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[138]
his mind should take a wider sweep and feed on stronger food.
He had no time to carry out this plan.
When Senior Delmas heard of his son's return to Santa Clara, he leaped, with all a Mexican's jealousy of priests, to the conclusion that Alexander was falling into a Jesuit snare.
Driving to the college, he demanded leave to see his son: rules or no rules, he would see his son; and pushing past the porters, he strode into Alexander's room.
“What are you doing here?”
“Doing here, father?
Reading for the bar.”
“You are a scoundrel, sir!
You are deceiving me; deceiving me, your father!
You are entering into league with scoundrels.
But I understand their game.
You want to be a Jesuit; yes, my son desires to be a Jesuit!
Give me no answer, Sir. I won't believe one word you speak.”
“No, father, no; a hundred times no!”
“Ugh! They have ensnared you, and corrupted you. Nino!
They have made you think it good to be a Jesuit.
Look you, boy!
A Jesuit-I would rather see you dead — here at my feet-dead in your shroud-than see you in a Jesuit's frock!”
1875.
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