The Queen of the Savannah: A Story of the Mexican War

by Gustave Aimard

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  THE INTERVIEW.

  Oliver Clary had entered the cabildo. From this moment he could notrecoil, but must push on. The brave and careless Canadian took a lastand sorrowful glance at the square in which a merry crowd, whose criesreached his ears, was assembled; he gave a sigh of regret, and hung hishead on his chest for a moment; but almost immediately subduing thissadness, which was unworthy of him, he effaced every trace of emotionfrom his face, drew himself up proudly, and with a calm step entereda hall in which were standing ushers, easily to be recognized by thesilver chain round their neck. So soon as he appeared, one of theseushers left the group, and walked up to him with a slow and solemn step.

  "Who are you? What do you want?" he asked, impudently.

  "Who I am?" he answered drily, "That does not concern you, my master.What I want? To speak to His Excellency Don Garcia Lopez de Cardenas,General commanding the Intendancy."

  "Oh, oh!" the usher said, as he looked impudently at the adventurer'smodest and more than careless dress; "You come like that, without theslightest ceremony, to demand an audience of his Excellency! Come, mygood fellow, follow good advice and begone; the mezcal is disturbingyour head; go to sleep, keep your feet warm, and do not troubleyourself any further with such nonsense."

  Not letting himself be disconcerted the least in the world by thistolerably coarse apostrophe, the adventurer looked for an instant atthe speaker with such an expression that the latter turned his headaway in embarrassment; then he seized him by a button of his coat.

  "Listen to me, Senor Scamp," he said, in a low and menacing voice;"in any other place but the one where we now are, the words you havejust uttered would cost you dearly; but I despise you too much to beinsulted by them. I pardon you, but only on one condition--that youwill immediately announce to his Excellency, Senor Don Olivero Clary,and hand him at the same time this letter from his seigneury, the Countde Melgosa. Begone!"

  He let go the usher's button, and the latter, quite abashed, turnedround two or three times, and, without saying a word, quitted the hall.The Canadian folded his arms on his chest, and waited for his return,while looking disdainfully at the other servants, who bent on himcurious and almost startled glances. The usher's absence was short.He appeared almost immediately, and throwing both doors wide open, hesaid, as he bowed ironically to the Canadian--

  "His Excellency General Don Garcia Lopez de Cardenas requests Senor DonOlivero Clary to have the condescension to enter."

  The adventurer understood that the critical moment had arrived. Withoutdisplaying the slightest hesitation he entered the room, the doors ofwhich had so suddenly been opened to him. But, when he had crossed thethreshold, he felt that species of confusion and timidity which attacksthe bravest men when they are violently thrown out of the medium inwhich they are accustomed to live. It is plain that the adventurerwould have preferred finding himself face to face with a whole tribe offerocious redskins, instead of entering this brilliantly gilded room,and a crowd of smart officers, whose eyes he felt, instinctively, werefixed upon him. A feverish flush covered his face, a cold perspirationbeaded on his temples, and his heart beat as if it would burst fromhis chest. It was not fear he felt, it was not shame he experienced,nor was it weakness; but it was a mixture of all those feelings whichfilled his bosom, and made his temples beat.

  Still, through a prodigious effort of his will, he succeeded notonly in almost entirely concealing this strange emotion, but also socompletely surmounted it that he was able to walk with a firm steptoward the general, whom he saw standing at the other end of thesaloon, in the midst of a group of field officers; and who, with hishand on his sword belt, bent on him a glance such as rattlesnakes aresaid to employ in fascinating their victims.

  General de Cardenas was a man not more than forty years of age, oftall and imposing stature; his face was harsh, dark, and cruel; he hada mocking lip and cynical glance; his low forehead, his eyes closeto his long hooked nose, and his prominent cheekbones, veined withviolet lines, gave him a certain resemblance to the feline race. Hewas dressed in the splendid uniform of a general, glistening with goldlace. At this moment he was biting his greyish moustache, and clankingthe wheels of his spurs on the ground--a sign by which his intimatefriends knew that he was suffering from intense passion.

  Don Lopez de Cardenas belonged to the highest Spanish nobility, and wasa caballero cubierto; he had gone through, with some distinction, thewhole of the Peninsular war; but, in spite of his thorough bravery,and his undeniable talent, he had let himself be led away by his evilnature to behave so ferociously to the enemy during the retreat of theFrench, that the King of Spain, who did not feel at all secure on athrone which he owed rather to chance than his personal ability, wasconstrained to dismiss him, as he did not dare to brave the publicprotest against favours he might have granted such a person. Mexico,which was then in full revolt, seemed to the king the only place towhich he could send General de Cardenas, without appearing to exile him.

