Polytechnic High School - Caerulea Yearbook (Long Beach, CA)

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LITERARY 29 UIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllIIIlllllllIlllllIlllIIlllIl!IIlIllllllllllllllllVIIIIIIllIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!Illllllllllllllllllllll Illllllllllll IlIlIIlIIIlIlI'1 Merced: fEagerlyQ The silver! Ah, yes. Alfredo: Later I bring casks of wine from my own cellar. The '78, Merced: And the Senorita Leila? Her health, I hope, continues? She is averse in no wise to this alliance with my family, I trust. Alfredo: My daughter's compliance with my will in this matter is absolute, as always, Senora: although, of course, having returned so recently from the convent, she exhibits a reluctance which the holy sisters and her own maiden modesty have taught her. Merced: fGuriouslyJ And in what way, Senor, does this reluctance ex' press itself? Alfredo: It is but a little matter, Senora, and of no moment. Mayhap she resents the custom that keeps her from seeing the bridegroom, Senor En' riguez, until they are married. - Merced: fHorrifiedD Has she said this? Alfredo: Not precisely, but I-ah-gathered it. These foolish 'modern ideas-I cannot say how our young people get them. Merced: Ah yes, it is a -pity, but she is young, Senor. CShe hovers round the chests. Gilberto and Rafael enter. Gilberto is a dark, slender young man, tall and languid, smoking a cigarette. He saunters over and looks at the chests, while his cousin, after greeting Alf fredo with a ceremonious bow, goes and sits at the windowj Gilberto: Good afternoon, Senor Samarano. Ah, the bride's dowry, I see. And the keys? Alfredo: Good afternoon, Senor Enriguez. Senora, here are the keys to the chests. I must go now. Rafael: Permit me to accompany you to your horse, Senor. fThey all go out, but Merced returns immediatelyj. Merced: She wants to see him, does she? Holy Mother! and he spoke of maiden modesty! Quick, Dolores, light the candles! It is so dark I cannot see the chests. fDolores enters with a lighted candle from which she lights those on the table. Merced unlocks one of the boxesj. Ah, these are the linens. Leila's mother could not have been very strict in her teachings. How large are the stitches! The linens of my dowry- C She breaks off and rummages in the box. Rafael and Gilberto return. Rafael sits at the window as before, while Gilberto unlocks another chest and pokes with his cane among a pile of bright shawls and mantillas. He pulls out a red and yellow shawl. His cousin rises quickly and comes and looks at itj.

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30 CAERULEA '26 JlllIllllllIIlllIIIIIIIIIIIlIllIIIIIIIlIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllIIllIIIIIIIllIIII!IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIllllIillIIIIIIIIIllllIHIIIIIIIllIIIIIIllIIIIllllIIllIIllIIIIIII1IlllIIllIIIllllllIllIIIllIIIIIIllIIIIIIlllll!IIIIlHllIIIIIllI'1 Rafael: That is the shawl she wore when she came here to vespers one Sunday, is it not? Gilberto: Ah, yes, with a rose behind her ear. Was she not vivid among the senoritas of San Gabriel? I wonder if all the maids of San Pedro are as beautiful as she. Merced: QI-landling the shawlsj But such brilliant colors for one so young. Now when I was young-ah, the silver. fTurning to the fourth chestj, The key, boy, the key. Gilberto: But Mother, here are only three, and they are for the other chests. Merced: What is this! Ride after Alfredo and demand that key, you! Gilberto: No, Mother, that is assuredly not etiquette. The chest is full of silver--its value is great. Perhaps, then, he purposed to hold the key until the wedding day. Merced: You are right, my son. There are grills at each end, but I can' not see into it. t Gilberto: Then let us leave the matter until the morrow. fThey all go out, Merced last, and with longing looks toward the chest of silverj SCENE II flt is some hours later. The curtain rises on the same room, and it is almost dark, except for the moonlight falling through the window in bars on the chest of shawls. Rafael enters softly and kneels before this chest. He is caressing something that is faintly red and yellow. As he does this, the lid of the chest of silver lifts slowly, and something infinitely graceful rises from the depths. It is Leila Samarano. She does not see Rafael, but he is on his feet the minute the lid begins to risej Leila: f Stretching and rubbing herselfj O how small and hot is that chest after all! I think I shall never get myself straightened out. Rafael: fastoundedj Leila! fShe turns quickly. I-le drops to his knee and kisses her hand., Leila: And who are you, Senor? I thought no one was here when I came out. Rafael: Wait. Let us have a light. QI'Ie lights the candles. She steps out of the chest, shuts the lid and sits upon itj Rafael: Do you not know me? I am- Leila: Why, surely I have seen you before. O, I remember! We played on the beach, years ago. You are the little boy who chased away the big crabs that frightened me.