the devotion of enriquez-第1章

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THE　DEVOTION　OF　ENRIQUEZ





In　another　chronicle　which　dealt　with　the　exploits　of　〃Chu　Chu；〃　a

Californian　mustang；　I　gave　some　space　to　the　accomplishments　of

Enriquez　Saltillo；　who　assisted　me　in　training　her；　and　who　was

also　brother　to　Consuelo　Saitillo；　the　young　lady　to　whom　I　had

freely　given　both　the　mustang　and　my　youthful　affections。　　I

consider　it　a　proof　of　the　superiority　of　masculine　friendship　that

neither　the　subsequent　desertion　of　the　mustang　nor　that　of　the

young　lady　ever　made　the　slightest　difference　to　Enriquez　or　me　in

our　exalted　amity。　　To　a　wondering　doubt　as　to　what　I　ever　could

possibly　have　seen　in　his　sister　to　admire　he　joined　a　tolerant

skepticism　of　the　whole　sex。　　This　he　was　wont　to　express　in　that

marvelous　combination　of　Spanish　precision　and　California　slang　for

which　he　was　justly　famous。　　〃As　to　thees　women　and　their　little

game；〃　he　would　say；　〃believe　me；　my　friend；　your　old　Oncle　'Enry

is　not　in　it。　　No；　he　will　ever　take　a　back　seat　when　lofe　is

around。　　For　why？　　Regard　me　here！　　If　she　is　a　horse；　you　shall

say；　'She　will　buck…jump；'　'She　will　ess…shy；'　'She　will　not

arrive；'　or　'She　will　arrive　too　quick。'　　But　if　it　is　thees　women；

where　are　you？　　For　when　you　shall　say；　'She　will　ess…shy；'　look

you；　she　will　walk　straight；　or　she　will　remain　tranquil　when　you

think　she　buck…jump；　or　else　she　will　arrive　and；　look　you；　you

will　not。　　You　shall　get　left。　　It　is　ever　so。　　My　father　and　the

brother　of　my　father　have　both　make　court　to　my　mother　when　she　was

but　a　senorita。　　My　father　think　she　have　lofe　his　brother　more。

So　he　say　to　her：　'It　is　enofe；　tranquillize　yourself。　　I　will　go。

I　will　efface　myself。　　Adios！　　Shake　hands！　　Ta…ta！　　So　long！　　See

you　again　in　the　fall。'　　And　what　make　my　mother？　　Regard　me！　　She

marry　my　fatheron　the　instant！　　Of　thees　women；　believe　me；

Pancho；　you　shall　know　nothing。　　Not　even　if　they　shall　make　you

the　son　of　your　father　or　his　nephew。〃



I　have　recalled　this　characteristic　speech　to　show　the　general

tendency　of　Enriquez'　convictions　at　the　opening　of　this　little

story。　　It　is　only　fair　to　say；　however；　that　his　usual　attitude

toward　the　sex　he　so　cheerfully　maligned　exhibited　little

apprehension　or　caution　in　dealing　with　them。　　Among　the　frivolous

and　light…minded　intermixture　of　his　race　he　moved　with　great

freedom　and　popularity。　　He　danced　well；　when　we　went　to　fandangos

together　his　agility　and　the　audacity　of　his　figures　always

procured　him　the　prettiest　partners；　his　professed　sentiments；　I

presume；　shielding　him　from　subsequent　jealousies；　heartburnings；

or　envy。　　I　have　a　vivid　recollection　of　him　in　the　mysteries　of

the　SEMICUACUA；　a　somewhat　corybantic　dance　which　left　much　to　the

invention　of　the　performers；　and　very　little　to　the　imagination　of

the　spectator。　　In　one　of　the　figures　a　gaudy　handkerchief；　waved

more　or　less　gracefully　by　dancer　and　danseuse　before　the　dazzled

eyes　of　each　other；　acted　as　love's　signal；　and　was　used　to　express

alternate　admiration　and　indifference；　shyness　and　audacity；　fear

and　transport；　coyness　and　coquetry；　as　the　dance　proceeded。　　I

need　not　say　that　Enriquez'　pantomimic　illustration　of　these

emotions　was　peculiarly　extravagant；　but　it　was　always　performed

and　accepted　with　a　gravity　that　was　an　essential　feature　of　the

dance。　　At　such　times　sighs　would　escape　him　which　were　supposed　to

portray　the　incipient　stages　of　passion；　snorts　of　jealousy　burst

from　him　at　the　suggestion　of　a　rival；　he　was　overtaken　by　a　sort

