Page 113 - ramona-text

RAMON A 105
"I wish Felipe were as tall and strong as Alessandro,'*
she said to herself many a time. "I do not see why he could
not have been. I wonder if the Senora sees how much hand-
somer Alessandro is."
When Felipe said that he did not believe he could offer
Alessandro Assis money enough to tempt him to stay on
the place, Ramona opened her lips suddenly, as if to speak,
then changed her mind, and remained silent. She had some-
times displeased the Sefiora by taking part in conversations
between her and her son.
Felipe saw the motion, but he also thought it wiser to
wait till after his mother had left the room, before he asked
Ramona what she was on the point of saying. As soon as the
Senora went out, he said, "What was it, Ramona, you were
going to say just now?"
Ramona colored. She had decided not to say it.
"Tell me, Ramona," persisted Felipe, "You were going
to say something about Alessandro's staying; I know you
were."
Ramona did not answer. For the first time in her life she
found herself embarrassed before Felipe.
"Don't you like Alessandro?" said Felipe.
"Oh, yes!" replied Ramona, with instant eagerness. "It
was not that at all. I like him very much." But then she
stopped.
"Well, what is it, then? Have you heard anything on the
place about his staying?"
"Oh, no, no; not a word!" said Ramona. "Everybody
understands that he is here only till Juan Can gets well.
But you said you did not believe you could offer him money
enough to tempt him to stay."
"Well," said Felipe, inquiringly, "1 do not. Do you?"
"I think he would like to stay," said Ramona, hesitatingly.
"That was what I was going to say."
"What makes you think so?" asked Felipe.
don't know," Ramona still more
"I said, hesitatingly.
Now that she had said it, she was sorry. Felipe looked cu-
riously at her. Hesitancy like this, doubts, uncertainty as
to her impressions, were not characteristic of Ramona. A