"I suppose all the people in New York who were interested in Peru
knew her," I pursued, adding, "Mr. Whitney, Mendoza, Lockwood."
Norton hesitated, as though he was afraid of saying too much.
While I could not help admiring his caution, I found that it was
most exasperating. Still, I was determined to get at his point of
view, if possible.
"Alfonso seems to be a worthy son, then," I remarked. "I can't
quite make out, though, why the Senorita should have such an
obvious prejudice against her. It doesn't seem to extend to him."
"I believe," replied Norton reluctantly, "that Mendoza had been on
rather intimate terms with her. At least, I think you'll find the
woman very ambitious for her son. I don't think she would have
stopped at much to advance his interests. You must have noticed
how much Alfonso thinks of the Senorita. But I don't think there
was anything that could have overcome the old Castilian's
prejudice. You know they pride themselves on never intermarrying.
With Lockwood it would have been different."
I thought I began to get some glimmering of how things were.
"Whitney knows her pretty well now, doesn't he?" I shot out.
Norton shrugged his shoulders. But he could not have acquiesced
better than by his very manner.
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