–As if it could be convenient for me to marry a lady, so that I should have to serve her instead of being served! And gentleman as I am, what on earth could I do with a woman of that sort? But if you knew Zoila? Man! I don't weary you; you'd even make verses of her; what verses! your mouth would water: her eyes could make a blind man see; she has the slyest laugh, the prettiest feet, and a waist that....
–Slowly," I interrupted him: "You mean you're so frantically in love that you'll drown if you don't marry her?
–I'm getting married even if the trap takes me!
–With a woman of the village? Without your father's consent? I see: you are a man of beards, and you must know what you are doing. And has Charles any news of all this?
–God forbid! God forbid! In Buga they have it in the palms of their hands and what do you want in their mouths? Fortunately Zoila lives in San Pedro and only goes to Buga every few days.
–But you would show it to me.
–It's a different matter for you; I'll take you any day you like.
At three in the afternoon I parted from Emigdio, apologising in a thousand ways for not eating with him, and four o'clock would be when I got home.
Chapter XX
My mother and Emma came out into the corridor to meet me. My father had ridden out to visit the works.
Soon after I was called to the dining-room, and I did not delay in going, for there I expected to find Maria; but I was deceived; and as I asked my mother for her, she answered me:
As the gentlemen are coming to-morrow, the girls are busy making some sweets, and I think they have finished them, and will come now.
I was about to get up from the table when Josе, who was coming up from the valley to the mountain herding two mules loaded with cane-brava, stopped on the high ground overlooking the interior, and shouted at me:
–Good afternoon! I can't get there, because I'm carrying a ch?cara, and it's getting dark. I'll leave you a message with the girls. Be very early to-morrow, for the thing is sure to happen.
–Well," I replied, "I'll come very early; say hello to everybody.
–Don't forget the pellets!
And waving his hat at me, he continued up the stairs.
I went to my room to prepare the shotgun, not so much because she needed cleaning as because I was looking for an excuse not to stay in the dining room, where at last Maria did not show up.
I had a box of pistons open in my hand when I saw Maria coming towards me, bringing me the coffee, which she tasted with the spoon before she saw me.
The pistons spilled all over the floor as soon as it came near me.
Without resolving to look at me, she bade me good evening, and placing the saucer and cup on the rail with an unsteady hand, she searched for an instant with cowardly eyes for mine, which made her blush; and then, kneeling down, she began to pick up the pistons.
–Don't do that," I said, "I'll do it later.
–I have a very good eye for small things," he replied; "let's see the little box.
He reached out to meet her, exclaiming at the sight of her:
–Oh, they've all been watered!
–It wasn't full," I observed, helping him.
–And that you need these tomorrow," he said, blowing the dust off the ones he held in the rosy palm of one of his hands.
–Why tomorrow and why these?
–Because, as this hunt is dangerous, I think that to miss a shot would be terrible, and I know from the little box that these are the ones the doctor gave you the other day, saying they were English and very good.....
–You hear everything.
–I would sometimes have given anything not to hear. Perhaps it would be better not to go on this hunt.... Josе left you a message with us.
–Do you want me not to go?
–And how could I demand that?
–Why not?
He looked at me and did not answer.
–I think there is no more," said he, rising to his feet, and looking at the floor around him; "I am going. The coffee will be cold by this time.
–Try it.
–But don't finish loading that shotgun now..... It's good," he added, touching the cup.
–I'll put the gun away and take it; but don't go away.
I had gone into my room and come out again.
–There's a lot to do in there.
–Oh, yes," I replied, "preparing desserts and galas for tomorrow, so you're leaving?
He made a movement with his shoulders, at the same time tilting his head to one side, which meant: as you wish.
–I owe you an explanation," I said, approaching her. Do you want to hear me?
–Didn't I say there are things I wouldn't want to hear? -he replied, rattling the pistons inside the box.
–I thought that what I…
–It is true what you are going to say; what you believe.
–What?
–That I should hear you; but not this time.
–You must have thought badly of me these days!
She read, without answering me, the signs on the cash register.
–I will tell you nothing, then; but tell me what you have supposed.
–What's the point?
–You mean you won't allow me to apologise to you either?
–What I should like to know is, why you have done that; but I am afraid to know, for I have given no reason for it; and I always thought you had some that I should not know..... But as you seem to be glad again – I am glad too.
–I don't deserve you to be as good as you are to me.
–Perhaps it is I who do not deserve....
–I have been unjust to you, and if you would allow it, I would ask you on my knees to forgive me.
His long-veiled eyes, shone with all their beauty, and he exclaimed:
–Oh, no, my God! I've forgotten everything… do you hear well? everything! But on one condition," he added after a short pause.
–Whatever you want.
