by Mayne Reid
CHAPTER SIXTY SIX.
In our land of cold impulses--of love calculating and interested--wecannot understand, and scarcely credit, the deeds of reckless daringthat in other climes have their origin in that strong passion.
Among Spanish women love often attains a strength and sublimity utterlyunfelt and unknown to nations who mix it up with their merchandise.With those highly-developed dames it often becomes a true passion--unselfish, headlong, intense--usurping the place of every other, andfilling the measure of the soul. Filial affection--domestic ties--moraland social duty--must yield. Love triumphs over all.
Of such a nature--of such intensity--was the love that burned in theheart of Catalina de Cruces.
Filial affection had been weighed against it; rank, fortune, and manyother considerations, had been thrown into the scale. Love out-balancedthem all; and, obedient to its impulse, she had resolved to fling allthe rest behind her.
It was nearing the hour of midnight, and the mansion of Don Ambrosio wasdark and silent. Its master was not at home. A grand banquet had beenprovided at the Presidio by Vizcarra and Roblado, to which all thegrandees of the settlement had been invited. Don Ambrosio was among thenumber. At this hour he was at the Presidio, feasting and making merry.
It was not a ladies' festival, therefore Catalina was not there. Itwas, indeed, rather an extemporised affair--a sort of jubilee to wind upthe performances of the day. The officers and priests were in highspirits, and had put their heads together in getting up the improvisedbanquet.
The town had become silent, and the mansion of Don Ambrosio showed not asign of life. The portero still lingered by the great gate, waiting hismaster's return; but he sat inside upon the banqueta of the zaguan, andseemed to be asleep.
He was watched by those who wished him to sleep on.
The large door of the _caballeriza_ was open. Within the framework ofthe posts and lintels the form of a man could be distinguished. It wasthe groom Andres.
There was no light in the stable. Had there been so, four horses mighthave been seen standing in their stalls, saddled and bridled. A stillstranger circumstance might have been observed--around the hoofs of eachhorse were wrapped pieces of coarse woollen cloth, that were drawn upand fastened around the ankles! There was some design in this.
The door of the caballeriza was not visible from the zaguan; but atintervals the figure within the stable came forth, and, skulking along,peeped around the angle of the wall. The portero was evidently theobject of his scrutiny. Having listened a while, the figure againreturned to its place in the dark doorway, and stood as before.
Up to a certain time a tiny ray of light could be detected stealingthrough the curtains of a chamber-door--the chamber of the senorita.All at once the light silently disappeared; but a few moments after, thedoor opened noiselessly. A female figure glided softly forth, andturned along under the shadow of the wall, in the direction of thecaballeriza. On reaching the open doorway she stopped, and called in alow voice--
"Andres!"
"_Aqui, Senorita_!" answered the groom, stepping a little more into thelight.
"All saddled?"
"Si, Senorita."
"You have muffled their hoofs?"
"Every one, Senorita."
"Oh! what shall we do with him," continued the lady in a tone ofdistress, and pointing toward the zaguan. "We shall not be able to passout before papa returns, and then it may be too late. _Santisima_!"
"Senorita, why not serve the portero as I have done the girl? I'mstrong enough for that."
"Oh, Vicenza! how have you secured her?"
"In the garden-house,--tied, gagged, and locked up. I warrant she'llnot turn up till somebody finds her. No fear of her, Senorita. I'll dothe same for the portero, if you but say the word."
"No--no--no! who would open the gate for papa? No--no--no! it would notdo." She reflected. "And yet, if he gets out before the horses areready, they will soon miss--pursue--overtake him. He _will_ get out, Iam sure of it. How long would it occupy him? not long. He will easilyundo his cord fastenings. I know that--he once said he could. Oh, holyVirgin! he may now be free, and waiting for me! I must haste--theportero--Ha!"
As she uttered this exclamation she turned suddenly to Andres. A newplan seemed to have suggested itself.
"Andres! good Andres! listen! We shall manage it yet!"
"Si, Senorita."
"Thus, then. Lead the horses out the back way, through the garden--canyou swim them across the stream?"
"Nothing easier, my lady."
"Good! Through the garden take them then. Stay!"
At this she cast her eyes toward the entrance of the long alley leadingto the garden, which was directly opposite to, and visible from, thezaguan. Unless the portero were asleep, he could not fail to see fourhorses passing out in that way--dark as was the night. Here, then, anew difficulty presented itself.
Suddenly starting, she seemed to have thought of a way to overcome it.
"Andres, it will do. You go to the zaguan. See whether he be asleep.Go up boldly. If asleep, well; if not enter into conversation with him.Get him to open the little door and let you out. Wile him upon thestreet, and by some means keep him there. I shall lead out the horses."
This was plausible, and the groom prepared himself for a strategicencounter with the portero.
"When sufficient time has elapsed, steal after me to the garden. Seethat you manage well, Andres. I shall double your reward. You go withme--you have nothing to fear."
"Senorita, I am ready to lay down my life for you."
Gold is powerful. Gold had won the stout Andres to a fealty strongerthan friendship. For gold he was ready to strangle the portero on thespot.
The latter was not asleep--only dozing, as a Spanish portero knows how.Andres put the stratagem in practice, he offered a cigar; and in a fewminutes' time his unsuspicious fellow-servant stepped with him throughthe gate, and both stood smoking outside.
Catalina judged their situation by the hum of their voices. She enteredthe dark stable; and gliding to the head of one of the horses, caughtthe bridle, and led the animal forth. A few moments sufficed to conductit to the garden, where she knotted the rein to a tree.
She then returned for the second, and the third, and the fourth andlast--all of which she secured as she had done the first.
Once more she went back to the patio. This time only to shut thestable-door, and lock that of her own chamber; and, having secured both,she cast a look towards the zaguan, and then glided back into thegarden. Here she mounted her own horse, took the bridle of another inher hand, and sat waiting.
She had not long to wait. Andres had well calculated his time, for in afew minutes he appeared in the entrance; and, having closed the gatebehind him, joined his mistress.
The _ruse_ had succeeded admirably. The portero suspected nothing.Andres had bidden him "buenas noches," at the same time expressing hisintention of going to bed.
Don Ambrosio might now return when he pleased. He would retire to hissleeping-room as was his wont. He would not know before morning theloss he had sustained.
The mufflings were now removed from the feet of the horses, and,plunging as silently as possible into the water, the four were guidedacross the stream. Having ascended the opposite bank, they were firstheaded towards the cliffs, but before they had proceeded far in thatdirection they turned into a path of the chapparal leading downward.This path would conduct them to the rancho of Josefa.