A Visit to Don Otavio (17 page)

‘Angelita is not herself. Jesús’ wife is cooking. This is the only way she knows.’

‘She felt fine after the Alka-Seltzer,’ said Anthony. ‘She said it was the quickest thing ever.’

‘Yes, she had quite recovered, poor woman. So she went and had some more
tequilita
.’

‘Oh dear,’ said Doña Victoria.

‘They all need a little change, poor things, they are waiting for the
Diez y Seis de Setembre
,’ said Don Otavio. ‘The fireworks already started this week. I heard them this morning.’

‘What kind of fiesta is that?’ said Anthony.

‘Independence Day,’ said E.

‘Theirs?’

‘Ours,’ said Don Jaime.

‘Doña E has a very great knowledge of our history,’ said Don Otavio.

‘We are getting quite insular these days,’ said Don Enriquez, ‘with nobody able to afford to travel.’

‘My sons have not even been to Paris,’ said Don Jaime.

‘Well, you forget,
querido
, there was also the war in Europe.’

‘I know,’ said Don Jaime. ‘We had to send our girls to the Sacred Heart in Canada.’

E laid down her fork. ‘What would you say was the effect of the war on Mexico?’ she said.

‘We got a few scraps of business thrown our way,’ said Don Enriquez.

‘Quite a few,’ said Don Luís.

‘A lot of shopkeepers who had never eaten bread before made a lot of money,’ said Don Jaime. ‘And now you see them all over the place wearing shoes.’

‘The bars are full of them,’ said Don Luís. ‘One really can’t go out any more.’

‘You cannot imagine what it was like for clothes,’ said Doña Victoria.

‘
What
we all looked like,’ said Doña Concepción.

‘Buenos Aires and Rio were in the same boat of course. Some of us tried New York one season.’

‘Well, the colours were more gay,’ said Don Otavio.

‘Yes, there was that.’

‘France cannot be a country in decline with Paris still able to force the women of the Latin and Oriental races into black,’ said E.

‘¿Por favor?’
said Doña Concepción.

‘I admire
your
country,’ said Don Luís to E, ‘so many nice things to import from. Only not enough people to buy them here. There’s Coca-Cola of course, a very wonderful business, but the concessions are all for the Presidential Family.’

‘The Swans are reserved for the Dons,’ said I.

‘Our Presidents have too many brothers,’ said Don Enriquez.

‘Don Jaime, what do you really feel about the present Mexican Government?’ said E.

‘De quel point de vue, Madame?’

‘I don’t expect you approve their methods and ideals?’

‘Their methods render their ideals quite immaterial.’

‘I have a new bracelet, Tavio,’ said Doña Concepción.

‘Will you show it to me after siesta? I have something pretty for you to see too,
chiquita.
’

‘Would you say it was a
stable
government?’ said E.

‘Our
politicos
hang on,’ said Don Luís. ‘The new kind would rather share than quit.’

‘More stable than anything poor old Don Porfirio ever dreamt of,’ said Don Enriquez, ‘with us supposed to be out and the Indios taking no part.’

‘I take it, there is no body of informed middle-class opinion or pressure?’ said E.

‘Pressure for office,’ said Don Luís.

‘This country was founded by Spanish Gentlemen and their servants,’ said Don Jaime.

‘
And
galley slaves,’ said Don Enriquez.

‘The Indios used to take part,’ said I, ‘think of all those risings.’

‘They’d always follow a general with a band,’ said Don Enriquez. ‘But those days are over. Our politicians have tasted comfort. Nobody’s going to ride over the mountains any more. Besides, the US wouldn’t let us. The Revolutions are done with.’

‘The causes for them, too?’ said E.

‘Don’t those politicians like shooting any more?’ said Anthony.

‘A man can shoot private as well as public, boy,’ said Don Enriquez.

‘How could the United States stop anything?’ said E. ‘Economic sanctions? They would hardly affect the lives of the people such as they are.’

‘But frustrate the efforts of the
politicos
– nothing to spend their money on,’ said Don Enriquez.

‘Certainly no one would want to invade Mexico nowadays,’ said E.

‘The Germans planned a parachute landing on this lake,’ said Don Jaime.

‘Oh the Germans,’ said Don Enriquez.

‘And has your father got a Cadillac too, Don Antonio?’ said Don Luís.

‘Nobody could really take Mexico,’ said E, ‘whatever the weapons.’

‘You took half our country,’ said Don Jaime with a sudden burst of complete seriousness.

‘A very deplorable business,’ said E. ‘Lincoln to his eternal honour voted against it in Congress. But the Peace of Guadalupe-Hidalgo was made a hundred years ago. It was a very bad peace, but it
was
peace. And that is a long time for it.’

‘It is a long time to have kept half our country,’ said Don Jaime.