  The general, aware of the hatred with which he was regarded, was notsorry, temporarily, to quit the scene of his dark deeds. Anotherreason made him accept, almost joyfully, the post confided to him: hisfortune, compromised during the long Peninsular war, was no longeradapted to the demands of his pride and the position to which hisbirth gave him the right of aspiring. He thought that it would be easyfor him, in a country distracted by revolutions, to fish in troubledwaters, and get together in a few years a fortune larger than the onehe had lost. His beginning in New Mexico did not contradict his past:it was such as might be expected from a man like him, and gave theMexicans, whom, for their misfortune, he was chosen to govern, anexact measure of the justice they had to expect from him. Hence, hehad resided scarce a year in Mexico ere the people, who are rarelymistaken in their appreciation, branded him with the name of theShark--a characteristic name, were there ever one; for, like the shark,he was rapacious and cruel. Only one person had a precarious and oftencontested influence over this man: it was Count de Melgosa, to whom hewas attached by family ties.

  It was face to face with this human-faced tiger that chance placed theadventurer. The situation was not at all pleasant; still he did not lethimself be disconcerted. On coming within a few paces of the general hestopped, bowed respectfully and waited till the other should addresshim, in a posture which, without evidencing the slightest arrogance,showed that he was not the man to let himself be domineered over,and that he would bravely enter on the coming struggle. The generallooked at him fixedly for a few moments, and then said, in a hoarse andmenacing voice--

  "Who are you, in the fiend's name?" he asked.

  "The letter I had the honour of delivering to your Excellency must havealready informed you," the Canadian answered.

  "Do you fancy, scoundrel," the general continued furiously, "that Ihave nothing better to do than read the absurd letters sent me from allsides?"

  These few words, exchanged with the terrible officer, had given theadventurer time to resume all his calm and reckless bravery. Headvanced a step, bowed profoundly, and said briefly, although hisaccent was respectful--

  "I have the honour of drawing your Excellency's attention to the factthat I am no scoundrel, but a man of honour; that I have come here,entrusted with an important mission; and that Count de Melgosa, whosereputation for loyalty cannot be doubted, of his own accord became myguarantee to your Excellency. These are two reasons why I have a rightto be treated with due consideration."

  "You crow very loudly for a young cock; take care lest I should havea fancy to cut that comb which you raise so daringly," the generalanswered with a mocking smile.

  "I do not know what your Excellency means. If you do not think properto hear what I have to say, I venture to hope that you will allow me toretire."

  After uttering these words in the same firm tone he had maintainedsince the beginning of this singular interview, the adventurer made amove to leave the hall.

  "Stop, I order you," the general said suddenly; "y
ou please me--sospeak without fear. Who are you? Now don't tell any lies, for, perhaps,I know more about you than you suppose."

  "I care very little what your Excellency may have learnt about me. I aman honest wood ranger--a Canadian by birth, and at the present momentcolonel in the service of the Mexican patriots, commanded by Father DonPelagio Sandoval."

  "Ah, ah," the general muttered in the same mocking way; "go on, my lad,you have forgotten to tell me your name."

  "I have several; my real one is Oliver Clary the redskins havechristened me the Sumach, and the white men of the prairie generallycall me 'Death in the face.'"

  "Death in the face?" the general repeated with a grin, "Perhaps weshall soon see whether you really deserve that name."

  "No man should praise himself; still, I believe that there are fewdangers I am not capable of confronting," he answered resolutely.

  "We shall see, we shall see, gossip. Now give me a report of themission with which you have been entrusted by the honourable scoundrelsof whom you have so foolishly made yourself the scapegoat."

  The Canadian shrugged his shoulders.

  "It is easy to threaten a defenceless man," he muttered in a voice loudenough to be heard by the general.

  "Make haste," the latter continued.

  Clary, without any hurry, felt in a pocket of the coat he wore underthe zarape, took out the despatches Father Sandoval had entrusted tohim, and presented them to the general with a bow.

  "The Mexican patriots," he said, "hope that your Excellency will deignto lay before the governor this humble petition, which contains theenunciation of their grievances, and the concessions they wish toobtain from his justice."

  The general took the letter, crumpled it in his hand, and threw it ona table, without reading. There was a moment of mournful silence; theofficers, who knew the general's violent and implacable character,awaited a tragical finale, and were especially alarmed by the unusualpatience which their chief had displayed. The latter did not leave themlong in doubt.