–The day I do or say something that displeases you, you will tell me; and I will never do or say it again. Isn't that easy?
–And should I not demand the same from you?
–No, for I cannot advise you, nor always know whether what I think is best; besides, you know what I am going to tell you, before I tell you.
–Are you sure, then, that you will live convinced that I love you with all my soul? -I said, in a low, moved voice.
–Yes, yes," he answered very quietly; and almost touching my lips with one of his hands to signify to me to be quiet, he took a few steps towards the drawing-room.
–What are you going to do? -I said.
–Can't you hear that John is calling me and crying because he can't find me?
Undecided for a moment, in her smile there was such sweetness and such loving languor in her gaze, that she had already disappeared and I was still gazing at her in rapture.
Chapter XXI
The next day at dawn I took the mountain road, accompanied by Juan Angel, who was carrying some of my mother's presents for Luisa and the girls. Mayo followed us: his fidelity was superior to all chastisement, in spite of some bad experiences he had had in this kind of expeditions, unworthy of his years.
After the river bridge, we met Josе and his nephew Braulio, who had already come to look for me. Braulio told me about his hunting project, which had been reduced to striking an accurate blow at a tiger famous in the vicinity, which had killed some lambs. He had tracked the animal and discovered one of its dens at the source of the river, more than half a league above the possession.
Juan Angel stopped sweating when he heard these details, and placing the basket he was carrying on the leaf litter, he looked at us with such eyes as if he were listening to us discuss a murder project.
Joseph went on to talk about his plan of attack in this way:
–I answer with my ears that he is not leaving us. We'll see if the Vallonian Lucas is as much of a check as he says he is. From Tiburcio I do answer, does he bring the big ammunition?
–Yes," I replied, "and the long gun.
To-day is Braulio's day. He is very anxious to see you make a play, for I have told him that you and I call shots wrong when we aim at a bear's forehead and the bullet goes through one eye.
He laughed loudly, patting his nephew on the shoulder.
–Well, let's go," he continued, "but let the little black man take these vegetables to the lady, because I'm going back," and he threw Juan Аngel's basket on his back, saying, "are they sweet things that the girl Mar?a puts out for her cousin?
–Here is something my mother sent to Luisa.
–But what has the child got into her? I saw her yesterday evening, as fresh and pretty as ever. She looks like a rosebud of Castile.
–It's good now.
–And what are you doing there that you don't get out of here, you nigger," said Josе to Juan Аngel. Carry the guamb?a and go, so that you'll be back soon, because later on it won't be good for you to be alone around here. There's no need to say anything down there.
–Be careful not to come back! -I shouted at him when he was on the other side of the river.
Juan Аngel disappeared into the reeds like a frightened guat?n.
Braulio was a young boy of my age. Two months ago he had come from the province to accompany his uncle, and he had been madly in love, for a long time, with his cousin Trаnsito.
The physiognomy of the nephew had all the nobility that made the old man's interesting; but the most remarkable thing about it was a pretty mouth, without yet a goatee, whose feminine smile contrasted with the manly energy of the other features. Meek of character, handsome, and indefatigable in his work, he was a treasure to Josе, and the most suitable husband for Trаnsito.
Madame Louise and the girls came out to greet me at the door of the hut, laughing and affectionate. Our frequent dealings over the past few months had made the girls less shy with me. Joseph himself on our hunts, that is, on the battlefield, exercised a paternal authority over me, all of which disappeared when they came to the house, as if our loyal and simple friendship were a secret.
–At last, at last! -said Madame Louise, taking me by the arm to lead me into the sitting-room, "seven days!
The girls looked at me smiling mischievously.
–But Jesus, how pale he is," exclaimed Louisa, looking at me more closely. That's no good; if you came here often, you'd be the size of a fat man.
–And what do I look like to you? -I said to the girls.
–I say," said Transito. -said Transito: "Well, what are we going to think of him, if he's over there studying and…
–We have had so many good things for you," interrupted Lucia: "we left the first badea of the new bush damaged, waiting for you: on Thursday, thinking you were coming, we had such a good custard for you....
–And what a peje, eh Luisa? -added Josе; "if that has been the trial; we have not known what to do with him. But he has had reason not to come," continued he, in a grave tone; "there has been reason; and as you will soon invite him to spend a whole day with us? won't you, Braulio?
–Yes, yes, let's make peace and talk about it. When is the big day, Mrs. Luisa? When is it, Trаnsito?
She was as mad as a hatter, and wouldn't have looked up to see her boyfriend for all the gold in the world.
–That takes time," said Luisa; "don't you see that the little house needs whitewashing and the doors put on? It will be the day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, for Trаnsito is her devotee.
–And when is that?
–And you don't know? Well, on the twelfth of December. Haven't these guys told you that they want to make you their godfather?
