The family scene closed, M. Hollydorf, in freedom from rival jealousy, gave his cordial salutations of welcome, which were followed by the other members of the corps. Then the Heracleans and Kyronese claimed the privilege of expressing their affectionate gratulations. The mayorong, distrustful of his power for expressing the reverential emotions of his gratitude, for the deliverance of his people from their extreme peril, although second to the prætor’s family, in greeting with his presence the captain’s entrance, had allowed all the precedence. Approaching the captain, when beckoned by the prætor, hereditary impulse inclined him to prostration, but the humiliating act was arrested by an energetic embrace which relieved him from his embarrassment. While the prætor was gratefully presenting the Betongese for the captain’s kindred recognition, attention was attracted by the musical call of children from his incoming train. Mr. Welson, recognizing the voices that were making the name, Don Guillermo’s, melodious, on approaching, in quick transition, found his neck enwreathed with the arms of his little favorites, Lavoca and Lovieta, whose eager curiosity, after bestowing their kisses of welcome, inquiringly asked, in whispered accents, who the angel was that embraced the captain, and the other, and others? Supporting with his arms, their bodies pendent from his neck, Mr. Welson carried the children to Correliana and Luocuratia, “and the others,” to receive from their lips the much coveted welcome; which was given with such loving zest, that sweet surprise made dewy their jetty eyes, while their cheeks glowed through the olive tint, embrowned from exposure, with an exquisite blending that enhanced their rare infantile beauty. As all the Heracleans and Kyronese matrons and maidens claimed the privilege of surprised affection, in bestowing the salutation of welcome, it was long before they were restored again to the full possession of Don Guillermo, and then were so mazed with delightful impressions, and wondering gladness, that they were unable to give heedful answers to his inquiries. At length, after an apologetic round of besitos beneath his grizzled moustache, which caused him, laughingly, to utter the interjectional expostulation “bas-tan-te,” they in rambling relation commenced the rehearsal of events which led to their transfer from parental care and their natural home.
Observing his inquiring gaze directed to a young woman, whose eyes were occupied with curious admiration in following the changing variations in the scene enactment from the loving outflow of affection evoked by the captain’s advent, Lovieta and Lavoca exclaimed with united voices, “Oh, that’s Annette, our governante, we love her very much.”
Then with childlike simplicity, peculiar to Spanish infantas, they informed him that she was a nice beautiful teacher of music, and everything else, and Captain Greenwood’s sister, but not in the regular way, although they were very fond of each other. “Father loves them very much, and when the captain told him he was coming to live here for good, she said, that with his permission she would go wherever he went, and make his home hers. This made him very glad. Then father seemed to be sad with thinking, and then he loved us so much while shedding tears, that when we could speak, we asked what made him so triste? He said, he wanted them to take us to Heraclea that we might be educated so that we would be always good, and could be present with him and mamma although absent in body, which would keep them from feeling sad and lonely. But we could see that mamma and he were very, very triste. This made us sorry. So he talked to us of all you had written of the happiness of the people here, because they were truly good and pure in their love toward each other, without selfish concealments; then we were glad and wanted to be with you. The mammatits you sent, who have been with us all the way, told us all about the school, and how loving the children were toward each other, which made them always very beautiful; but you, nor they, didn’t tell us that there were angels here. Then they said that there were no dolls here, for the larger nines helped to care for the ninaquillas,—how very, very beautiful they are,—do they never grow old and ugly here, so that they have to paint their faces, and scold like grandma, because people don’t like them? Then, as we were a going to say, mother don’t feel exactly safe with herself, and becomes fearful, when grandma talks to her of her soul’s perdition, which we can’t well understand, only that it’s padre Molinero’s doings. So she wanted us to come here before we were too old to enter the school, that she and papa might visit us and learn how to be truly affectionate without talking too much; but we don’t see, now, how that can be; ay, ay, pobre mamma and papa! But they said it was for our happiness that they wished to send us, which we can now see. How beautiful, nice, and clean everything looks! Is it always so? And papa said, that without us his home would be desolate. Then mamma looked at him wild like, but so pitiable, and choked so, then looked so sorrowful, that we hugged and kissed her and whispered we wouldn’t go away and leave her; then she said, ‘Pedro?’ soft like, and papa took her in his arms, and we all cried together; but so happy, it didn’t seem like crying, and couldn’t speak for ever so long a time, but then we felt so content, when we thought so lovingly, and said nothing. Then when mamma could speak, she said whisperingly and softly, so that we could scarcely hear her for our crying, ‘Pedro, it is better they should go, and I will try to make you feel that your house and home are not desolate.’ Then he kissed her and we all cried again for joy. But grandma made us feel so unpleasantly by saying that it was as good as throwing our souls away to send us where there were no priests and churches, we didn’t feel any sorrow when we bid her good-bye. So we have come away from bad example to get souls that will make us live as though we had no bodies, for we were very much afraid of death. The mammatits said the Heracleans lived to make each other happy, so that each one was loved by all the rest, and in caring for one they cared for all the rest, so that there could be no grief and repentance for wrong-doing, for all were good, and cared more for others than themselves; and we can now see that you are all gladness, and were sometimes so triste when you were with us. We love father a little more than we do you, because you see we have always known him, and we haven’t known you so long. But the gente pequenézas said you were so much changed in disposition we should hardly know you; and to be sure, now that we see you when you smile, we feel so glad; and sometimes, when you lived with us, your smile made us feel sad, as though we’d rather you would not.”
