CHAPTER XXV
SCHEMES.
Without paying attention to anybody, Father Dámaso went straight to
the sick room and took hold of Maria's hand.
"Maria!" said he, with indescribable tenderness, as tears dropped
from his eyes. "Maria, my child, you are not going to die!"
Maria opened her eyes and looked at him with surprise.
None who knew the Franciscan suspected that he ever had such tender
thoughts. No one ever supposed that a heart existed under that gross
and rude aspect.
Father Dámaso could say no more and left the maiden, weeping like
a child. He went out through the room at the head of the stairs,
to give free vent to his grief, on Maria Clara's balcony under her
favorite vines.
"How he loves his god-daughter!" thought they all.
Father Salví witnessed the scene, immovable and silent, lightly biting
his lips.
When his grief was somewhat soothed, Father Dámaso was introduced
by Doña Victorina to the young Linares, who approached the friar
with respect.
Father Dámaso gazed at him in silence from head to foot. He took
the letter which the young man handed to him and read it apparently
without understanding it, for he asked him:
"And who are you?"
"Alfonso Linares, the god-son of your brother-in-law," stammered the
young man.
Father Dámaso leaned back and examined the young man again. His face
brightened up and he rose to his feet.
"And so you are the god-son of little Charles!" he exclaimed. "Come
here and let me embrace you. It was some days ago that I received your
letter. So it is you! I did not know you--but that is easily explained,
for you were not yet born when I left the country. I never knew you."
And Father Dámaso stretched out his robust arms to the young man who
blushed, either from shame or suffocation. Father Dámaso seemed to
have completely forgotten his grief.
After the first moments of effusion had passed, and questions had been
asked about Carlicos, as he called little Charles, Father Dámaso asked:
"Well. What does Carlicos want me to do for you?"
"I believe he says something in the letter," stammered Linares again.
"In the letter? Let us see. 'Tis so! And he wants me to get you a
job and a wife! Hm! Employment--employment: that is easy. Do you know
how to read and write?"
"I have graduated in law from the Central University."
