HEART TO HEART
One result of my pondering of the tangled situation was the resolve to
keep from my friend all that concerned myself alone. He had enough and
to spare of anxieties and difficulties over the safety of himself and
his men, without becoming involved in my private affairs. At the least,
his concern for my safety and happiness would have tended to interfere
with the observations and notes which we hoped would be of such great
value to our country.
The following morning being Sunday, I went early to the _Parroquia_,
thinking to visit Father Rocus, should I fail to meet Alisanda again.
This last was barely within the bounds of my fondest expectations, and I
was accordingly more grieved than surprised when she failed to appear.
As I was going out, a few minutes before the close of the service, a
rather well-dressed woman in the archway mumbled an appeal for alms.
Struck by her lack of dirt and tatters, I stopped. She repeated her
appeal, this time in a clear tone, though without opening the veiling
folds of her _rebozo_. It seemed to me I recognized the voice of Chita.
At once I held out a coin to her. In reaching for it, she covered my
hand with the edge of her _rebozo_, beneath which I felt a note being
slipped into my palm.
She turned away, with a shrill blessing upon the generous _Inglese_,
while I dropped my half-closed hand to my side, thrust it into my pocket
and left the note, to draw out a copper for the foremost of the wretched
_leprosos_ who came flocking about the rich foreigner. This time I was
provided with a quantity of the smallest coins of the realm, and
scattered two or three handfuls to right and left. While the beggars
swarmed after the coppers like a flock of fowls over their grain, I
slipped around the nearest corner of the church to read my precious
note. It was short but full of promise:--
"Do not go to the promenade. Feign illness. The _Parroquia_ at
nine o'clock to-night."
The _Parroquia_?--at nine in the evening? It was an appointment to meet
her! Yet how could she escape the watchful eyes of Dona Marguerite and
Don Pedro, even should they, as was most improbable, take her out to the
promenade?
However, I concluded that I could safely trust to her wit and courage to
bring about the meeting. My problem was how to fill the weary hours and
minutes which lay between. I wandered aimlessly about the city, stopping
now and then to watch the gambling with dice and cards, which, though
prohibited by His Excellency, is too deeply seated in the natures of
these people to be eradicated.
Intense as were these games, where men and even women staked their
little all with passionate abandon, the excitement was far greater and
the betting higher at the numerous cock-fights. I looked on at
one,--which was enough and to spare. Man has a right to kill for food,
but none other than the cruel and brutal enjoys the torment of his
fellow creatures.
A gay dinner at the house of Dona Maria Cabrera helped to pass over the
day until the siesta. But throughout the long hours of the afternoon
rest I could only lie and swelter and eat up my heart with longing and
anxiety. So heated and restless did I become that when Walker waked he
inquired whether I had a fever.
This gave me my opening, and I stated my condition at some length, in
medical language which impressed him much while telling him nothing.
Even Pike was deceived by my statement, but I assured him that I should
be quite well by morning if I abstained from the usual round of calls
and the evening in the promenade. After condoling with me and explaining
my indisposition to the numerous friends who called, they at last heeded
my request for quiet, and went off to spread the news of my illness.
Between then and the twilight, the few who called were permitted to peep
in and see me dozing on my mattress, with my head swathed about in wet
towels. But after _la oracion_, old Caesar had his orders to stop all on
the threshold of the outer room, and explain that I was not to be
disturbed.
A full hour before the time set, I borrowed one of Walker's circular
cloaks, and shadowed my face in my wide sombrero. After explaining to
Caesar that I needed a breath of fresh air, but that he should say
nothing about my absence unless his master or Lieutenant Pike came in
before my return, I slipped out, unseen by any one else.
The moon having risen, I had need of care to cross the plaza without
attracting attention. Fortunately it was too early for an encounter with
the soldiers of the night patrols, who would have required me to give my
countersign. Arriving at the _Parroquia_, I stationed myself in the
dense shadow around the corner of the farther tower, and waited with
such scant patience as I could command.
