h, infamous
books! Books not proper to be read, and the Senorita had them! Well
then, if the father burned them, that was a good deed done. And he had
almost been reviled for it--sent out of the house--yes, it was quite
possible that he had been struck! Anything was possible from those
American heretics. As for her own treatment, after twenty years service,
it had been cruel, abominable, more than that--iniquitous; but about
these things she had spoken, and the day of atonement would come.
Justice was informing itself on the whole matter.

Such conversations continually diversified, extended, repeated on all
hands, quickly aroused a prejudice against the doctor's family. Besides
which, the Senora Alveda resented bitterly the visits of her son Luis to
Isabel. None of the customs of a Mexican betrothal had taken place,
and Rachela did not spare her imagination in describing the scandalous
American familiarity that had been permitted. That, this familiarity had
taken place under the eyes of the doctor and the Senora only intensified
the insult. She might have forgiven clandestine meetings; but that the
formalities due to the Church and herself should have been neglected was
indeed unpardonable.

It soon became evident to the Senora that she had lost the good-will
of her old friends, and the respect that had always been given to her
social position. It was difficult for her to believe this, and she only
accepted the humiliating fact after a variety of those small insults
which women reserve for their own sex.

She was fond of visiting; she valued the good opinion of her caste, and
in the very chill of the gravest calamities she worried her strength
away over little grievances lying outside the walls of her home and the
real affections of her life. And perhaps with perfect truth she asserted
that SHE had done nothing to deserve this social ostracism. Others had
made her miserable, but she could thank the saints none could make her
guilty.

The defeat of Cos had been taken by the loyal inhabitants as a mere
preliminary to the real fight. They were very little disturbed by it.
It was the overt act which was necessary to convince Mexico that her
clemency to Americans was a mistake, and that the ungrateful and impious
race must be wiped out of existence. The newspapers not only reiterated
this necessity, but proclaimed its certainty. They heralded the coming
of Santa Anna, the victorious avenger, with passionate gasconading.