United States or Jordan ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Inconsolable, sobbing, Rafaela told him what had happened. "Is that all?" interrupted the silversmith. "Say, you're crazy! If he's gone, so much the better. Now he'll leave us in peace, a little while. Damn good thing if he never came back!" Then he demanded supper. "Come, now," he added, "cut out that sniveling! Give me something to eat. I'm in a hurry!" Rafaela began to light the fire.
"What do you mean?" asked Jack in surprise. "That you are an assassin sent by that horrible President Obregon?" Jack was hurt, and showed his feelings. "I told you the truth," he said. "Oh, I want to believe you," cried the girl, twisting her hands. "But father was so positive." Donna Ana sidled close and whispered: "Shall I call your father? It is not too late." That decided Rafaela.
After the crisis which had wrecked her home, Rafaela hardly noticing it, herself had grown stupid, old and of defective memory. The many violent and dramatic shocks she had borne in so short a time had annihilated her mediocre spirit. She suffered no remorse and had no very clear idea as to whether her past conduct had been good or bad.
The Rafaela part of her name was probably added after she was grown up, in honor of the patron of the Parian settlement, San Rafael, just as Domingo, at his marriage, added Antonio in honor of the Chinese.
"And well there may be," I broke in, "for it was here that Rafaela Sal came as a bride, and that Rezánov met Luis Argüello's beautiful sister, Concepcion, and a love story began which may well take place with that of Miles Standish and Priscilla." "Rezánov," he repeated, searching his memory.
Far from getting angry, the engineer loved him all the more for it, as if his strong, rough heart were melting with adoration. One evening Rafaela went down to the station to say good-by to her husband, who was taking out the 7.05 express. In her arms she carried the boy. Pedro, the fireman, looked out of the cab, and made both the mother and son laugh by pulling all sorts of funny faces.
But the elder man shook his head, and Luis turned with lagging steps to tell Rafaela that they must wait another six months. It seemed a long time to the impatient lovers and yet there was much to make the days pass quickly at the Presidio.
By this time the neighbors were beginning to find out from the mail-carrier that the addresses on all the letters coming to Rafaela were written by the same hand and all bore the postmark of Ceuta. This news got about and set things buzzing. The young woman put an end to folks' gossip by very sensibly confessing the truth that Amadeo was in prison there.
He was completely hidden, except in front, where the wicker latticing did not extend. Seating herself calmly in the chair, Rafaela so disposed her skirts that Jack could not be seen. Then she picked up her pen and sat as if just interrupted at her writing. The knocking on the door was repeated, louder this time, and the voice of the Don himself impatiently bade that the door be opened.
Twenty years before, when Señor Tomás had told him of the relations between Rafaela and Manolo, he too had declared: "They say he beats her." What connection might there be between these statements, which seemed to weave a nexus of hate between the son and the dead lover?
Word Of The Day