Lavoca. “Yes Lovieta, just think, didn’t his smile at home remind you of the rose blossoms that look out from the old grated window of the claustro San Jaun; which seemed for all the world as though they wished to come out into the sunlight, but couldn’t, because they wouldn’t confess it was sinful? But they say you never speak cross words here, for in loving to do so much for others, without money, you have nothing to scold for. You see we never told mamma all what the Manatitlans could do to make us good, as they said the priests would persuade her mother that we had dealings with the devil. Señor Arbitrator, the one that used to talk with father most, told him all about the schools, and how you live here. How queer it is that you can hear them talk when you listen to what they say in your ear, and can scarcely see them on your hand, let it be ever so clean, for they are very particular. Then their voices are so very small and chirrupy. But father says, that they are louder in proportion to size than the cicada’s. Mother was very loving and cheerful after they came, but very much frightened; then we knew the gentle pequenézas had talked to her. So you see that we are here with Annette Pozzuoli, who has come to teach the Heracleans music, which you said in your letter they are fond of, and we have heard the mammatits chant their morning and evening songs of praise. Are you really and truly glad to see us, now that you are so good! Oh dear, what queer dresses, now that we see them! But how nice, sweet and clean they look! How very, very, beautiful! Do you think that they will love us if we are truly good?”
Mr. Welson, with the opportunity assured them that he was truly glad to see them, as he was certain that they would be loved and happy, and he was sure that mamma and papa would soon follow the lead of their affection, and in Heraclea forget that they had ever been unhappy.
The prætor and family had listened unobserved to the prattling relation of the diminutive maidens, and at its close bestowed upon them the much coveted caresses, then placing them in charge of Cleorita and Oviata, who could converse with them in their own language, they were subjected to the rights of the Kyronese bath, which excited their wincing but mirthful admiration; and their comfortable contentment was well assured when they found themselves invested in Heraclean raiment, which impressed them with the feeling of purified adoption.
After they had been placed in charge of the Kyronese maidens, the assemblage moved up the avenue toward the city. Mr. Welson, who had devoted himself to Annette, after his introduction by the children, was pleased to learn in more direct language the events which had transpired in Don Pedro’s family, from the period of her return from a visit in the country, a few days subsequent to his departure on board of the Tortuga. From the description she gave of the children’s thoughtful endurance and self-dependence during the river voyage, and journey from Amelcoy, it was evident that they had already entered upon their novitiate under Manatitlan direction; for they expressed a decided determination to take care of themselves for the relief of others, and exhibited so many traits of prudential foresight that they were a help rather than a burden. At the commencement of the voyage, she said, that Captain Greenwood and herself had felt great solicitude for the children, and was half inclined to look upon their exile as an inexcusable act of indifference on the part of Don Pedro. “But on the third day, when the poignancy of their grief had become consolable, they immediately evinced a desire to relieve us from anxiety. With permission and encouragement they took charge of their own clothes and personal purity, submitting themselves to our inspection for approval and direction; and have improved so much in foresight that we have found it hard to excel them in neatness. As you have seen them this morning, they have appeared throughout the journey, causing by their example a constant desire for cleanly renovation on the part of the muleteers, who were ashamed to appear in negligent garbs, of doubtful purity, to subject themselves to the reproving contrast. If you remarked their appearance, you must have observed that they are wonderfully clean and tidy in their department, and have been unusually attentive in rendering assistance to all, so that the trip has been one of unalloyed pleasure, from the exampled influence of the children. When we started from Amelcoy the captain took Lovieta before him on the saddle-bow, and I took charge of Lavoca; but on the second day they insisted that they could ride unsupported on the led mules, and their prudence had so completely inspired our confidence that they were allowed to make the trial, with such success that the mules on the fourth day exhibited such a manifest preference, that jointly with the children they declared their independence from the arrieros, and have since been recognized by mules and muleteers as especial favorites.”
CHAPTER XXIX.
The process of ablution having been completed, before the sun reached its meridian, not only the new arrivals, with resident intention, but the members of the corps, appeared in the lower fora dressed in Manatitlan costume, which had been prepared for the occasion by the Heracleans in commemoration of full adoption. The effect produced by the change can be comprehensively expressed in the whispered announcement of Lovieta and Lavoca as they regarded with admiring eyes the improvement made in the personnel of Don Guillermo when raised in his arms for affectionate congratulation. “Oh! Don Guillermo, you look, and we feel so nice and light, we could almost fly back to mamma and papa to make them glad with happiness.” Then pointing to a group of Heraclean matrons they asked, “Do they ever fly?”
Don Guillermo. “Oh yes, in thought to make others happy, they are always in flight, and it is that which makes you feel so light and joyous.”