of　St。　Vitus's　dance　that　expressed　his　timidity　in　making　the

first　advances　of　affection；　the　scorn　of　his　ladylove　struck　him

with　something　like　a　dumb　ague；　and　a　single　gesture　of　invitation

from　her　produced　marked　delirium。　　All　this　was　very　like

Enriquez；　but　on　the　particular　occasion　to　which　I　refer；　I　think

no　one　was　prepared　to　see　him　begin　the　figure　with　the　waving　of

FOUR　handkerchiefs！　　Yet　this　he　did；　pirouetting；　capering；

brandishing　his　silken　signals　like　a　ballerina's　scarf　in　the

languishment　or　fire　of　passion；　until；　in　a　final　figure；　where

the　conquered　and　submitting　fair　one　usually　sinks　into　the　arms

of　her　partner；　need　it　be　said　that　the　ingenious　Enriquez　was

found　in　the　center　of　the　floor　supporting　four　of　the　dancers！

Yet　he　was　by　no　means　unduly　excited　either　by　the　plaudits　of　the

crowd　or　by　his　evident　success　with　the　fair。　　〃Ah；　believe　me；　it

is　nothing；〃　he　said　quietly；　rolling　a　fresh　cigarette　as　he

leaned　against　the　doorway。　　〃Possibly；　I　shall　have　to　offer　the

chocolate　or　the　wine　to　thees　girls；　or　make　to　them　a　promenade

in　the　moonlight　on　the　veranda。　　It　is　ever　so。　　Unless；　my

friend；〃　he　said；　suddenly　turning　toward　me　in　an　excess　of

chivalrous　self…abnegation；　〃unless　you　shall　yourself　take　my

place。　　Behold；　I　gif　them　to　you！　　I　vamos！　　I　vanish！　　I　make

track！　　I　skedaddle！〃　　I　think　he　would　have　carried　his

extravagance　to　the　point　of　summoning　his　four　gypsy　witches　of

partners；　and　committing　them　to　my　care；　if　the　crowd　had　not　at

that　moment　parted　before　the　remaining　dancers；　and　left　one　of

the　onlookers；　a　tall；　slender　girl；　calmly　surveying　them　through

gold…rimmed　eyeglasses　in　complete　critical　absorption。　　I　stared

in　amazement　and　consternation；　for　I　recognized　in　the　fair

stranger　Miss　Urania　Mannersley；　the　Congregational　minister's

niece！



Everybody　knew　Rainie　Mannersley　throughout　the　length　and　breadth

of　the　Encinal。　　She　was　at　once　the　envy　and　the　goad　of　the

daughters　of　those　Southwestern　and　Eastern　immigrants　who　had

settled　in　the　valley。　　She　was　correct；　she　was　critical；　she　was

faultless　and　observant。　　She　was　proper；　yet　independent；　she　was

highly　educated；　she　was　suspected　of　knowing　Latin　and　Greek；　she

even　spelled　correctly！　　She　could　wither　the　plainest　field

nosegay　in　the　hands　of　other　girls　by　giving　the　flowers　their

botanical　names。　　She　never　said　〃Ain't　you？〃　but　〃Aren't　you？〃

She　looked　upon　〃Did　I　which？〃　as　an　incomplete　and　imperfect　form

of　〃What　did　I　do？〃　　She　quoted　from　Browning　and　Tennyson；　and　was

believed　to　have　read　them。　　She　was　from　Boston。　　What　could　she

possibly　be　doing　at　a　free…and…easy　fandango？



Even　if　these　facts　were　not　already　familiar　to　everyone　there；

her　outward　appearance　would　have　attracted　attention。　　Contrasted

with　the　gorgeous　red；　black；　and　yellow　skirts　of　the　dancers；　her

plain；　tightly　fitting　gown　and　hat；　all　of　one　delicate　gray；　were

sufficiently　notable　in　themselves；　even　had　they　not　seemed；　like

the　girl　herself；　a　kind　of　quiet　protest　to　the　glaring　flounces

before　her。　　Her　small；　straight　waist　and　flat　back　brought　into

greater　relief　the　corsetless；　waistless；　swaying　figures　of　the

Mexican　girls；　and　her　long；　slim；　well…booted　feet；　peeping　from

the　stiff；　white　edges　of　her　short　skirt；　made　their　broad；　low…

quartered　slippers；　held　on　by　the　big　toe；　appear　more

preposterous　than　ever。　　Suddenly　she　seemed　to　realize　that　she

was　standing　there　alone；　but　without　fear　or　embarrassment。　　She

drew　back　a　little；　glancing　carelessly　behind　her　as　if　missing

some　previous　companion；　and　then　her　eyes　fell　upon　mine。　　She

