the devotion of enriquez-第4节

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the　reverend　gentleman；　in　his　desire　to　know　more　of　Enriquez'

compatriots；　would　not　have　objected。　　In　my　confusion　I　meekly

added　my　conviction　to　hers；　congratulated　him　upon　his　evident

success；　and　slipped　away。　　But　I　was　burning　with　a　desire　to　see

Enriquez　and　know　all。　　He　was　imaginative　but　not　untruthful。

Unfortunately；　I　learned　that　he　was　just　then　following　one　of　his

erratic　impulses；　and　had　gone　to　a　rodeo　at　his　cousin's；　in　the

foothills；　where　he　was　alternately　exercising　his　horsemanship　in

catching　and　breaking　wild　cattle　and　delighting　his　relatives　with

his　incomparable　grasp　of　the　American　language　and　customs；　and　of

the　airs　of　a　young　man　of　fashion。　　Then　my　thoughts　recurred　to

Miss　Mannersley。　　Had　she　really　been　oblivious　that　night　to

Enriquez'　serenade？　　I　resolved　to　find　out；　if　I　could；　without

betraying　Enriquez。　　Indeed；　it　was　possible；　after　all；　that　it

might　not　have　been　he。



Chance　favored　me。　　The　next　evening　I　was　at　a　party　where　Miss

Mannersley；　by　reason　of　her　position　and　quality；　was　a

distinguishedI　had　almost　written　a　popularguest。　　But；　as　I

have　formerly　stated；　although　the　youthful　fair　of　the　Encinal

were　flattered　by　her　casual　attentions；　and　secretly　admired　her

superior　style　and　aristocratic　calm；　they　were　more　or　less　uneasy

under　the　dominance　of　her　intelligence　and　education；　and　were

afraid　to　attempt　either　confidence　or　familiarity。　　They　were　also

singularly　jealous　of　her；　for　although　the　average　young　man　was

equally　afraid　of　her　cleverness　and　her　candor；　he　was　not　above

paying　a　tremulous　and　timid　court　to　her　for　its　effect　upon　her

humbler　sisters。　　This　evening　she　was　surrounded　by　her　usual

satellites；　including；　of　course；　the　local　notables　and　special

guests　of　distinction。　　She　had　been　discussing；　I　think；　the

existence　of　glaciers　on　Mount　Shasta　with　a　spectacled　geologist；

and　had　participated　with　charming　frankness　in　a　conversation　on

anatomy　with　the　local　doctor　and　a　learned　professor；　when　she　was

asked　to　take　a　seat　at　the　piano。　　She　played　with　remarkable

skill　and　wonderful　precision；　but　coldly　and　brilliantly。　　As　she

sat　there　in　her　subdued　but　perfectly　fitting　evening　dress；　her

regular　profile　and　short　but　slender　neck　firmly　set　upon　her　high

shoulders；　exhaling　an　atmosphere　of　refined　puritanism　and

provocative　intelligence；　the　utter　incongruity　of　Enriquez'

