He slowly pushedthe boat before him, wading in the
silence.
They satin silence, and she felt she was fainting,
losing her consciousnessfor ever.
Onlythe fire can leave US, and we can die. There
will always be a traitor, said Kate gloomily. Now you see me look alive again, he
smiled.
And she was swooned prone beneath,perfect in her
proneness.
Ramón came walking slowly down to the little
harbouras they landed.
Ramón looked them both in the face, and knew. And
she hid her face from him, murmuring:I know you are. I believe Don Cipriano knows
them better than you do.
Then he took Martinsknife and came up the stairs,
when you shot him in the head. She looked at the boat, and thought of the donkey
stumbling andsplashing.
Onlythe fire can leave US, and we can
die.
But she hadhad a smattering of education, and
thought she was equal toanything.
The Living Huitzilopochtli, hehad called
himself.
I say I am Ramóns man, replied Cipriano stubbornly.
He seemed to be watching, watching for something. But you had the worst rebellion at
Jamiltepec, no?
She woke to the sudden stopping of the engine, and
sat up.
Kate felt rather as if she were coming to, from a
swoon, as Ramónspoke to her and looked at her. I expect he wants to know if I
amtaking on the house for another three months. He still watched her with a glare of
ferocity and suspicion.
He looked at heragain, as reluctantly he opened the
door. He closed the shutters till only a darkness remained. Curious how dainty the
horse looked, andthe horseman sitting erect, amid the sun-roasted ruin. Kate waded
slowly to the boat, and stepped in. It looks so pretty when it paws thewater!