I stilled my conscience with the argument that if I, the spy, should devote my whole effort to a personal affair, it would tend to divert attention from the splendid work of Pike. Every day saw important additions to his notes and , and he had already hit upon the ingenious plan of securing the notes in tight rolls inside waxed wrappings and packing them down into the barrel of one of the of the men, who were quartered in the same building as ourselves. As the gun's was of course kept plugged with its tampion, there was no danger of discovery, and with five more barrels to fill, we felt that whenever the Governor-General chose to release the and his men, they would be able to march out of the territories of His Most Catholic fairly loaded with information against the .
So, casting aside every thought of duty, I allowed my mind to dwell constantly upon my wooing, and, as it may appear, was more concerned over our visit to the tailor than to the magnificent hospital in the old Jesuit on the west side of Chihuahua. That institution of healing was finely and furnished. But when I ventured to suggest an improvement upon some of the and barbarous methods of treatment, I met with such a heat of jealous prejudice from the clerical physicians that I was forced to silence.
Returning to the , we were agreeably surprised to find our little French tailor most modern not only in his knowledge of the modes but also in the quickness of his work. He and his assistants had already completed our suits. As the following day was a Sunday, it was particularly gratifying to find ourselves becomingly costumed for genteel society.
Pike and our host slept late in the morning, but I had given old Cæsar orders to rouse me early. Donning my new garments, I slipped out and hastened across the plaza toward the Parroquia. The bell was already intoning for mass, and I passed numbers of rebozo-shrouded women streaming churchward. With my Anglo-American eyes and I suppose I presented rather a striking figure among these people, who are so very rarely other than brunette,—though it may be I attracted more attention because of the fact that few other men had sallied out so early to attend mass.
Whatever the cause, I received enough smiles and glances from pretty señoritas and, I fear, señoras, to have quite turned my head, had I not been far too intent upon the hope of seeing my lady to these charming coquettes. What I did heed, however, was the fact that the prettier the girl, the more jealously guarded was she by a keen-eyed duenna. What hope had I of a word apart with Alisanda if she came in company with Doña Marguerite?
Between the thought of this and the need to scan the scores of approaching ladies, I was not in a favorable frame of mind to appreciate the and beauty of the Parroquia. Yet so splendid were the two pillared towers, which reared against the sky a full hundred feet above the front corners of the high , and so ornate was the white stone façade with its and numerous statues of saints, that even my brief and glances brought me a strong consciousness of the church's magnificence. I even looked twice at the carvings of the great round-arched entrance, so different in design from the style of our Gothic ecclesiastical architecture.
That was as far as my observations went at the time, for as I again glanced out, I saw approaching among the of Moorishly draped figures one so tall and that I knew her on the instant. I sprang from the entrance to meet her, but checked myself at the thought that it would be as well first to see who it was that accompanied her.
Alisanda wore her black lace mantilla, her companion a rebozo of finest silk, and both walked with heads bowed. Yet I needed no second glance to feel assured that the duenna had not so portly a figure as that of Señora Vallois. If not Doña Marguerite, who then?
I was not long kept waiting for my answer. with my stiff hat in hand, I looked eagerly for a sign of recognition from my lady. She did not so much as raise her head. But her companion straightened a little and parted a fold of her rebozo to on me the flash of a sparkling eye. It was hardly the glance of an instant, yet it left me pleased and wondering why I had not at once recognized that plump, petite figure. The duenna I had so feared was none other than the wife of my friend Malgares, Doña Dolores. What was more, her look gave me the impression that she knew all, and, with the national love of , if not because of friendship for Alisanda, would aid us in our plans.
Vastly relieved at this discovery, I followed them at a respectful distance into the lofty interior of the Parroquia. As my eyes were upon my lady, that I might not lose her in the throng which moved up the centre of the stone-flagged , I gathered at first only the vaguest of impressions with regard to the church's interior. But when she and Doña Dolores knelt upon the hard flagstones, in the midst of the peon women and the beggars, I could not resist the impulse to look up and around.
At once, in place of the vague impression of magnificence, there burst upon my vision a glory of ornamentation almost dazzling. In all the Republic we have no church or other edifice to approach the Parroquia of Chihuahua in richness and of ornamentation. The windows were filled with pictures of saints and angels in stained glass, which cast over all a rich coloring well in keeping with the gold-and-silver-bedecked altar, the screens and railings, the silver candelabra, and the brightly colored and images and pictures and crucifixes on the walls.
Add to this splendor of decoration the rich vestments of the officiating priests, the and wax , and the solemn service of music and prayer,—and the effect was one to impress the most frivolous of believers in the Romish faith.
