CHAPTER V.
"And whom did you see in the village, my son?" she asked, the next
morning during the improvement which returned every time, in the first
hours of the day, after the fever had subsided.
"And whom did you see in the village, my son?--" In talking, she tried to
retain an air of gaiety, of saying indifferent things, in the fear of
attacking grave subjects and of provoking disquieting replies.
"I saw Arrochkoa, mother," he replied, in a tone which brought back
suddenly the burning questions.
"Arrochkoa!--And how did he behave with you?"
"Oh, he talked to me as if I had been his brother."
"Yes, I know, I know.--Oh, it was not he who made her do it--"
"He said even--"
He did not dare to continue now, and he lowered his head.
"He said what, my son?"
"Well, that--that it was hard to put her in prison there--that
perhaps--that, even now, if she saw me, he was not far from thinking--"
She straightened under the shock of what she had just suspected; with her
thin hands she parted her hair, newly whitened, and her eyes became again
young and sharp, in an expression almost wicked from joy, from avenged
pride:
"He said that, he!--"
"Would you forgive me, mother--if I tried?"
She took his two hands and they remained silent, not daring, with their
scruples as Catholics, to utter the sacrilegious thing which was
fomenting in their heads. In the depth of her eyes, the evil spark went
out.
"Forgive you?" she said in a low voice, "Oh, I--you know very well that I
would.--But do not do this, my son, I pray you, do not do it; it would
bring misfortune to both of you!--Do not think of it, my Ramuntcho, never
think of it--"
Then, they hushed, hearing the steps of the physician who was coming up
for his daily visit. And it was the only time, the supreme time when they
were to talk of it in life.
But Ramuntcho knew now that, even after death, she would not condemn him
for having attempted, or for having committed it: and this pardon was
sufficient for him, and, now that he felt sure of obtaining it, the
greatest barrier, between his sweetheart and him, had now suddenly
fallen.
