The Californians

  XXI

  Don Roberto and Mr. Polk took no part in these festivities; Mrs. Yorbaand Magdalena took less and less; the picture made by Don Roberto in hisshirt-sleeves, manipulating a hose as the char-a-banc drove off, finallyforbade his wife to riot while her husband toiled. She was angry andresentful; but she was a woman of stern principles, and she had acertain measure of that sort of love for her husband which duty promptsin those who are without passion.

  "I don't pretend to understand your father," she said to Magdalena. "Thebees he gets in his bonnet are quite beyond me, but if he feels thatway, he does, and that's the end of it; and he makes me feeluncomfortable all the time I am anywhere. I sha'n't go out again untilhe gets over this. You can go with somebody else."

  "I would a great deal rather stay home. I don't enjoy myself. Peoplework so hard to be amused. I'd much rather just sit still and donothing."

  "You're lazy, like all the Spanish. Well, you'll have to do a good dealof sitting still, I expect; and in a sick room, I'm afraid. Poor Hiramlooks thinner and greyer every day. Almost all our relations died ofconsumption."

  "I wrote to aunt how badly he was looking, but she has not answered."

  "She won't, the heartless thing. She never loved him. But if he takes tohis bed with slow consumption, she'll have to come up and do her shareof the nursing. She ought to like it. Fat women always make goodnurses."

  Magdalena was more than glad to fall out of the gaieties. She wasbeginning to feel that most demoralising of all sensations,--thedisintegration of will. Pride, a certain excitement, and novelty hadkept her armour locked for a time; but each time she met Trennahan, theordeal of facing him with platitudes, or, what was worse still, inoccasional friendly talks, and of witnessing Helena's little airs ofpossession, suggested a future and signal failure. She came to have amorbid terror that she should betray herself, and when in company withhim kept out of the very reach of his voice. She never went to thewoods, lest she meet him, with or without Helena. In those rustlingarbours of many memories, she knew that she should let fly the passionwithin her. She was appalled that neither time nor will nor principlehad authority over her love. She had made up her mind that she would, ifnot tear it up by the roots, at least level it to the soil from which ithad sprung, and she was quite ready to believe that love was not all;that with her youth, intellect, and wealth there was much in life forher. But the plant flourished and was heavy with bloom. Even while sheavoided him, she longed for the moment when he must of necessity speakto her. She welcomed the excuse to secede from the ranks of pleasurers,but even then she started up at every sound of wheels that might heraldhis approach. She longed for the wedding to be over; but Helena wouldnot marry before December, that being her birth month and eminentlysuitable, in her logical fancy, for her second launching. ColonelBelmont, having satisfied himself that everyone in the little drama hadacted with honour, was well pleased with his son-in-law; but he was muchdistressed at the attitude of the old friend who had hoped to fill asimilar relation to Trennahan. Don Roberto, taciturn with everybody,refused to speak to Colonel Belmont, to return his courtly salutation.

  "I suppose it is natural," said Colonel Belmont to Helena. "Don is notonly eccentric, but he would almost rather lose a hundred thousanddollars than his own way. But I hope he'll come round in time, for itmakes me feel right lonesome in my old age. He and Hi were the only realintimates I have had in California, and now Hi is going, poor oldfellow! and of course I can do little to cheer him up until Don thawsout."

  "Do you feel quite well yourself?" asked Helena, anxiously. "You oftenlook so terribly pale."

  "I never was better, honey, I assure you. But remember that you mustexpect to lose your old father some day. But I've been pretty good toyou, haven't I? You'll have nothing but pleasant things to remember?"

  "You're the very best angel on earth. I don't even love Jack so much. Ithought I did, but I don't."

  "Don't you love him?" asked her father, anxiously. He was eager for herto marry; he knew that his blood was white.

  "Of course! What a question!"