“Your reverence is right!” exclaimed Montoria. “It is shameful; and even those of us who have hearts of bronze feel ourselves attacked by this weakness, which spreads faster than the epidemic. In casting up the accounts, I don’t know how to reckon for this novelty of surrender, when we have never done it before, porra ! If there is something to come after this world, as our religion teaches us, why should we worry about a day more or less of life?”
“The truth is, Señor Don José,” said the friar, “that the provisions are going fast; and when there is no flour everybody is irritable.”
“Fiddle-de-dee, Father Luengo,” exclaimed Montoria. “Yet if these people, accustomed to the luxury of other times, cannot get along without bread and meat, there is nothing to say! As if there were not other things to eat! I believe in resisting to the last breath of life, cost what it may. I have experienced terrible misfortunes; the loss of my firstborn and of my grandson has filled my heart with sorrow; but at times my regard for national honor fills my soul so that there is no room left for any other sentiment. One son is left to me, the only consolation of my life, the one hope of my house and my name. Far from taking him out of danger, I insisted upon his persisting in the defence. If I should lose him, I would die of grief; but in order to save our national honor, I am willing that my only child shall perish.”
“And according to what I have heard,” said Father Luengo, “the Señor Augustine has performed prodigies of valor. It is plain that the greenest laurels of this campaign belong to the brilliant fighters of the Church.”
“No; my son no longer belongs only to the Church. It is necessary that he should renounce the plan of being a clergyman. I cannot be left without direct succession.”
“Ah, you are talking of succession and of marriages! Augustine must have changed since he became a soldier. Formerly his conversation was all of