"Had they no plans?
Spoke she not in her letter of what they would do?"
"Only that they would go to Father Salvierderra first," he replied.
"Ah!" The Senora reflected. At first startled, her second thought
was that this would be the best possible thing which could happen.
"Father Salvierderra will counsel them what to do," she said. "He
could no doubt establish them in Santa Barbara in some way. My
son, when you reflect, you will see the impossibility of bringing
them here. Help them in any way you like, but do not bring them
here." She paused. "Not until I am dead, Felipe! It will not be
long."
Felipe bowed his head in his mother's lap. She laid her hands on
his hair, and stroked it with passionate tenderness. "My Felipe!"
she said. "It was a cruel fate to rob me of you at the last!"
"Mother! mother!" he cried in anguish. "I am yours,-- wholly,
devotedly yours! Why do you torture me thus?"
"I will not torture you more," she said wearily, in a feeble tone. "I
ask only one thing of you; let me never hear again the name of that
wretched girl, who has brought all this woe on our house; let her
name never be spoken on this place by man, woman, or child.
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