Love of Lady Liana.

by Alvarez y Losada

  -- But it has here wounded.

  Its men, hurt and unharmed, they observed kindly and Rogan included/understood that it was now or never.

  -- I married with you by your money -- it said with neutral voice, and in quite high voice so that their men heard -- and not by your advice or your beauty.

  Liana felt as if it had received kick in the stomach, wanted to answer, but the throat was closed to him and no it could speak. It intuited smiles around her. They were in front of a woman who it had been put in its place. One became slowly and it began to walk towards the castle.

  During a little while Rogan almost it followed it, but it was contained.

  -- Trasladen to these men -- it said. That night would try to compensate it, perhaps a gift. It had pleased much that to him muñequito of the fair and perhaps...

  -- Where we took them? -- it asked Severn.

  Rogan saw respect in the eyes again of its brother.

  -- To the great hall -- it said -- and it brings leeches to cure them. Later, that comes here the men who today they were on duty.

  -- Yes, brother -- Severn said, and during a little while it supported the hand in the shoulder of Rogan.

  This it had the impression that that hand it unloaded on him a heavy responsibility.

  -- it did It -- Severn a said proudly Iolanthe --, it knew that when we needed it it would be there. You had seen it yesterday in the morning: "I married with you by your money, not by your advice or your beauty."it said that to Him; now, perhaps it lets interfere in subjects of Peregrine.

  Io watched it without letting work in his embroidering. It had listened to all the details of the episode of the eve.

  -- Where slept last night your wise brother?

  -- I do not know it. -- Severn vacillated -- Perhaps with its men; I would have demolished the door of the dormitory, that woman needs that they give a lesson him.

  Io observed that Severn rascaba; it had be very pleasant to see it clean during a time.

  -- You have obtained that castle returns to be what was, your brother to duer with its men and I imagine to me that one feels as unfortunate as before. I suppose that now it does not smile, right?

  Severn was put of foot and was towards window. Zared had said that it was jealous and he began to ask himself if that judgment was guessed right. The eve, Severn had prevailed: It forced Rogan a to publicly snub its wife, to order to him that one separated. And what there was obtained? Last the twenty-four hours were lamentable. Severn did not warn how much it had changed Rogan since one married with that woman.

  It returned in fullness the old Rogan. In the training field was a cruel head, fractured the arm of a horseman that it did not demonstrate sufficient rapidity, opened the cheek of another one. And when he it protested, a blow of Rogan sent it to the ground.

  Severn became towards Io.

  -- Rogan so is irritated as it was it always.

  Iolanthe guessed the thoughts of his interlocutor, was no malicia in the personality of Severn... and that one was one of the reasons for which it loved it. But to similarity of most of men, did not please the change to him. It had loved and venerated its brothers greater, it saw them die one by one, until only it had left Rogan. And now it feared to also lose it to him.

  -- Then, what you think to do for to obtain that they reconcile? -- Io asked, while it sewed the gold thread on the fabric.

  -- They reconcile? -- Severn exclaimed --. And that Rogan rests afternoon in the lot finds out? This house will be present at its own one destruction, the Howard, will kill to us while we slept. And also...

  -- Rogan will kill them by force of exercises if this situation is not modified.

  Severn opened the mouth to contradict it, but it did not do it, and one complied better in the chair.

  -- Supongo that it is not so bad -- reasoned he after a little while --. And perhaps the place in effect needed one cleaning. -- Miro' at.-- Is well, much cleaning, but it did not have...

  It was interrupted, without knowing very well what to say.

  -- it did not need to absorb it so completely -- it said to the aim.

  -- the master -- it said --. And that is fatal in a woman. -- Miro' with love to Severn but he did not notice it. Iolanthe admired a that pale and desmañada Liana, that had been able to ha­cer what no it obtained.-- Invita to have supper to Liana, saying to him that the invitation comes from Rogan; and it invites to Rogan from Liana.

  Severn rascó furiously the shoulder.

  -- Crees that will order to wash my clothes?

  -- I am sure that it will do it, if him you give back to Rogan.

