Clever Senora Moreno! During the few moments that Felipe had been speaking, she had perceived certain things which it would be beyond her power to do; certain others that it would be impolitic to try to do.
Nothing could possibly compensate her for antagonizing Felipe. Nothing could so deeply wound her, as to have him in a resentful mood towards her; or so weaken her real control of him, as to have him feel that she arbitrarily overruled his preference or his purpose. In presence of her imperious will, even her wrath capitulated and surrendered. There would be no hot words between her and her son. He should believe that he determined the policy of the Moreno house, even in this desperate crisis.
Felipe did not answer. A better thrust was never seen on any field than the Senora"s question. She repeated it, still more deliberately, in her wonted gentle voice. The Senora was herself again, as she had not been for a moment since she came upon Alessandro and Ramona at the brook.
How just and reasonable the question sounded, as she repeated it slowly, with an expression in her eyes, of poising and weighing matters. "Would you be willing that your own sister should marry Alessandro?"
Felipe was embarra.s.sed. He saw whither he was being led. He could give but one answer to this question. "No, mother," he said, "I should not; but--"
"Never mind buts," interrupted his mother; "we have not got to those yet;" and she smiled on Felipe,--an affectionate smile, but it somehow gave him a feeling of dread. "Of course I knew you could make but one answer to my question. If you had a sister, you would rather see her dead than married to any one of these Indians."
Felipe opened his lips eagerly, to speak. "Not so," he said.
"Wait, dear!" exclaimed his mother. "One thing at a time, I see how full your loving heart is, and I was never prouder of you as my son than when listening just now to your eloquent defence of Ramona, Perhaps you may be right and I wrong as to her character and conduct. We will not discuss those points." It was here that the Senora had perceived some things that it would be out of her power to do. "We will not discuss those, because they do not touch the real point at issue. What it is our duty to do by Ramona, in such a matter as this, does not turn on her worthiness or unworthiness. The question is, Is it right for you to allow her to do what you would not allow your own sister to do?" The Senora paused for a second, noted with secret satisfaction how puzzled and unhappy Felipe looked; then, in a still gentler voice, she went on, "You surely would not think that right, my son, would you?" And now the Senora waited for an answer.
"No, mother," came reluctantly from Felipe"s lips. "I suppose not; but--"
"I was sure my own son could make no other reply," interrupted the Senora. She did not wish Felipe at present to do more than reply to her questions. "Of course it would not be right for us to let Ramona do anything which we would not let her do if she were really of our own blood. That is the way I have always looked at my obligation to her. My sister intended to rear her as her own daughter. She had given her her own name. When my sister died, she transferred to me all her right and responsibility in and for the child. You do not suppose that if your aunt had lived, she would have ever given her consent to her adopted daughter"s marrying an Indian, do you?"
Again the Senora paused for a reply, and again the reluctant Felipe said, in a low tone, "No, I suppose she would not."
"Very well. Then that lays a double obligation on us. It is not only that we are not to permit Ramona to do a thing which we would consider disgraceful to one of our own blood; we are not to betray the trust reposed in us by the only person who had a right to control her, and who transferred that trust to us. Is not that so?"
"Yes, mother," said the unhappy Felipe.
He saw the meshes closing around him. He felt that there was a flaw somewhere in his mother"s reasoning, but he could not point it out; in fact, he could hardly make it distinct to himself. His brain was confused. Only one thing he saw clearly, and that was, that after all had been said and done, Ramona would still marry Alessandro. But it was evident that it would never be with his mother"s consent. "Nor with mine either, openly, the way she puts it. I don"t see how it can be; and yet I have promised Alessandro to do all I could for him. Curse the luck, I wish he had never set foot on the place!" said Felipe in his heart, growing unreasonable, and tired with the perplexity.
The Senora continued: "I shall always blame myself bitterly for having failed to see what was going on. As you say, Alessandro has been with us a great deal since your illness, with his music, and singing, and one thing and another; but I can truly say that I never thought of Ramona"s being in danger of looking upon him in the light of a possible lover, any more than of her looking thus upon Juan Canito, or Luigo, or any other of the herdsmen or laborers. I regret it more than words can express, and I do not know what we can do, now that it has happened."
"That"s it, mother! That"s it!" broke in Felipe. "You see, you see it is too late now."
The Senora went on as if Felipe had not spoken. "I suppose you would really very much regret to part with Alessandro, and your word is in a way pledged to him, as you had asked him if he would stay on the place, Of course, now that all this has happened, it would be very unpleasant for Ramona to stay here, and see him continually--at least for a time, until she gets over this strange pa.s.sion she seems to have conceived for him. It will not last. Such sudden pa.s.sions never do." The Senora artfully interpolated, "What should you think, Felipe, of having her go back to the Sisters" school for a time? She was very happy there."
The Senora had strained a point too far. Felipe"s self-control suddenly gave way, and as impetuously as he had spoken in the beginning, he spoke again now, nerved by the memory of Ramona"s face and tone as she had cried to him in the garden, "Oh, Felipe, you won"t let her shut me up in the convent, will you?" "Mother!" he cried, "you would never do that.
You would not shut the poor girl up in the convent!"
The Senora raised her eyebrows in astonishment. "Who spoke of shutting up?" she said. "Ramona has already been there at school. She might go again. She is not too old to learn. A change of scene and occupation is the best possible cure for a girl who has a thing of this sort to get over. Can you propose anything better, my son? What would you advise?"
And a third time the Senora paused for an answer.
