Was that true?"
"Yes, Father," replied Alessandro.
The Father strode up and down again, plucking at his beard. "What
are you going to do?" he said. "Where have you all gone? There
were two hundred in your village the last time I was there."
"Some have gone over into Pachanga," replied Alessandro, "some
to San Pasquale, and the rest to San Bernardino."
"Body of Jesus! man! But you take it with philosophy!" stormed
Father Gaspara.
Alessandro did not understand the word "philosophy," but he knew
what the Father meant. "Yes, Father," he said doggedly. "It is now
twenty-one days ago. I was not so at first. There is nothing to be
done."
Ramona held tight to Alessandro's hand. She was afraid of this
fierce, black-bearded priest, who dashed back and forth, pouring
out angry invectives.
"The United States Government will suffer for it!" he continued.
"It is a Government of thieves and robbers! God will punish them.
You will see; they will be visited with a curse,-- a curse in their
borders; their sons and their daughters shall be desolate! But why
do I prate in these vain words? My son, tell me your names again;"
and he seated himself once more at the table where the ancient
marriage-record lay open.
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