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Mannersley was very punctilious of etiquette； which he； as a
Castilian gentleman； ought to appreciate。
〃But will she not regard lofethe admiration excessif？〃 he said；
twirling his thin little mustache meditatively。
〃No； she will not；〃 I returned sharply； 〃and you ought to
understand that she is on a different level from your Manuelas and
Carmens。〃
〃Pardon； my friend；〃 he said gravely； 〃thees women are ever the
same。 There is a proverb in my language。 Listen： 'Whether the
sharp blade of the Toledo pierce the satin or the goatskin； it
shall find behind it ever the same heart to wound。' I am that
Toledo bladepossibly it is you； my friend。 Wherefore； let us
together pursue this girl of Boston on the instant。〃
But I kept my grasp on Enriquez' arm； and succeeded in restraining
his mercurial impulses for the moment。 He halted； and puffed
vigorously at his cigarette； but the next instant he started
forward again。 〃Let us； however； follow with discretion in the
rear； we shall pass her house； we shall gaze at it； it shall touch
her heart。〃
Ridiculous as was this following of the young girl we had only just
parted from； I nevertheless knew that Enriquez was quite capable of
attempting it alone； and I thought it better to humor him by
consenting to walk with him in that direction； but I felt it
necessary to say：
〃I ought to warn you that Miss Mannersley already looks upon your
performances at the sala as something outre and peculiar； and if I
were you I shouldn't do anything to deepen that impression。〃
〃You are saying she ees shock？〃 said Enriquez； gravely。
I felt I could not conscientiously say that she was shocked； and he
saw my hesitation。 〃Then she have jealousy of the senoritas；〃 he
observed； with insufferable complacency。 〃You observe！ I have
already said。 It is ever so。〃
I could stand it no longer。 〃Look here； Harry；〃 I said； 〃if you
must know it； she looks upon you as an acrobata paid performer。〃
〃Ah！〃his black eyes sparkled〃the torero； the man who fights the
bull； he is also an acrobat。〃
〃Yes； but she thinks you a clown！a GRACIOSO DE TEATROthere！〃
〃Then I have make her laugh？〃 he said coolly。
I don't think he had； but I shrugged my shoulders。
〃BUENO！〃 he said cheerfully。 〃Lofe； he begin with a laugh； he make
feenish with a sigh。〃
I turned to look at him in the moonlight。 His face presented its
habitual Spanish gravitya gravity that was almost ironical。 His
small black eyes had their characteristic irresponsible audacity
the irresponsibility of the vivacious young animal。 It could not
be possible that he was really touched with the placid frigidities
of Miss Mannersley。 I remembered his equally elastic gallantries
with Miss Pinkey Smith； a blonde Western belle； from which both had
harmlessly rebounded。 As we walked on slowly I continued more
persuasively： 〃Of course this is only your nonsense； but don't you
see； Miss Mannersley thinks it all in earnest and really your
nature？〃 I hesitated； for it suddenly struck me that it WAS really
his nature。 〃Andhang it all！you don't want her to believe you
a common buffoon。； or some intoxicated muchacho。〃
〃Intoxicated？〃 repeated Enriquez； with exasperating languishment。
〃Yes； that is the word that shall express itself。 My friend； you
have made a shot in the centeryou have ring the bell every time！
It is intoxicationbut not of aguardiente。 Look！ I have long
time an ancestor of whom is a pretty story。 One day in church he
have seen a young girla mere peasant girlpass to the
confessional。 He look her in her eye； he stagger〃here Enriquez
wobbled pantomimically into the road〃he fall！〃he would have
suited the action to the word if I had not firmly held him up。
〃They have taken him home； where he have remain without his
clothes； and have dance and sing。 But it was the drunkenness of
lofe。 And； look you； thees village girl was a nothing； not even
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；