blare was frightening, it beat on the brain like a pile driver.
Perhaps escorted isn’t the word, Leslie had said somewhat maliciously. The men—the great mahogany-faced men bred on beef—who somehow had taken on physical dimensions in proportion to the vast empire they had conquered—stood close together, shoulder to shoulder, as male as bulls; massive of shoulder, slim of flank, powerful, quiet and purposeful as diesel engines. On the opposite side of the room, huddled too, but restless, electric, yearning, stood the women in their satins and chiffons and jewels. The men talked together quietly, their voices low and almost musical in tone. The women were shrill as peacocks, they spread their handmade flounces and ruffles; white arms waved and beckoned.
“Ay-yud!” a wife called to a recalcitrant husband. “Mary Lou Ellen says at Jett’s big bowil last year at the Conky opening they was ten thousand——”
“Sure nuff,” Ed calls back, nodding and smiling agreeably, though no sound is heard above the din. He remains with the men.
“Ay-yud’s had the one over the eight he’s feelin’ no pain,” his wife says philosophically, turning back to her women friends.
The Ambassador regarded this with an impassive face. “It is interesting,” he said, “that the people of this country of Texas——”
“Country!”
“It is like a country apart. It is different from any other North American state I have seen and I have traveled very widely here in the United States. It is curious that the citizens of Texas have adopted so many of the ways and customs of the people they despise.”
“How do you mean?” Leslie asked as though politely conversational. She knew.
“In Latin countries—in Mexico and in Spain and Brazil and other South American countries including my own Nueva Bandera—you often will find the men gathered separately from the women, they are talking politics and business and war and national affairs in which the women are assumed not to be interested.”
“Or informed?”
Leslie, the outspoken, looked at him, she felt admiration and almost affection for this man who had met insult with such dignity. “Here in Texas we are very modern in matters of machinery and agriculture and certain ways of living. Very high buildings on very broad prairies. But very little high thinking or broad viewpoint. But they’re the most hospitable people, they love entertaining visitors——”
He inclined toward her in a little formal diplomatic bow. “I am happily aware of that, madame.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean—I just—sometimes I forget I’m a Texan by marriage. But thank you. I—you see they’re really wonderful in a crisis. In the last war—and the First World War too—the Texans were the most patriotic and courageous——”
“Yes. I know. But war is, as you say, a crisis—an excrescence, a cancer on the body of civilization. It is what a people do and think in the time of health and peace that is most important.” He was very quiet and collected and somehow aloof in the midst of the turmoil allabout them. Like Jordy’s wife Juana, she thought suddenly. Remote, like Juana. He was speaking again, through the uproar. “But you are not a Texan?”
“No. But my husband is, of course, and all his people since the beginning of—— Oh, it must be dinner. They’re moving toward the other room. Our party is all at the same table, it’s Number One on the dais with our host, Jett Rink.”
“Ah yes, the host who spends twenty-five thousand dollars for a dish of barbecue.” He glanced about at the incredible scene. “I can well believe it now.”
“There’s Jordan—there’s my husband—with the others. Now if only we can stay together.” She raised her voice to reach her husband struggling toward them. “Luz? Jordy?”
His shoulders were making a path for the royal pair behind him. “Haven’t seen them,” he shouted. “Catch on like a conga line and we’ll make
Perhaps escorted isn’t the word, Leslie had said somewhat maliciously. The men—the great mahogany-faced men bred on beef—who somehow had taken on physical dimensions in proportion to the vast empire they had conquered—stood close together, shoulder to shoulder, as male as bulls; massive of shoulder, slim of flank, powerful, quiet and purposeful as diesel engines. On the opposite side of the room, huddled too, but restless, electric, yearning, stood the women in their satins and chiffons and jewels. The men talked together quietly, their voices low and almost musical in tone. The women were shrill as peacocks, they spread their handmade flounces and ruffles; white arms waved and beckoned.
“Ay-yud!” a wife called to a recalcitrant husband. “Mary Lou Ellen says at Jett’s big bowil last year at the Conky opening they was ten thousand——”
“Sure nuff,” Ed calls back, nodding and smiling agreeably, though no sound is heard above the din. He remains with the men.
“Ay-yud’s had the one over the eight he’s feelin’ no pain,” his wife says philosophically, turning back to her women friends.
The Ambassador regarded this with an impassive face. “It is interesting,” he said, “that the people of this country of Texas——”
“Country!”
“It is like a country apart. It is different from any other North American state I have seen and I have traveled very widely here in the United States. It is curious that the citizens of Texas have adopted so many of the ways and customs of the people they despise.”
“How do you mean?” Leslie asked as though politely conversational. She knew.
“In Latin countries—in Mexico and in Spain and Brazil and other South American countries including my own Nueva Bandera—you often will find the men gathered separately from the women, they are talking politics and business and war and national affairs in which the women are assumed not to be interested.”
“Or informed?”
Leslie, the outspoken, looked at him, she felt admiration and almost affection for this man who had met insult with such dignity. “Here in Texas we are very modern in matters of machinery and agriculture and certain ways of living. Very high buildings on very broad prairies. But very little high thinking or broad viewpoint. But they’re the most hospitable people, they love entertaining visitors——”
He inclined toward her in a little formal diplomatic bow. “I am happily aware of that, madame.”
“Oh, I didn’t mean—I just—sometimes I forget I’m a Texan by marriage. But thank you. I—you see they’re really wonderful in a crisis. In the last war—and the First World War too—the Texans were the most patriotic and courageous——”
“Yes. I know. But war is, as you say, a crisis—an excrescence, a cancer on the body of civilization. It is what a people do and think in the time of health and peace that is most important.” He was very quiet and collected and somehow aloof in the midst of the turmoil allabout them. Like Jordy’s wife Juana, she thought suddenly. Remote, like Juana. He was speaking again, through the uproar. “But you are not a Texan?”
“No. But my husband is, of course, and all his people since the beginning of—— Oh, it must be dinner. They’re moving toward the other room. Our party is all at the same table, it’s Number One on the dais with our host, Jett Rink.”
“Ah yes, the host who spends twenty-five thousand dollars for a dish of barbecue.” He glanced about at the incredible scene. “I can well believe it now.”
“There’s Jordan—there’s my husband—with the others. Now if only we can stay together.” She raised her voice to reach her husband struggling toward them. “Luz? Jordy?”
His shoulders were making a path for the royal pair behind him. “Haven’t seen them,” he shouted. “Catch on like a conga line and we’ll make
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