CHAPTER XXVIII.

On the third morning after our visit to the school of the ninyetas, the pr?tor and the tribune teachers with Correliana and her mother called at the quarters of the corps, to escort M. Hollydorf to the pr?torial colonnades, as the husband elect of Luocuratia, for the fulfillment of his probationary term. After receiving the congratulations of adoption from the Heracleans, all joined in the matin song of thanksgiving in the lower fora. While the pr?tor and his wife were absent, aiding Luocuratia in her valedictory salutations, M. Hollydorf was entertained by Correliana and the Doschessa. In order that he might perfectly understand the premeditated process of transfer, and security achieved, Correliana stated: “The Dosch had auramentally learned your determination to make Heraclea your home three months ago, and suggested the apt adoption of your peculiarities to her disposition; but until convinced of your constancy to our customs he advised the course we have pursued. The result of your trial has proved of happier import than we anticipated, as well as of Luocuratia’s ready infilmentary adaptation for the unity of impression; but now you can rest assured that her thoughts have already become interwoven in desire with your own, so that your example will be held paramount to ours. After the bewildering maze your presence caused was dispelled, her thoughts were directed for the shadowy investment of your image with her own as a prelude for more perfect realization, 393with a success which imparted a trust free from doubt or fear in question of its fulfillment; in this mood I left her, promising to visit her in the evening. In keeping with my appointment, I found her awaiting my coming in the garden, in full confidence that, with my aid, whatever there might be of mystery to her veiled comprehension would be cleared for her perception’s perfect understanding. With an endearing caress, fluttering with the timidity of a newborn joy, her eyes drooping in tremulous expectation, were filled to fullness with happy anticipations, as she leaned her head upon my shoulder, invoking with attentive silence my aid for the full interpretation of her waking vision. That she might taste the cup of my own realized joy, without tantalizing prelude, I rehearsed your confided doubts and fears as the counterpart of her own, the while encircling her waist with my arm, in support of her head’s nestling repose, that the body’s medium of a sister’s affection might more fully open to her the gates of revelation; then to the trama of her love I interwove, through the shuttled impulses of her ear, the vibrating threads of your affection, until they became involved with the stamina of your stronger nature; then the rustling sigh of relief bespoke the double investment complete in the unity of confiding reciprocation. This accomplished, inasmuch as the agency of my influence could represent the responsive source of sexual alliance, for the embodiment of affection, she became so deeply absorbed with sweet meditative reflection that she was unconscious of my departure. This ingraft of affection, in surety so propitious, should engender solicitude, on your part, in behalf of your race; for enjoyment ever lacks full maturity, when we feel that there are others with the prestige of purity and goodness, who are denied our privilege from the want of kindly direction.”

To which supplication, M. Hollydorf replied:—“Truly 394thankful for your pleading consideration, however little my faults merit your lenity, I must ask your continued forbearance; as you can scarcely imagine from the purity of your associations, the depth of insincerity that must ever oppress and haunt me with the bitterness of reflection for my unworthiness, in accepting the boon of an alliance that so far exceeds my present capacity for just appreciation. But if the neglected germ of good intention, brambled by evil example, can be redeemed to offer an equivalent worthy of your acceptance, it shall be my constant study to withhold your memory from the past, which is beyond the reach of extenuation, by the integrity of an exampled affection.”

Correliana. “That you may feel to the full extent the confidence bestowed with Luocuratia, my father has left his written salutation for presentation, which with your permission, I will read, that it may convey to you the living warmth of a personal address.
“‘To M. Hollydorf, Director of the Heraclean Deliverers:—

“Carrissimus, acting upon the information received with advice from the Dosch and his advisers, and your own confidence imparted to my step-daughter, Correliana Adinope, affording verification of our own observations, that there exists a unity of attachment between you and her twin sister Luocuratia, we offer you with unspeakable gladness our joyful congratulations, with the sum of our united affection. In bestowing our fullest sanction, we are truly happy in being able to contribute, from our Heraclean resources, the means of perfecting our ties of grateful reciprocation, and rejoice that we have achieved the privilege of calling you by the endearing name of son, as you were in anticipation wedded to our affection. In accepting our daughter for the cultivation and solace of mutual affection, you will have our assurance of her enduring devotion, which no mischance 395can abate; for with her the animus of goodness exceeds in thoughtful intention the power of expression. In her affection you will find an allied support all-sufficient for happy sustenance, and in its overplus an index of the homage outflowing in reciprocation from every Heraclean. In conformity with the happy experience of our ancestors, we herewith, in addition to our verbal invitation, proffer the formality of script, with the desire that you will become a member of our household, in domiciliation, during the three months allotted for probationary exemplification of congeniality in habits necessary for unity in affectionate reciprocation. Luocuratia will return to gladden our colonnades at the approach of noontide, then with your presence our joy will overflow in thanksgiving to the Source of direction, that devised the achievement of our deliverance through your instrumentality.
Adestus.”

