to be a grand day for freedom; well, then, for a festa one
puts on the best that is to be got. I will even lend you my
Cross of Saint James, if you wish. A young hero should be
dressed like a hero. Honor my poor clothes so far as to wear
them in the fight."
"Thank you, Lopez. I will not disgrace them"; and he bent
forward and looked into his friend's eyes. His glance
prolonged his words--went further than speech--went where
speech could not reach.
"Listen to me, Luis. As a matter of precision, where now are
the Americans?"
"At the mission of Espada."
"La Espada?--the sword--the name is ominous."
"Of success, Lopez."
"Is Houston, then, with you?"
"Until a few days ago. He and General Austin have gone to San
Felipe."
"For what? Is not San Antonio the most important point?"
"It was decided by the vote of the army to send them there to
frame a provisional government. There are plenty of fighters
with us, but not one statesman but Houston. And now it is
necessary that we should have legal authority to obtain loans,
maintain the army in the field, and many other such things
vital to our cause. Austin is to go to the United States. He
will bring back men and money. Houston must draw up our
declaration and manifestoes; direct the civil government;
forward troops; and, in fact, set a new government in motion."
"He is the loadstone in the bosom![2] I wonder that the
Americans permitted that he should leave them."
[2] The loadstone in the bosom is a charm against evil; the
bringer of good fortune.
"He, and he only,