remember the alamo-第24节

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Isabel。　　The　traditions　of　caste　and　country；　the　social　bonds
of　centuries；　held　them。　　But　Isabel　snapped　them　asunder。　
She　looked　at　Luis。　　His　eyes　were　alight　with　love　for　her；
his　handsome　face　was　transfigured　with　the　nobility　of　the
emotions　that　possessed　him。　　In　spite　of　his　disordered
dress；　he　was　incomparably　handsome。　　When　he　said；　〃Angel
mio！〃　and　bent　to　kiss　her　hand；　she　lifted　her　lovely　face　to
his；　she　put　her　arms　around　his　neck；　she　cried　softly　on　his
breast；　whispering　sweet　little　diminutives　of　affection　and
pride。　　Such　hours　as　followed　are　very　rare　in　this　life；　and
they　are　nearly　always　bought　with　a　great　pricepaid　for　in
advance　with　sorrow　and　anxiety；　or　earned　by　such
faithful　watching　and　patient　waiting　as　touches　the　very
citadel　of　life。

The　men　were　hungry；　they　had　eaten　nothing　all　day。　　How
delicious　was　their　meal！　　How　happy　and　merry　it　made　the
Senora；　and　Antonia；　and　Isabel；　to　see　them　empty　dish　after
dish；　to　see　their　unaffected　enjoyment　of　the　warm　room；　and
bright　fire；　of　their　after…dinner　coffee　and　tobacco。　　There
was　only　one　drawback　to　the　joy　of　the　reunionthe　absence
of　Jack。

〃His　disappointment　will　be　greater　than　ours；〃　said　Jack's
father。　　〃To　be　present　at　the　freeing　of　his　native　city；　and

to　bring　his　first　laurels　to　his　mother；　was　the　brightest
dream　Jack　had。　　But　Jack　is　a　fine　rider；　and　is　not　a　very
fine　marksman；　so　it　was　decided　to　send　him　with　Houston　to
the　Convention。　　We　expected　him　back　before　the　attack　on　the
city　began。　　Indeed；　we　were　waiting　for　orders　from　the
Convention　to　undertake　it。〃

〃Then　you　fought　without　orders；　father？〃

〃Well；　yes；　Antoniain　a　way。　　Delays　in　war　are　as　dangerous
as　in　love。　　We　were　surrounded　by　dragoons；　who　scoured　the
country　in　every　direction　to　prevent　our　foraging。　　San
Antonio　HAD　to　be　taken。　　Soon　done　was　well　done。　　On　the
third　of　December　Colonel　Milam　stepped　in　front　of　the　ranks；
and　asked　if　two　hundred　of　the　men　would　go　with　him　and
storm　the　city。　　The　whole　eleven　hundred　stepped　forward；　and
gave　him　their　hands　and　their　word。　　From　them　two　hundred　of
the　finest　marksmen　were　selected。〃

〃I　have　to　say　that　was　a　great　scene；　mi　Roberto。〃

〃The　greater　for　its　calmness；　I　think。　　There　was　no
shouting；　no　hurrahing；　no　obvious　enthusiasm。　　It　was　the
simple　assertion　of　serious　men　determined　to　carry　out　their
object。〃

〃And　you　stormed　San　Antonio　with　two　hundred　men；　father？〃

〃But　every　man　was　a　picked　man。　　A　Mexican　could　not　show　his
head　above　the　ramparts　and　live。　　We　had　no　powder　and　ball
to　waste；　and　I　doubt　if　a　single　ball　missed　its　aim。〃

〃A　Mexican　is　like　a　Highland　Scot　in　one　respect；〃　said
Dare；〃　he　fights　best　with　steel。　　They　are　good　cavalry
soldiers。〃

〃There　are　no　finer　cavalry　in　the　world　than　the
horsemen　from　Santa　Fe；　Dare。　　But　with　powder　and　ball
Mexicans　trust　entirely　to　luck；　and　luck　is　nowhere　against
Kentucky　sharpshooters。　　Their　balls　very　seldom　reached　us；
though　we　were　close　to　the　ramparts；　and　we　gathered　them　up
by　thousands；　and　sent　them　back　with　our　double…Dupont
powder。　　THEN　they　did　damage　enough。　　In　fact；　we　have
taken　the　Alamo　with　Mexican　balls。〃

