“Is Don Diego Estenega here?” he asked Prudencia. “I met him a number of times in Vienna, and should like to meet him again.”
Prudencia drew up her small important person with an expression of conscious virtue that did not confine itself to her face, but made her very gown swell and rustle.
“Si!” she said. “He ees here—for the firs’ time in mos’ twenty years, señor. You never hear? He killing my husban’. But I forgive him because ees in the fight and no can help. Reinaldo attack, and Diego mus’ defend, of course. Still, he kill him, and I am the wife. But bime by I forgive, for that ees my religion. And I love Chonita. So she come to the old house, the firs’ time in so many years, for the birfday de my son. Diego is horseback now, but come back soon. You no like go to your room? So dirt that treep, no? Reinaldo!” Her son came forward at once. “Show the Señor Torp to his room, no? and the other gentlemens.”
Thorpe followed young Iturbi y Moncada down the corridor and into a small room. The floor was bare, the furniture prison-like; but he had heard of the simplicity of the adobe mansions of Californian grandees.
Reinaldo jerked open the upper drawer of the bureau, disclosing several rows of large goldpieces.
“At your service, señor,” he said with a bow. “I beg that you will use it all.”
Thorpe reddened to his hair. He hardly knew whether to be angry or not. Did these haughty grandees take him for a pauper? However, he merely bowed and thanked the youth somewhat drily, and at the same moment Captain Brotherton entered the room.
“The hospitality of the Californian!” he cried, taking in the situation at a glance. “Reinaldo, I see the new generation has forgotten nothing, despite the Americans.”
“No, señor,” said the young man, proudly. “What ours is, is our guests. That is right always, no? But perhaps the gentleman no like, perhaps he no have the custom in his country.”
“We have not, I regret to say, Don Reinaldo. We are a tight-fisted practical race. But I can the more deeply appreciate your hospitality; and, believe me, I do appreciate it.”