Now and then persons passed by in the plaza, singly or in couples or in
groups. None caught sight of me, yet I could see them with perfect
distinctness, and as I considered this, I was seized with the fear that
Alisanda would inevitably be detected before she could reach my side.
From the first I had kept my gaze fixed in the direction of the Vallois
mansion, and had watched with eagerness the approach of all the gowned
figures that came either alone or in pairs. As the time drew near, I
became more restless and could not keep so steady a watch. More than
once I had to turn to look about at all quarters of the plaza.
It was during one of these chance glances that I was astonished to see
my lady approaching the church from the direction of the promenade. She
was accompanied by Father Rocus and Chita.
When they came opposite me, I ventured a slight cough, but they went by
without stopping. It was otherwise with a group of young gallants, who
paused to stare at the graceful figure of my lady until she and the
padre and Chita had disappeared into the yawning entrance of the
_Parroquia_. The young beaux had at once guessed the identity of the
senorita, notwithstanding her veiling mantilla, and they stood within
twenty feet of me, discussing her lovely charms as we would name over
the fine points of a pedigreed horse.
Meanwhile I fretted and fumed, in a swelter of impatience. No doubt my
lady was waiting for me and wondering at my delay! At last I was on the
point of stepping out boldly to follow her, when Chita came scuffling
out of the church, bent over like an old crone. She passed the young
men, muttering and grumbling, and tottered half sideways around into the
shadow. I caught her outstretched hand, and she led me quickly back
along the flank of the towering edifice.
We stopped before the dim outline of a little door. Chita tapped upon
the panel, and stepped away a few paces, to stand with her back to me. A
moment later the door swung open, without a sound, and a dark figure
appeared.
"Alisanda!" I whispered.
"Juan!" she replied, stepping nearer.
Ah, the rapture of that moment! Hers was no half love, to shrink with
false shame. As I clasped her in my arms, her own arms slipped about my
neck in tender embrace, and her lips met mine in a kiss of purest
passion. Our hearts throbbed together in ecstasy. She drew back her head
to gaze at me through the shadow.
"Juan! Juan! my knight! Oh, the joy of leaning upon your dear breast! I
could swoon for joy!"
"Tell me you love me!" I demanded.
"Juan! Can you doubt it? Could you have doubted it from the first--the
very first? There in the midst of that miry avenue, when I looked out
the coach window into the windows of your soul,--then it was, my
knight--"
"Then?" I questioned, my astonishment as great as my delight--"then,
dearest heart? You perceived the love, the adoration which filled my
whole being at my first view of your lovely face! You knew I would serve
you and love you forever after!"
"No, dear. I knew you loved me that moment. But I did not know you. I
was very proud--I am still very proud. The blood of kings flows in my
veins. I had vowed I should wed none other than one of kingly blood. I
shall not break that vow."
"Yet my arms are about you, Alisanda. See, I draw you still closer to my
heart; I kiss your adorable lips!"
As I eased my embrace a little, she sighed, and her head sank upon my
shoulder.
"Wait, dearest," she murmured. "Such ecstasy goes beyond my strength."
"Alisanda!" I exclaimed, "tell me--you do love me--this is not a dream!
I know you are in my arms, yet it is unbelievable--it is not possible
that you--!"
"Juan, my king!" she answered.
"That?"
"Yes, that! I believe in nobility of birth, for in that belief I was
born and reared. But you have taught me a new belief; you have opened my
eyes to see that there are men who are their own ancestors,--men so true
and brave and chivalrous that they are kings among their fellows,
whatever their birth."
"Beloved," I said, "do not mistake. I am as other men. It was only the
love you inspired that gave me strength to win you. I am but an average
man. Yet with your love--with your dear self to glorify life for me, it
may be I can rise above the average."
"My king," she repeated, woman-like, unmoved by the plain reason of my
statement.
"We have no kings in the Republic," I argued.