  -- I will think It -- Severn in low voice said -- . If em­peora Rogan, I will consider it.

  -- it thinks that it can reconquer to me so easily? -- Liana asked Gaby. They were single in the room, then that one dismissed the remaining women --. Think that one so­la invitation that it sends to me will obtain that it returns dragging to me until him? After the way in which me it humiliated?

  -- But my lady -- Gaby in tone said to him of request --, sometimes the men say things without thinking them and he already spent one week it finds out. Baudoin said that lord Rogan is worse than ever, than never to duer nor gives to me rest to the men. Re­forzó the guards in the parapets, and the one that it blinks nothing else receives a turn of latigazos.

  -- and that what matters to me? It has my money, is what wants.

  The very deep feeling of offense that she had experimented before the words of Rogan not had calmed during the last week. It was deceived when thinking that Rogan had minimum interest in her, was newlywed by its fortune and money was everything what de­seaba of her. Now that already had it, it did not need to sopor­tar it more. It would not try to mediate between Rogan and the campesi­nos, would not persecute it to obtain that him it allowed to participate in the cases ventilated in the court. In fact, perhaps one would go away with its ladies to the other castle that it had, or perhaps he retired to one of the properties that formed their dowry, if it could deprive itself of the rent corresponding.

  -- you set out to reject its invitation? -- Gaby asked.

  -- Reunire' a series of gold sources and I will deposit them on the chair instead of my person. That will satisfy it, thus no it will need to watch my ugly face.

  -- But, my lady, I am sure that he no...

  Gaby continued speaking, but Liana not it escucha­ba. The thought of gold and its deficiency of beauty had given him an idea.

  -- Ordena that comes the blacksmith.

  -- My lady?

  -- Envíame to the blacksmith, I have to order a task to him.

  -- If you say to me what one is, I...

  -- No, it is a secret.

  Gaby remained immovable in the same one place.

  -- Pensa'is to accept the invitation?

  -- Oh, yes -- Liana responded to him -- I will accept the invitation of my husband, he will have my gold and it will not need to watch my ugly face.

  Gaby now did not move either.

  -- Sometimes he is better to pardon and to forget that to continue fighting. The marriage is...

  -- My marriage is based on gold and nothing more. Now, márchate.

  -- Yes, my lady -- Gaby said submissively, and it left the lot.

  Three hours later, Liana was getting dressed to attend the supper to which his husband had invited it. Joice it helped it, because Liana did not wish to support the dispproval of Gaby, and certainly she was safe of this, would not decide with his plan.

  It either did not want to listen to the dispproval of the Lady. When Liana promoted the stairs of the lot, it saw that the door of the Lady was without half-opened bolt and.

  -- Whenever you need to me I am here -- it had said to him and it was certain. When a crisis with Rogan happened, the door it was opened.

  But tonight Liana did not want to speak with the Lady, so that it did not dissuade it of which it was prepared to do, it was too much victim and too much hurt to make another thing. It had to
say that it pardoned it? If it came thus, what would do he it next time? It could to humiliate it daily and to hope that she pardoned everything to him.

  So that Liana ignored the invitation suggested by the opened door of the Lady and however one got dressed in the aid Joice.

  — ¡Outside here! -- Rogan a shouted Severn. They were in one of the quarters that were on the kitchen, that once it had been occupied by one of the Days. He was already dirty, because nobody cleaned in one week and one enormous rat a bone in a dark corner chewed.

  -- Pense' that perhaps you wished to use something that it did not smell so badly... that is everything. And perhaps you wanted afeitarte.

  -- Why? -- Rogan asked with militant expression --. In order to eat with a woman? You were right, everything was better before it interfered, I believe that I will send it to Bevan.

  -- and how many men will have to leave of protecting it here? Perhaps the Howard...

  -- the Howard can seize of her, reason why it matters to me.

  When saying this, Rogan shook. ¡That that dog went to hell! It had tried to see it after the incident, but it maintained closed the door. Its first impulse was to demolish the door and to demonstrate to him who was the master in the house; but it reached the conclusion that he was stupid to worry. That it continued behind the closed door if therefore it wished; that did not matter to him. It had said the truth when it affirmed that one married with her by its money.

