"Indeed, I am generally very happy. Father
Salvierderra says that if one does no sin, one will be always happy,
and that it is a sin not to rejoice every hour of the day in the sun
and the sky and the work there is to do; and there is always plenty
of that." Then, her face clouding, she continued: "I suppose I shall
always stay here. I have no other home; you know I was the
Senora's sister's adopted child. She died when I was little, and the
Senora kindly took me. Father Salvierderra says I must never
forget to be grateful to her for all she has done for me, and I try not
to."
Alessandro eyed her closely. The whole story, as Juan Can had
told it to him, of the girl's birth, was burning in his thoughts. How
he longed to cry out, "O my loved one, they have made you
homeless in your home. They despise you. The blood of my race is
in your veins; come to me; come to me! be surrounded with love!"
But he dared not. How could he dare?
Some strange spell seemed to have unloosed Ramona's tongue
to-night. She had never before spoken to Alessandro of her own
personal history or burdens; but she went on: "The worst thing is,
Alessandro, that she will not tell me who my mother was; and I do
not know if she is alive or not, or anything about her.
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