Love of Lady Liana.

by Alvarez y Losada

  Responding to the instinct, it extended the hand and took between hers the one from Rogan and noticed surprised, that he it accepted the gesture.

  It returned the eyes towards the representation; lord Vulture returned to scene, stopped to see the Days and jumped on them, opening its layer. The three fell to the floor forming a confused pile.

  When seeing this the target lady recovered life. It had not mattered to him which his husband ignored it during the wedding, undressed it of the currencies or it hung to a man to eat a piece of nabo escupido by a cow, but concerned the episode to him with the other women.

  The white dress withdrew and showed that underneath it took another red one. Behind a flowerpot with a tree without leaves it found a hairdo, also red, to which high flames of paper were adhered and it put on the head, covering the blond wig.

  — ¡The Lady of the Fire! -- it shouted pleased the public.

  The Lady of the Fire, with its red dress, she took handfuls from straw painted of red of the feet of the old one tied the tree and she began to throw them to the three people who revolcaban themselves in the center of scene. The Days were gotten up of a jump, shouting and acting as if they were extinguishing to the fire of his clothes and their hair, and fled immediately.

  The Lady of the Fire watched at lord Vulture and of his pocket she extracted a great necklace, of which they use to hold to brave dog. It assured to the neck lord Vulture, hooked one traílla and it took to the man outside the scene.

  The public howled and vivó and jumped on the banks and danced and in scene all the deads recovered life. They appeared six children of Rogan and threw networks adorned with flowers on the trees deads, so that it seemed that even these returned to the life. People in scene she began to sing, left all the actors and the Lady the Fire she held lord Vulture, that walked in four legs. It tried to open the layer in order to be the public, but the Lady of the Fire struck a blow to him in head and it returned to tranquilize themselves.

  Finally the drop curtain fell and when public stopped of vivar and to laugh, began to rise of the banks.

  Rogan and Liana remained seated, neither one moved, the hands united on a knee of Rogan.

  - - In fact, now seems to me that farmers are not so simple -- he was able to say Liana.

  Rogan became in order to watch it and its eyes they said to him that that commentary in truth was extremely moderate.

  11

  The public, when rising left banks, laughed, clapping backs of others, and remembering different scenes of the piece.

  -- Viste when... ?

  -- it pleased the part to Me in which...

  Liana and Rogan remained seated in the same place, the united hands, until the last person retired.

  Gradually, as it obtained to dominate the impression, Liana felt that it dominated the rage to it. During last weeks it had defied the fury of its husband by this people, had been gotten tired treating about which they were fed and they dressed and now they paid to him with this... this farce that ridiculed it.

  It grasped the hand of Rogan.

  -- Volveremos to look for your men -- it said, incapable to dominate his irritation --. We will see if this people are so desagradecida after your men end her, they think that they know the rage Peregrinate, but they have not seen anything.

  Rogan did not answer word and when she it watched it did not seem irritated, but rather pensativo.

  -- Well? -- Liana said --. You did not want to come and you were right. We will return and...

  -- Who represented the paper of lord Vulture? -- Rogan asked, interrupting it.

  -- it seemed to Me that he was one of the sprouts of your father -- Liana talked back dryly --. I must return single?

  It was put of foot and it tried to pass a in front Rogan, but he tightened the hand to him and he did not allow him to walk.

  - - I have appetite -- Rogan said --. Create that this way they will sell food?

  Liana watched it astonished. A little while before he had refused to spend the few cents necessary to buy foods.

  -- the theater piece did not irritate to you?

  One shrank of shoulders, as if not him it mattered, but there was something deeper in its eyes... something that Liana wanted to discover.

  -- I never killed nobody because one ate my rats -- it said with a somewhat challenging tone --. They can seize of all the rats that wish.

