Late in the afternoon old Nuflo returned, but did not say where
he had been; and shortly afterwards Rima reappeared, demure as
usual, in her faded cotton dress, her cloud of hair confined in
two long plaits. My curiosity was more excited than ever, and I
resolved to get to the bottom of the mystery of her life. The
girl had not shown herself responsive, but now that Nuflo was
back I was treated to as much talk as I cared to hear. He talked
of many things, only omitting those which I desired to hear
about; but his pet subject appeared to be the divine government
of the world--"God's politics"--and its manifest imperfections,
or, in other words, the manifold abuses which from time to time
had been allowed to creep into it. The old man was pious, but
like many of his class in my country, he permitted himself to
indulge in very free criticisms of the powers above, from the
King of Heaven down to the smallest saint whose name figures in
the calendar.
"These things, senor," he said, "are not properly managed.
Consider my position. Here am I compelled for my sins to inhabit
this wilderness with my poor granddaughter--"
"She is not your granddaughter!" I suddenly interrupted,
thinking to surprise him into an admission.
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