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THE DEVOTION OF ENRIQUEZ
In another chronicle which dealt with the exploits of 〃Chu Chu；〃 a
Californian mustang； I gave some space to the accomplishments of
Enriquez Saltillo； who assisted me in training her； and who was
also brother to Consuelo Saitillo； the young lady to whom I had
freely given both the mustang and my youthful affections。 I
consider it a proof of the superiority of masculine friendship that
neither the subsequent desertion of the mustang nor that of the
young lady ever made the slightest difference to Enriquez or me in
our exalted amity。 To a wondering doubt as to what I ever could
possibly have seen in his sister to admire he joined a tolerant
skepticism of the whole sex。 This he was wont to express in that
marvelous combination of Spanish precision and California slang for
which he was justly famous。 〃As to thees women and their little
game；〃 he would say； 〃believe me； my friend； your old Oncle 'Enry
is not in it。 No； he will ever take a back seat when lofe is
around。 For why？ Regard me here！ If she is a horse； you shall
say； 'She will buck…jump；' 'She will ess…shy；' 'She will not
arrive；' or 'She will arrive too quick。' But if it is thees women；
where are you？ For when you shall say； 'She will ess…shy；' look
you； she will walk straight； or she will remain tranquil when you
think she buck…jump； or else she will arrive and； look you； you
will not。 You shall get left。 It is ever so。 My father and the
brother of my father have both make court to my mother when she was
but a senorita。 My father think she have lofe his brother more。
So he say to her： 'It is enofe； tranquillize yourself。 I will go。
I will efface myself。 Adios！ Shake hands！ Ta…ta！ So long！ See
you again in the fall。' And what make my mother？ Regard me！ She
marry my fatheron the instant！ Of thees women； believe me；
Pancho； you shall know nothing。 Not even if they shall make you
the son of your father or his nephew。〃
I have recalled this characteristic speech to show the general
tendency of Enriquez' convictions at the opening of this little
story。 It is only fair to say； however； that his usual attitude
toward the sex he so cheerfully maligned exhibited little
apprehension or caution in dealing with them。 Among the frivolous
and light…minded intermixture of his race he moved with great
freedom and popularity。 He danced well； when we went to fandangos
together his agility and the audacity of his figures always
procured him the prettiest partners； his professed sentiments； I
presume； shielding him from subsequent jealousies； heartburnings；
or envy。 I have a vivid recollection of him in the mysteries of
the SEMICUACUA； a somewhat corybantic dance which left much to the
invention of the performers； and very little to the imagination of
the spectator。 In one of the figures a gaudy handkerchief； waved
more or less gracefully by dancer and danseuse before the dazzled
eyes of each other； acted as love's signal； and was used to express
alternate admiration and indifference； shyness and audacity； fear
and transport； coyness and coquetry； as the dance proceeded。 I
need not say that Enriquez' pantomimic illustration of these
emotions was peculiarly extravagant； but it was always performed
and accepted with a gravity that was an essential feature of the
dance。 At such times sighs would escape him which were supposed to
portray the incipient stages of passion； snorts of jealousy burst
from him at the suggestion of a rival； he was overtaken by a sort
of St。 Vitus's dance that expressed his timidity in making the
first advances of affection； the scorn of his ladylove struck him
with something like a dumb ague； and a single gesture of invitation
from her produced marked delirium。 All this was very like
Enriquez； but on the particular occasion to which I refer； I think
no one was prepared to see him begin the figure with the waving of
FOUR handkerchiefs！ Yet this he did； pirouetting； capering；
brandishing his silken signals like a ballerina's scarf in the
languishment or fire of passion； until； in a final figure； where
the conquered and submitting fair one usually sinks into the arms
of her partner； need it be said that the ingenious Enriquez was
found in the center of the floor supporting four of the dancers！
Yet he was by no means unduly excited either by the plaudits of the
crowd or by his evident success with the fair。 〃Ah； believe me； it