These pauses and direct questions of the Senora"s were like nothing in life so much as like that stage in a spider"s processes when, withdrawing a little way from a half-entangled victim, which still supposes himself free, it rests from its weaving, and watches the victim flutter. Subtle questions like these, a.s.suming, taking for granted as settled, much which had never been settled at all, were among the best weapons in the Senora"s armory. They rarely failed her.
"Advise!" cried Felipe, excitedly. "Advise! This is what I advise--to let Ramona and Alessandro marry. I can"t help all you say about our obligations. I dare say you"re right; and it"s a cursedly awkward complication for us, anyhow, the way you put it."
"Yes, awkward for you, as the head of our house," interrupted the Senora, sighing. "I don"t quite see how you would face it."
"Well, I don"t propose to face it," continued Felipe, testily. "I don"t propose to have anything to do with it, from first to last. Let her go away with him, if she wants to."
"Without our consent?" said the Senora, gently.
"Yes, without it, if she can"t go with it; and I don"t see, as you have stated it, how we could exactly take any responsibility about marrying her to Alessandro. But for heaven"s sake, mother, let her go! She will go, any way. You haven"t the least idea how she loves Alessandro, or how he loves her. Let her go!"
"Do you really think she would run away with him, if it came to that?"
asked the Senora, earnestly. "Run away and marry him, spite of our refusing to consent to the marriage?"
"I do," said Felipe.
"Then it is your opinion, is it, that the only thing left for us to do, is to wash our hands of it altogether, and leave her free to do what she pleases?"
"That"s just what I do think, mother," replied Felipe, his heart growing lighter at her words. "That"s just what I do think. We can"t prevent it, and it is of no use to try. Do let us tell them they can do as they like."
"Of course, Alessandro must leave us, then," said the Senora. "They could not stay here."
"I don"t see why!" said Felipe, anxiously.
"You will, my son, if you think a moment. Could we possibly give a stronger indors.e.m.e.nt to their marriage than by keeping them here? Don"t you see that would be so?"
Felipe"s eyes fell. "Then I suppose they couldn"t be married here, either," he said.
"What more could we do than that, for a marriage that we heartily approved of, my son?"
"True, mother;" and Felipe clapped his hand to his forehead. "But then we force them to run away!"
"Oh, no." said the Senora, icily. "If they go, they will go of their own accord. We hope they will never do anything so foolish and wrong. If they do, I suppose we shall always be held in a measure responsible for not having prevented it. But if you think it is not wise, or of no use to attempt that, I do not see what there is to be done."
Felipe did not speak. He felt discomfited; felt as if he had betrayed his friend Alessandro, his sister Ramona; as if a strange complication, network of circ.u.mstances, had forced him into a false position; he did not see what more he could ask, what more could be asked, of his mother; he did not see, either, that much less could have been granted to Alessandro and Ramona; he was angry, wearied, perplexed.
The Senora studied his face. "You do not seem satisfied, Felipe dear,"
she said tenderly. "As, indeed, how could you be in this unfortunate state of affairs? But can you think of anything different for us to do?"
"No," said Felipe, bitterly. "I can"t, that"s the worst of it. It is just turning Ramona out of the house, that"s all."
"Felipe! Felipe!" exclaimed the Senora, "how unjust you are to yourself!
You know you would never do that! You know that she has always had a home here as if she were a daughter; and always will have, as long as she wishes it. If she chooses to turn her back on it, and go away, is it our fault? Do not let your pity for this misguided girl blind you to what is just to yourself and to me. Turn Ramona out of the house! You know I promised my sister to bring her up as my own child; and I have always felt that my son would receive the trust from me, when I died.
Ramona has a home under the Moreno roof so long as she will accept it.
It is not just, Felipe, to say that we turn her out;" and tears stood in the Senora"s eyes.
"Forgive me, dear mother," cried the unhappy Felipe. "Forgive me for adding one burden to all you have to bear. Truth is, this miserable business has so distraught my senses, I can"t seem to see anything as it is. Dear mother, it is very hard for you. I wish it were done with."
"Thanks for your precious sympathy, my Felipe," replied the Senora. "If it were not for you, I should long ago have broken down beneath my cares and burdens. But among them all, have been few so grievous as this. I feel myself and our home dishonored. But we must submit. As you say, Felipe, I wish it were done with. It would be as well, perhaps, to send for Ramona at once, and tell her what we have decided. She is no doubt in great anxiety; we will see her here."
Felipe would have greatly preferred to see Ramona alone; but as he knew not how to bring this about he a.s.sented to his mother"s suggestion.
Opening her door, the Senora walked slowly down the pa.s.sage-way, unlocked Ramona"s door, and said: "Ramona, be so good as to come to my room. Felipe and I have something to say to you."
Ramona followed, heavy-hearted. The words, "Felipe and I," boded no good.
"The Senora has made Felipe think just as she does herself," thought Ramona. "Oh, what will become of me!" and she stole a reproachful, imploring look at Felipe. He smiled back in a way which rea.s.sured her; but the rea.s.surance did not last long.
"Senorita Ramona Ortegna," began the Senora. Felipe shivered. He had had no conception that his mother could speak in that way. The words seemed to open a gulf between Ramona and all the rest of the world, so cold and distant they sounded,--as the Senora might speak to an intruding stranger.
"Senorita Ramona Ortegna," she said, "my son and I have been discussing what it is best for us to do in the mortifying and humiliating position in which you place us by your relation with the Indian Alessandro. Of course you know--or you ought to know--that it is utterly impossible for us to give our consent to your making such a marriage; we should be false to a trust, and dishonor our own family name, if we did that."