‘You can hardly expect us to return Texas and Arizona and California now.’

‘It would not be reasonable,’ said Don Enriquez.

‘Because they have become so rich?’

‘Because one cannot put the clock back,’ said E.

‘Why should it only move in one way?’

‘If it could move in the other, Texas and California, as well as the rest of Mexico, might find themselves once more under a Spanish Crown.’

‘We all came from Spain,’ said Don Jaime.

‘Not
all
your grandmothers, Jaime,’ said Don Enriquez roughly, ‘not by a long chalk.’

‘¡Chicos!’
said Don Otavio.

‘Doña Sibilla, what is your real opinion of Monsieur Christian Dior?’ said Doña Concepción.

‘I suppose he is very great?’ said Doña Victoria.

‘Perhaps a little avant-garde?’ said Doña Concepción.

‘Not entirely a classic?’ said Doña Victoria.

‘Mama always went to Worth,’ said Don Otavio.

‘Con su permiso,
’ said Doña Victoria, and we all rose.

Everybody went at once to their rooms. The two couples had been put up at the Hacienda and Don Luís at the Villa. Don Otavio came running back. ‘Would you like to look at my new
Vogue
?’ he said to E. ‘I know you don’t take the siesta.’

‘Thank you. Very kind. Thank you.’

‘I am afraid Concepción says it is not a very exciting number.’

‘Anthony, do see she doesn’t lose it,’ said I.  

Doña Victoria and Don Jaime stayed awake too. They settled in the shade of a papaya and began a game of bézique.

Two hours later Doña Concepción and Don Luís reappeared, joined the others, and the four swiftly settled round a bridge table. Presently Anthony came out, chose himself a chair, and sat with them.

E crossed the lawn, bearing in one hand Professor Brogan’s work on the French Republic, in the other a volume of
Phineas Finn
.

‘What did you do with that
Vogue
?’ I called down.

‘Oh my God!’ said E. ‘Where is it?’

After another while, Don Enriquez strolled out, freshly valeted, and boarded his launch. He was off to pay his respects to Mrs Rawlston.

I went to find Don Otavio.

‘Angelita is worse,’ he said.

‘I was afraid so. Don Otavio, I wish you would let me do the cooking tonight.’

‘It cannot be thought of.’

‘I have had to cook before, you know.’

‘I believe it is taught in some of the modern convents. At least in Canada. The Sacred Heart at Montreal has cooking classes. Of course my nieces did not take them.’

‘Think what Jesús’ wife will do to the snipe.’

‘Jesús’ wife will not cook tonight. Jesús beat her. They have had a disgusto.’

‘Who
will
cook?
Is
there anyone not prostrate with alcohol and domestic strife?’

‘Guadalupe, poor woman.’

‘Will Doña Victoria like Guadalupe’s food?’

‘Nobody will.’

‘Well then?’

‘It would not be suitable.’

‘Oh nonsense, Don Otavio. I shall have everything ready for Guadalupe to keep hot and you needn’t tell anyone.’

‘We could tell Concepción.’

‘Of course we could. And Anthony. So it is settled. Domingo and Andreas shall help me and Soledad’s mother can keep the fires going. You see I am already familiar with the workings of your kitchen.’

‘No, no, I cannot let you. What would Doña E say?’

‘That she was proud to be a citizen, native-born, of a democratic country. If she noticed the difference, but she won’t. I hope you will. Because I cook very well.’

‘It is a very great kindness, Doña Sibilla. Now I must go to the cellar.
¿Con su permiso?’

‘What are you going to give us to drink tonight?’ I said, keeping my tone light.

‘I thought of bringing up half a dozen of that nice Sauterne. It is not at all bad. And some sparkling burgundy with the birds. Luís likes it.
And a little champagne with our pudding. It is only Argentinian, alas, but very sweet.’

‘Don Otavio,’ I said, ‘Anthony tells me that you still have some very wonderful claret. Some of the 1900 Margaux and Lafites,
if
I can trust my ears. Well you know, they won’t keep much longer.’

‘Yes, yes, those old red wines. They are very bitter. The French Ambassador, Monsieur de Clerveaux, gave them to my father. Nobody liked them very much.’

Here courage failed, and the cry from my heart remained unuttered.

‘Guadalupe, this is no time for prayers,’ said I. ‘Stop those Ave and chop me some onions.’

‘… Santa María Madre de Dios … llena eres de gracia …’
Guadalupe made frantic signs for me to keep quiet.

‘All right, all right. But must you hold your beads too?’ I thought of a curé we knew in Tourraine who used to tell his pious housekeeper who, as he put it,
courrait à la messe à toutes les heures, “si vous voulez servir le Seigneur, allez vous faire Bonne Soeur; mais si vous voulez me servir, moi, faites votre cuisine,”
and I longed to tell Guadalupe.

