CHAPTER XVI.
WHEN THE TRUMPET CALLS TO BATTLE.
In the evening Alday returned with two of his friends, and as soon as I got an opportunity I begged him to let me have a horse to continue my journey to Montevideo. He answered evasively that the horse I had lost in the neighbouring forest would probably be recovered in the course of two or three days. I replied that if he would let me have a horse the one I had lost, together with saddle, poncho, &c, could be claimed by him whenever they turned up. He then said that he could not very well give me a horse, "with saddle and bridle also." It looked as if he wanted to keep me in his house for some purpose of his own, and this made me all the more determined to leave it immediately, in spite of the tender reproachful glances which Monica flashed on me from under her long drooping eye-lashes. I told him that if I could not have a horse I would leave his estancia on foot. That rather put him in a corner; for in this country, where horse-stealing and cheating at cards are looked on as venial offences, to let a man leave your estancia on foot is considered a very diseraceful thing—a crime almost. He pondered over my declaration for some minutes, then after conferring with his friends he promised to provide me with all I required next day. I had heard nothing more about the revolution, but after supper Alday suddenly became very confidential and said that the whole country would be up in arms in the course of a very few days, and that it would be highly dangerous for me to attempt travelling by myself to the capital. He expatiated on the immense prestige of General Santa Coloma, who had just taken up arms against the Colorado party then in power, and concluded by saying that my safest plan would be to join the rebels and accompany them on their march to Montevideo, which would begin almost immediately. I replied that I took no interest in the dissensionsof the Banda Oriental and did not wish to compromise myself by joining a military expedition of any kind. He shrugged his shoulders and renewing his promise of a horse next day retired to rest.
On rising next morning I found that the others were already up. The horses were standing saddled at the door, and Alday, pointing out a very fair looking animal, informed me that it had been saddled for me, and then added that he and his friends would ride one or two leagues with me to put me on the right road to Montevideo. He had suddenly become almost too kind, but in the simplicity of my heart I believed that he was only making amends for the slight inhospitality of the day before.
After partaking of bitter maté I thanked my hostess, looked my last into Monica's dark sorrowful eyes, lifted for one moment to mine, and kissed little Anita's pathetic face, by so doing filling the child with astonishment and causing considerable amusement to the other members of the family. After we had ridden about four miles, keeping nearly parallel with the river, it struck me that we were not going in the right direction—the right one for me, at any rate: I therefore checked my horse and told my companions that I would not trouble them to ride with me any farther.
"My friend," said Alday, approaching me, "you will, if you leave us now, infallibly fall into the hands of some partida, who, finding you without a passport, will take you to El Molino or to some other centre. Though it would make no difference if you had a passport, for they would only tear it up and take you all the same. In these circumstances it is your safest plan to go with us to El Molino, where General Santa Coloma is collecting his forces, and you will then be able to explain your position to him."
"I refuse to go to El Molino," I said angrily, exasperated at his treachery.
"You will then compel us to take you there," he returned.
I had no wish to become a prisoner again so soon, and seeing that a bold stroke was necessary to keep my liberty, I suddenly reined up my horse and drew my revolver. "My friends," I said, "your road lies in that direction; mine in this, I wish you good-morning."
I had scarcely finished speaking before a blow of a heavy whip-handle descended on my arm below the elbow, almost breaking it and sending me off my horse, while the revolver went spinning away a dozen yards. The blow had been dealt by one of Alday's two followers who had just dropped a little to the rear, and the rascal certainly showed a marvellous quickness and dexterity in disabling me.
Wild with rage and pain I scrambled to my feet and drawing my knife threatened to stab the first man who approached me; and then in unmeasured language I abused Alday for his cowardice and brutality. He only smiled and replied that he considered my youth, and therefore felt no resentment against me for using such intemperate words.
"And now, my friend," he continued, after picking up my revolver and remounting his horse, "let us waste no more time, but hasten on to El Molino, where you can state your case to the General."
As I did not wish to be tied on to my horse and carried in that unpleasant and ignominious manner I had to obey. Climbing into the saddle with some difficulty, we sat out towards the village of El Molino at a swinging gallop. The rough motion of the horse I rode increased the pain in my arm till it became intolerable: then one of the men mercifully bound it up in a sling, after which I was able to travel more comfortably, though still suffering a great deal.
