So she was able to putJuana and the girls away from
her, and isolate herself from them. Ramón, large and muted,kept himself in reserve.
But whatare gifts to a man who perverts them!
Though the men seemed very gentleand protective to
the little children.
It turned out to be a foundlings home, run by a few
obscureCarmelite sisters.
The two women sat in their bent-wood rocking-chairs
and justsobbed. It was the loose,patriarchal generosity innate in the bosoms of the
Spanish-Mexicans. And a mystery greater than theindividual. And the other boys would
edge away, in a silent kind of dread.
But Kate had to rouse her into getting some
simplemedicine. Always he spoke with pleased delight, as if the place were
awonder-place to him.
A mozo came with a note from Don Ramón: might he
bring his wife tocall on Kate?
And APPARENTLY, there is passionate
life.
They had to carry all water from the lake to
theirhouses. What doesIreland matter, what does nationalism and all that rubbish
matter,really! And I shall never, never love another man.
I think he has gone insane, asMexicans
do.
Kate remembered her Englishservants in the English
kitchens: so mechanical and somehowinhuman.
Only when they were shoved back, into isolation,did
they remember again.
None of the wonderinginsouciance of
childhood.
It was the loose,patriarchal generosity innate in
the bosoms of the Spanish-Mexicans. Then she glanced quickly,involuntarily at her
husband, as she added: I dont know.
And the same terrible inertia makes them endure it,
withouttrying to make any change. If something inside them compels them to go on
destroying!
Then they turned again and trotted into the
courtyard,barefoot.
A bluff of yellow rock came jutting at the
road.
You see I amso busy in Mexico with my
Cuna.
Now, he had only somethree hundred acres. And now,
Ramón says, the people have lost God.
Then:Do you have lice in your hair,
Niña?
He was a proud peon, andhe really seemed
happy.
They were pretending to hurry, too,because the real
rains might begin any day. A mozo came with a note from Don Ramón: might he bring
his wife tocall on Kate? But, then, Kate was not responsible for that.
And she rocked herself in a sudden access of
agitation.