EMPIRES children: THE PEOPLE OF TZINTZUNTZAN FOSTER 



253 



things to badly on Sunday night. I told her that the 

 situation was very grave and that she should go with 

 Isaac, since she had promised to do so, and further- 

 more, since Isaac's brother is a municipal authority, 

 the affair already is being taken up in Patzcuaro, 

 and that she would be taken to the women's prison 

 if she refused. Lucia replied that it would be better 

 for her to go with Andres, that her aunts had ad- 

 vised her to do so, since Isaac's mother was living 

 with a man other than her husband, and that he was 

 illegitimate himself. At that moment Lucia's mother 

 called her and I wasn't able to talk longer." Carlo- 

 ta, with a malicious gleam in her eye, announces to 

 her husband that the thing that has most prejudiced 

 Isaac's case is that the boys' mother is living in sin. 



Again it is decided to await Lucia's return from 

 reading class, and this time friends are stationed in 

 all possible streets. But she fails to put in her ap- 

 pearance. The strain is beginning to tell on all 

 participants, and finally Ines agrees to go with several 

 other friends and try to lure her onto the street with 

 any pretext early in the morning. 



Thursday, April 19. The breathtaking news of to- 

 day is that Lucia fled last night with Andres. No 

 one knows yet how it was arranged. Gildardo sits 

 in silent anger, shaking his head. Carlota again re- 

 minds him that his mother is to blame. Isaac seems 

 hardly to realize what has happened. Maria is heart- 

 broken. "There is nothing left for me to do but leave 

 this village with my boy. Rufina is the one who is 

 to blame for all of this bad luck." No one is ever 

 to blame for a misfortune — it is always the fault of 

 someone else. What worries Maria now is that Isaac 

 will be considered the town's worst fool, and adverse 

 public opinion is what she fears most. She continues, 

 ''I have been the most unfortunate woman of this 

 town. Don't think when you see me working so hard 

 with the pots and making bread that I like it. But 

 my spirit and my muscles make me do it, and in 

 this poor pueblo there is nothing else one can do. 

 I liave suffered much, and as you see. I have worked 

 hard. I had no help when I married Gildardo's fa- 

 ther. I was the one who got the earth, made the pots, 

 and on foot carried them to Patzcuaro, and every- 

 thing I earned was for food for the family, that my 

 children should be strong and healthy. My husband 

 never worked, and I had to give him everything, 

 even to his pants. He appreciated nothing, sleeping 

 all day and drinking all night, returning late to find 

 me firing the kiln or grinding earth for pots. Thus 

 I passed 15 years, and finally becoming tired, with 

 my children I continued to work alone until neces- 

 sity made me go to live v.ith Agustin U. But he 

 also does little work, and you see how I have to 

 continue struggling. Knowing how a woman can 

 suffer, I never want the wives of my sons to have to 

 work so hard. So, although I am old I am still 

 strong, and I will continue working until my son has 

 money and can earn a living without having to work 

 so hard. If the girls knew my thoughts and my 

 struggle, I am sure Isaac could have any girl he 

 wished." 



Friday, April 20. Margarita H. is baptismal god- 

 mother of Andres, and has been told how the flight 

 occurred. Lucia was at supper with her parents and 

 other members of the family, under careful surveil- 

 lance. Pleading need to relieve herself, a younger 

 sister was assigned to go with her to the patio. Once 

 outside, she told her sister to wait a second, that she 

 wanted to say a word to someone who was just out- 

 side the low wall of the street. Before the startled 

 sister could think, Lucia had jumped the wall and 

 was running off with Andres through the dusk. The 

 sister rushed inside and informed the father, who 

 grabbed his machete and set out in pursuit, but the 

 lead was too great and the couple disappeared in An- 

 dres house and slammed and bolted the door. Jaime, 

 the father, returned home, left the machete, and with- 

 out a word went to the nearest cantina where he got 

 drunk, in which condition he remained for the next 

 36 hours. 



At 7 o'clock in the evening today a group of per- 

 sons presents itself at the door of Jaime's house to 

 ask pardon for the youth, and to obtain the consent 

 of the parents. Included are the father of Andres, 

 his marriage godfather Pablo G., the boy's baptis- 

 mal godfather Matias H., and a couple of other close 

 friends. Jaime opens the door and the party enters. 

 The room is empty except for a compadre of Jaime, 

 but through the door in the next room one sees the 

 mother and grandmother of Lucia. Jaime's face is 

 hard and unsmiling, and he can scarcely bring him- 

 self to answer the salutations of the visitors. At the 

 invitation of the compadre the visitors seat them- 

 selves, but the father refuses to do so until urged 

 several times. Finally Pablo G. begins to speak. "My 

 godson and all those here assembled in your good 

 house have come in the hope that you will have 

 something to say about the flight of the two young 

 people. You must realize that my godson knows no- 

 thing, and that youths do these foolish things be- 

 cause they are so inexperienced. And since there is 

 no other solution it is best not to oppose ourselves 

 to the will of God who wished it thus. So we come 

 to ask your consent that the m.arriage take place." 

 Then Julian, father of Andres, speaks to Jaime. "Com- 

 padre, now you know the business that brings me 

 and these good people who have had the kindness to 

 accompany me to your house. We wish to ask your 

 consent and obtain your pardon for what my son has 

 just done. I did not know that my son was courting 

 the daughter of my compadre; I thought he was court- 

 ing Rufina. Early this morning my son-in-law in- 

 formed me what Andres had done, and immediately 

 I went to talk with the young peo|)le, asking if it 

 had been done by force, and if they realized that 

 such a thing was to be for life. They bowed their 

 heads in silence, and there was nothing I could do. 

 I had not advised my son to do it, and it appears 

 . that it was not done by force. As father of the boy 

 I have to come to you in shame to ask your pardon." 

 Jaime continues to look sullen, and asks that the 

 girl be brought home while they continue the discus- 

 sion. At this moment Pablo produces a bottle of 



