Alessandro's father had managed the Mission flocks and herds at
San Luis Rey for twenty years; few were as skilful as he; he
himself owned nearly as many sheep as the Senora Moreno; but
this Juan did not know. Neither did he realize that Alessandro, as
Chief Pablo's son, had a position of his own not without dignity
and authority. To Juan, an Indian was an Indian, and that was the
end of it. The gentle courteousness of Alessandro's manner, his
quiet behavior, were all set down in Juan's mind to the score of the
boy's native amiability and sweetness. If Juan had been told that
the Senor Felipe himself had not been more carefully trained in all
precepts of kindliness, honorable dealing, and polite usage, by the
Senora, his mother, than had Alessandro by his father, he would
have opened his eyes wide. The standards of the two parents were
different, to be sure; but the advantage could not be shown to be
entirely on the Senora's side. There were many things that Felipe
knew, of which Alessandro was profoundly ignorant; but there
were others in which Alessandro could have taught Felipe; and
when it came to the things of the soul, and of honor, Alessandro's
plane was the higher of the two.
Pages:
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170