Froth: A Novel

by Armando Palacio Valdés

They took their seats in the train once more, and went on their way across interminable sunburnt plains, no one dreaming of examining the landscape through those ponderous fieldglasses. They reached Riosa shortly before dusk.

The famous mines of Riosa are situated in a hollow between two low ranges of hills, the spurs of a great mountain-chain, and are surrounded on all sides by broken ground, knolls and downs of no great height, but scarred and ravined in such a way as to look peculiarly barren and melancholy. In the hollow stands a town dating from the remotest antiquity. Our travellers did not invade it, they stopped about two kilometres short of it, at a village named Villalegre, where the engineers and miners have settled themselves with a view to avoiding the mercurial and sulphurous fumes which slowly poison not the miners only, but all the inhabitants of the neighbourhood. It is divided from the mines by a ridge, and is a striking contrast to the mining town itself. It is watered by a stream which makes it blossom like a garden, gay with wild lilies, jasmine, and heliotrope, and, above all, with damask roses, which have naturalised themselves there more completely than in any other region of Spain. The aromatic fragrance of thyme and fennel perfumes and purifies the air.

The most flowery plot in all the settlement belonged to the company, at about three hundred yards from the village. A handsome stone building stood in the midst of a garden, this was the residence of the head-manager, and the central office of the mines; round it, at some little distance, were several smaller dwellings, each with its little garden, occupied by clerks, and by some of the operatives; but most of these lived at Riosa.

There was no station at Villalegre, the train stopped where it crossed the road leading to the chief town of the province. Here carriages were in waiting to convey them to the head office, a drive of about ten minutes. At the park gate, and along the road, a crowd had gathered, which hailed the visitors with very faint enthusiasm. These were the men off their turn of work, whom the director had sent for from Riosa for the purpose. They were all pallid and earth-stained, their eyes were dull, and even from a distance it was easy to detect in their movements a certain indecision, which, when seen closer, was a very perceptible trembling. The smart party of visitors drove close past this mob of ghosts—for such they seemed in the fading evening grey—the eyes of beauty and fashion met those of the miners, and from that contact not a spark of sympathy was struck. Behind the forced and melancholy smile of the labourers, a keen eye could very plainly detect hostility. Requena's little procession drove by in silence; these fine folks were visibly uneasy; they were very grave, not without a touch of alarm. The ladies involuntarily shrunk closer to the men, and as they turned in at the gates there was a murmur of "Good heavens! what faces!" and a sigh of relief at having escaped from the deep mysterious gaze of those haggard eyes. Rafael Alcantara alone was so bold as to utter a jesting remark.

"Well," said he, "the sovereign people are not attractive looking in these parts."

The manager introduced the clerks to Salabert, each by name. They were almost all natives of other parts of the country, healthy, smiling young fellows, with nothing noticeable about them, and the superintendents no less so. The only man of them all who attracted any attention was a delicate-looking man, with a pale face, and thin black moustache, whose steady dark eyes looked at the fashionable visitors with such piercing determination as bordered on insolence. Without knowing why, those who met his gaze felt vaguely uncomfortable, and were glad to look away. The manager introduced him as the doctor attached to the mines.

Rooms had been found for all the party, some in the director's house, and others in those of the humbler residents. When they had taken a little rest, they all met in the director's drawing-room, and from thence they marched arm-in-arm, in solemn procession, to the office board-room, which had been transformed into a dining-room. Here the Duke gave them a magnificent dinner. Nothing was missing of the most refined and aristocratic entertainment; the plate and china, the cooking, and the service were all perfection. While they dined the grounds were lighted up with Venetian lamps, and on rising from table, every one rushed to the window to admire the effect, which was dazzlingly beautiful. An orchestra, concealed in an arbour, played national airs with great spirit. The whole party, panting from the heat of the room, which was intense, and tempted by the brilliant spectacle, went out to wander about the gardens; the younger men carried off the girls to a grass-plot, close to the band, and there began to dance. Cobo Ramirez presently joined the group.

"Do you know what you remind me of?" he shouted. "A party of commercial travellers in some suburban café!"

This comparison seemed to hurt their feelings deeply; the dancing lost its attractions for the fashionable juveniles, and soon ceased altogether. However, as their hearts were set on Terpsichorean delights, it occurred to them to transfer the music to the board room, where they continued their devotions to the Muse, free from the dreadful burden which Cobo had laid on their conscience.

The festivities were carried on till late. Fireworks were presently let off, having been brought expressly from Madrid. The various couples wandered about the gravelled paths, enjoying the coolness of the night, made fragrant by the scent of flowers. There was but one dark blot on their perfect enjoyment. When they went near the gate, they saw a crowd outside, of labourers, women, and children, who had come from Riosa, on hearing of the great doings—the same haggard creatures, hollow-eyed and gloomy, as they had met on arriving. So they took care not to go too near the fence, but to remain in the paths and alleys near the middle of the garden. Lola, only, who prided herself on being charitable, and who was president, secretary, and treasurer of no less than three societies, was brave enough to speak to them, and even to distribute some small silver money; but out of the darkness came obscene abuse and insults, which compelled her to retreat. Cotorraso, when he heard of it, was in a great rage.