  -- and what you say to me of the use of dung of your cows like fuel? -- she in low voice asked. It was of foot between the muscular legs of Rogan and he continued maintaining to him hand. For certain reason, that way to hold it was something more intimate than first times that had been united in the bed. Rogan said that to the piece not him it bothered, but the way to retain to Liana offered another image of the subject.

  -- Never I killed nobody for that reason -- it said, lost glance to the distant spot --, but, the dung fertilizes the fields.

  -- Entiendo -- Liana said --. Either latigazos?

  Rogan did not answer, but it seemed that the dark skin blushed to him. Then she experienced an impulse very maternal in front of him. He was not a perverse man, who enjoyed killing or seeing to suffer to others; it had tried to protect its family and to provide to him necessary things of the best possible way.

  -- Tengo much appetite -- she said, smiling to Rogan --, and I have seen a position filled with cream buns. Perhaps some and a little butter serum will reanimate to us to both.

  It accepted that Liana guided it, this one it vividly wished to know what his husband thought. When Rogan slid the hand under the coarse wool shirt of his disguise of farmer, it retired a bolsito of leather and gave some currencies to the salesman of buns, Liana felt gladder. Of course, it could not be safe, but it doubted that before it never had spent money in a woman.

  Rogan paid jarro of butter serum and both they shared the content while the salesman waited for the return of the wood container.

  Now that had satisfied its appetite, Liana could think with less anger on the theater piece. In fact, to to recall it, seemed to him almost humoristic. She never thought that the farmers they could be so bold... or so sincere.

  It watched the interior of jarro of wood and it tried to avoid a smile.

  -- It is possible that they were mistaken respect of the rats, but they guessed right in which has to do with certain attributes physicists of the gentleman -- it said.

  Rogan heard it, and it did not understand in the beginning what she meant to him. And then it remembered the straw genitals offensive exaggerated of lord Vulture and began to feel that it was reddened to him the face.

  -- Tienes a language very sharpened -- it said, in order to reprimand this female.

  -- If affluent memory, my language pleased to you.

  -- the women do not have to speak of those things -- he said severely, but its glance betrayed it.

  By the way in which it observed it, Liana included/understood that it had intensified his interest.

  -- Truely you lay down with women ugly? Ugly but prominent ahead or behind?

  It seemed that it was arranged a to reprimand it again, but instead of that its glance was smoothed.

  -- Your father had haberte inculcado some good modales. Well -- it said, taking from the hands of Liana jarro emptiness --. If you have finished impoverishing to me with your desme­surado appetite we go a to see those games.

  The jokes of Liana had amused it and that pleased ­sintiera it determined that it was satisfe­cha. While they walked, Liana united its hand to the one of Ro­gan and it did not reject it.

  -- Volvera'n to be like before? -- it asked Rogan, mi­rando to the front while they walked.

  It did not have idea of which it wanted to say.

  -- Your hair -- Rogan said.

  Liana tightened the hand to him and laughed with desire. Joice had dyed him of black the blond hair and the eyebrows, so that the farmers so did not identify their hair to pecu­liar. Now they could not to see it to it much under the coarse assured linen c
loth braids.

  -- the dye will disappear with the washings -- Liana, watching at Rogan said to him --. Perhaps you help to wash it me.

  It watched it and in its eyes desire was ***reflxed mng.

  -- Perhaps -- it said.

  They continued walking without saying word, the united hands, and Liana felt very glad.

  Rogan stopped in the periphery of group of per­sonas. It could see over the heads of the especta­dores, but Liana could not to do mis­mo. It was put in ends of foot, later squatting, but was not able to see through people and. tironeó the sleeve of Ro­gan.

  -- I cannot see -- he said, when it he watched. Liana had a romantic vision: he raised it on his shoulders and he maintained; however behaving as if he was the owner of the place -- what in effect was -- broke through through people until the front.

  -- you do not attract the attention on us -- it whispered, but Rogan did not pay attention to him. Liana directed descolori­das smiles of excuse to the public who surrounded them, mien­tras walked dragged by Rogan.