〃Under　what　flag　did　you　fight；　Roberto？〃

〃Under　the　Mexican　republican　flag　of　eighteen　twenty…four；
but　indeed；　Maria；　I　do　not　think　we　had　one　in　the　camp。　　We
were　destitute　of　all　the　trappings　of　warwe　had　no
uniforms；　no　music；　no　flags；　no　positive　military　discipline。　
But　we　had　one　heart　and　mind；　and　one　object　in　view；　and
this　four　days'　fight　has　shown　what　men　can　do；　who　are　moved
by　a　single；　grand　idea。〃

The　Senora　lay　upon　a　sofa；　the　doctor　sat　by　her　side。　
Gradually　their　conversation　became　more　low　and　confidential。　
They　talked　of　their　sons；　and　their　probable　whereabouts；　of
all　that　the　Senora　and　her　daughters　had　suffered　from　the
disaffection　of　the　servants；　and　the　attitude　taken　by
Fray　Ignatius。　　And　the　doctor　noticed；　without　much　surprise；
that　his　wife's　political　sympathies　were　still　in　a　state　of
transition　and　uncertainty。　　She　could　not　avoid　prophesying
the　speedy　and　frightful　vengeance　of　Mexico。　　She　treated　the
success　at　San　Antonio　as　one　of　the　accidents　of　war。　　She
looked　forward　to　an　early　renewal　of　hostilities。

〃My　countrymen　are　known　to　me；　Roberto；〃　she　said；　with　a
touch　that　was　almost　a　hope　of　vengeance。　　〃They　have　an
insurmountable　honor；　they　will　revenge　this　insult　to　it　in
some　terrible　way。　　If　the　gracious　Maria　holds　not　the　hands
of　Santa　Anna；　he　will　utterly　destroy　the　Americans！　　He　will
be　like　a　tiger　that　has　become　mad。〃

〃I　am　not　so　much　afraid　of　Santa　Anna　as　of　Fray　Ignatius。　
Promise　me；　my　dear　Maria；　that　you　will　not　suffer　yourself
or　your　children　to　be　decoyed　by　him　into　a　convent。　　I
should　never　see　you　again。〃

The　discussion　on　this　subject　was　long　and　eager。　　Antonia；
talking　with　Dare　a　little　apart；　could　not　help　hearing　it
and　feeling　great　interest　in　her　father's　entreaties；　even
though　she　was　discussing　with　Dare　the　plans　for　their
future。　　For　Dare　had　much　to　tell　his　betrothed。　　During　the
siege；　the　doctor　had　discovered　that　his　intended　son…in…law
was　a　fine　surgeon。　　Dare　had；　with　great　delicacy；　been　quite
reticent　on　this　subject；　until　circumstances　made　his
assistance　a　matter　of　life　and　death；　and　the　doctor
understood　and　appreciated　the　young　man's　silence。

〃He　thinks　I　might　have　a　touch　of　professional　jealousyhe
thinks　I　might　suspect　him　of　wanting　a　partnership　as　well　as
a　wife；　he　wishes　to　take　his　full　share　of　the　dangers　of
war；　without　getting　behind　the　shield　of　his　profession〃；
these　feelings　the　doctor　understood；　and　he　passed　from　Fray
Ignatius　to　this　pleasanter　topic；　gladly。

He　told　the　Senora　what　a　noble　son　they　were　going　to　have；
he　said；　〃when　the　war　is　over；　Maria；　my　dear；　he　shall　marry
Antonia。〃

〃And　what　do　you　say；　Roberto；　if　I　should　give　them　the　fine
house　on　the　Plaza　that　my　brother　Perfecto　left　me？〃

