Королі та капуста
Preface
WhatprejudicestherewereinCoralioconcerningSeñoraGoodwinseemednowtobeinherfavour,whatevertheyhadbeeninthepast.
Itwouldseemthatthestoryisended,insteadofbegun;thatthecloseoftragedyandtheclimaxofaromancehavecoveredthegroundofinterest;but,tothemorecuriousreaderitshallbesomeslightinstructiontotracetheclosethreadsthatunderlietheingenuouswebofcircumstances.
TheheadpiecebearingthenameofPresidentMirafloresisdailyscrubbedwithsoap-barkandsand.Anoldhalf-breedIndiantendsthegravewithfidelityandthedawdlingminutenessofinheritedsloth.Hechopsdowntheweedsandever-springinggrasswithhismachete,heplucksantsandscorpionsandbeetlesfromitwithhishornyfingers,andsprinklesitsturfwithwaterfromtheplazafountain.Thereisnograveanywheresowellkeptandordered.
OnlybyfollowingouttheunderlyingthreadswillitbemadeclearwhytheoldIndian,Galvez,issecretlypaidtokeepgreenthegraveofPresidentMirafloresbyonewhoneversawthatunfortunatestatesmaninlifeorindeath,andwhythatonewaswonttowalkinthetwilight,castingfromadistancelooksofgentlesadnessuponthatunhonouredmound.
ElsewherethanatCoralioonelearnsoftheimpetuouscareerofIsabelGuilbert.NewOrleansgaveherbirthandthemingledFrenchandSpanishcreolenaturethattincturedherlifewithsuchturbulenceandwarmth.Shehadlittleeducation,butaknowledgeofmenandmotivesthatseemedtohavecomebyinstinct.
