sprinkled　with　suns　and　worlds。　　Suddenly　into　the　tranquil
  spaces　there　was　flung　a　sound　of　joy　and　revelry；　and　the
  girls　stepped　to　a　lattice　at　the　end　of　the　corridor　and
  looked　out。
  The　residencia　of　Don　Salvo　Valasco　was　clearly　visible　from
  this　site。　　They　saw　that　it　was　illuminated　throughout。
  Lovely　women；　shining　with　jewels；　and　soldiers　in　scarlet　and
  gold；　were　chatting　through　the　graceful　movements　of　the
  danza；　or　executing　the　more　brilliant　Jota　Aragonesa。　　The
  misty　beauty　of　white　lace　mantillas；　the　glitter　and　color　of
  fans　and　festival　dresses；　made　a　moving　picture　of　great
  beauty。
  And　as　they　watched　it　there　was　a　cessation　of　the　dance；
  followed　by　the　rapid　sweep　of　a　powerful　hand　over　the
  strings　of　a　guitar。　　Then　a　group　of　officers　stepped
  together；　and　a　great　wave　of　melodious　song；　solemn　and
  triumphant；　thrilled　the　night。　　It　was　the　national　hymn。
  Antonia　and　Isabel　knew　it。　　Every　word　beat　upon　their
  hearts。　　The　power　of　association；　the　charm　of　a　stately；
  fervent　melody　was　upon　them。
  〃It　is　Senor　Higadillos　who　leads；〃　whispered　Isabel；　as　a
  resonant　voice；　powerful　and　sweet；　cried
  〃O　list　to　the　summons！　　The　blood　of　our　sires；
  Boils　high　in　our　veins；　and　to　vengeance　inspires！
  Who　bows　to　the　yoke？　who　bends　to　the　blow？〃
  and；　without　a　moment's　hesitation；　the　answer　came　in　a
  chorus　of　enthusiastic　cadences
  〃No　hero　will　bend；　no　Mexican　bow；
  Our　country　in　tears　sends　her　sons　to　the　fight；
  To　conquer；　or　die；　for　our　land　and　our　right。〃
  〃You　see；　the　Mexicans　think　THEY　are　in　the　rightTHEY
  are　patriots　also；　Antonia。〃
  The　sorrowful　girl　spoke　like　a　puzzled　child；　fretfully　and
  uncertainly；　and　Antonia　led　her　silently　away。　　What
  could　she　answer？　　And　when　she　remembered　the　dear　fugitive；
  riding　alone　through　the　midnightriding　now　for　life　and
  libertyshe　could　not　help　the　uprising　again　of　that　cold
  benumbing　question〃Is　it　worth　while？〃
  CHAPTER　VII。
  A　MEETING　AT　MIDNIGHT。
  〃All　faiths　are　to　their　own　believers　just；
  For　none　believe　because　they　will；　but　must；
  The　priest　continues　what　the　nurse　began；
  And　thus　the　child　imposes　on　the　man。〃
  DRYDEN。
  〃if　he　be　called　upon　to　face
  Some　awful　moment；　to　which　heaven　has　joined
  Great　issues　good　or　bad　for　humankind；
  Is　happy　as　a　lover；　and　attired
  With　sudden　brightness；　like　a　man　inspired；
  And　through　the　heat　of　conflict　keeps　the　law
  In　calmness　made；　and　sees　what　he　foresaw；
  Or；　if　an　unexpected　call　succeed；
  Come　when　it　will；　is　equal　to　the　need。〃
  WORDSWORTH。
  〃Ah！　love；　let　us　be　true
  To　one　another；　through　the　world　which　seems
  To　lie　before　us　like　a　land　of　dreams！〃
  The　gathering　at　Don　Valasco's　was　constantly　repeated　in
  various　degrees　of　splendor　among　the　loyal　Mexicans　of　the
  city。　　They　were　as　fully　convinced　of　the　justice　of　their
  cause　as　the　Americans　were。　　〃They　had　graciously
  permitted　Americans　to　make　homes　in　their　country；　now　they
  wanted　not　only　to　build　heretic　churches　and　sell　heretic