extravagant　attentions　if　ironical；　and　their　equal　hopelessness　if

not；　seemed　to　me　plainer　than　ever。　　What　had　this　well…poised；

coldly　observant　spinster　to　do　with　that　quaintly　ironic　ruffler；

that　romantic　cynic；　that　rowdy　Don　Quixote；　that　impossible

Enriquez？　　Presently　she　ceased　playing。　　Her　slim；　narrow　slipper；

revealing　her　thin　ankle；　remained　upon　the　pedal；　her　delicate

fingers　were　resting　idly　on　the　keys；　her　head　was　slightly　thrown

back；　and　her　narrow　eyebrows　prettily　knit　toward　the　ceiling　in

an　effort　of　memory。



〃Something　of　Chopin's；〃　suggested　the　geologist；　ardently。



〃That　exquisite　sonata！〃　pleaded　the　doctor。



　〃Suthin'　of　Rubinstein。　　Heard　him　once；〃　said　a　gentleman　of

Siskiyou。　　〃He　just　made　that　pianner　get　up　and　howl。　　Play　Rube。〃



She　shook　her　head　with　parted　lips　and　a　slight　touch　of　girlish

coquetry　in　her　manner。　　Then　her　fingers　suddenly　dropped　upon　the

keys　with　a　glassy　tinkle；　there　were　a　few　quick　pizzicato　chords；

down　went　the　low　pedal　with　a　monotonous　strumming；　and　she

presently　began　to　hum　to　herself。　　I　startedas　well　I　mightfor

I　recognized　one　of　Enriquez'　favorite　and　most　extravagant　guitar

solos。　　It　was　audacious；　it　was　barbaric；　it　was；　I　fear；　vulgar。

As　I　remembered　itas　he　sang　itit　recounted　the　adventures　of

one　Don　Francisco；　a　provincial　gallant　and　roisterer　of　the　most

objectionable　type。　　It　had　one　hundred　and　four　verses；　which

Enriquez　never　spared　me。　　I　shuddered　as　in　a　pleasant；　quiet

voice　the　correct　Miss　Mannersley　warbled　in　musical　praise　of　the

PELLEJO；　or　wineskin；　and　a　eulogy　of　the　dicebox　came　caressingly

from　her　thin　red　lips。　　But　the　company　was　far　differently

affected：　the　strange；　wild　air　and　wilder　accompaniment　were

evidently　catching；　people　moved　toward　the　piano；　somebody

whistled　the　air　from　a　distant　corner；　even　the　faces　of　the

geologist　and　doctor　brightened。



〃A　tarantella；　I　presume？〃　blandly　suggested　the　doctor。



Miss　Mannersley　stopped；　and　rose　carelessly　from　the　piano。　　〃It

is　a　Moorish　gypsy　song　of　the　fifteenth　century；〃　she　said　dryly。



〃It　seemed　sorter　familiar；　too；〃　hesitated　one　of　the　young　men；

timidly；　〃like　as　ifdon't　you　know？you　had　without　knowing　it；

don't　you　know？〃he　blushed　slightly〃sorter　picked　it　up

somewhere。〃



〃I　'picked　it　up；'　as　you　call　it；　in　the　collection　of　medieval

manuscripts　of　the　Harvard　Library；　and　copied　it；〃　returned　Miss

Mannersley　coldly　as　she　turned　away。



But　I　was　not　inclined　to　let　her　off　so　easily。　　I　presently　made

my　way　to　her　side。　　〃Your　uncle　was　complimentary　enough　to

consult　me　as　to　the　meaning　of　the　appearance　of　a　certain

exuberant　Spanish　visitor　at　his　house　the　other　night。〃　　I　looked

into　her　brown　eyes；　but　my　own　slipped　off　her　velvety　pupils

without　retaining　anything。　　Then　she　reinforced　her　gaze　with　a

pince…nez；　and　said　carelessly：



〃Oh；　it's　you？　　How　are　you？　　Well；　could　you　give　him　any

information？〃



〃Only　generally；〃　I　returned；　still　looking　into　her　eyes。　　〃These

people　are　impulsive。　　The　Spanish　blood　is　a　mixture　of　gold　and

quicksilver。〃



She　smiled　slightly。　　〃That　reminds　me　of　your　volatile　friend。　　He

was　mercurial　enough；　certainly。　　Is　he　still　dancing？〃



〃And　singing　sometimes；〃　I　responded　pointedly。　　But　she　only　added

casually；　〃A　singular　creature；〃　without　exhibiting　the　least

consciousness；　and　drifted　away；　leaving　me　none　the　wiser。　　I　felt

that　Enriquez　alone　could　enlighten　me。　　I　must　see　him。



I　did；　but　not　in　the　way　I　expected。　　There　was　a　bullfight　at　San

Antonio　the　next　Saturday　afternoon；　the　usual　Sunday　performance

being　changed　in　deference　to　the　Sabbatical　habits　of　the

Americans。　　An　additional　attraction　was　offered　in　the　shape　of　a

bull…and…bear　fight；　also　a　concession　to　American　taste；　which　had

voted　the　bullfight　〃slow；〃　and　had　averred　that　the　bull　〃did　not

get　a　fair　show。〃　　I　am　glad　that　I　am　able　to　spare　the　reader　the

usual　realistic　horrors；　for　in　the　Californian　performances　there

was　very　little　of　the　brutality　that　distinguished　this　function

in　the　mother　country。　　The　horses　were　not　miserable；　worn…out

hacks；　but　young　and　alert　mustangs；　and　the　display　of

horsemanship　by　the　picadors　was　not　only　wonderful；　but　secured　an

almost　absolute　safety　to　horse　and　rider。　　I　never　saw　a　horse

gored；　although　unskillful　riders　were　sometimes　thrown　in　wheeling

quickly　to　avoid　the　bull's　charge；　they　generally　regained　their

animals　without　injury。



The　Plaza　de　Toros　was　reached　through　the　decayed　and　tile…strewn

outskirts　of　an　old　Spanish　village。　　It　was　a　rudely　built　oval

amphitheater；　with　crumbling；　whitewashed　adobe　walls；　and　roofed

only　over　portions　of　the　gallery　reserved　for　the　provincial

〃notables；〃　but　now　occupied　by　a　few　shopkeepers　and　their　wives；

with　a　sprinkling　of　American　travelers　and　ranchmen。　　The

impalpable　adobe　dust　of　the　arena　was　being　whirled　into　the　air

by　the　strong　onset　of　the　afternoon　trade　winds；　which　happily；

however；　helped　also　to　dissipate　a　reek　of　garlic；　and　the　acrid

fumes　of　cheap　tobacco　rolled　in　cornhusk　cigarettes。　　I　was

leaning　over　the　second　barrier；　waiting　for　the　meager　and

circuslike　procession　to　enter　with　the　keys　of　the　bull　pen；　when

my　attention　was　attracted　to　a　movement　in　the　reserved　gallery。

A　lady　and　gentleman　of　a　quality　that　was　evidently　unfamiliar　to

the　rest　of　the　audience　were　picking　their　way　along　the　rickety

benches　to　a　front　seat。　　I　recognized　the　geologist　with　some

surprise；　and　the　lady　he　was　leading　with　still　greater

astonishment。　　For　it　was　Miss　Mannersley；　in　her　precise；　well…

fitting　walking…costumea　monotone　of　sober　color　among　the　parti…

colored　audience。



However；　I　was　perhaps　less　surprised　than　the　audience；　for　I　was

not　only　becoming　as　accustomed　to　the　young　girl's　vagaries　as　I

had　been　to　Enriquez'　extravagance；　but　I　was　also　satisfied　that

her　uncle　might　have　given　her　permission　to　come；　as　a　recognition

of　the　Sunday　concession　of　the　management；　as　well　as　to

conciliate　his　supposed　Catholic　friends。　　I　watched　her　sitting

there　until　the　first　bull　had　entered；　and；　after　a　rather　brief

play　with　the　picadors　and　banderilleros；　was　dispatched。　　At　the

moment　when　the　matador　approached　the　bull　with　his　lethal　weapon

I　was　not　sorry　for　an　excuse　to　glance　at　Miss　Mannersley。　　Her

hands　wer