  But during the last week, he... well, it was remembering certain things. The laughter of Liana, the way in which it threw to him the arms to the neck when it pleased it and its opinions and suggestions; it evoked his lukewarm and complaciente body during the night. Also the things that it promoted: music, the good food, a patio that one could cross walking without encountering over a horse dung battery; the day in fair. It remembered the moments at which it took it from the hand, how Gaby had to him washed the hair. It watched with hostility to Severn.

  -- From when it matters to you if seen me or it does not stop my wife?

  -- Since I found sand in my bread, for two days.

  -- Envíala of return with its husband, and I I will dispatch... -- as soon as it could pronounce its name -- ...I will send far to Liana -- he said in low voice.

  -- Probably he will be better for both -- it affirmed Severn -- At least, there will be more tranquillity and we will be able to work a little and we would not have to worry us about the possibility that the Howard us attack to seize of our women. But, on the other hand, the men they are complaining about the quality of the bread. Perhaps...

  The phrase did not finish.

  Rogan watched the túnica of green velvet that Severn still dressed. Since an invitation had sent him, perhaps that it meant that it was arranged to apologize by it to have excluded from dormitory, and to allow that there were sand in the bread and rats in the quarters. And if it acceded to apologize, perhaps it would be arranged a to pardon it.

  Liana waited for until all the men of Rogan they were seated in the great hall and Rogan and Severn and Za­red they occupied its place around the main table. Joice fit the veil on face of its master.

  -- My lady, you are safe? -- It asked shady Joice and its mouth of tight lips revealed a feeling of dispproval.

  -- than More safe -- it said to Liana and cuadró the shoulders.

  All the men and the few women that they were in the hall they shut up when Liana entered, followed by Joice that he maintained the long edged tail of skin. The face of Liana es­taba covered by a veil that arrived to him until the waist.

  With slow and solemn movements, it approached the main table and he remained of foot, hoping, until Severn gave codazo to Rogan and this one was put of foot and retired the chair so that its wife it seated. When Liana hi­zo, the presents continued in silence, nailing mira­da in the gentleman and his wife.

  Apparently, Rogan did not know how to break silence.

  -- wine Deseas a little? -- it asked aim and its voice took echoes in the ample hall high ceiling.

  Very slowly, Liana slid the hands under ve­lo and it raised it. There was a exclamación in all the hall when the presents they saw it: around its face, hung of cords assured to the hairdo, there were currencies: copper and silver, gold currencies, that they had, each one, perforated a hole to pass through him a cord, together with the hairdo.

  While the present astonished ones they watched, Liana took a pair from scissors and cut a silver currency that col­gaba on its front.

  -- My gentleman, this will be sufficient stops to pay the wine? -- Corto' a gold currency.-- This will cover the cost with the meat?

  Rogan watched it stunned, contemplating currencies that it separated.

  -- you do not fear, my gentleman -- Liana said in high voice --. Not co­meré as much that you must support my fealdad, I am segu­ra of which the contemplation of the money pleases to you more than my ugly face.

  Rogan received a cold expression and without saying one pala­bra to Liana, was put of foot and left the hall.

  Zared became towards Severn, that it seemed an attack on the brink of madness and it commented to him gladly:

  -- Come, Severn. Tomorrow it is probable that they give stones us with the bread and Rogan will exercise to us of such way in the field of training that will cause our death; you were very sagacious with your attempts to avoid that Liana inter­firiese.

  With all the elegance and the dignity of that he was able, this one left the hall.

  15

  — ¡No! -- Liana a ordered roughly Gaby and Joice --. They do not put that there, nor here. ¡And certainly not further on!

  Joice left the room with greater po­sible rapidity but Gaby remained there, nailed the glance in the nape of the neck of Liana and bit the language. Which did not mean that it had shut up during the two weeks that had happened from that terrible scene in which lady Liana there was apareci­do with the rows of currencies, but it learned that of anything him it served to speak.