  bibles；　but　also　to　govern　Texas　after　their　own　fashion。〃
  From　a　Mexican　point　of　view　the　American　settlers　were　a
  godless；　atheistical；　quarrelsome　set　of　ingrates。　　For　eaten
  bread　is　soon　forgotten；　and　Mexicans　disliked　to　remember
  that　their　own　independence　had　been　won　by　the　aid　of　the
  very　men　they　were　now　trying　to　force　into　subjection。
  The　two　parties　were　already　in　array　in　every　house　in　the
  city。　　The　Senora　at　variance　with　her　daughters；　their　Irish
  cook　quarrelling　with　their　Mexican　servants；　only　represented
  a　state　of　things　nearly　universal。　　And　after　the　failure　of
  the　Mexicans　at　Gonzales　to　disarm　the　Americans；　the
  animosity　constantly　increased。
  In　every　church；　the　priestsmore　bitter；　fierce　and
  revengeful　than　either　the　civil　or　military　powerurged　on
  the　people　an　exterminating　war。　　A　black　flag　waved　from　the
  Missions；　and　fired　every　heart　with　an　unrelenting　vengeance
  and　hatred。　　To　slay　a　heretic　was　a　free　pass　through　the
  dolorous　pains　of　purgatory。　　For　the　priesthood　foresaw
  that　the　triumph　of　the　American　element　meant　the　triumph　of
  freedom　of　conscience；　and　the　abolition　of　their　own
  despotism。　　To　them　the　struggle　was　one　involving　all　the
  privileges　of　their　order；　and　they　urged　on　the　fight　with
  passionate　denunciations　of　the　foe；　and　with　magnificent
  promises　of　spiritual　favors　and　blessings。　　In　the　fortress；
  the　plaza；　the　houses；　the　churches；　the　streets；　their　fiery
  words　kept　society　in　a　ferment。
  But　through　all　this　turmoil　the　small　duties　of　life　went　on。
  Soldiers　were　parading　the　streets；　and　keeping　watch　on　the
  flat　roofs　of　the　houses；　men　were　solemly｛sic｝　swearing
  allegiance　to　Santa　Anna；　or　flying　by　night　to　the　camp　of
  the　Americans；　life　and　death　were　held　at　a　pin's　fee；　but
  eating　and　dressing；　dancing　and　flirting　were　pursued　with　an
  eagerness　typical　of　pleasure　caught　in　the　passing。
  And　every　hour　these　elements　gathered　intensity。　　The　always
  restless　populace　of　San　Antonio　was　at　a　feverish　point　of
  impatience。　　They　wanted　the　war　at　their　own　doors。　　They
  wanted　the　quarrel　fought　out　on　their　own　streets。
  Business　took　a　secondary　place。　　Men　fingered　weapons　and
  dreamed　of　blood；　until　the　temper　of　the　town　was　as
  boisterous　and　vehement　as　the　temper　of　the　amphitheatre　when
  impatiently　waiting　for　the　bulls　and　the　matadores。
  Nor　was　it　possible　for　Antonia　to　lock　the　door　upon　this
  pervading　spirit。　　After　Doctor　Worth's　flight；　it　became
  necessary　for　her　to　assume　control　over　the　household。　　She
  had　promised　him　to　do　so；　and　she　was　resolved；　in　spite　of
  all　opposition；　to　follow　out　his　instructions。　　But　it　was　by
  no　means　an　easy　task。
  Fray　Ignatius　had　both　the　Senora　and　Rachela　completely　under
  his　subjection。　　Molly；　the　Irish　cook；　was　already
  dissatisfied。　　The　doctor　had　saved　her　life　and　given　her　a
  good　home　and　generous　wages；　and　while　the　doctor　was　happy
  and　prosperous　Molly　was　accordingly　grateful。　　But　a　few
