The repose of ages
lay in its hushed groves, its drooping vines, its lifeless creepers;
the dry dust of its decaying leaves and branches mingled with the living
perfumes like the spiced embalmings of a forgotten past.
Nevertheless, this tranquillity, after a few moments, was singularly
disturbed. There was no breeze stirring, and yet the long fronds of a
large fan palm, that stood near the breach in the wall, began to move
gently from right to left, like the arms of some graceful semaphore,
and then as suddenly stopped. Almost at the same moment a white curtain,
listlessly hanging from a canopied balcony of the Alcalde's house, began
to exhibit a like rhythmical and regular agitation. Then everything was
motionless again; an interval of perfect peace settled upon the garden.
It was broken by the apparition of Brace under the balcony, and the
black-veiled and flowered head of Dona Isabel from the curtain above.
"Crazy boy!"
"Senorita!"
"Hush! I am coming down!"
"You? But Dona Ursula!"
"There is no more Dona Ursula!"
"Well--your duenna, whoever she is!"
"There is no duenna!"
"What?"
"Hush up your tongue, idiot boy!" (this in English.
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