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On the 17th they set out in the usual line of march, a line which it was hard work for Robert to keep, his ardor constantly compelled him to get ahead of the MADRINA, to the great despair of his mule. Nothing but a sharp recall from Glenarvan kept the boy in proper order. The country now became more diversified, and the rising ground indicated their approach to a mountainous district.
It is nearly impossible to lose an old mule; for if detained for several hours by force, she will, by the power of smell, like a dog, track out her companions, or rather the madrina, for, according to the muleteer, she is the chief object of affection. The feeling, however, is not of an individual nature; for I believe I am right in saying that any animal with a bell will serve as a madrina.
"Oh, Pauline puts my shoes on for me," explained Arnold. "She dresses and undresses me." Judith stopped and looked up at him. "Who's Pauline?" she asked, disapproving astonishment in her accent. "Madrina's maid." Judith pursued him further with her little black look of scorn. "Who's Madrina?"
My companions were Mariano Gonzales, who had formerly accompanied me in Chile, and an "arriero," with his ten mules and a "madrina." The affection of these animals for their madrinas saves infinite trouble.
With repeated blessings the young girl left their presence, every day advancing nearer to her spiritual bridal. At last the day came. Early in the morning the madrina arrived at the convent with her two little girls of six and eight years old dressed in white as bridesmaids, or, as the Italian term angiolini has it, little angels.
I I heard her crying afterwards as she went away. Seemed to me I could hear her crying all the way out here." "Did she go away?" asked Judith, trying to make something coherent out of the story. Arnold nodded. "You bet she did. Madrina turned her right out and old Rollins too." "Was he there? What was the matter anyhow?" Judith persisted.
Her only sister had for some years been a nun of a strictly enclosed order, and Mademoiselle G , having chosen as her madrina an English Catholic lady who had been enabled to show her some kindness while still in the world, went to bid farewell to this elder sister. The meeting was very affecting: the sisters could not see each other face to face a thick grating separated them.
Arnold opened his eyes and turned them on her. She saw again, as she had so many times, the honesty of them. They were bloodshot, yellowed, set deep in dark hollows; but it was a good gaze they gave. "Oh, don't take poor old Saunders too seriously. He went all to pieces in the end. He had a lot to say about Madrina, I suppose. I shouldn't pay much attention to it.
Bad business! He's in love with Madrina, you know, and has to drown his sorrows some way." Even Judith, for all her Sioux desire to avoid seeming surprised or impressed, could not restrain a rather startled look at this lordly knowledge of the world. Sylvia, although she had scarcely taken in the significance of Arnold's words, dropped her eyes and blushed.
It is the usual thing for every man in the Banda Oriental to have one mare, called madrina, in his tropilla, or herd of geldings; the madrina always carries a bell attached to her neck, and at night her forefeet are usually hobbled to prevent her wandering far from home; for the horses are always very much attached to her and will not leave her.
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