Page 12 - ramona-text

RAMONA
4
"Yes, Senora," answered the mollified Juan; "the poor
beasts look wonderfully well considering the scant feed they
have had all winter. We'll not come many pounds short of
our last year's crop, if any. Though, to be sure, there is no
telling in what case that—Luigo will bring his flock back."
The Senora smiled, in spite of herself, at the pause and
gulp with which Juan had filled in the hiatus where he had
longed to set a contemptuous epithet before Luigo's name.
This was another of the instances where the Senora's will
and Juan Canito's had clashed and he did not dream of it,
having set it all down as usual to the score of young Seiior
Felipe.
Encouraged by the Senora's smile, Juan proceeded: "Seiior
Felipe can see no fault in Luigo, because they were boys to-
gether; but I can tell him, he will rue it, one of these morn-
ings, when he finds a flock of sheep worse than dead on his
hands, and no thanks to anybody but Luigo. While 1 can have
him under my eye, here in the valley, it is all very well; but
he is no more fit to take responsibility of a flock, than one
of the very lambs themselves. He'll drive them off their feet
one day, and starve them the next; and I've known him to
forget to give them water. When he's in his dreams, the
Virgin only knows what he won't do."
During this brief and almost unprecedented outburst of
Juan's the Senora's countenance had been slowly growing
stern. Juan had not seen it. His eyes had been turned away
from her, looking down into the upturned eager face of his
favorite collie, who was leaping and gambolling and bark-
ing at his feet.
"Down, Capitan, down!" he said in a fond tone, gently
repulsing him; "thou makest such a noise the Senora can hear
nothing but thy voice."
"I heard only too distinctly, Juan Canito," said the
Senora in a sweet but icy tone. "It is not well for one serv-
ant to backbite another. It gives me great grief to hear such
words; and I hope when Father Salvierderra comes, next
month, you will not forget to confess this sin of which you
have been guilty in thus seeking to injure a fellow-being.
If Senor Felipe listens to you. the poor boy Luigo will be cast