There is no evil omen that warns Perla about what is to come, no black butterfly that flies into the room. One afternoon, like any other afternoon, Norberto shows up at the house and asks to speak to their aunt. He comes alone, stays for half an hour, and departs with a swift ease.
Crésida summons the sisters to the living room the next day. Perla begins to think of wedding dresses, veils, and gifts.
Marriage is a complicated matter. First, the bride’s family must be notified of the groom’s intentions. Then a date will be decided upon for the formal marriage proposal. The groom will venture to the bride’s house, ask for her hand in marriage, and the family will grant it. For the lower classes, a pedida de mano might be dispensed with, or it might be a simple affair. But for the Incláns the pedida de mano entails fine food and drink, an authentic feast.
Then will come the arduous gathering of the trousseau. Shoes, dresses, and gloves. In this time, with the Revolution exhausting the countryside, it will be impossible to have the bulk of the chemises and nightgowns imported from France, and solutions and alternatives must be found to provide the bride with an adequate wardrobe.
Preparations for the wedding will no doubt be demanding. The menu must be carefully determined—would huachinango a la veracruzana be acceptable or must another fish be prepared?—the church booked, the flowers bought. The wedding dress is of paramount importance and the veil is an almost sacrosanct item. The best seamstresses shall be hired, and quickly, for all this work will take many months to finish.
Perla will be exhausted when it is all over. But it will be worth it. Marriage exalts a woman. Even the lowliest of factory girls gains in status and is perceived as wiser, more confident, more powerful. Perla will have the freedom to run her household, to dress herself in pleasinggarments and tasteful jewelry, and to lead a charity of good standing. Younger women will come to her for counsel, and men will listen to her opinions.
Her role so far has involved a great deal of silence. Not that she has been utterly mute in the presence of Norberto, but a young, unmarried lady must say little, must not sink into the pits of coquetry, and yet remain beautifully enticing, like a freshly cut flower.
As their aunt looks at the Inclán sisters, Perla can practically hear the wedding march in her head.
“Norberto sent a telegram to your father and then came to speak to me. He has decided to ask for Encarnación’s hand in marriage.”
The wedding march concludes abruptly. Perla stares at her aunt in confusion. “Aunt Crésida, you are mistaken,” she says, and almost laughs at her aunt’s slip of the tongue. “Norberto will marry me.”
Crésida shakes her head. “There is no mistake. Your father has agreed to the match. You girls must head back to Puerco Ahogado on the Friday train, to begin the preparations for the pedida de mano.”
“But she can’t! She’s the younger girl! It’s not allowed!”
In her tumult she’s forgotten her manners and her voice is so loud that it startles her aunt. It is as if a cannon has been fired. For a minute Crésida does not know what to say, and tugs at her shawl.
“Your father has telegrammed and made his wishes clear.”
“But Norberto wishes to marryme.He is ever so attentive tome.”
Crésida looks at her niece with a grievous pity and speaks softly. “My dear girl, who can understand the hearts of men?”
Perla stands up and rushes out of the room with tears in her eyes. Encarnación comes running after her, muttering words that Perla does not understand. Perla throws herself on her bed and weeps. Gently, her sister places a hand on her shoulder.
“Perla, please don’t cry. I’m sorry. I know you liked him.”
“You idiot! I love him and now he’ll marry you!”
“Of course not. I don’t care for him at all.”
“You are a liar. You have probably been batting your eyelashes at him behind my back.”
“Nonsense! I am in love with Rómulo.”
The words stun Perla so utterly that she ceases her weeping and stares at her sister open-mouthed while Encarnación nervously fidgets with her dress.
“Do you mean to say he has romanced you all this time?”
“Not all this time. It’s only that as we’ve known each other better it has become obvious we have much in common, and when it comes to feelings, there are certain affections that are impossible to resist.”
“The man is married.”
“I know. But it was no love match. You have heard our aunt say so herself, how Rómulo was forced to marry a girl he did not care for, and he tries to be away from her as much as he can. Now Father expects me to do the same, to marry someone I do not love, but I won’t. Perla, I could never love Norberto; you would hate me if I married him. I simply will not.”
“You will. If Father says you must, then it will be done.”
“Never!”
Perla sees her sister as she has never seen her before. She has always considered Encarnación a playful creature, like a puppy or a kitten. She is half a child, really. Now her sister seems to be radically altered. In front of her stands a stubborn, high-spirited young woman. Her eyes are strange and hard.