is nothing；〃 he said quietly； rolling a fresh cigarette as he
leaned against the doorway。 〃Possibly； I shall have to offer the
chocolate or the wine to thees girls； or make to them a promenade
in the moonlight on the veranda。 It is ever so。 Unless； my
friend；〃 he said； suddenly turning toward me in an excess of
chivalrous self…abnegation； 〃unless you shall yourself take my
place。 Behold； I gif them to you！ I vamos！ I vanish！ I make
track！ I skedaddle！〃 I think he would have carried his
extravagance to the point of summoning his four gypsy witches of
partners； and committing them to my care； if the crowd had not at
that moment parted before the remaining dancers； and left one of
the onlookers； a tall； slender girl； calmly surveying them through
gold…rimmed eyeglasses in complete critical absorption。 I stared
in amazement and consternation； for I recognized in the fair
stranger Miss Urania Mannersley； the Congregational minister's
niece！
Everybody knew Rainie Mannersley throughout the length and breadth
of the Encinal。 She was at once the envy and the goad of the
daughters of those Southwestern and Eastern immigrants who had
settled in the valley。 She was correct； she was critical； she was
faultless and observant。 She was proper； yet independent； she was
highly educated； she was suspected of knowing Latin and Greek； she
even spelled correctly！ She could wither the plainest field
nosegay in the hands of other girls by giving the flowers their
botanical names。 She never said 〃Ain't you？〃 but 〃Aren't you？〃
She looked upon 〃Did I which？〃 as an incomplete and imperfect form
of 〃What did I do？〃 She quoted from Browning and Tennyson； and was
believed to have read them。 She was from Boston。 What could she
possibly be doing at a free…and…easy fandango？
Even if these facts were not already familiar to everyone there；
her outward appearance would have attracted attention。 Contrasted
with the gorgeous red； black； and yellow skirts of the dancers； her
plain； tightly fitting gown and hat； all of one delicate gray； were
sufficiently notable in themselves； even had they not seemed； like
the girl herself； a kind of quiet protest to the glaring flounces
before her。 Her small； straight waist and flat back brought into
greater relief the corsetless； waistless； swaying figures of the
Mexican girls； and her long； slim； well…booted feet； peeping from
the stiff； white edges of her short skirt； made their broad； low…
quartered slippers； held on by the big toe； appear more
preposterous than ever。 Suddenly she seemed to realize that she
was standing there alone； but without fear or embarrassment。 She
drew back a little； glancing carelessly behind her as if missing
some previous companion； and then her eyes fell upon mine。 She
smiled an easy recognition； then a moment later； her glance rested
more curiously upon Enriquez； who was still by my side。 I
disengaged myself and instantly joined her； particularly as I
noticed that a few of the other bystanders were beginning to stare
at her with little reserve。
〃Isn't it the most extraordinary thing you ever saw？〃 she said
quietly。 Then； presently noticing the look of embarrassment on my
face； she went on； more by way of conversation than of explanation：
〃I just left uncle making a call on a parishioner next door； and
was going home with Jocasta （a peon servant of her uncle's）； when I
heard the music； and dropped in。 I don't know what has become of
her；〃 she added； glancing round the room again； 〃she seemed
perfectly wild when she saw that creature over there bounding about
with his handkerchiefs。 You were speaking to him just now。 Do
tell meis he real？〃
〃I should think there was little doubt of that；〃 I said with a
vague laugh。
〃You know what I mean；〃 she said simply。 〃Is he quite sane？ Does
he do that because he likes it； or is he paid for it？〃
This was too much。 I pointed out somewhat hurriedly that he was a
scion of one of the oldest Castilian families； that the performance
was a national gypsy dance which he had joined in as a patriot and
a patron； and that he was my dearest friend。 At the same time I
was conscious that I wished she hadn't seen his last performance。
〃You don't mean to say that all that he did was in the dance？〃 she
said。 〃I don't believe it。 It was only like him。〃 As I hesitated
over this palpable truth； she went on： 〃I do wish he'd do it again。
Don't you think you could