  All watched with curiosity to Rogan and mainly they paid attention to his hair, that excelled under the hood of wool. Liana began to experience an intense fear, if that people, who it hated so much to Peregrine discovered that the master was single and unprotected in average of the town, without a doubt they would assassinate it.

  -- Others of the bastards of the old master -- it heard murmu­rar to a man who was close -- this one never he had seen it.

  Liana began to become loose and by once it thanked for the fertility of Peregrine. Always grasping the hand of Rogan, it watched, just like he, the spectacle: On es­pacio level and place setting of grass, in the middle of I extend circle, were two men, both naked ones even cintu­ra, fighting with long wood poles that sos­tenían with the two hands. One of them of low stature, muscular body, and short arms it seemed forest guard or woodcutter. It had a very vulgar aspect.

  The eyes of Liana nailed in the other man -- just like the glance of all the women who were there. It was same that represented the paper of lord Vulture. It had shown a figure bets in scene but now, naked means, the brilliant skin of sweat, seemed magnificent man.

  Not as splendid as Rogan, it was said Liana, and approached more its husband. This it observed the combat kindly, interested in the way in that east man evolved, one of its means brothers. Of course, their movements were coarse and revealed lack of training; but he was fast. The small woodcutter was not to his height. Rogan it separated his attention from the combat when her wife approached more to him, returning eyes towards her, whom it was observing his average brother with an interest very alive, and Rogan began to fruncir entrecejo. It seemed that she considered desea­ble to that means Peregrinates.

  Rogan never had felt before sting of the ce­los, shared the Days or anyone of its women with his brothers and their men. While they did not bother it, it did not matter to him what they did. But at this moment it did not please the way to him in which its wife it watched at weak, clumsy, incompetent that individuo flacucho, pelirrojo.

  -- Crees that you can defeat it? -- it said an old one des­dentado that was next to Rogan.

  Rogan arrogantly watched the old one. man emitted a rough laughter, and its badly breath im­pregnó the air.

  -- As all Peregrine -- it said in voice discharge --, an­tiguo master bequeathed its arrogance to the children.

  The average brother Peregrinates that he was combatien­do watched the old one, to Rogan and surprised it separated the eyes from his adversary. The woodcutter struck to the young person in the head. Es­te backed down, took the hand to sien it and watched the blood that stained the fingers to him and with one expression of misfortune in the face and with three strong blows sent to the woodcutter to ground.

  Immediately one stood as opposed to Rogan, that mi­raba.

  Liana observed that both men had more or me­nos the same age, but Rogan was corpulento and for her more much, very many more good looking. A young person who was close let escape sighed of desire. Liana grasped with force the hand of Rogan and it still approached more body of its husband.

  -- Well, I have another brother -- it said young person.

  Liana said that its glance was so penetrating like the one of Rogan, and something in those eyes confirmed to him that mucha­cho it knew who was, Rogan.

  -- No... -- it began to say Liana.

  -- Combatimos or not in front of people? -- it was the challenge of the young person --. Or it governs a woman to you? -- Bajo' the voice.-- Co­mo it happens to him to lord Rogan?

  Liana felt that it was pressed to him heart, because it knew that Rogan could not avoid the challenge. Both they had ignored courteously the last scene of pie­za, in which the Lady of the Fire it held lord Vulture, but Liana knew that Rogan became aware exact of sense of the scene. It would not allow that the same day was insulted twice.

  Rogan loosen the hand to him and entered circle. Liana knew that it could not do or say nothing without putting in risk life of both. It both contained the breathing, seeing contenders to move simultaneously in the center, one as opposed to the other. They were very similar: same hair, equal eyes, chin sign and determined.

  Rogan watched the pole deposited in ground and, piara horror of Liana, took off the hood that disguised its ras­gos and one undressed of the shirt. It had a little while to please when it threw articles to Liana and it received them; but then the fear of Liana was revived. It did not doubt that now somebody would recognize it; it did not please to think to him about whom it would identify it, because it could be one of the women with who it was had laid down, or all.

