Had I failed to carry them out to the
letter, then I should have suffered a great remorse. Possibly I may
encounter Andrada some day, and pass my sword through his body; that
would give me no remorse."
After some moments of silence he looked up and said, "Richard, you
admired and loved that beautiful girl when you first saw her. Listen,
if you wish it you shall have her for a wife. She is simple-minded,
ignorant of the world, affectionate, and where she is told to love she
will love. Batata's people will obey my wishes in everything."
I shook my head, smiling somewhat sorrowfully when I thought that the
events of the last few days had already half obliterated Margarita's
fair image from my mind. This unexpected proposition had, moreover,
forced on me, with a startling suddenness, the fact that by once
performing the act of marriage a man has for ever used up the most
glorious privilege of his sex--of course, I mean in countries where
he is only allowed to have one wife. It was no longer in my power to
say to any woman, however charming I might find her, "Be my wife." But
I did not explain all this to the General.
"Ah, you are thinking of conditions," said he; "there will be none."
"No, you have guessed wrong--for once," I returned. "The girl is all
you say; I have never seen a being more beautiful, and I have never
heard a more romantic story than the one you have just told me about
her birth.
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