remember the alamo-第22章

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not　suffer　Antonia　to　approach　her。　　She　felt　that　now　was　the
hour　of　her　supreme　trial。　　She　had　tolerated　the　rebellion　of
her　husband；　and　her　sons；　and　her　daughter；　and　now　she　was
justly　punished。　　They　had　driven　away　from　her　the　confessor；
and　the　maid　who　had　been　her　counsellor　and　her　reliance　from
her　girlhood。

Her　grief　and　terror　were　genuine；　and　therefore　pitiful；　and；
in　spite　of　his　annoyance；　the　doctor　recognized　the　fact。　　In
a　moment；　as　soon　as　they　were　alone；　he　put　aside　his　anger。　
He　knelt　beside　her；　he　soothed　her　with　tender　words；　he
pleaded　the　justice　of　his　indignation。　　And　ere　long　she
began　to　listen　to　his　excuses；　and　to　complain　to　him：

He　had　been　born　a　heretic；　and　therefore　might　be　excused　a
little；　even　by　Almighty　God。　　But　Antonia！　　Her　sin　was
beyond　endurance。　　She　herself；　and　the　good　Sisters；　and　Fray
Ignatius；　had　all　taught　her　in　her　infancy　the　true　religion。　
And　her　Roberto　must　see　that　this　was　a　holy　wara　war　for
the　Holy　Catholic　Church。　　No　wonder　Fray　Ignatius　was　angry。

〃My　dear　Maria；　every　church　thinks　itself　right；　and　all
other　churches　wrong。　　God　looks　at　the　heart。　　If　it　is
right；　it　makes　all　worship　true。　　But　when　the　Americans　have
won　Texas；　they　will　give　to　every　one　freedom　to　worship　God
as　they　wish。〃

〃Saints　in　heaven；　Roberto！　　That　day　comes　not。　　One　victory！　
Bah！　　That　is　an　accident。　　The　Mexicans　are　a　very　brave
people；the　bravest　in　the　world。　　Did　they　not　drive　the
Spaniards　out　of　their　country；　and　it　is　not　to　be
contradicted　that　the　Spaniards　have　conquered　all　other
nations。　　That　I　saw　in　a　book。　　The　insult　the　Americans
have　given　to　Mexico　will　be　revenged。　　Her　honor　has
been　compromised　before　the　world。　　Very　well；　it　will　be　made
bright　again；　yes；　Fray　Ignatius　says　with　blood　and　fire　it
will　be　made　bright。〃

〃And　in　the　mean　time；　Maria；　we　have　taken　from　them　the　city
they　love　best　of　all。　　An　hour　ago　I　saw；　General　Cos；　with
eleven　hundred　Mexican　soldiers；　pass　before　a　little　band　of
less　than　two　hundred　Americans　and　lay　down　their　arms。　
These　defenders　of　the　Alamo　had　all　been　blessed　by　the
priests。　　Their　banners　had　been　anointed　with　holy　oil　and
holy　water。　　They　had　all　received　absolution　everyday　before
the　fight　began；　they　had　been　promised　a　free　passage　through
purgatory　and　a　triumphant　entry　into　heaven。〃

〃Well；　I　will　tell　you　something；　Fray　Ignatius　showed　it　to
meit　was　a　paper　printed。　　The　rebels　and　their　wives　and
children　are　to　be　sent　from　this　earthyou　may　know　where
they　will　all　go；　RobertoCongress　says　so。　　The　States　will
give　their　treasures。　　The　archbishops　will　give　the　episcopal
treasures。　　The　convents　will　give　their　gems　and　gold
ornaments。　　Ten　thousand　men　had　left　for　San　Antonio；
and　ten　thousand　more　are　to　follow；　the　whole　under　our　great
President　Santa　Anna。　　Oh；　yes！　　The　rebels　in　Washington　are
to　be　punished　also。　　It　is　well　known　that　they　sent　soldiers
to　Nacogdoches。　　Mexicans　are　not　blind　moles；　and　they　have
their　intelligence；　you　know。　　All　the　States　who　have　helped
these　outrageous　ingrates　are　to　be　devastated；　and　you　will
see　that　your　famous　Washington　will　be　turned　into　a　heap　of
stories。　　I　have　seen　these　words　in　print；　Roberto。　　I　assure
you；　that　it　is　not　just　a　little　breathwhat　one　or　another
saysit　is　the　printed　orders　of　the　Mexican　government。　
That　is　something　these　Americans　will　have　to　pay　attention
to。〃

The　doctor　sighed；　and　answered　the　sorrowful；　credulous　woman
with　a　kiss。　　What　was　the　use　of　reasoning　with　simplicity　so
ignorant　and　so　confident？　　He　turned　the　conversation　to　a
subject　that　always　roused　her　best　and　kindest　feelingsher
son　Jack。

