Part 16 (1/2)
These people are so obstinate that they cannot see hoell it is for theood work, e ratitude, but we have to put up with it It is a trial sent to us from Heaven, ains as I have won by a life of labour--indeed, they have gone before ht be put in the way of te of my day in peace and prayer
”And now there is oneour last journey, the daughter of an accursed Englishht her here, and as her guardian I have asked you to ht, that I may choose her a husband, as it isthe settled people near Mozaht lead to aard questions So I will be generous and pass her on to another
”But to whoive this prize, this pearl, this sweet and lovely entlemen how can I set one above the others and declare hiirl? I cannot, so I must leave it to chance, for I know that Heaven will choose better than I Therefore to hiive this maid, to comfort him with her love; to make a present, mind you, not to pay a price Still, perhaps, it will be best that the amount of the donation should be ascertained in the usual way, by bidding--in ounces of gold, if you please!
”One condition ular in this matter, my friends The Church shall have its say in it, and he whom I select must wed the maid, here, before us all Have we not a priest at hand, and shall we find no work for hilish girl”
This speech was not delivered quite so continuously as it is printed here On the contrary, it was subject to many interruptions, mostly of an ironical nature, the allusions to ”a present” to be given for the girl and to the proposed hter
Now the noise died away, for every eye watched for the appearance of Juanna
In a few uarded by severalfroh the ht nor to the left, till it arrived in front of the verandah and halted Then it was that Leonard first saw Juanna Rodd She was very tall and slight, her dark hair isted into a single knot at the back of her shapely head, her features were s and solance, but it was not until she looked up and round her that Leonard discovered the girl's peculiar glory, the glory of her eyes Then and in that light he was unable to distinguish their colour, a difficult task at any ti to the shadohich fell upon them, but he could see that they ide and splendid, fearless and yet soft For the rest she was clad in an Arab robe richly worked, and wore sandals upon her feet
Juanna stopped in front of the verandah and searched it with her eyes
Presently they ceased their searching and she spoke in a clear, sweet voice
”What do you ith me now, Dom Antonio Pereira?” she said
”My dove,” he answered in his coarse, ry with your slave I promised you, my dove, that I would find a husband for you, and now all these gallant gentlee-hour, irl answered, ”for the last ti you, and I have done you no injury: let o unharmed? Why, ould hurt you, my dove?” answered the satyr ”Yes, that is what I o to a husband”
”I shall never go to any husband of your choosing, Doain in a low and steady voice ”Be assured of that, all of you I have no fear of you, for God will help me in my need And now, as I have pleaded to you for the last time, so for the last time I warn you, Dom Antonio, and your wicked companions also Go on with this iniquity if you will, but a judgment awaits you Death from Heaven above is near to you, you eance”
Thus she spoke, not loud indeed, but with conviction, a power, and a dignity of mien that carried terror to the hearts of the most hardened villains there It was at the conclusion of her speech that her eyes firstforward to listen, and in his grief and anger he had forgotten to preserve the truculent expression which it was his part to wear Once entleman, noble and open, if somewhat stern
Their eyes met, and there was that in his which caused Juanna to pause
She looked at hih she would read his very soul, and in answer he put all his will and heart's desire into his gaze, the will and the desire that she should know him to be her friend They had never met before, she did not even dream of his existence, and there was little in Leonard's outward appearance to distinguish him from the ruffians by whom he was surrounded Yet her quick sense, sharpened by despair, read ritten in his eyes, and read it aright Fro these wolves, that there was one person at least ould save her if he could
In an instant she had searched his face and dropped her eyes again, fearing lest she should awake suspicion Then came a pause, for the minds of men were disturbed; she had aroused some remnant of conscience in theeance to coeance very near at hand All were affected more or less, but chiefly was he affected to whom she had addressed her words The Yellow Devil sank back into the chair from which he had risen to speak, a wonderful chair -seated, with a footstool attached to it Superstitious dread took hold of him, and he shi+vered visibly
The scene was one which Leonard never forgot Above the bright moon shone in the heavens, before him were rank upon rank of evil faces, eachalone in their irl, proud in the depth of her shaathered to destroy her
For a while the wind had dropped and the silence was deep, so deep was it that Leonard could hear the mew of a kitten which had crept froainst Juanna's feet She heard it also, and, stooping, lifted the little creature and held it to her breast
”Let her go!” said a voice fro ill-luck upon us”
At the sound Pereira see himself from the chair and waddled down the steps towards his victim
”Curse you, you slut!” he said, ”do you think to frighten men with your threats? Let God help you if He can The Yellow Devil is God here You are as much in my power as this brute,” and he snatched the kitten froround ”You see, God does not help the kitten, and He will not help you Here, letthe breast of her white robe he rent it open