The day was excessively warm, and we did not reach our destination till about three o'clock in the afternoon. Just before entering the town we rode through a little army of gauchos encamped on the adjacent plain. Some of them were engaged cooking meat, others were saddling horses, while others in bodies of twenty or thirty were going through cavalry exercises, the whole making a scene of wonderful animation. Very nearly all the men wore the ordinary gaucho costume, and those who were exercising carried lances, to which were attached little white fluttering bannerets. Passing through the encampment we clattered into the town, composed of about seventy or eighty houses of stone or mud, some thatched, others with tiled roofs, and every house with a large garden attached to it. At the official building facing the plaza a guard of ten men, armed with carbines was stationed. We dismounted and went into the building, only to hear that the General had just left the town, and was not expected back till the following day.
Alday spoke to an officer sitting at a table in the room we were shown into, addressing him as Major. He was a thin, elderly man, with calm grey eyes and a colourless face, and looked like a gentleman. After hearing a few words from Alday, he turned to me and said courteously that he was sorry to tell me I should have to remain in El Molino till the General's return, when I could give an account of myself to him.
"We do not," he said in conclusion, "wish to compel any foreigner, or any Oriental even, to join our forces; but we are naturally suspicious of strangers, having already caught two or three spies in the neighbourhood. Unfortunately you are not provided with a passport, and it is best that the General should see you."
"Sir officer," I replied, "by ill-treating and detaining an Englishman, you are doing your cause no good."
He answered that he was grieved that his people had found it necessary to treat me roughly, for he put it in that mild way. Everything, he said, short of liberating me, would be done to make my sojourn in El Molino pleasant.
"If it is necessary that the General should see me himself before I can have my liberty, pray let these men take me to him at once," I said.
"He has not yet left El Molino," said an orderly standing in the room. "He is at the end of the town at the Casa Blanca, and does not leave till half-past three."
"Tt is nearly that now," said the officer, consulting his watch. "Take him to the General at once, Lieutenant Alday."
I thanked the officer, who had looked and spoken so unlike a revolutionary bandit, and as soon as I had succeeded in clambering on to my horse we were once more dashing along the main street at a swinging gallop. We drew up before a large old-looking stone house at the end of the town, standing some distance back from the road, and screened from it by a double row of tall Lombardy poplars. The back of the house was towards the road, and passing round to the front after leaving our horses at the gate, we entered a spacious patio or yard. Running along the front of the dwelling was a wide corridor, supported by wooden pillars, painted white, while the whole of the patio was shaded by an immense grape vine. This was evidently one of the best houses in the place, and coming directly from the glaring sun and the white dusty road the vine-shaded patio and corridor looked delightfully cool and inviting. A gay company of twelve or fifteen people were gathered under the corridor, some sipping maté, others sucking grapes; and when we came on the scene a young lady was just finishing a song she was singing. I at once singled out General Santa Coloma, sitting by the young lady with the guitar—a tall, imposing man, with somewhat irregular features, and a bronzed, weather-beaten face. He was booted and spurred, and over his uniform wore a white silk poncho with purple fringe. I judged from his countenance that he was not a stern or truculent man, as one expects a Caudillo—a leader of men—in the Banda Oriental to be: and remembering that in a few minutes he would be leaving the house I was anxious to push forward and state my case to him. The others, however, prevented me, for the General just then happened to be engaged in a vivacious conversation with the young lady sitting by him. When I had once looked attentively at this girl I had eyes for no other face there. The type was Spanish, and I have never seen a more perfect face of the kind; a wealth of blue black hair shading the low broad forehead; straight nose, dark luminous eyes, and crimson passionate lips. She was tall, perfect in her figure as in her face, and wore a white dress with a deep red China rose on her bosom for only ornament. Standing there unnoticed at the end of the corridor I gazed with a kind of fascination on her, listening to her light rippling laughter and lively talk, watching her graceful gestures, her sparkling eyes and damask cheeks flushed with excitement. Here is a woman, I thought with a sigh—I felt a slight twinge at that disloyal sigh—I could have worshipped. She was pressing the guitar on the General.
"You have promised to sing one song before you go, and I cannot let you off," she exclaimed.