"But I have a king in my heart! Ah, Juan, if you but knew the fulness of
your conquest! Love was in my heart from the first. Love can creep
through keyholes. But pride barred the way against your entrance. Did I
not mock you and scorn you and look coldly upon you? Yet Love forced me
to give you the fighting chance, to put you to the test."
"That was the mystery--the secret of your eyes!" I exclaimed.
"And you had the courage to guess aright, to persevere against all my
scorn and hauteur, to cross the barrier of rock and the barrier of pride
and birth, into my heart, Juan!"
"Forever in your heart, as you in mine!"
"Forever!"
"When will you wed me, dearest one?"
At the words she quivered and sought to draw away, but I held her fast.
"No, Alisanda! I cannot release you until you have told me. When shall
we be married?"
"Ah, Juan!" she sighed. "How can I answer you? I fear that it will be
never!"
"Never!"
"My uncle has asked me to sacrifice myself for the sake of the
revolution."
"By marrying the Viceroy?"
"No!"
"No?--Then whom?"
"The Governor-General."
"Him--Salcedo?--that old tyrant?"
"It is my uncle's wish. He says it would free millions of people, my
countrymen."
"Your countrymen? You come from Old Spain! No! And what if that man
should sell himself for your beauty? Could such a man be trusted? Yet
suppose he held true to his pledge to lead the revolution, and suppose
the revolution should triumph, would it not be the triumph of Salcedo?
Would this wretched land be less oppressed under Salcedo the King than
under Salcedo the Governor-General? Answer me, Alisanda Vallois. You
know the man!"
"_Madre de los Dolores!_--And I would have made the sacrifice for that!
Juan, you have given me an answer to my uncle's plea. He may break my
heart, but he shall not force me to marry against my wish. Rather than
that, I will take the veil."
"Become a nun?" I protested.
"If I may not marry you, Juan."
"But you will marry me, Alisanda--you must!"
"How can I, dear? You have yet to cross the gulf."
"Father Rocus--" I began.
"He has spoken for you on that, yet admits a doubt. Can I wed you while
I still think of it as a sin--a marriage against God's will?"
A sudden great fear embittered my rapture and dashed me to the earth.
"Alisanda," I pleaded, "is not our love true love? Can such love be
wrong in the sight of God?"
"I have prayed the Virgin for hours without answer to that," she sighed.
"And when the holy priest admits a doubt--If I do not come to you with a
clear conscience, Juan, I shall be unworthy of your love."
"Leave that to me to judge!"
"No. We must wait, my knight. Rest assured I will not wed another than
yourself. Be patient. A few days may see the cutting of the knot. That
dangerous man Medina has wormed himself into the council of the
revolutionists. It would be like him to turn traitor, and demand me as
his price for not betraying the plot."
"Your uncle will give you to him to save his own life!"
"You do my uncle an injustice. He would sooner die. No; I was to be
given to Salcedo for the sake of this oppressed land. My uncle would die
rather than force misery upon me for other than the sacred cause of
liberty."
"I have opened your eyes to the peril of trusting Salcedo. Now what is
to be done?"
"Should Medina threaten, my uncle must flee from New Spain."
"Taking you with him! The world is large, dearest one, but wherever he
may take you, I will follow."
"If you escape Salcedo!" she whispered, and I felt her tremble.
Before I could answer, the voice of Father Rocus murmured from the
little doorway: "My children, you must part now. I brought you away on
the plea of faintness, my daughter. I must take you in for a glass of
wine, that my servant may bear witness with a clear conscience, and then
we must hasten home with you before the return of your kinsfolk."
"But when shall I see her again, padre?" I begged, clinging to my love
as she clung to me.
"_Sabe Dios!--Quien sabe?_" he returned. "We will each and all do what
we can. Now we must hasten, for if my share in this be discovered, I
shall lose all power to help you."
Reason compelled me to bend to this argument. I strained Alisanda to me,
and we exchanged a parting kiss. Chita came up beside us, and the moment
I released her mistress, hurried her to the envious doorway.