smiled　an　easy　recognition；　then　a　moment　later；　her　glance　rested

more　curiously　upon　Enriquez；　who　was　still　by　my　side。　　I

disengaged　myself　and　instantly　joined　her；　particularly　as　I

noticed　that　a　few　of　the　other　bystanders　were　beginning　to　stare

at　her　with　little　reserve。



〃Isn't　it　the　most　extraordinary　thing　you　ever　saw？〃　she　said

quietly。　　Then；　presently　noticing　the　look　of　embarrassment　on　my

face；　she　went　on；　more　by　way　of　conversation　than　of　explanation：



〃I　just　left　uncle　making　a　call　on　a　parishioner　next　door；　and

was　going　home　with　Jocasta　（a　peon　servant　of　her　uncle's）；　when　I

heard　the　music；　and　dropped　in。　　I　don't　know　what　has　become　of

her；〃　she　added；　glancing　round　the　room　again；　〃she　seemed

perfectly　wild　when　she　saw　that　creature　over　there　bounding　about

with　his　handkerchiefs。　　You　were　speaking　to　him　just　now。　　Do

tell　meis　he　real？〃



〃I　should　think　there　was　little　doubt　of　that；〃　I　said　with　a

vague　laugh。



〃You　know　what　I　mean；〃　she　said　simply。　　〃Is　he　quite　sane？　　Does

he　do　that　because　he　likes　it；　or　is　he　paid　for　it？〃



This　was　too　much。　　I　pointed　out　somewhat　hurriedly　that　he　was　a

scion　of　one　of　the　oldest　Castilian　families；　that　the　performance

was　a　national　gypsy　dance　which　he　had　joined　in　as　a　patriot　and

a　patron；　and　that　he　was　my　dearest　friend。　　At　the　same　time　I

was　conscious　that　I　wished　she　hadn't　seen　his　last　performance。



〃You　don't　mean　to　say　that　all　that　he　did　was　in　the　dance？〃　she

said。　　〃I　don't　believe　it。　　It　was　only　like　him。〃　　As　I　hesitated

over　this　palpable　truth；　she　went　on：　〃I　do　wish　he'd　do　it　again。

Don't　you　think　you　could　make　him？〃



〃Perhaps　he　might　if　YOU　asked　him；〃　I　said　a　little　maliciously。



〃Of　course　I　shouldn't　do　that；〃　she　returned　quietly。　　〃All　the

same；　I　do　believe　he　is　really　going　to　do　itor　something　else。

Do　look！〃



I　looked；　and　to　my　horror　saw　that　Enriquez；　possibly　incited　by

the　delicate　gold　eyeglasses　of　Miss　Mannersley；　had　divested

himself　of　his　coat；　and　was　winding　the　four　handkerchiefs；　tied

together；　picturesquely　around　his　waist；　preparatory　to　some　new

performance。　　I　tried　furtively　to　give　him　a　warning　look；　but　in

vain。



〃Isn't　he　really　too　absurd　for　anything？〃　said　Miss　Mannersley；

yet　with　a　certain　comfortable　anticipation　in　her　voice。　　〃You

know；　I　never　saw　anything　like　this　before。　　I　wouldn't　have

believed　such　a　creature　could　have　existed。〃



Even　had　I　succeeded　in　warning　him；　I　doubt　if　it　would　have　been

of　any　avail。　　For；　seizing　a　guitar　from　one　of　the　musicians；　he

struck　a　few　chords；　and　suddenly　began　to　zigzag　into　the　center

of　the　floor；　swaying　his　body　languishingly　from　side　to　side　in

time　with　the　music　and　the　pitch　of　a　thin　Spanish　tenor。　　It　was

a　gypsy　love　song。　　Possibly　Miss　Mannersley's　lingual

accomplishments　did　not　include　a　knowledge　of　Castilian；　but　she

could　not　fail　to　see　that　the　gestures　and　illustrative　pantomime

were　addressed　to　her。　　Passionately　assuring　her　that　she　was　the

most　favored　daughter　of　the　Virgin；　that　her　eyes　were　like　votive

tapers；　and　yet　in　the　same　breath　accusing　her　of　being　a

〃brigand〃　and　〃assassin〃　in　her　attitude　toward　〃his　heart；〃　he

balanced　with　quivering　timidity　toward　her；　threw　an　imaginary

cloak　in　front　of　her　neat　boots　as　a　carpet　for　her　to　tread　on；

and　with　a　final　astonishing　pirouette　and　a　languishing　twang　of

his　guitar；　sank　on　one　knee；　and　blew；　with　a　rose；　a　kiss　at　her

feet。



If　I　had　been　seriously　angry　with　him　before　for　his　grotesque

extravagance；　I　could　hav