Correliana, while reading her father’s script welcome, watched with keen interest its effect, and was recompensed to an extent exceeding her expectations, by the warmth made manifest from the grateful emotions of the respondent. Fully satisfied with his relief from the sensitive reproaches of his disposition, for thoughtful diversion from his waiting suspense, she appealed to the Doschessa for encouragement in behalf of her meditated mission for the colonistic establishment of schools for the educational intuition of self-legislation, among the civilized Giga races. “Have you, in your auramental experience, which enables you to reach and advise the thoughts of Giga women, found them all so abjectly subservient to the trammels of society and its fashionable tyrannies?”

Doschessa. “The exceptions are simply modified, all worship at the same shrine of thoughtless fatuity, with a heedless tendency for the utter extinction of purity and goodness.”

396Correliana. “Alieu, woe is with our hopes, if to such a depth of desecration the animus of purity has befallen with our sex! Surely, she must still retain the germ of her affectionate inheritance; and with the lead of our example it must revive with the nourishing warmth of a mother’s love.”

Doschessa. “In truth, we have never failed to discover in women, when free from the actual vices of corruption, the latent spark of goodness that with exampled cultivation may be revived for truthful reciprocation. Dependent as we have been upon auramentation for the invocation of purity in thought, the impressions are as transient as the conjurations of a dream, which give place to the more tangible waking visions of sense. If the current of their superficial conversation could be stayed, for the silent inception of thought, your mission would be rendered easy. Perhaps the irresistible impression of your own and companion’s beauty, will surprise from envious covetousness sufficient thought for the detection of an inceptive source, with the desire for its privileged bequeathment to their children? For often in selfish lamentation we have heard Giga women supplicate in prayer for the abatement of their own scandalous dispositions. One of their formulistic invocations to the ‘throne of grace,’ offered as an oblation for the “contrite heart,” I will repeat:—
“‘Purge from me hypocrisy, ere I from life depart,
And all deceptions, that belong to the lying art.
Then purify love, from thoughts of material sense,
And make me feel that goodness responds to future tense.’”

This accusative conviction is by no means rare, and the purity of your personal appearance, in consonance with exampled goodness, might attract thoughtful consideration from its contrast to the degrading attrition of selfishness subject to the material influence of gold. Your example might lead them in train to adopt our dress, which is light and ‘elegant,’ subserving 397all the requirements of bodily freedom, and purity in protection; if so fortunate you would remove the embargo of oppression from their bodies, and the curse of talkative frivolity from their tongues.”

Here the Doschessa was interrupted by the sound of light footsteps, quickly followed by the voices and presence of Cleorita and Oviata, who with an escort of Kyronese maidens came bounding into the triclinium with the joyful announcement, “He’s coming!” Pale and breathless, Correliana, without waiting for farther words of explanation, sped forth, her feet with dainty touch kissing the earth with gladness, passing with the swiftness of an arrow in its flight those already hastening down the avenue of the latifundium, apprised of the near approach of Captain Greenwood. First, she passed Mr. Welson and Dr. Baāhar, then with graceful ease Mr. Dow, whose lank form and longer strides had distanced his associates; even the mayorong, inured to an active mountain life, and long journeys on foot, now fledged with the grateful remembrance of his people’s preservation, was left behind. Then as Captain Greenwood, urging his mule to its utmost speed, caught her view as he entered the cinctus gate, the earth seemed to respond with elasticity to the touch of her feet, and before he could dismount from his quadrupedal conveyance, he was clasped in the frank embrace of her arms, and had received her kiss of welcome, while her face, eloquent with smiles and tears of joy, became radiant with beauty in contentful expression. Her hushed silence, from the fullness of happy enjoyment, was aroused from selfish indulgence, by the salutation of her father to his already adopted step-son. Still in half embrace, as if loth to relinquish the body temple animated with the shrine of her devotion, she was not forgetful of the affectionate relation she held foreign to self. Her parents and sister, who had followed 398with equal steps, but had held anxious desire aloof, until the fullness of her first emotions of gladness had subsided, were first made known to each other with affectionate designations, newly fledged from the English idiom. In turn the captain received embraces of welcome from each, which unloosed his tongue from its accustomed reticent caution, Correliana’s still encircling arm causing the grateful current of speech to flow in accord with her own emotions.