  words　from　the　priest　set　affairs　in　a　far　pleasanter　light　to
  her。　　She　was　a　true　Catholic；　the　saints　sent　the　heretic
  doctor　to　help。　　It　was　therefore　the　saints　to　whom　gratitude
  was　due。　　Had　she　not　earned　her　good　wage？　　And　would　not
  Don　Angel　Sandoval　give　her　a　still　larger　sum？　　Or　even
  the　Brothers　at　the　Mission　of　San　Jose？　　Molly　listened　to
  these　words　with　a　complacent　pleasure。　　She　reflected　that　it
  would　be　much　more　agreeable　to　her　to　be　where　she　could
  entirely　forget　that　she　had　ever　been　hungry　and　friendless；
  and　lying　at　death's　door。
  Antonia　knew　also　that　Rachela　was　at　heart　unfaithful；　and
  soon　the　conviction　was　forced　on　her　that　servants　are　never
  faithful　beyond　the　line　of　their　own　interestthat　it　is；
  indeed；　against　certain　primary　laws　of　nature　to　expect　it。
  Certainly；　it　was　impossible　to　doubt　that　there　was　in　all
  their　dependents　a　kind　of　satisfaction　in　their　misfortunes。
  The　doctor　had　done　them　favorshow　unpleasant　was　their
  memory！　　The　Senora　had　offended　them　by　the　splendor　of　her
  dress；　and　her　complacent　air　of　happiness。　　Antonia's
  American　ways　and　her　habit　of　sitting　for　hours　with　a　book
  in　her　hand　were　a　great　irritation。
  〃She　wishes　to　be　thought　wiser　than　other　womenas　wise　as
  even　a　holy　priestSHE！　that　never　goes　to　mass；　and　is
  nearly　a　heretic；〃　said　the　house　steward；　and　as　for　the
  Senorita　Isabel；　a　little　trouble　will　be　good　for　her！　　Holy
  Mary！　the　way　she　has　been　pampered　and　petted！　　It　is　an
  absurdity。　　‘Little　dear；'　and　‘angel；'　are　the　hardest　words
  she　hears。　　Si！　if　God　did　not　mercifully　abate　a　little　the
  rich　they　would　grow　to　be　‘almightys。'〃
  This　was　the　tone　of　the　conversation　of　the　servants　of　the
  household。　　It　was　not　an　unnatural　tone；　but　it　was　a　very
  unhappy　one。　　People　cannot　escape　from　the　mood　of　mind　they
  habitually　indulge；　and　from　the　animus　of　the　words　they
  habitually　use；　and　Antonia　felt　and　understood　the
  antagonistic　atmosphere。　　For　the　things　which　we　know　best　of
  all　are　precisely　the　things　which　no　one　has　ever　told　us。
  The　Senora；　in　a　plain　black　serge　gown；　and　black　rebozo　over
  her　head；　spent　her　time　in　prayers　and　penances。　　The　care　of
  her　household　had　always　been　delegated　to　her　steward；　and　to
  Rachela；　while　the　duties　that　more　especially　belonged　to
  her；　had　been　fulfilled　by　her　husband　and　by　Antonia。　　In
  many　respects　she　was　but　a　grown…up　baby。　　And　so；　in　this
  great　extremity；　the　only　duty　which　pressed　upon　her　was
  the　idea　of　supplicating　the　saints　to　take　charge　of　her
  unhappy　affairs。
  And　Fray　Ignatius　was　daily　more　hard　with　her。　　Antonia　even
  suspected　from　his　growing　intolerance　and　bitterness；　that
  the　Americans　were　gaining　unexpected　advantages。　　But　she
  knew　nothing　of　what　was　happening。　　She　could　hear　from　afar
  off　the　marching　and　movements　of　soldiers；　the　blare　of
  military　music；　the　faint　echoes　of　hurrahing　multitudes；　but
  there　was　no　one　to　give　her　any　certain　information。　　Still；
  she　guessed　something　from　the　ang