按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃You have arrived； friend Pancho； in time；〃 he said； in accents of
exaggerated weakness。 〃I am absolutely exhaust。 I am bursted；
caved in； kerflummoxed。 I have behold you； my friend； at the
barrier。 I speak not； I make no sign at the first； because I was
on fire； I speak not at the feenishfor I am exhaust。〃
〃I see； the bull made it lively for you。〃
He instantly bounded up in the hammock。 〃The bull！ Caramba！ Not
a thousand bulls！ And thees one； look you； was a craven。 I snap
my fingers over his horn； I roll my cigarette under his nose。〃
〃Well； thenwhat was it？〃
He instantly lay down again； pulling up the sides of the hammock。
Presently his voice came from its depths； appealing in hollow tones
to the sky。 〃He asks methees friend of my soul； thees brother of
my life； thees Pancho that I lofewhat it was？ He would that I
should tell him why I am game in the legs； why I shake in the hand；
crack in the voice； and am generally wipe out！ And yet he； my
pardnerthees Franciscoknow that I have seen the mees from
Boston！ That I have gaze into the eye； touch the hand； and for the
instant possess the picture that hand have drawn！ It was a sublime
picture； Pancho；〃 he said； sitting up again suddenly； 〃and have
kill the bull before our friend Pepe's sword have touch even the
bone of hees back and make feenish of him。〃
〃Look here； Enriquez；〃 I said bluntly； 〃have you been serenading
that girl？〃
He shrugged his shoulders without the least embarrassment； and
said： 〃Ah； yes。 What would you？ It is of a necessity。〃
〃Well；〃 I retored； 〃then you ought to know that her uncle took it
all to himselfthought you some grateful Catholic pleased with his
religious tolerance。〃
He did not even smile。 〃BUENO；〃 he said gravely。 〃That make
something； too。 In thees affair it is well to begin with the
duenna。 He is the duenna。〃
〃And；〃 I went on relentlessly； 〃her escort told her just now that
your exploit in the bull ring was only a trick to divert the bull；
suggested by the management。〃
〃Bah！ her escort is a geologian。 Naturally； she is to him as a
stone。〃
I would have continued； but a peon interrupted us at this moment
with a sign to Enriquez； who leaped briskly from the hammock；
bidding me wait his return from a messenger in the gateway。
Still unsatisfied of mind； I waited； and sat down in the hammock
that Enriquez had quitted。 A scrap of paper was lying in its
meshes； which at first appeared to be of the kind from which
Enriquez rolled his cigarettes； but as I picked it up to throw it
away； I found it was of much firmer and stouter material。 Looking
at it more closely； I was surprised to recognize it as a piece of
the tinted drawing…paper torn off the 〃block〃 that Miss Mannersley
had used。 It had been deeply creased at right angles as if it had
been folded； it looked as if it might have been the outer half of a
sheet used for a note。
It might have been a trifling circumstance； but it greatly excited
my curiosity。 I knew that he had returned the sketch to Miss
Mannersley； for I had seen it in her hand。 Had she given him
another？ And if so； why had it been folded to the destruction of
the drawing？ Or was it part of a note which he had destroyed？ In
the first impulse of discovery I walked quickly with it toward the
gateway where Enriquez had disappeared； intending to restore it to
him。 He was just outside talking with a young girl。 I started；
for it was JocastaMiss Mannersley's maid。
With this added discovery came that sense of uneasiness and
indignation with which we illogically are apt to resent the
withholding of a friend's confidence； even in matters concerning
only himself。 It was no use for me to reason that it was no
business of mine； that he was right in keeping a secret that
concerned anotherand a lady； but I was afraid I was even more
meanly resentful because the discovery quite upset my theory of his
conduct and of Miss Mannersley's attitude toward him。 I continued
to walk on to the gateway； where I bade Enriquez a hurried good…by；
alleging the sudden remembrance of another engagement； but without
appearing to recognize the girl； who was moving away when； to my
further discomfiture； the rascal stopped me with an appealing wink；
threw his arms around my neck； whispered hoarsely in my ear； 〃Ah！
you seeyou comprehendbut you are the mirror of discretion！〃 and
returned to Jocasta。 But whether this meant that he had received a
message from Miss Mannersley； or that he was trying to suborn her
maid to carry one； was still uncertain。 He was capable of either。
During the next two or three weeks I saw him frequently； but as I
had resolved to try the effect of ignoring Miss Mannersley in our
conversation； I gathered little further of their relations； and； to
my surprise； after one or two characteristic extravagances of
allusion； Enriquez dropped the subject； too。 Only one afternoon；
as we were parting； he said carelessly： 〃My friend； you are going
to the casa of Mannersley tonight。 I too have the honor of the
invitation。 But you will be my Mercurymy Leporelloyou will
take of me a message to thees Mees Boston； that I am crushed；
desolated； prostrate； and flabbergastedthat I cannot arrive； for
I have of that night to sit up with the grand…aunt of my brother…
in…law； who has a quinsy to the death。 It is sad。〃
This was the first indication I had received of Miss Mannersley's
advances。 I was equally surprised at Enriquez' refusal。
〃Nonsense！〃 I said bluntly。 〃Nothing keeps you from going。〃
〃My friend；〃 returned Enriquez； with a sudden lapse into languish…
ment that seemed to make him absolutely infirm； 〃it is everything
that shall restrain me。 I am not strong。 I shall become weak of
the knee and tremble under the eye of Mees Boston。 I shall
precipitate myself to the geologian by the throat。 Ask me another
conundrum that shall be easy。〃
He seemed idiotically inflexible； and did not go。 But I did。 I
found Miss Mannersley exquisitely dressed and looking singularly
animated and pretty。 The lambent glow of her inscrutable eye as
she turned toward me might have been flattering but for my
uneasiness in regard to Enriquez。 I delivered his excuses as
naturally as I could。 She stiffened for an instant； and seemed an
inch higher。 〃I am so sorry；〃 she said at last in a level voice。
〃I thought he would have been so amusing。 Indeed； I had hoped we
might try an old Moorish dance together which I have found and was
practicing。〃
〃He would have been delighted； I know。 It's a great pity he didn't
come with me；〃 I said quickly； 〃but；〃 I could not help adding； with
emphasis on her words； 〃he is such an 'extraordinary creature；' you
know。〃
〃I see nothing extraordinary in his devotion to an aged relative；〃
returned Miss Mannersley quietly as she turned away； 〃except that
it justifies my respect for his character。〃
I do not kno