The family scene closed, M. Hollydorf, in freedom from rival jealousy, gave his cordial salutations of welcome, which were followed by the other members of the corps. Then the Heracleans and Kyronese claimed the privilege of expressing their affectionate gratulations. The mayorong, distrustful of his power for expressing the reverential emotions of his gratitude, for the deliverance of his people from their extreme peril, although second to the pr?tor’s family, in greeting with his presence the captain’s entrance, had allowed all the precedence. Approaching the captain, when beckoned by the pr?tor, hereditary impulse inclined him to prostration, but the humiliating act was arrested by an energetic embrace which relieved him from his embarrassment. While the pr?tor was gratefully presenting the Betongese for the captain’s kindred recognition, attention was attracted by the musical call of children from his incoming train. Mr. Welson, recognizing the voices that were making the name, Don Guillermo’s, melodious, on approaching, in quick transition, found his neck enwreathed with the arms of his little favorites, Lavoca and Lovieta, whose eager curiosity, after bestowing their kisses of welcome, inquiringly asked, in whispered accents, who the angel was that embraced the captain, and the other, and others? Supporting with his arms, their bodies pendent from his neck, Mr. Welson carried the children to Correliana and Luocuratia, “and the others,” to receive from their 399lips the much coveted welcome; which was given with such loving zest, that sweet surprise made dewy their jetty eyes, while their cheeks glowed through the olive tint, embrowned from exposure, with an exquisite blending that enhanced their rare infantile beauty. As all the Heracleans and Kyronese matrons and maidens claimed the privilege of surprised affection, in bestowing the salutation of welcome, it was long before they were restored again to the full possession of Don Guillermo, and then were so mazed with delightful impressions, and wondering gladness, that they were unable to give heedful answers to his inquiries. At length, after an apologetic round of besitos beneath his grizzled moustache, which caused him, laughingly, to utter the interjectional expostulation “bas-tan-te,” they in rambling relation commenced the rehearsal of events which led to their transfer from parental care and their natural home.

Observing his inquiring gaze directed to a young woman, whose eyes were occupied with curious admiration in following the changing variations in the scene enactment from the loving outflow of affection evoked by the captain’s advent, Lovieta and Lavoca exclaimed with united voices, “Oh, that’s Annette, our governante, we love her very much.”

Then with childlike simplicity, peculiar to Spanish infantas, they informed him that she was a nice beautiful teacher of music, and everything else, and Captain Greenwood’s sister, but not in the regular way, although they were very fond of each other. “Father loves them very much, and when the captain told him he was coming to live here for good, she said, that with his permission she would go wherever he went, and make his home hers. This made him very glad. Then father seemed to be sad with thinking, and then he loved us so much while shedding tears, that when we could speak, we asked what made him so triste? He said, he wanted them to 400take us to Heraclea that we might be educated so that we would be always good, and could be present with him and mamma although absent in body, which would keep them from feeling sad and lonely. But we could see that mamma and he were very, very triste. This made us sorry. So he talked to us of all you had written of the happiness of the people here, because they were truly good and pure in their love toward each other, without selfish concealments; then we were glad and wanted to be with you. The mammatits you sent, who have been with us all the way, told us all about the school, and how loving the children were toward each other, which made them always very beautiful; but you, nor they, didn’t tell us that there were angels here. Then they said that there were no dolls here, for the larger nines helped to care for the ninaquillas,—how very, very beautiful they are,—do they never grow old and ugly here, so that they have to paint their faces, and scold like grandma, because people don’t like them? Then, as we were a going to say, mother don’t feel exactly safe with herself, and becomes fearful, when grandma talks to her of her soul’s perdition, which we can’t well understand, only that it’s padre Molinero’s doings. So she wanted us to come here before we were too old to enter the school, that she and papa might visit us and learn how to be truly affectionate without talking too much; but we don’t see, now, how that can be; ay, ay, pobre mamma and papa! But they said it was for our happiness that they wished to send us, which we can now see. How beautiful, nice, and clean everything looks! Is it always so? And papa said, that without us his home would be desolate. Then mamma looked at him wild like, but so pitiable, and choked so, then looked so sorrowful, that we hugged and kissed her and whispered we wouldn’t go away and leave her; then she said, ‘Pedro?’ soft like, and papa took her in his arms, 401and we all cried together; but so happy, it didn’t seem like crying, and couldn’t speak for ever so long a time, but then we felt so content, when we thought so lovingly, and said nothing. Then when mamma could speak, she said whisperingly and softly, so that we could scarcely hear her for our crying, ‘Pedro, it is better they should go, and I will try to make you feel that your house and home are not desolate.’ Then he kissed her and we all cried again for joy. But grandma made us feel so unpleasantly by saying that it was as good as throwing our souls away to send us where there were no priests and churches, we didn’t feel any sorrow when we bid her good-bye. So we have come away from bad example to get souls that will make us live as though we had no bodies, for we were very much afraid of death. The mammatits said the Heracleans lived to make each other happy, so that each one was loved by all the rest, and in caring for one they cared for all the rest, so that there could be no grief and repentance for wrong-doing, for all were good, and cared more for others than themselves; and we can now see that you are all gladness, and were sometimes so triste when you were with us. We love father a little more than we do you, because you see we have always known him, and we haven’t known you so long. But the gente pequenézas said you were so much changed in disposition we should hardly know you; and to be sure, now that we see you when you smile, we feel so glad; and sometimes, when you lived with us, your smile made us feel sad, as though we’d rather you would not.”