〃I　have　just　seen　young　Dewees；　Maria。　　He　and　Jack　left　San
Felipe　together。　　Dewees　brought　instructions　to　General
Burleson；　and　Jack　carried　others　to　Fannin；　at　Goliad。〃

She　took　her　husband's　hands　and　kissed　them。　　〃That　indeed！　
Oh；　Roberto！　　If　I　could　only　see　my　Jack　once　more！　　I　have
had　a　constant　accusation　to　bear　about　him。　　Till　I　kiss　my
boy　again；　the　world　will　be　all　dark　before　my　face。　　If　Our
Lady　will　grant　me　this　miraculous　favor；　I　will　always
afterwards　be　exceedingly　religious。　　I　will　give　all　my
desires　to　the　other　world。〃

〃Dearest　Maria；　God　did　not　put　us　in　this　world　to　be　always
desiring　another。　　There　is　no　need；　mi　queridita；　to　give　up
this　life　as　a　bad　affair。　　We　shall　be　very　happy　again；
soon。

〃As　you　say。　　If　I　could　only　see　Jack！　　For　that；　I　would
promise　God　Almighty　and　you　Roberto　to　be　happy。　　I　would
forgive　the　rebels　and　the　hereticsfor　they　are　well
acquainted　with　hell　road；　and　will　guide　each　other　there
without　my　wish。〃

〃I　am　sure　if　Jack　has　one　day　he　will　come　to　you。　　And　when
he　hears　of　the　surrender　of　General　Cos〃

〃Well　now；　it　was　God's　will　that　General　Cos　should
surrender。　　What　more　can　be　said？　　It　is　sufficient。〃

〃Let　me　call　Antonia。　　She　is　miserable　at　your　displeasure；
and　it　is　not　Antonia's　fault。〃

〃Pardon　me；　Roberto。　　I　have　seen　Antonia。　　She　is　not
agreeable　and　obedient　to　Fray　Ignatius。〃

〃She　has　been　very　wickedly　used　by　him；　and　I　fear　he　intends
to　do　her　evil。〃

〃It　is　not　convenient　to　discuss　the　subject　now。　　I　will　see
Isabel；　she　is　a　good　childmy　only　comfort。　　Paciencia！
there　is　Luis　Alveda　singing；　Isabel　will　now　be　deaf　to　all
else〃；　and　she　rose　with　a　sigh　and　walked　towards　the
casement　looking　into　the　garden。

Luis　was　coming　up　the　oleander　walk。　　The　pretty　trees　were
thinner　now；　and　had　only　a　pink　blossom　here　and　there。　　But
the　bright　winter　sun　shone　through　them；　and　fell　upon　Luis
and　Isabel。　　For　she　had　also　seen　him　coming；　and　had　gone　to
meet　him；　with　a　little　rainbow…tinted　shawl　over　her　head。　
She　looked　so　piquant　and　so　happy。　　She　seemed　such　a　proper
mate　for　the　handsome　youth　at　her　side　that　a　word　of　dissent
was　not　possible。　　The　doctor　said　only；　〃She　is　so　like　you；
Maria。　　I　remember　when　you　were　still　more　lovely；　and
when　from　your　balcony　you　made　me　with　a　smile　the　happiest
man　in　the　world。〃

Such　words　were　never　lost　ones；　for　the　Senora　had　a　true　and
great　love　for　her　husband。　　She　gave　him　again　a　smile；　she
put　her　hand　in　his；　and　then　there　were　no　further
conciliations　required。　　They　stood　in　the　sunshine　of　their
own　hearts；　and　listened　a　moment　to　the　gay　youth；　singing；
how　at

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　The　strong　old　Alamo
　　　　　　　　Two　hundred　men；　with　rifles　true；
　　　　　　　　Shot　down　a　thousand　of　the　foe；
　　　　　　　　And　broke　the　triple　ramparts　through；
　　　　　　　　And　dropped　the　flag　as　black　as　night；
　　　　　　　　For　Freedom's　green　and　red　and　white。＇3＇


＇3＇　The　flag　of　the　Mexican　Republic　of　1824　was　green；　red
and　white　in　color。



CHAPTER　XI。

A　HAPPY　TRUCE。

　　　　　　　　〃Well；　honor　is　the　subject　of　my　story；
　　　　　　　　　I　cannot　tell　what　you　and　other　men
　　　　　　　　　Think　of　this　life；　but　for　my　single　self；
　　　　　　　　　I　had　as　lief　not　be；　as　live　to　be
　　　　　　　　　In　awe　of　such　a　thing　as　I　myself。〃

　　　　　　　　〃Two　truths　are　told
　　　　　　　　　As　happy　prologues　to　the　swelling　act；
　　　　　　　　　Of　the　imperial　theme。〃