At length he took the instrument, protesting that his voice was a very bad one; then, sweeping the strings, began that fine old Spanish song of love and war—
"Cuando suena la trompa guerrera."
His voice was uncultivated and somewhat harsh, but there was a good deal of fire and expression in the performance, and it was rapturously applauded.
The moment the song was over he handed her back the guitar, and starting up hastily, bade the company adieu, and turned to go.
Coming forward, I placed myself before him and began to speak.
"I am pressed for time and cannot listen to you now," he said quickly, scarcely glancing at me. " You are a prisoner—wounded, I see; well, when I return" Suddenly he stopped, caught hold of my wounded arm, and said, " How did you get hurt? Tell me quickly."
His sharp impatient manner, and the sight of twenty people all standing round staring at me, quite upset me, and I could only stammer out a few unintelligible words, feeling that my face was blushing scarlet to the very roots of my heir.
"Let me tell you, General," said Alday, advancing.
"No, no," said the General; "he shall speak."
The sight of Alday so eager to give his version of the affair first restored my anger to me, and with that came back the power of speech and the other faculties which I had lost for a moment.:
"Sir General, all I have to say is this," I said, "I came to this man's house at night, a stranger, lost, on foot, for my horse had been stolen from me. I asked him for shelter in the belief that at least the one virtue of hospitality still survives in this country. He, assisted by these two men, treacherously disabled me with a blow on my arm and dragged me here a prisoner."
"My good friend," said the General, "I am extremely sorry that you have been hurt through an excess of zeal on the part of one of my people. But I can scarcely regret this incident, painful as it seems, since it enables me to assure you that one other virtue besides hospitality still survives in the Banda Oriental—I mean gratitude."
"I do not understand you," I said.
"We were companions in misfortune a very short time ago," he returned. "Have you forgotten the service you did me then?"
I stared at him, astonished at his words; and while I looked into his face suddenly that scene at the magistrate's estancia, when I went with the key to let my fellow traveller out of the stocks, and he had jumped up and seized my hand, flashed on me. Still I was not quite sure, and half whispered tentatively, "What, Marcos Marcó?"
"Yes," he returned, smiling, "that was my name at that moment. My friends," he continued, resting a hand on my shoulder, and speaking to the others, "I have met this young Englishman before. A few days ago, when I was on my way hither, I was arrested at Las Cuevas in his company; it was by means of his assistance that I succeeded in making my escape. He did this good deed, believing at the time that he was helping a poor peasant, and not expecting any return."
I might have reminded him that only after he had given me a solemn assurance that he did not intend attempting to make his escape, did I consent to get his legs out of the stocks. However, as he thought proper to ignore that part of the affair I was not going to recall it to him.
There were many surprised exclamations from the bystanders, and glancing at that beautiful girl, who was now standing near with the others, I found her dark eyes fixed on my face with an expression of tenderness and sympathy in them that sent the blood rushing to my heart.
"They have hurt you badly, I fear," said the General, addressing me again. "To continue your journey now would be imprudent. Let me keg of you to remain where you are, in this house, till your arm is better." Then, turning to the young lady, he said: "Dolores, will you and your mother take charge of my young friend till I return, and see that his injured arm is attended to?"
"My General, you will make us happy by
Leaving him in our care," she replied, with a bright smile.
He then introduced me as Don Ricardo simply, for he did not know my surname, to the lovely señorita—Dolores Zelaya; after which he again bade us adieu and hurried away.
When he had gone Alday advanced, hat in hand, and gave me back my revolver, which I had forgotten all about. I took it with my left hand, and put it in my pocket. He then apologised for having treated me roughly —the Major had taught him that word—but without the faintest trace of servility in his speech or manner; and after that he offered me his hand.
"Which will you have," I said, "the hand you have injured or the left hand?"
He immediately dropped his own hand to his side, then bowing, said he would wait till I had recovered the use of my right hand. Turning to go, he added with a smile that he hoped the injury would soon heal, so that I would be able to wield a sword in my friend Santa Coloma's cause.
His manner, I thought, was a little too independent. "Pray take back your horse now," I said, "as I have no further use for it, and accept my thanks for conducting me thus far on my journey."
"Do not mention it," he replied with a dignified wave of his hand, "I am pleased to have been able to render you this small service."