Lavoca. “Yes Lovieta, just think, didn’t his smile at home remind you of the rose blossoms that look out from the old grated window of the claustro San Jaun; which seemed for all the world as though they wished to come out into the sunlight, but couldn’t, because they wouldn’t confess it was sinful? But 402they say you never speak cross words here, for in loving to do so much for others, without money, you have nothing to scold for. You see we never told mamma all what the Manatitlans could do to make us good, as they said the priests would persuade her mother that we had dealings with the devil. Se?or Arbitrator, the one that used to talk with father most, told him all about the schools, and how you live here. How queer it is that you can hear them talk when you listen to what they say in your ear, and can scarcely see them on your hand, let it be ever so clean, for they are very particular. Then their voices are so very small and chirrupy. But father says, that they are louder in proportion to size than the cicada’s. Mother was very loving and cheerful after they came, but very much frightened; then we knew the gentle pequenézas had talked to her. So you see that we are here with Annette Pozzuoli, who has come to teach the Heracleans music, which you said in your letter they are fond of, and we have heard the mammatits chant their morning and evening songs of praise. Are you really and truly glad to see us, now that you are so good! Oh dear, what queer dresses, now that we see them! But how nice, sweet and clean they look! How very, very, beautiful! Do you think that they will love us if we are truly good?”

Mr. Welson, with the opportunity assured them that he was truly glad to see them, as he was certain that they would be loved and happy, and he was sure that mamma and papa would soon follow the lead of their affection, and in Heraclea forget that they had ever been unhappy.

The pr?tor and family had listened unobserved to the prattling relation of the diminutive maidens, and at its close bestowed upon them the much coveted caresses, then placing them in charge of Cleorita and Oviata, who could converse with them in their 403own language, they were subjected to the rights of the Kyronese bath, which excited their wincing but mirthful admiration; and their comfortable contentment was well assured when they found themselves invested in Heraclean raiment, which impressed them with the feeling of purified adoption.

After they had been placed in charge of the Kyronese maidens, the assemblage moved up the avenue toward the city. Mr. Welson, who had devoted himself to Annette, after his introduction by the children, was pleased to learn in more direct language the events which had transpired in Don Pedro’s family, from the period of her return from a visit in the country, a few days subsequent to his departure on board of the Tortuga. From the description she gave of the children’s thoughtful endurance and self-dependence during the river voyage, and journey from Amelcoy, it was evident that they had already entered upon their novitiate under Manatitlan direction; for they expressed a decided determination to take care of themselves for the relief of others, and exhibited so many traits of prudential foresight that they were a help rather than a burden. At the commencement of the voyage, she said, that Captain Greenwood and herself had felt great solicitude for the children, and was half inclined to look upon their exile as an inexcusable act of indifference on the part of Don Pedro. “But on the third day, when the poignancy of their grief had become consolable, they immediately evinced a desire to relieve us from anxiety. With permission and encouragement they took charge of their own clothes and personal purity, submitting themselves to our inspection for approval and direction; and have improved so much in foresight that we have found it hard to excel them in neatness. As you have seen them this morning, they have appeared throughout the journey, causing by their example a constant desire for cleanly renovation on the part of 404the muleteers, who were ashamed to appear in negligent garbs, of doubtful purity, to subject themselves to the reproving contrast. If you remarked their appearance, you must have observed that they are wonderfully clean and tidy in their department, and have been unusually attentive in rendering assistance to all, so that the trip has been one of unalloyed pleasure, from the exampled influence of the children. When we started from Amelcoy the captain took Lovieta before him on the saddle-bow, and I took charge of Lavoca; but on the second day they insisted that they could ride unsupported on the led mules, and their prudence had so completely inspired our confidence that they were allowed to make the trial, with such success that the mules on the fourth day exhibited such a manifest preference, that jointly with the children they declared their independence from the arrieros, and have since been recognized by mules and muleteers as especial favorites.”