The Doomswoman: An Historical Romance of Old California

  XV.

  Those were two busy months before Prudencia's wedding. Twenty girls,sharply watched and directed by Dona Trinidad and the sometimemistress of Casa Grande, worked upon the marriage wardrobe. Prudenciawould have no use for more house-linen; but enough fine linen was madeinto underclothes to last her a lifetime. Five keen-eyed girls didnothing but draw the threads for deshalados, and so elaborate was theopen-work that the wonder was the bride did not have bands and stripesof rheumatism. Others fashioned crepes and flowered silks and heavysatins into gowns with long pointed waists and full flowing skirts,some with sleeves of lace and high to the base of the throat, otherscut to display the plump whiteness of the owner. Twelve rebosos weremade for her; Dona Trinidad gave her one of her finest mantillas;Chonita, the white satin embroidered with poppies, for which she hadconceived a capricious dislike. She also invited Prudencia to takewhat she pleased from her wardrobe; and Prudencia, who was nothing ifnot practical, helped herself to three gowns which had been made forChonita at great expense in the city of Mexico, four shawls of Chinesecrepe, a roll of pineapple silk, and an American hat.

  The house until within two weeks of the wedding was full ofvisitors,--neighbors whose ranchos lay ten leagues away or nearer,and the people of the town; all of them come to offer congratulations,chatter on the corridor by day and dance in the sala by night. Thecourt was never free of prancing horses pawing the ground foreighteen hours at a time under their heavy saddles. Dona Trinidad'scooking-girls were as thick in the kitchen as ants on an anthill, forthe good things of Casa Grande were as famous as its hospitality, andnot the least of the attractions to the merry visitors. When we didnot dance at home we danced at the neighbors' or at the Presidio.During the last two weeks, however, every one went home to rest andprepare for the festivities to succeed the wedding; and the old housewas as quiet as a canon in the mountains.

  Chonita took a lively concern in the preparations at first, but herinterest soon evaporated, and she spent more and more time in thelittle library adjoining her bedroom. She did less reading thanthinking, however. Once she came to me and tried for fifteen minutesto draw from me something in Estenega's dispraise; and when I finallyadmitted that he had a fault or two I thought she would scalp me.Still, at this time she was hardly more than fascinated, interested,tantalized by a mind she could appreciate but not understand. If theyhad never met again he would gradually have moved backward tothe horizon of her memory, growing dim and more dim, hovered in acloud-bank for a while, then disappeared into that limbo which mustexist somewhere for discarded impressions, and all would have beenwell.