  -- Tiene which wished -- he was everything what lady Liana said before the requests of Gaby, that protested that she and Rogan they decided to talk.

  And lord Rogan was worse than its wife; Gaby had in­ducido to Baudoin to speak of the subject with the gentleman, but this one was to a step to nail a goad to him in the chest.

  So that, because of the dispute between master and lady, the whole castle, as well as the village, was su­friendo. bakers refused to give fresh bread because Rogan refused to pay to them; and Liana did not want to te­ner nothing that to see with the house and therefore, had again sand in the bread, the patio was seeded of dung por­que nobody ordered a the men who cleaned it. The farmers passed hunger, the pit, that he had less than half meter of water, already he lodged average dozen of putre­factos bovine skeletons. Although this one had been before the way of normal life, now all complained: of the pio­jos and the fleas that populated their clothes and of remainders that were forced to be above; of the malhumor of Rogan and por­que lady Liana did not make well its work. (Nobody seemed to re­cordar how they had been against to her in the first times.)

  In summary, after two weeks no so­la was one person, in a radius of fifteen kilometers, that did not estu­viese affected by this discussion between the gentleman and his wife.

  -- My lady -- it began to say Gaby.

  -- I do not have anything decirte -- it grumbled Liana. Two se­manas were not sufficient to calm their anger. In spite of all the efforts possible to please its husband, to be good wife, and he had ignored it and humiliated in public. , the so good looking one, could think that the less attractive people of the world did not have feelings about his fal­ta of beauty, but was mistaken. If it thought that it was so ugly, Liana would avoid to him the annoyance to watch it.

  -- one is not me -- Gaby said to him --. Mrs. Iolanthe requests veros.

  Liana raised the head.

  -- Severn left with hers, has prevailed and his herma­no is what it wants that is, therefore I do not see reason pa­ra to see the
lover of Severn.

  Gaby outlined a smile.

  -- Corre the rumor that lord Severn and his... perhaps Mrs. Iolanthe, also is distanced, she wishes to ha­cer common cause with vos.

  Liana longed for to talk with somebody. Gaby insisted constantly on which it had to pardon everything to him to Rogan and thought that she had to go to apologize before him, but the young person was sure that Rogan he would reject it. How a as ugly woman was posi­ble that as she exerted influences so­bre a man like Rogan? And how a woman who had the beauty of Iolanthe she could include/understand the problem of Liana?

  -- Dile that I cannot accept -- it answered Liana.

  -- But, my lady, invites you to his aposentos. They say that before never it invited to anybody to visit it there.

  -- Eh? -- Liana exclaimed -- I must go a his habitacio­nes? I, the lady of the place, must visit the lover casa­da of my brother-in-law? Dile that no.

  Gaby left the room and Liana ha­cia returned the eyes its frame from seam. It was irritated because of pre­sunción of that woman; but on the other hand, also it felt curiosity. What it had to say the beautiful Iolanthe to him?

  The invitation repeated three days followed and every time Liana it rejected it. But to the fourth requirement a was shown the window and to the patio, saw one of the Days, the bust genero­so pressing on the coarse wool of grasiento dressed and one became towards Joice.

  -- Trae my túnica of red brocade, the one that it has ena­gua of tisú of gold, I will go of visit.

  One hour later Liana was dressed with articles that emphasized their better characteristics. It had to leave and to cross patio to arrive at the stairs that lead to the habita­ciones of Iolanthe, and when doing it it could feel all mira­das nailed in his person. But it watched forwards and ig­noró to everybody.

  When finally it arrived at the apartment and a servant opened the door, Liana needed a little while to recover the dominion of itself and to erase of its face the astonishment impression. It had never seen one so luxurious room: gold sources and silver everywhere. Carpets in floor, es­pesas, of complicated drawings. The walls were revesti­dos with carpets of silk that represented scenes delica­das, and with a weave so confused, of a flower that as soon as it had the size of a thumb and included by except a do­cena of colors. The ceiling of beams was painted with esce­nas pastorals. The windows had co­lor glass panels, with adjustments that they shone like jewels.