The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 1 (of 3)Hume, Fergus
Philosophy
The Harlequin Opal: A Romance. Vol. 1 (of 3)
Hume, Fergus
Central America -- Fiction
"I am his servant, for such kindness," said Maraquando, gravely. "Will
you take some pulque, Señor Felipe?"
"I thank you, no," replied Philip, remembering his former experience of
the drink. "If not troubling you too much, I would like to see
Tlatonac."
"I am at your service, Señor. Shall we depart at once?"
Philip signified his acquiescence, though he would rather have stayed
in the cool patio, and flirted with Doña Eulalia. He knew, however,
that Spanish fathers are not the most amiable parents in the world, and
resent too much attention being paid by foreigners to their womankind;
therefore he took leave of the young lady and departed with Don Miguel.
Before Philip parted from that gentleman, he had explored the city
thoroughly, and was quite worn out.
The Jefe Politico was a most conscientious cicerone. He took Philip to
every building of any note, and gave him a minute history of all events
connected therewith, from the earliest period to the present time.
Fortunately, Tlatonac was not very old, or he would have gone on for a
week without stopping. As it was, he took nearly all day in directing
Philip's attention to dates, Aztec idols, ruins of teocallis, sites of
palaces, to battle-fields, and many other things too numerous to
mention. This information was accurate but wearisome, and Philip felt
it to be so. Maraquando was Prescott and Bancroft rolled into one, as
regards knowledge of history, and, having found a willing listener,
took full advantage of the opportunity. Cassim was too polite to
object, but he heartily wished that Don Miguel would hold his tongue.
The most pathetic part of the whole affair was that the poor man
thought he was amusing his guest.
Tlatonac is built partly on the seashore and partly on a hill. Within
the walls of the forts frowning over the waters are the dwellings of
the flat portion inhabited by peons and leperos, with a sprinkling of
low-caste mestizos. From thence the houses rise up to the top of the
hill, which is crowned by the cathedral in the Plaza de los Hombres
Ilustres. This is the heart of Tlatonac, the aristocratic quarter, and
commands a splendid view of the surrounding country.
The Plaza was a very large square, fenced in on three sides by the
houses of the Cholacacan aristocracy, on the fourth by the great
cathedral. In the centre was the zocalo, a green oasis of verdure laid
out in winding walks and brilliant flower-beds. Herein the aristocracy
took their walks when the band played in the cool of the evening, using
it as a kind of alameda, wherein to meet their friends and gossip. It
was indeed a charming spot, and its green arcades afforded a grateful
shade from the hot sun which blazed down on the white stones of the
square outside. On leaving the zocalo, they entered the church
dedicated to Nuestra Señora de la Concepcion, which once gave its name
to the town now more generally known by its Indian appellation of
Tlatonac.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account