〃If　you　do　that　you　will　be　the　best　mother　in　the　world；
Maria。　　I　then　will　take　Dare　into　partnership。　　He　is　good
and　clever；　and　I　am　a　little　weary　of　work。　　I　shall　enjoy
coming　home　earlier　to　you。　　We　will　go　riding　and　walking；
and　our　courting　days　will　begin　again。〃

〃Maria　Santissima！　　How　delightful　that　will　be；　Roberto！　　And
as　for　our　Isabel；　shall　we　not　make　her　happy　also？　　Luis
should　have　done　as　his　own　family　have　done；　a　young　man　to
go　against　his　mother　and　his　uncles；　that　is　very　wicked！
but；　if　we　forgive　that　fault；　well；　then；　Luis　is　as　good　as
good　bread。〃

〃I　think　so。　　He　began　the　study　of　the　law。　　He　must　finish
it。　　He　must　learn　the　American　laws　also。　　I　am　not　a　poor
man；　Maria。　　I　will　give　Isabel　the　fortune　worthy　of　a
Yturbide　or　a　Floresa　fortune　that　will　make　her　very
welcome　to　the　Alvedas。〃

The　Senora　clasped　her　husband's　hand　with　a　smile。　　They　were
sweetening　their　own　happiness　with　making　the　happiness　of
their　children。　　They　looked　first　at　Antonia。　　She　sat　with
Dare；　earnestly　talking　to　him　in　a　low　voice。　　Dare　clasped
in　his　own　the　dear　little　hand　that　had　been　promised　to
him。　　Antonia　bent　toward　her　lover；　her　fair　head　rested
against　his　shoulder。　　Isabel　sat　in　a　large　chair；　and　Luis
leaned　on　the　back　of　it；　stooping　his　bright　face　to　the
lovely　one　which　was　sometimes　dropped　to　hide　her　blushes；
and　sometimes　lifted　with　flashing　eyes　to　answer　his　tender
words。

〃My　happiness　is　so　great；　Roberto；　I　am　even　tired　of　being
happy。　　Call　Rachela。　　I　must　go　to　sleep。　　To…night　I　cannot
even　say　an　ave。〃

〃God　hears　the　unspoken　prayer　in　your　heart；　Maria；　and　to…
night　let　me　help　you　upstairs。　　My　arm　is　stronger　than
Rachela's。〃

She　rose　with　a　little　affectation　of　greater　weakness　and
lassitude　than　she　really　felt。　　But　she　wished　to　be　weak；　so
that　her　Roberto　might　be　strongto　be　quite　dependent　on　his
care　and　tenderness。　　And　she　let　her　daughters　embrace
her　so　prettily；　and　then　offered　her　hand　to　Dare　and　Luis
with　so　much　grace　and　true　kindness　that　both　young　men　were
enchanted。

〃It　is　to　be　seen　that　they　are　gentlemen；〃　she　said；　as　she
went　slowly　upstairs　on　her　husband's　arm〃and　hark！
that　is　the　singing　of　Luis。　　What　is　it　he　says？〃　　They　stood
still　to　listen。　　Clear　and　sweet　were　the　chords　of　the
mandolin；　and　melodiously　to　them　Luis　was　protesting

　　　　　　　　〃Freedom　shall　have　our　shining　blades！
　　　　　　　　　Our　hearts　are　yours；　fair　Texan　maids！〃



CHAPTER　X。

THE　DOCTOR　AND　THE　PRIEST。

　　　　　　　　〃I　tell　thee；　priest；　if　the　world　were　wise
　　　　　　　　　They　would　not　wag　one　finger　in　your　quarrels：
　　　　　　　　　Your　heaven　you　promise；　but　our　earth　you　covet；
　　　　　　　　　The　Phaetons　of　mankind；　who　fire　the　world
　　　　　　　　　Which　you　were　sent　by　preaching　but　to　warm。〃

　　　　　　　　　Your　Saviour　came　not　with　a　gaudy　show；
　　　　　　　　　Nor　was　His　kingdom　of　the　world　below：
　　　　　　　　　The　crown　He　wore　was　of　the　pointed　thorn
　　　　　　　　　In　purple　He　was　crucified；　not　born。
　　　　　　　　　They　who　contend　for　place　a