Again she looks to him inquiringly, as does Ludwig, both listening with all ears for the answer.
“The thing I’m speaking of is an ostrich.”
“Why an ostrich? your uncle could have no curiosity about that. He sees them every day.”
“True, but it’s not every day he can catch them. And it was only yesterday I heard him tell Caspar he wanted one, a cock bird, for some purpose or other, though what, he didn’t say. Now, it’s likely, almost certain, that while on their way to the tolderia, or coming back, he has seen one, given chase to it, leaving Francesca somewhere to wait for him. Well, tia, you know what an ostrich is to chase? Now lagging along as if you could easily throw the noose round its neck, then putting on a fresh spurt—’twould tempt any one to keep on after it. Uncle may have got tantalised in that very way, and galloped leagues upon leagues without thinking of it. To get back to Francesca, and then home, would take all the time that’s passed yet. So don’t let us despair.”
The words well meant, and not without some show of reason, fail, however, to bring conviction to the señora. Her heart is too sad, the presentiment too heavy on it, to be affected by any such sophistry. In return, she says despairingly—
“No, sobrino! that’s not it. It your uncle had gone after an ostrich, you forget that Caspar has gone after him. If he had found them, they’d all have been back before this. Ay de mi! I know they’ll never be back—never more!”
“Nay, mamma! don’t say that,” breaks in Ludwig, flinging his arms around her neck, and kissing the tears from her cheek. “What Cypriano says appears to me probable enough, and likely to be true. But if it isn’t, I think I can tell what is.”
Again the sorrowing mother looks inquiringly up; Cypriano, in turn, becoming listener.
“My idea,” pursues Ludwig, “is that they went straight on to the tolderia, and are there still—detained against their will.”
Cypriano starts, saying. “What makes you think that, cousin?”