XXIV.
A Gleam of Light
"It is a weary task to school the heart, Ere years or griefs have tamed its fiery throbbings, Into that still and passive fortitude Which is but learned from suffering."--Hemans
Shortly afterwards, the son and heir of Dona Inez was baptized, with theusual amount of ceremony and rejoicing. After the event, the family andfriends partook of a merienda of fruit, confectionery, and wine, in thepatio of Don Garcia's house. Much against his inclination, Carlos wasobliged to be present, as his absence would have occasioned remark andinquiry.
When the guests were beginning to disperse, the hostess drew near thespot where he stood, near to the fountain, admiring, or seeming toadmire, a pure white azalia in glorious bloom.
"In good sooth, cousin Don Carlos," she said, "you forget old friendsvery easily. But I suppose it is because you are going so soon to takeOrders. Every one knows how learned and pious you are. And no doubtyou are right to wean yourself in good time from the concerns andamusements of this unprofitable world."
No word of this little speech was lost upon one of the neatest gossipsin Seville, a lady of rank, who stood near, leaning on the arm ofLosada's former patient, the wealthy Canon. And this was what thespeaker, in her good nature, probably intended.
Carlos raised to her face eyes beaming with gratitude for the friendlynotice.
"No change of state, senora, can ever make me forget the kindness of myfair cousin," he responded with a bow.
"Your cousin's little daughter," said the lady, "had once a place inyour affections. But with you, as with all the rest, I presume the boyis everything. As for my poor little Inez, her small person is of smallaccount in the world now. It is well she has her mother."
"Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to renew my acquaintancewith Dona Inez, if I may be permitted so to do."
This was evidently what the mother desired. "Go to the right then,amigo mio," she said promptly, indicating the place intended by a quickmovement of her fan, "and I will send the child to you."
Carlos obeyed, and for a considerable time paced up and down a coolspacious apartment, only separated from the court by marble pillars,between which costly hangings were suspended. Being a Spaniard, anddwelling among Spaniards, he was neither surprised nor disconcerted bythe long delay.
At last, however, he began to suspect that his cousin had forgotten him.But this was not the case. First a painted ivory ball rolled in overthe smooth floor; then one of the hangings was hastily pushed aside, andthe little Dona Inez bounded gaily into the room in search of her toy.She was a merry, healthy child, about two years old, and really verypretty, though her infantine charms were not set off to advantage by theminiature nun's habit in which she was dressed, on account of a vow madeby her mother to "Our Lady of Carmel," during the serious illness forwhich Carlos had summoned Losada to her aid.
She was followed almost immediately, not by the grave elderly nurse whousually waited on her, but by a girl of about sixteen, rather a beauty,whose quick dark eyes bestowed, from beneath their long lashes, bashfulbut evidently admiring glances on the handsome young nobleman.
Carlos, ever fond of children, and enjoying the momentary relief fromthe painful tension of his daily life, stooped for the ball and held it,just allowing its bright red to appear through his fingers. As thechild was not in the least shy, he was soon engaged in a game with her.
Looking up in the midst of it, he saw that the mother had come insilently, and was watching him with searching anxious eyes that broughtback in a moment all his troubles. He allowed the ball to slide to theground, and then, with a touch of his foot, sent it rolling into one ofthe farthest corners of the spacious hall. The child ran gleefullyafter it; while the mother and the attendant exchanged glances. "Youmay take the noble child away, Juanita," said the former.
Juanita led off her charge without again allowing her to approachCarlos, thus rendering unnecessary the ceremony of a farewell. Was thisthe mother's contrivance, lest by spell of word or gesture, or even by akiss, the heretic might pollute or endanger the innocent babe?
When they were alone together, Dona Inez was the first to speak. "I donot think you can be so wicked after all; since you love children, andplay with them still," she said in a low, half-frightened tone.
"God bless you for those words, senora," answered Carlos with atrembling lip. He was learning to steel himself to scorn; but kindnesstested his self-control more severely.
"Amigo mio," she resumed, drawing nearer and speaking more rapidly, "Icannot quite forget the past. It is very wrong, I know, and I am weak.Ay de mi! If it be true you really are that dreadful thing I do notcare to name, I ought to have the courage to stand by and see youperish."
"But my kinsfolk," said Carlos, "do not intend me to perish. And forthe protection they afford me I am grateful. More I could not haveexpected from them; less they might well have done for me. But I wouldto God I could show them and you that I am not the foul dishonouredthing they deem me."
"If it had only been something _respectable_," said Dona Inez, with asort of writhe, "such as some youthful irregularity, or stabbing orslaying somebody!--but what use in words? I would say, I counsel you tolook to your own safety. Do you not know my brothers?"
"I think I do, senora. That an Alvarez de Menaya should be defamed ofheresy would be more than a disgrace--it would be a serious injury tothem."
"There be more ways than one of avoiding the misfortune."
Carlos looked inquiringly at her. Something in her half-averted faceand the quick shrug of her shoulders prompted him to ask, "Do you thinkthey mean me mischief?"
"Daggers are sharp to cut knots," said the lady, playing with her fanand avoiding his eye.
