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The bridegroom, a sensible-looking young Englishman, was somewhat nervous, but Francisca might have been married every morning at eight o'clock. Behind them stood Don Roberto in a new suit of English broadcloth, and Doña Jacoba in heavy lilac silk, half covered with priceless lace. The six bridesmaids looked like a huge bouquet, in their wide delicately coloured skirts.
The Senora had always fretted and scolded a little when he thus exposed his life. But the storming of the Alamo! That was a bravery she could understand. Her Roberto was indeed a hero! Though she could not bring herself to approve the cause for which he fought, she was as sensitive as men and women always are to victorious valor and a successful cause. Rachela was in a state of rebellion.
A sea-faring man stands before him. It is Roberto the Rover, disguised as a common sailor. "So," said the King, "thou wouldst have audience with me!" "Aye aye, yer 'onor," said the sailor, "just tip us yer grapplin irons and pipe all hands on deck. Reef home yer jib poop and splice yer main topsuls. Man the jibboom and let fly yer top-gallunts.
"Here's Tim and Joe Bascom coming," said Uncle Jabez, who was facing the store. Instantly Roberto, as he called himself, jerked his hand from Ruth's grasp. He had seen the men coming, too, and without a word he turned and fled back into the woods. "Why why " began Ruth, in utter surprise.
It pleased Roberto to regard her as a victim of barbarian insolence, an embodiment of his country desecrated by the desire of the enemy; but though, like any handsome penniless girl, Faustina had now and then been exposed to a free look or a familiar word, I doubt if she connected such incidents with the political condition of Italy.
Her eyes returned our images like polished agate, but conveyed to her no sense of our presence. Marianna led her to a seat, and she crossed her hands and nailed her dull gaze on Roberto. I looked from one to another, and in that spectral light it seemed to me that we were all souls come to judgment and naked to each other as to God. As to my own wrongdoing, it weighed on me no more than dust.
Roberto and Fanny conversed in English. "That fellow we made get up," said Leandro, "is the bully of this place." "What's his name?" asked Fanny. "El Valencia." The man they were speaking about, hearing his sobriquet mentioned, turned around and eyed Leandro; for a moment their glances crossed defiantly; Valencia turned his eyes away and continued playing.
"Isn't it Tabuenca that lives there, father?" interrupted Encarna. "That's the fellow. That's it. El Tabuenca. You go and see him. And tell him," added Senor Zurro, turning to Roberto, "that I sent you. He's a grouchy old fellow, as testy as they make 'em." Roberto took leave of the second-hand man and his daughter, and in company of Manuel walked out to the gallery of the house.
General Houston is coming to dinner." "That is understood. When I spoke last to him, I was a woman broken-hearted. To-night I will thank him for all that he has done. Ah, Roberto!
Though I was not in his confidence I knew well enough where his thoughts were, for he went among us with the eye of a lover, the visionary look of one who hears a Voice. We all heard that Voice, to be sure, mingling faintly with the other noises of life; but to Roberto it was already as the roar of mighty waters, drowning every other sound with its thunder.
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