‘… y en la hora de nuestra muerte Amen.
Ready,
niña
, here are your eggs, boiled half soft as you said. Twelve Ave. I was not praying.’

‘And do you all time your cooking by saying Hail Marys?’

‘The Ave for eggs. The Pater for cutlets, the Creed for frying. It is longer.’

‘Such a practical religion ours. Little the Protestants know.’

Anthony popped in, keeping me informed of what went on. Don Enriquez has returned at nightfall and taken Doña Concepción’s seat. Doña Concepción has gone upstairs with Don Otavio. The rest are still at bridge. Doña Victoria, Don Jaime and Doña Concepción are players of international tournament level. Don Luís and Don Enriquez, in that order, are first rate but not in the others’ class. Don Otavio is not bad and he, Anthony, just good enough to be able to tell.

‘And my, they are fast,’ he said, ‘a hand a minute. And they only go for the fat hands. A peso a point. It isn’t bridge, it’s bigtime gambling.

And they say they won’t play poker when they’re just the family.

‘You don’t have to worry. They won’t play with us. You and I and Otavio are supposed to have a nice game of rummy after dinner.’

‘It doesn’t look much like a business visit,’ said I.

‘They’re taking it easy. You wait – they’ll be in a fine tizzy in a day or two. Everybody is already pow-wowing with somebody on the sly. Don Enriquez went to see Mrs Rawlston to find out what the chances are for the road this year. She’s supposed to know everything that goes on down here. And Otavio has a hunch he’ll be told he must marry, so Luís has been offering him his wife for hostess, but Otavio isn’t so keen on that either. He’s sent a messenger to this aunt at Guadalajara, he’s supposed to be a great favourite. Don Jaime has sent a message too, only Otavio isn’t supposed to know about that, but he does.’

‘And how do
you
know, Anthony?’

‘From Juan. Juan is friends with Don Enriquez’ valet, and Otavio says everything in front of Juan.’

‘And are you in turn a witness to Juan’s soliloquies?’

‘Hell, no. I ask.’

High fast bridge went on with the interruption of dinner, until half past one. But this morning there is a conclave. It is held in the drawing-room of the El Dorado, and the women are present.

‘They’re only going to settle preliminaries,’ said Anthony. ‘Money isn’t coming up today.’

We bathed. Refreshments had again been spread on the lawn, but it was long past two and nobody to partake. Mr Middleton had called while we were in the water and left a message that he wished to talk to us about arrangements for our coffins and would we come to tea tomorrow. At last Doña Concepción emerged from the villa. She asked Domingo for a vermouth and flung herself into a chair.

‘I am so glad for Tavio about this hotel,’ she said to me. ‘I hope it will come off. He will enjoy it so. He likes looking after people. We used to tease him that he ought to enter a nursing order. He has had such a lonely life, poor boy. Did you know he had a vocation? His mother was so
pleased. Then there were the Revolutions. My husband said it was difficult enough for people like us without having a priest in the family. My father-in-law was not popular. So it was all put off. Tavio was heartbroken. He went to Mexico for a time. I am afraid he made some very bad friends there. When he came back everything had calmed down, and he could have entered the Church then. My husband says it may be quite useful to us now. But Tavio was no longer sure. Perhaps it was not a true vocation, and all worked out for the best. Who knows?

‘Yes, I should love another vermouth. Tavio has never been happy in the world,’ Doña Concepción went on with the garrulity of weariness, ‘and if it
was
a true vocation, and he missed it, that would be a very terrible thing, would it not? Our aunt, Isabella-María – she is really Sister Madalena in Christ, but she is only a lay-nun; the Holy Father made her a countess when we all lost our titles, my husband says we haven’t really lost them at all, but as we cannot use them any more it comes to the same, does it not? men are so peculiar about those things, don’t you find? it was very kind of the Holy Father and he only did it because Aunt Isabella-María is so very important to the Church, but of course papal titles are papal titles, one couldn’t possibly use them, only South Americans do – well, Aunt Isabella-María says we must have patience and that we do not know the ways of God. I pray a great deal for Tavio. You see, he has no mother to pray for him, that makes always such a difference, doesn’t it? Not that she isn’t interceding from where she is. Now it looks as though Tavio might enter the Church after all. But it would have to be Orders. You see, he never studied. My husband and brothers-in-law say they would much rather have him an
abbé.
Aunt Isabella-María has been very good to Tavio. She likes him to live at San Pedro. He loves it. My husband does not. Luís would like to live here, but he and Doña Asunçión are very poor. They have nine children. Nine alive, I mean. Enriquez and Victoria of course stay here whenever they want to. This is what the trouble is about this morning. Oh, I wish they’d come out; it must be past lunch time. Doña Sibilla, do you have to have many rooms to make an hotel?’