"No, mother," he said,
"I should not; but --"
"Never mind buts," interrupted his mother; "we have not got to
those yet;" and she smiled on Felipe,-- an affectionate smile, but it
somehow gave him a feeling of dread. "Of course I knew you
could make but one answer to my question. If you had a sister, you
would rather see her dead than married to any one of these
Indians."
Felipe opened his lips eagerly, to speak. "Not so," he said.
"Wait, dear!" exclaimed his mother. "One thing at a time, I see
how full your loving heart is, and I was never prouder of you as my
son than when listening just now to your eloquent defence of
Ramona, Perhaps you may be right and I wrong as to her character
and conduct. We will not discuss those points." It was here that the
Senora had perceived some things that it would be out of her
power to do. "We will not discuss those, because they do not touch
the real point at issue. What it is our duty to do by Ramona, in
such a matter as this, does not turn on her worthiness or
unworthiness. The question is, Is it right for you to allow her to do
what you would not allow your own sister to do?" The Senora
paused for a second, noted with secret satisfaction how puzzled
and unhappy Felipe looked; then, in a still gentler voice, she went
on, "You surely would not think that right, my son, would you?"
And now the Senora waited for an answer.
Pages:
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315