XV
The next morning she received a note from Trennahan.
I am sailing for Honolulu. Do nothing until my return. I shall be gone six weeks. Until your final decision I shall consider myself bound to you. And, I repeat, I think it best that we should marry. You have acted on impulse, and your mind and judgment were constructed to work slowly. And God knows this is not a matter to be decided in haste. I shall have sailed before even a telegram from you could reach me. Don Roberto knows that I have thought more than once of a trip to the Islands. Tell him when he returns that I suddenly decided to go. J. T.
But Magdalena wanted no respite. It was her temper to die once ratherthan a thousand times. Her father was in Sacramento on business. Hewould return the following day. She was too dull and listless to feelfear of him, but she wanted it over.
She wrote at once to Helena, enclosing Trennahan's letter: "I have madeup my mind, and that is the end of it. As far as I am concerned, he nowbelongs to you. I shall speak to papa to-morrow night. Immediately afterI shall write to Mr. Trennahan, and that will put an end to my part inthe matter."
Helena ordered her devoted parent to take her to Southern California atonce. To pick up the old routine, to show herself daily and nightly inthe studied simulacrum of her former self, was no part of her code. Shefelt she should tell every man that came near her that she hated him,and the reason why. Nor was hers the temperament for suspense withoutdiversion. She could live through the next six weeks with change ofscene, but not otherwise. She made a full confession to her father andreceived the severest reprimand of her life; but Colonel Belmont tookher to Southern California.
Magdalena went to a lunch-party on the day following Trennahan'sdeparture and paid calls during the afternoon. The small detailsdiverted her, and she found herself able to make conversation, despitethe sluggish current of misery beneath. She had told her mother of herdetermination not to marry Trennahan; and although Mrs. Yorba had pacedthe room in apprehension of her husband's wrath, she was secretlypleased. A daughter, particularly one that gave no trouble, wascompanionable and useful, and she saw no reason why she should be askedto give her to any man for years to come. Although meagre, she was notheartless, and was much relieved that Magdalena appeared indifferent tothe sudden break. She was dimly conscious that she did not understandher daughter, but she had no desire to plumb the depths; she had asubstantial distaste for the Spanish nature when roused.
Her husband was expected to return in time for dinner. She went to bedwith an attack of neuralgia a little after six.
Magdalena did not see her father until he entered the dining-room withher uncle. He inquired immediately for Trennahan, who usually dined withhim when there were no engagements elsewhere.
"He decided suddenly to go to the Sandwich Islands and sailedyesterday."
"Very sorry he no wait until I come back. I think I gone with him.Always I want to see the Islands. I work long enough now: go to travelsome and see the world. So queer to think is so much world outsideCalifornia. When you go to Europe, I go too. And you, too, Eeram. You nocan go with us, for both cannot leave the bank, but when we coming backyou take the vacation, too."
"I never expect to see the outside of California again," said Mr. Polk,shortly.
Magdalena's nerves shook for the first time in seventy-two hours. Sheappreciated the ordeal she had to face within the next. The dull ache inevery nerve of her gave place to a certain keenness of apprehension.What would that terrible little man do? She had absorbed something ofher father's personality as a child. During the last year she had talkedmuch with him and had discovered the strange weaknesses and fears whichlurked in that manufactured character. She fully realised what ason-in-law like Trennahan meant to him. He was quite capable of killingher. And during the last three or four weeks he had flown into more thanone violent passion, prompted by a liver disordered by too much diningout.
While the two men were drinking their coffee, she left the room and wentto the office. The riding-whip was in its old place; on a shelf in thecupboard was a brace of pistols. Magdalena threw the whip into thecupboard, locked the door, and slipped the key behind a book on themantel. Her father came in a moment later. She handed him a cigar and amatch. He drew his heavy brows together and puckered his eyelids.
"What the matter?" he demanded drily. "So white you are, and the handtremble."
Magdalena sat down and took control of herself.
"I am not going to marry Mr. Trennahan," she said.
She held her breath for the expected outburst; but Don Roberto onlystared at her, his eyes slowly expanding. The cigar dropped from hisfingers.
"He no want marry you?" he ejaculated finally.
"I told him that I did not wish to marry him,--I never wish to marry anyman,--and he is too proud to insist upon marrying a woman who does notwant him. We had a long conversation. We quite understand each other. Hewill never ask me again."
"_Dios!_" gasped Don Roberto. "_Dios!_" But there was no anger in hisvoice. His eyes rolled from Magdalena to the window and back again.Finally he said,--
"He no come back, then?"
"He is coming back in six weeks."
Don Roberto drew a long breath and seemed to recover himself.
"Then si he no break the engagement, he feel glad si it is make again.You marry him the day after he come back. I fixit that."
"No power on earth can make me marry him."
Her father searched her countenance. He knew her character. Did it nothave that iron of New England in it for which he would have sold hisbirthright? He might turn her into the street, and it would avail himnothing. Again his features relaxed, this time not with surprise andconsternation, but with abject fear. He shuddered from head to foot;then his hands shot up to receive his face. He groaned and rocked fromside to side.
Magdalena was aghast. What feeling was alive in her united in filialtenderness. She went to him and put her hands uncertainly about hishead, then stroked his hair awkwardly: she was little used toendearments.
"I never thought--" she stammered. "I never thought--"
"Thirty years I work like the slave, and now all going! Eeram, he havethe death-tick in him: I hear! And now I no go to have the son, and I goto die in the streets like the others; with no one cents! _Ay! yi! ay!yi!_"
Magdalena was pricked with a new fear: Was her father insane? She hadheard of the "fixed idea." This weevil had been burrowing in his brainfor more than a quarter of a century. She went back to her chair andsaid assertively,--
"You are one of the ablest financiers in California: everybody says so.Nothing can change that, whether uncle dies or not. This is all a fancyof yours. You don't half appreciate yourself. And you are tired outto-night, and have not been well lately--"
"All going! All going! _Ay de mi! Ay de mi!_ Why I no dying with thewife and the little boy? Make myself over, and now the screws go to dropout my character, and I am like before."
Magdalena had an inspiration. "Take me into the bank," she said eagerly."Teach me everything. I am sure I can learn. Then I will look aftereverything when uncle dies. I want to work--"
Don Roberto dropped his hands and gave a low roar. "The women all fools,and you the more big fool I never see. You throw way the clever man likehe is old hat, and think you can manage the bank! _Madre de Dios!_ Si Ino feel like old clothes, no more, I beating you. To-morrow I do it."His eyes kindled at the prospect. "To-morrow si you no say you marryTrennahan, I beating you till you are black like my hat."
What remained of Magdalena's apathy left her then. She stood up andfaced him, drawing her heavy brows together after his own fashion. "Youwill never beat me again," she said. "Let us have an understanding onthat subject before we go to bed to-night. I am your daughter, and Ishall always obey you except where the question of my marrying isconcerned. But if you ill-treat me I shall leave your house and notreturn. I am of age, and I have my aunt to go to. Now, unless _you_promise _me_ that you will never
raise your hand to me again, I willleave for Santa Barbara to-night."
Again Don Roberto stared at her. But his surprise passed quickly. He wastoo shrewd a judge of human nature to doubt her. If she had inheritedthe iron of her mother's ancestors, she had also inherited the pride ofthe Yorbas: she would not permit her womanhood to be outraged. But hecould have his revenge in other ways; and he would take it. He gave thepromise and ordered her sullenly to send the butler to help him up tobed.