Marjorie Dean Macy

oleanders, Marjorie and Ronny repaired to their favorite haunt. It was a second-story balcony which overlooked a rose garden. There Wen

after-dinner cigar and a new book on fruit culture which had be

nt, rose-scented air. “Glad to be at Hamilton, and with us; sorry to leave Mana?a. It’s so beautiful at all times. One day I think I love the

pinkish-yellow roses clambered up and over the balcony. Marj

ort time, to love Mana?a in the

ing twilight, seemed lost in reverie. Her finely-chiseled profile turned toward Marjorie ga

e balcony the musical beat of a guitar rose in rhythmic measure. Came a characteristic Spanish prelude, then

He has asked Teresa’s sons to serenade us. They are singing a ver

ss of the evening. Marjorie was sure she had never before listened to anything more tenderly romantic than the plaintive rise and fall of

with another old Spanish ballad which Ronn

e tu lado

triste es

tenor of Ricardo,

art absent

sad, is

love, which he had certainly never yet experienced, rang in his impassioned singing. Nor were the voices of his younger brothers sca

rmosa (beautiful). Que se repetia (please sing again). Muy bien venido, amigos. Nos alegramos mucho

rhanging balcony. Now they stepped out from its sha

ather, has asked us to give you the serenade on our way to the fiesta this evening which is to be at Pedro’s house in honor of his birthday. We are pleased to sing for yo

in upon the fiesta. We have been invited by Annunciata, his wife. Tomorrow evening I wish you to bring Donna Teresa with y

a ravishing little prelude on the guitar. Again the three in the soft darkness below took

the stars

ight how mu

f the song. Nevertheless she understood its import. Ronny had translated the title for her. She was now

o the three young men. “Thank you for your beautiful sin

ded something daringly respectful to Ronny in Spanish. She laughingly translated his speech as the three dark

glad I haven’t them.” She turned the subject abruptly with: “I should not have understood t

out love. I feel so about it now. I see nothing deeper in Ricardo’s songs than beauty of voice and unconscious expression. Teresa says Ricardo has never

usly. She could not recall in her several years of friendship with Ronny that her brilliant tal

with considerable emphasis. “I never expect to meet

moment when you are the most certain that you can never fall in love may be the signal for a change in your destiny