With so many ghastlier terrors had the mind of Carlos grown familiar,that this one came to him in the guise of a relief. So "the sharpnessof death" for him might mean no more than a dagger's thrust, after all!One moment here, the next in his Saviour's presence. Who that knewaught of the tender mercies of the Holy Office could do less than thankGod on his bended knees for the prospect of such a fate!
"It is not _death_ that I fear," he answered, looking at her steadily.
"But you may as well live; nay, you had better live. For you mayrepent, may save your unhappy soul. I shall pray for you."
"I thank you, dear and kind senora; but, through the grace of God, mysoul is saved already. I believe in Jesus Christ--"
"Hush! for Heaven's sake!" Dona Inez interrupted, dropping her fan andputting her fingers in her ears. "Hush! or ere I am aware I shall havelistened to some dreadful heresy. The saints help me! How should I knowjust where the good Catholic words end, and the wicked ones begin? Imight be caught in the web of the evil one; and then neither saint norangel, no, nor even Our Lady herself, could deliver me. But listen tome, Don Carlos, for at all events I would save your life."
"I will listen gratefully to aught from your lips."
"I know that you dare not attempt flight from the city at present. Butif you could lie concealed in some safe and quiet place within it tillthis storm has blown over, you might then steal away unobserved. DonGarcia says that now there is such a keen search made after theLutherans, that every man who cannot give a good account of himself islike to be taken for one of the accursed sect. But that cannot last forever; in six months or so the panic will be past. And those six monthsyou may spend in safety, hidden away in the lodging of my_lavandera_."[#]
[#] Washerwoman.
"You are kind--"
"Peace, and listen. I have arranged the whole matter. And once you arethere, I will see that you lack nothing. It is in the Morrero;[#] ahouse hidden in a very labyrinth of lanes, a chamber in the house whicha man would need to look for very particularly ere he found it."
[#] Moorish quarter of the city.
"How shall _I_ succeed in finding it?"
"You noticed
the pretty girl who led in my little Inez? Pepe, thelavandera's son, is ready to die for the love of her. She will describeyou to him, and engage his assistance in the adventure, telling him thestory I have told her, that you wish to conceal yourself for a season,having stabbed your rival in a love affair."
"O Dona Inez! _I?_--almost a priest!"
"Well, well; do not look so horror-stricken, amigo mia. What could I do?I dared not give them a hint of the truth, or both my hands full ofdouble ducats would not have tempted them to stir in the affair. So Ithought no shame of inventing a crime for you that would win theirinterest and sympathy, and dispose them to aid you."
"Passing strange," said Carlos. "Had I only sinned against the law ofGod and the life of my neighbour, they would gladly help me to escape;did they dream that I read his words in my own tongue, they would giveme up to death."
"Juanita is a good little Christian," remarked Dona Inez; "and Pepe alsois a very honest lad. But perhaps you may find some sympathy with theold crone of a lavandera, who is of Moorish blood, and, it is whispered,knows more of Mohammed than she does of her Breviary."
Carlos disclaimed all connection with the followers of the falseprophet.
"How should I know the difference?" said Dona Inez. "I thought it wasall the same, heresy and heresy. But I was about to say, Pepe is agallant lad, a regular _majo_; his hand knows its way either amongst thestrings of a guitar, or on the hilt of a dagger. He has often servedcaballeros who were out of nights serenading their ladies; and he willgo equipped as if for such an adventure. You, also, bind a guitar onyour shoulder (you could use one in old times, and to good purpose too,if you have not forgotten all Christian accomplishments together); bribeold Sancho to leave the gates open, and sally forth to-morrow night whenthe clock strikes the midnight hour. Pepe will wait for you in theCalle del Candilejo until one."
"To-morrow night?"
"I would have named to-night, but Pepe has a dance to attend. Moreover,I knew not whether I could arrange this interview in sufficient time toprepare you. Now, cousin," she added anxiously, "you understand yourpart, and you will not fail in it."
"I understand everything, senora my cousin. From my heart I thank youfor the noble effort to save me. Whether in its result it shall provesuccessful or no, already it is successful in giving me hope andstrength, and renewing my faith in old familiar kindness."
"Hush! that step is Don Garcia's. It is best you should go."
"Only one word more, senora. Will my generous cousin add to hergoodness by giving my brother, when it can be done with safety, a hintof how it has fared with me?"
"Yes; that shall be cared for. Now, adios."
"I kiss your feet, senora,"
She hastily extended her hand, upon which he pressed a kiss offriendship and gratitude. "God bless you, my cousin," he said.
"Vaya con Dios," she responded. "For it is our last meeting," she addedmentally.
She stood and watched the retreating figure with tears in her brighteyes, and in her heart a memory that went back to old times, when sheused to intercede with her rough brothers for the delicate shrinkingchild, who was younger, as well as frailer, than all the rest. "He wasever gentle and good, and fit to be a holy priest," she thought. "Ay demi, for the strange, sad change! Yet, after all, I cannot see that heis so greatly changed. Playing with the child, talking with me, he isjust the same Carlos as of old. But the devil is very cunning. God andOur Lady keep us from his wiles!"
The Spanish Brothers: A Tale of the Sixteenth Century Page 24