"My son," she said, "thou hast taken my carca.s.s for the common clay of these parts. I cannot blame thee, but had I the water to wash this cursed dust from my face and hands, I would show thee a skin that was stained at birth with the olive and veins whose blood flows unmixed through generations without end. These wrinkled feet have flattened the face of the earth bit by bit. Bear witness those who left me here behind to die! My eyes have looked upon things seen and unseen. I am old. To youth is given folly; to the old, wisdom. To-night my wisdom shall suckle thy folly, for the heavens have shown me a sign."
Lewis stared at the old woman with wondering eyes. He had never seen a Gipsy. What was she? he asked himself. No native. The native"s mind was keen with knowledge of horses, cattle, and goats, but stolid, almost stupid, when it came to words and thoughts. There was an exception--the mad. The mad prattled and sometimes said extraordinary things. Perhaps this woman was mad. He turned half toward her.
"Look up," she commanded. "Dost thou see no sign?"
Lewis lay on his back and gazed into the sky. "I see the moon and the stars, Auntie--a young moon and very old stars--but no sign. Not even a cloud to remind the world of rain."
The old woman leaned forward and touched his arm. He started.
"Look over there!" She pointed to the west and south. "See how the young moon is held within the claws of Scorpion. His back is arched across the quarter. His tail points to the south. The Cross that some call Holy hangs like a pendent upon its tip. Look up. Upon his arched back he bears the circlet--the seven worlds of women."
"I see the Scorpion, Auntie," said Lewis, humoring her. "I see the circlet too, but it is far above his back. It is like a crown. Read me the sign of the seven worlds of women."
Lewis propped his head on one elbow. Before him squatted the old woman.
Her hands were locked about her legs. Her chin rested on her knees. Her beady eyes shone like two black stars.
"And shall I not read thee a sign?" she continued, swaying from side to side. "Child of love art thou. At thy birth was thy mother rent asunder, for thou wert conceived too near the heart. Thy path through the world is blazed as one blazes a path in the forest. He who is at thy side is before thee and after thee. Thou travelest in darkness, but thou art cursed and blessed with the gift of sight. The worlds of women are seven: spirit, weed, flower, the blind, the visioned, libertine, and saint. None of these is for thee. For each child of love there is a woman that holds the seven worlds within a single breast. Hold fast to thy birthright, even though thou journey with thy back unto the light. I have spoken."
A long silence fell upon the sand-dune. Lewis felt held, oppressed. He was tired. He wished to sleep, but the woman"s words rang in his brain like shouts echoing in an empty hall.
Presently came sounds from the mud hut beyond the thorn-thicket. Men were calling. There was the patter and sc.r.a.pe of mules" hoofs, the whistle of those that urged them on. Lewis and the old hag hurried down.
The guide, the muleteers, and the stranger were having a wordy struggle.
"Hallo," said the stranger, "where have you been? What are they trying to say? I need you even in my sleep."
"They say," said Lewis, "that there is no help for it; we must push on to the river now. The mules must have water."
"Right you are," said the stranger. He pointed to one heavily laden mule. "We don"t need those provisions. Give them to Old Immortality.
They"ll last her a hundred years."
CHAPTER XIII
They arrived in Petrolina at dawn. Before them swept the vast river.
Beyond it could be seen the dazzling walls and restful, brown-tiled roofs of Joazeiro. The distant whistle of a shunting locomotive jarred on the morning stillness.
For the first time Lewis saw the stranger in action. Off came the loads.
They were sorted rapidly. Tent, outfit, and baggage were piled into one of the ponderous ferry-canoes that lined the sh.o.r.e. All that was left was handed over to the guide for equal division among the men.
"Now," cried the stranger, "there"s always a marketplace. Tell them to take this worn-out bunch along and find the cattle corner." He waved at the ponies and mules.
The market was in full swing. Rubber, goatskins, hides, and orchids from the interior; grain, tobacco, sugar, and rum from the river valley, met, mingled, and pa.s.sed at this crossways of commerce. The stranger stood beside his mules. The dome of his pith helmet rose above the average level of heads. People gazed upon it in mild wonder, and began to crowd around.
"Now," said the stranger, poking Lewis"s thin pony in the ribs, "offer this jack-rabbit for sale, cash and delivery on the minute."
"Offer my--my pony----" stammered Lewis.
The stranger eyed him grimly.
"_Your_ pony?"
Suddenly Lewis remembered. He threw up his head and called out as he was bidden. People nudged one another, but no man spoke. Then a wag on the outskirts of the crowd shouted:
"I"ll give thee a penny for what"s left of that horse, brother."
There was a ripple of laughter. Lewis colored, and his eyes grew moist.
"He says he will give a penny," he said.
"A penny?" said the stranger, gravely. "Take it. Cash, mind you. Cash on delivery."
The sale was made amid general consternation. As the dazed wag led his purchase away, he trembled as though from a first stroke of paralysis.
The marketplace began to buzz, to hum, and then to shout, "A stranger sells horses for a penny, cash on delivery!" They laughed and crowded nearer. Merchants forgot their dignity, and came running from the streets of the town.
"Now, boy, this one," said the stranger, poking a mule; "but be careful.
Be careful to wait for the highest bid."
The stranger"s warning came just in time. No sooner had Lewis called the mule for sale than bids rained on him from every side. One after the other, in rapid succession, the animals were sold; but no more went for a penny.
His pockets stuffed with notes and silver, the stranger pushed his way through the crowd, suddenly grown silent. On the way to the river he paid off his men. He climbed into the canoe, and Lewis followed. The boatmen shoved off.
The wag, leading Lewis"s pony, had followed them to the river-bank.
"Show me thy hoof, partner," he shouted, laughing, to the stranger.
"Thou shouldst deal in souls, not in horses. I would I had shaken thy hand. G.o.d go with thee!"
The stranger calmly counted his money.
"Boy," he said, "I have just given you a five-year life in five minutes.
Write this down in your mind. In high finance he who knows figures starves on two dollars a day; success comes to him who knows men."
During the long hours in the dirty train that jerked them toward the coat and civilization the stranger began to grow nervous. Lewis looked up more than once to find himself the object of a troubled gaze. They were the only pa.s.sengers. There were moments when the road-bed permitted s.n.a.t.c.hes of conversation, but it was during a long stop on a side-track that the stranger unburdened himself.
"Boy," he said, "the time is coming when I must tell you my name."
"I know your name," said Lewis.
"What!" cried the stranger.
"I know your name," repeated Lewis; "it is Leighton."
"How? How do you know?" The stranger was frowning.
"No," said Lewis, quietly; "I haven"t been looking through your things.
One day my--my foster-father and my foster-mother were talking. They did not know I was near. I didn"t realize they were talking about me until mammy spoke up. Mammy is--well, you know, she"s just a mammy----"