There is room. You are welcome." But when he heard the
soft Spanish syllables in which Ramona spoke to Alessandro, and
Alessandro, translating her words to him, said, "Majel speaks only
in the Spanish tongue, but she will learn ours," a look of disquiet
passed over his countenance. His heart feared for Alessandro, and
he said, "Is she, then, not Indian? Whence got she the name of
Majel?"
A look of swift intelligence from Alessandro reassured him.
"Indian on the mother's side!" said Alessandro, "and she belongs in
heart to our people. She is alone, save for me. She is one blessed
of the Virgin, Ysidro. She will help us. The name Majel I have
given her, for she is like the wood-dove; and she is glad to lay her
old name down forever, to bear this new name in our tongue."
And this was Ramona's introduction to the Indian village, -- this
and her smile; perhaps the smile did most. Even the little children
were not afraid of her. The women, though shy, in the beginning,
at sight of her noble bearing, and her clothes of a kind and quality
they associated only with superiors, soon felt her friendliness, and,
what was more, saw by her every word, tone, look, that she was
Alessandro's.
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