  -- half of the village -- it murmured for if same.

  It walked the glance by the multitude and saw a two of the Days of foot, the opposed side of the circle. The faces of muje­res they revealed disagreement, but Liana did not doubt that soon they would know that it was Rogan.

  With fast movements a began to approach the women.

  -- If one of you says a word, him it will weigh -- it said, when it arrived at them. One of the Days was scared, the expression of its face revealed fear; but the other was more audacious and in­teligente, and it was noticed of the danger that ran Liana and Ro­gan.

  -- Quiero that my son is educated like horseman -- the woman said.

  Liana opened the mouth to reject that reckless reclamation ofensi­vo and, but closed it.

  -- you will take care of which nobody plus knows it -- it said as well.

  The woman watched at Liana the eyes.

  -- Dire' to the people who come from a village of the south and that I knew it. And my son?

  Liana could not let admire to this woman who risked so much by her piston rod.

  -- Your children will be educated and trained, envíamelos tomorrow.

  One separated from them and it returned to the place that it occupied ante­riormente.

  Rogan and its average brother described circles one around the other, the long maintained poles horizontally in the hands. They were imposing men, both young people and forts, give wide narrow backs, hips, the formed muscles affluent.

  But much intelligence was not needed in order to com­prender who was better fighter. It was evident that Rogan was proving to its average brother, playing with him to discover what knew to do, and however this one, the colérica glance, fought yet what had to his it reaches. The brother attacked, Rogan easily avoided it and with rápi­do movement unloaded the pole on the hollow of ro­dillas of his contender.

  -- You are customary to fight solely with women? -- it goaded Rogan.

  The rage was dominating the other and it induced to co­meter stupid errors.

  -- Before nobody has defeated to Baudoin -- it said old the toothless one that it was next to Liana --. It will not please to him to be won.

  -- Baudoin -- Liana said aloud, frunciendo en­trecejo. It did not seem to him good idea that Rogan convirtie­se in enemy since it were doing it. This it had passed most of its life training with twigs and swords an
d however the adversary without a doubt happened almost all his tiem­po behind a plow.

  After awhile, was evident stops all those that they observed that Rogan comenzaba to get tired itself of this game that no it demanded much to him. One in front of stopped its brother, the pole in a hand maintaining it by an end and... the extended arm.

  It was an offensive attitude and the affection of Liana it was for Baudoin, to that was humiliated thus.

  The eyes of this one became gloomy of wrath and was thrown on Rogan, in the face a killer expression. The multitude it drowned a exclamación.

  Almost without watching it, Rogan took a step to flank and des­cargó its pole on the nape of the neck of Baudoin. The young person fell mouth , down unconscious on mud and the grass.

  Without directing single a cautious one to him of Rogan preoccupation happened over the inert body and it approached Liana, received from she her clothes and got dressed. Passage between people without mi­rar to Liana was opened, but without a doubt hoping that it followed it. It did not pay attention to the farmers that they surrounded it, they slapped the back to him and they congratulated it, inviting it to drink with them.

  Rogan felt very proud of himself same. It overcame the man who caused the glances of desire of his wife and it demonstrated who was the best one and in addition he was proud of the form since there were it fact. Now, she would not doubt whom was superior. It could have defeated a that average brother excessively trusted itself with one ma­no tied to back.

  Very conscious that Liana was following it, one went to the forest. Cuan­do wished to be single with her him it demonstrated how pleased was with him. Certain time, after prevailing in a match, two young ladies had gone to their store to congratulate it. ¡And that it was one night to remember it!

  But now, the only thing that needed was the praise of its wife. Perhaps it kissed it since it had done when Ro­gan said that it would go with her to the fair. It continued walking until it was in the depth from the forest, one became and it watched it.