　　　　　　　　〃This　is　the　eve　of　Christmas；
　　　　　　　　　No　sleep　from　night　to　morn；
　　　　　　　　　The　Virgin　is　in　travail；
　　　　　　　　　At　twelve　will　the　Child　be　born。〃

Cities　have　not　only　a　certain　physiognomy；　they　have　also　a
decided　mental　and　moral　character；　and　a　definite　political
tendency。　　There　are　good　and　bad　cities；　artistic　and
commercial　cities；　scholarly　and　manufacturing　cities；
aristocratic　and　radical　cities。　　San　Antonio；　in　its
political　and　social　character；　was　a　thoroughly　radical　city。　
Its　population；　composed　in　a　large　measure　of
adventurous　units　from　various　nationalities；　had
that　fluid　rather　than　fixed　character；　which　is　susceptible
to　new　ideas。　　For　they　were　generally　men　who　had　found　the
restraints　of　the　centuries　behind　them　to　be　intolerablemen
to　whom　freedom　was　the　grand　ideal　of　life。

It　maybe　easily　undertood｛sic｝　that　this　element　in　the
population　of　San　Antonio　was　a　powerful　one；　and　that　a
little　of　such　leaven　would　stir　into　activity　a　people　who；
beneath　the　crust　of　their　formal　piety；　had　still　something
left　of　that　pride　and　adventurous　spirit　which　distinguished
the　Spain　of　Ferdinand　and　Isabel。

In　fact；　no　city　on　the　American　continent　has　such　a　bloody
record　as　San　Antonio。　　From　its　settlement　by　the　warlike
monks　of　1692；　to　its　final　capture　by　the　Americans　in　1836；
it　was　well　named　〃the　city　of　the　sword。〃　　The　Comanche　and
the　white　man　fought　around　its　walls　their　forty　years'
battle　for　supremacy。　　From　1810　to　1821　its　streets　were
constantly　bloody　with　the　fight　between　the　royalists　and
republicans；　and　the　city　and　the　citadel　passed　from；　one
party　to　the　other　continually。　　And　when　it　came　to　the
question　of　freedom　and　American　domination；　San　Antonio
was；　as　it　had　ever　been；　the　great　Texan　battle…field。

Its　citizens　then　were　well　used　to　the　fortunes　and　changes
of　war。　　Men　were　living　who　had　seen　the　horrors　of　the　auto
da　fe　and　the　splendors　of　viceregal　authority。　　Insurgent
nobles；　fighting　priests；　revolutionizing　Americans；　all　sorts
and　conditions　of　men；　all　chances　and　changes　of　religious
and　military　power；　had　ruled　it　with　a　temporary　absolutism
during　their　generation。

In　the　main　there　was　a　favorable　feeling　regarding　its
occupation　by　the　Americans。　　The　most　lawless　of　them　were
law…abiding　in　comparison　with　any　kind　of　victorious
Mexicans。　　Americans　protected　private　property；　they　honored
women；　they　observed　the　sanctity　of　every　man's　home；　〃and；
as　for　being　heretics；　that　was　an　affair　for　the　saints　and
the　priests；　the　comfortable　benefits　of　the　Holy　Catholic
Church；　had　not　been　vouchsafed　to　all　nations。〃

Political　changes　are　favorable　to　religious　tolerance；　and
the　priests　themselves　had　been　sensible　of　a　great　decrease
in　their　influence　during　the　pending　struggle。　　Prominent
Mexicans　had　given　aid　and　comfort　to　the　Americans　in
spite　of　their　spiritual　orders；　and　there　were　many　men　who；
like　Lopez　Navarro；　did　not　dare　to　go　to　confession；　because
they　would　have　been　compelled　to　acknowledge　themselves
rebels。

When　the　doctor　and　Dare　and　Luis　reached　the　Plaza；　the
morning　after　the　surrender；　they　found　the　city　already
astir。　　Thousands　of　women　were　in　the　churches　saying　masses
for　the　dead；　the　men　stood　at　their　store　doors　or　sat
smoking　on　their　balconies；　chatting　with　the　passers…by　or
watching　the　movements　of　the　victorious　army　and　the
evacuation　of　the　conquered　one。

Nearly　all　of　the　brave　two　hundred　occupied　the　Plaza。　They
were　still　greatly　excited　by　the　miraculous　ecstacy　of
victory。　　But　when　soldiers　in　the　death…pang　rejoice　under
its　influence；　what　wonder　that　the　living　feel　its
intoxicating　rapture？　　They　talked　and　walked　as　if　they
already　walked　the　streets　of　Mexico。　　All　things　seemed
possible　to　them。　　The　royalty　of　their　carriage；　the
authority　in　their　faces；　gave　dignity　even　to　their　deerskin
clothing。　　Its　pri