He did not like being told to perform menial
offices, preferring to anticipate all requests of that kind and do
whatever was necessary by stealth. Sometimes I would forget this
peculiarity of the old black, and tell him that I wanted him to polish
my boots. He would ignore the request altogether, and talk for a few
minutes of political matters, or on the uncertainty of all things
mundane, and by and by, glancing at my boots, would remark incidentally
that they required polishing, offering somewhat ostentatiously to have
them done for me. Nothing would make him admit that he did these things
himself. Once I tried to amuse Dolores by mimicking his speech to her,
but quickly she silenced me, saying that she loved Nepomucino too well
to allow even her best friend to laugh at him. He had been born when
blacks were slaves in the service of her family, had carried her in
his arms when she was an infant, and had seen all the male members of
the house of Zelaya swept away in the wars of Reds and Whites; but in
the days of their adversity his faithful, dog-like affection had never
failed them. It was beautiful to see her manner towards him. If she
wanted a rose for her hair or dress she would not pluck it herself or
allow me to get it for her, but Nepomucino must be asked to get it.
Then every day she would find time to sit down in the garden by his
side to tell him all the news of the village and of the country at
large, discuss the position of affairs with him, and ask his advice
about everything in the house.
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