A Romance of History [pp. 430-438]

1884.] A Romance of JL's1or~.
tnuch afraid that I cannot help you to-day drew near, and then again it seemed to be
-at least, not with food; for provisions, far in the distance. All of a sudden the
alas! I can no longer buy. If you wish a sound of the tramp of many feet approached.
little money, I can give you that." It was a vast number of excited and enthu "My poor, sweet mother!" exclaimed siastic Liberals shouting themselves hoarse,
Carmelita, as with tears in her eyes she and singing or improvising a weird warsprang up and threw her arms about her song. The rich voices of a few negroes carmother's neck. ried the melody, while the rabble chanted a
"Daughters, daughters, what does`all this monotonous refrain. The uncertain light of
masquerading mean?" the torches, and the enthusiastic demonstra "Ah! mother dearest, Sister Lucia said tion of the more emotional patriots, gave the
you would not recognize us. Our dresses crowd a most curious aspect. They had
have served our purpose well to-night have almost reached the street along which the
they not, Carmelita? But where are our ladies were hurriedly walking.
baskets? Ah, here they are and here is "Quick! quick! Let us hide in some
some fruit, mamma, for you and Dolores. garden until they have passed. How fast
I~et us serve the little supper here to-night. they approach!" cried Madame Pereti.
The moon is so beautiful and the air so By this time, one of the men had turned
balmy." the corner of the street, and his eye fell up Although Madame Pereti objected to on the ladies. With a loud jeer he howled:
breathing the malarious night air, this time "Down with the priest-ridden! On, comshe gratified her daughter's wish; and seat- rades!" and the pursuit began.
ing themselves comfortably once more, the The four ladies ran as fast as they could,
gir1~.s gave a graphic and amusing outline of only stopping to try each gate wh?ch they
their adventures. In a few moments the passed in the hope of finding one unlocked.
delicate repast was served. "Thank God! here is one at [ast," and
"But how did you dare to go alone?" in- with maternal solicitude she pushed her two
quired the timid Dolores. daughter~ in ahead of her. But she was too
"Dare? Bah! If Senor Gracianos thinks late; for just as she and Diana sprang into
that his brain is any more fertile in invent- the garden and were crouching beneath
ing torments than ours is in finding m'eans some shrubbery, their pursuers sighted them.
to evade them, he is vastly mistaken." "You dare not touch us. You surely can "Carmelita, my dear child, yo~ must not not be so profane!" said Madame Pereti, drawbe so American in your ideas. One should ing herself up with all of the old queenly
be very cautious about evading a law in this grace that in her youthful days had made
country." her such a belle in Spain.
"But, mamma, you are far too amiable "Damn your religious nonsense!" was the
and retiring to fight your way through life. rough response.
Now that my father is not here, I shall have "I hope that the Virgin will some day parto take his place." don you for that speech-she will have to be
Several times Carmelita and Inez passed very forgiving indeed."
through the streets as nuns without being At this the mob burst into a coarse laugh.
actually molested. One evening, at dusk, Pinioning each lady securely by the arms,
Madame Pereti an~ Diana donned dresses the procession then moved along.
like those of the girls, and they all went "Where do we go?" called one of the torchdown to the shops together. Occasionally bearers in the lead.
the loud huzzas of the men at the barracks "To the barracks," briefly responded the
floated through the air; now they heard a captain.
crowd of rough, half intoxicated men sing- At the first assault the ladies had cried
ing boisterous songs; sometimes the sound for help, but none of the passing pedes
VOL. III.-28.