  "Now, scoundrel," he continued in a rough voice, "you have said all, Ithink?"

  "Yes, all, Excellency."

  "And I have listened to the end without interruption?"

  "Yes, Excellency."

  "I am accustomed," he continued, "to be patient with people who areabout to die."

  "What!" the Canadian exclaimed, as he hurriedly fell back a pace.

  "Did you suppose that, had it been otherwise, I should so long havelistened to your impudent chatter; let him be strung up."

  "Take care what you are going to do," the adventurer shouted, seizingthe brace of pistols hidden beneath his zarape, "I will defend my lifeto the last breath."

  "It is your right," the general said with a laugh; "I will make useof it, be assured. Tomorrow you will have to account for my death toCount de Melgosa, whom you will have dishonoured by despising his safeconduct."

  These words, uttered somewhat haphazard by the Canadian, and rather inthe hope of gaining time than for any other reason, produced greatereffect than he had expected on his hearers. The latter, who, up tothis moment, had seemed to take very slight interest in the scene,and had gone on talking together in a low voice, suddenly broke off;several of them walked up to the general, to whom they appeared to makerepresentations, which he listened to with a haughty smile.

  "I will remark to your Excellency," said an old gray-bearded officer,"that Count de Melgosa is alcade mayor of the town, that his honouris dear to us all, and that it will, perhaps, be as well to await hisarrival before hanging this poor man."

  "Nonsense, caballero," the general answered ironically, "do you reallybelieve in this safe conduct? Do you suppose that if the count reallytook an interest in this scoundrel he would not have accompanied him?"

  "Your Excellency is doubtless in the right, but it is not long tilltomorrow, and, perhaps, it will be as well to wait till then."

  "The more so," another added, "because the count will, in allprobability, arrive at an early hour."

  "Well, as you insist," the general said, with visible repugnance, "beit as you wish. Throw down your pistols, villain," he added, addressingthe adventurer, who still stood on the defensive, "no hurt will be doneyou."

  "That is possible," the latter said, shaking his head doubtfully;"but what has happened up to the present gives me no security for thefuture, and simple though I am, I am not quite so simple as to give upmy weapons before I am certain that no trap is being laid for me."

  "You will remain in prison till the count's arrival. If you have liedyou will be hung; if not, you can go to the deuce. Are you satisfied?"

  "Not excessively so. Still, I desire to prove to you of what an honestman is capable. I do not value life, and care precious little aboutsupporting a good cause. There are my weapons," he added, throwing themon the floor, "do you what you please with me; I am now defenceless,and I leave the shame of my death to you."

  The general himself seemed touched by this proof of confidence.

  "iViva Dios!" he exclaimed, "you are really a brave fellow. We willtry and save you from the gallows, if it be possible. Lead him away,but do him no harm."

  Several officers, who probably would not have ventured to approach theathletic Canadian while he still held his pistols, now stepped forwardto seize him.

  "No one must lay hands on me," he said, "I have surrendered, and do notintend to resist: go on. I will follow."

  "He is right," the general said with a laugh; "do not collar him, butleave him the use of his limbs. He is a thorough fighting cock; he haspledged his word and will keep it."

  "Thanks for that remark, Excellency," the adventurer said; "I see thatyou are a connoisseur in the matter of men; go on, senores, I am readyto follow you."

  A party of officers at once surrounded him, and he quitted the room.At the door he perceived the usher, who looked at him impertinently,but he merely shrugged his shoulders in contempt. His escort, withoutleaving the cabildo, led him through a labyrinth of passages, whichwould have been puzzling to anyone unacquainted with the gloomybuilding.

  "Where the deuce are you leading me, my masters?" the prisoner asked;"Does this palace also contain cells?"

  "Cells and dungeons," one of the officers replied; "it communicateswith the Tribunal of the Holy Inquisition."

  "Come," the Canadian said, with a laugh, "that is very convenient; inthat way his Excellency the General can lay hands on his prisonerswhenever he thinks proper."

  This sally made the officers laugh. A moment after they informed theprisoner that they had arrived. They halted, and one of them, who borea large bunch of keys, selected one, and opened a low and apparentlyvery substantial door; a puff of hot foetid air at once issued from theopening. The Canadian gave an involuntary shudder, but his guardiansallowed him no time for reflection; they thrust him unceremoniouslyinto the dungeon, bolted the door upon him, and the prisoner suddenlyfound himself in complete darkness.

  "Well," he muttered, so soon as he was alone, "I believe that DiegoLopez was right, and that I acted like an ass in not following hisadvice."

  Unfortunately for him, this sensible reflection came too late.