Yet as I stood beside one of the carved pillars and watched the bendings and prayers of Alisanda, I could not but compare her real worship with the formal movements and parrot-like invocations of those about her. Her religion was of the heart; theirs outward display. So at least I from the manner in which, between times, they whispered and at dulces, and stared about at one another. Of course Alisanda and her friend were not alone in their real devotion, but I speak of the crowd.
I followed the service as closely as the different accenting and pronunciation of the Latin by Spanish tongues permitted. In justice to Alisanda, it was my duty to learn all I could with regard to her religion. I felt an added interest from the fact that the foremost of the priests was none other than Father Rocus.
Yet the closing of the ceremonies came as a vast relief to me. When for the last time the congregation crossed themselves and rose to leave, I leaned against my pillar and watched them pass out with as idle and careless a gaze as I could assume. All the time I kept the mantilla upon Alisanda's bowed head within the of my circle of vision. But I was certain she never once cast a glance in my direction, nor did Doña Dolores.
Untrained as I was in the intricacies of Spanish courtship, I might have been discouraged had I not observed that in their advance toward the exit the two were drifting, so to speak, sideways. This brought them angling through the crowd toward my pillar. Señora Malgares was on the nearer side, and I fancied it was her purpose to speak to me. Instead, they both swept by without so much as a glance.
Only, as she passed, the señora raised an arm beneath her rebozo as though to adjust its folds, and the fringed edge swept over my hat, which I was holding at my . A slight at its brim induced me to look down, after a moment's wait. Within the hat's crown lay a of paper upon which was written, in French, the single word, "Follow."
My height and dress, and the fact that I was one of the Americanos about whom the city was so curious, made me a marked man in the crowd. But if any among the hundreds of interested eyes that followed my movements had for owners some who suspected the purpose of my visit to the church, I flatter myself the sharpest were unable to distinguish which one of the ladies it was I followed into the open. To divert attention I glanced about at the peeping señoritas with interest, until one angel-faced little coquette who could not yet have seen her sixteenth springtime fairly stared me out of .
Once in the plaza, I had more room to man[oe]uvre, and started off at an angle to the course taken by Alisanda and her friend. To my I was at once surrounded by a crowd of filthy leprosos, who exposed their sores and dolefully for alms. I flung them the few I chanced to have with me, but that served only to the edge of their begging. Suddenly I remembered that Don Pedro had given me the Spanish method for relieving oneself from these caballeros de Dios.
"Gentlemen," I addressed them in my best Spanish, "for God's sake, excuse me this time."
Even a few drops of Spanish blood carries with it of ceremonious courtesy. My words and the bow with which I accompanied them acted like magic upon the clamoring . All alike bowed in response, with a great flourishing of , tattered sombreros, and all alike stepped politely aside for me to pass.
The delay had given Alisanda and Doña Dolores several yards' start of me, but they were now sauntering so slowly that nearly all the members of the congregation who had turned in the same direction had gone by them. I followed several paces behind the last , group. As they passed Doña Dolores she dropped her rosary. This I judged was intended as a signal for me to join them. I picked up the string of polished , and hastened forward beside their owner.
"Pardon me, madame," I said in French, holding out the rosary, "you dropped your necklace."
"Santisima Virgen!" she exclaimed in mock surprise. "They are indeed my beads. Maria purisima! it is Señor Robinson! How fortunate that you should have chanced to find them for me, señor!"
I gave no heed to this mischievous raillery, for I was gazing across into the tender eyes of Alisanda. I started to go around beside her.
"Nada!" forbade Doña Dolores. "Not so fast, señor. I am the duenna, and I have very sharp eyes. So also have others who are walking in the plaza. You have chanced to find my beads, and are escorting me to the house of Señor Vallois, where your friend, my husband, is to join me at breakfast. Please do not forget that you are escorting me. If you choose to pay compliments to my companion, and I am too deaf to hear anything that is said, who can blame me? Besides, you know I do not understand English."
"Señora, you are an angel!" I exclaimed.
"Santa Maria! but that is the truth," she mocked. "Yet do not tell it to me when she is in hearing."
"Dolores! Is this a time for jests?" murmured Alisanda. The señora fell to counting her beads, with the most of expressions. My lady addressed me in English: "Dolores knows all, Juan. But it will be easier for you to talk in English, and she will not have to strain her conscience when she next goes to . Juan, it was rash to force this meeting."
"Forgive me, dearest one! But I could wait no longer. The interruption of our last meeting—"
"Santa Virgen! that terrible aide! I was stricken dumb with terror when he lunged at you—from the rear! The coward!"
"You saw it?"
"All! all! Juan, dear friend, you must guard yourself—you must be careful! That Andalusian! I heard all you said—how you spared him, that I might escape the scandal of a beneath my window. Has he challenged you?"
"Not yet."
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CHAPTER XXIV THE SERENADE
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