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But when he heard the soft Spanish syllables in which Ramona spoke to Alessandro, and Alessandro, translating her words to him, said, "Majel speaks only in the Spanish tongue, but she will learn ours," a look of disquiet passed over his countenance. His heart feared for Alessandro, and he said, "Is she, then, not Indian? Whence got she the name of Majel?"
To his slower temperament and saddened nature they seemed preternatural; as if she were all of a sudden changed into a bird, or some gay creature outside the pale of human life, outside and above it. "You speak as the birds sing, my Majella," he said slowly. "It was well to name you Majel; only the wood-dove has not joy in her voice, as you have. She says only that she loves and waits."
"The first time I saw it, Majella, I believe the saints led me there, I said, it is a hiding-place. And then I never thought I would be in want of such, of a place to keep my Majella safe! safe! Oh, my Majel!" And he clasped her to his breast with a terrifying passion. For an Indian to sell a horse and wagon in the San Jacinto valley was not an easy thing, unless he would give them away.
"Because it was to be that you should call me Majella," said Ramona. "Remember, I am Ramona no longer. That also was the name the Senora called me by and dear Felipe too," she added thoughtfully. "He would not know me by my new name. I would like to have him always call me Ramona. But for all the rest of the world I am Majella, now, Alessandro's Majel!"
His countenance cleared as Ramona replied gleefully, "I think it will be very comfortable, and I shall feel as if we were all doves together in the dove-cote!" "Majel!" exclaimed Alessandro; and that was all he said. Only a few rods off stood the little chapel; in front of it swung on a cross-bar from two slanting posts an old bronze bell which had once belonged to the San Diego Mission.
"The saints forbid I should speak to you in the words of that woman!" "Can't you say Ramona?" she asked. Alessandro hesitated. He could not have told why it seemed to him difficult to say Ramona. "What was that other name, you said you always thought of me by?" she continued. "The Indian name, the name of the dove?" "Majel," he said.
"Majel is my name, then," said Ramona, "is it? It is a sweet sound, but I would like it better Majella. Call me Majella." "That will be good," replied Alessandro, "for the reason that never before had any one the same name. It will not be hard for me to say Majella. I know not why your name of Ramona has always been hard to my tongue."
"No, my sweet Majel," he exclaimed, turning to her, and flinging his arms round her and the child together, drawing them so close to his breast that the embrace hurt, "no, I am not mad; but I think I shall soon be! What is that gold? The price of this house, Majel, and of the fields, of all that was ours in San Pasquale! To-morrow we will go out into the world again.
"I think it would make me a murderer to stand in that graveyard! If I had not you, my Majel, I should kill some white man when I came out. Oh, do not speak of it!" he added, after a moment's silence; "it takes the strength all out of my blood again, Majella. It feels as if I should die!"
"Oh, Alessandro," sobbed Ramona, "what shall we do!" Then in another second, gathering her courage, she exclaimed, "Alessandro, I know what I will do. I will stay in the graveyard. No one will come there. Shall I not be safest there?" "Holy Virgin! would my Majel stay there?" exclaimed Alessandro. "Why not?" she said. "It is not the dead that will harm us. They would all help us if they could.
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