CHAPTER IX.
IN THE STREET.
As soon as they were outside of the house, the masked men, at a signfrom the leader, dispersed in various directions. When they haddisappeared round the corners of the neighbouring streets, the chiefturned towards Don Tadeo, who, scarce recovered from the trying emotionshe had successively gone through, and weakened by the blood he had lost,as well as by the prodigious efforts his last struggle had cost him,was leaning, half fainting against the wall of the house he had been sofortunately enabled to quit. A flood of bitter reflections rushed uponhis brain; the incidents of that terrible night almost unsettled hisreason: in vain he tried to recover the train of his ideas which hadbeen so often and so violently broken. The stranger looked at him fora few minutes with profound attention; then approaching him, he laidhis hand quietly upon his shoulder. At this sudden touch, the gentlemanstarted as if he had received an electric shock.
"What!" the unknown said in a tone of reproach, "scarcely entered on thegood fight, and you despair already, Don Tadeo?"
The wounded man shook his head.
"You, Don Tadeo, whose lofty brow has never bent before revolutionarystorms; you, who in the most trying circumstances have always remainedfirm, are now pale and cast down, without faith in the present, or hopein the future, and have lost strength and courage through the vainthreats of a woman!"
"That woman," he replied mournfully, "has always been my evil genius.She is a demon!"
"And suppose," the unknown exclaimed energetically, "that this womanshould succeed in getting up another of the infamous schemes in whichher brain is so fertile, a man of heart takes courage in a struggle?Forget these impotent hatreds that can never reach you; remember whatyou are; look boldly at the glorious mission which is imposed upon you."
"What do you mean?"
"Do you not understand me? Can you believe that God, who has this nightallowed you so miraculously to escape death, has not great designsin store for you? Brother," he added, in a tone of authority, "theexistence that has been restored to you is not your own, it belongs toyour country!"
A moment of silence followed this appeal, during which Don Tadeoappeared a prey to profound despair. At length, looking at the unknown,he said with bitter despondency--
"What is to be done? Heaven is my witness that my only desire, my solehappiness, would be to see my country free. But during the twenty yearswe have been struggling we have done nothing, alas! but pass from onetyranny to another, each time riveting afresh the chains which bindus. No! Heaven itself seems to forbid our contending longer against animplacable destiny. You know well from experience that citizens cannotbe improvised from slaves. Servitude destroys moral virtue, abases thesoul, and degrades the heart. Many generations must pass away before theinhabitants of this unfortunate country will be fit to form a people!"
"By what right do you presume to fathom the designs of Providence?"the unknown replied, in an imposing tone of voice. "Do you know whatis reserved for you? Who tells you that the passing triumph of ouroppressors is not granted by God, in His boundless wisdom, in order torender their future fall more terrible?"
Don Tadeo, restored to himself by the manly words of his disguisedfriend, drew himself up proudly, and looked attentively at the speaker.
"And who are you," he said, "whose sympathetic voice has stirred themost secret fibres of my heart? Who authorizes you to speak thus?Answer! Who are you?"
"Of what importance is it who I am," the unknown remarked, calmly, "ifI succeed in persuading you that all is far from being lost--that theliberty which you believe for ever destroyed has never been so neartriumphing, and that it only perhaps requires one sublime effort torecover it!"
"But still?" the wounded man said, persistently.
"I am he who, a few minutes ago, saved your life. That ought to suffice."
"Not so," Don Tadeo said, warmly, "for you conceal your features under amask, and the very circumstance you named gives me a right to see them."
"Perhaps it does," the unknown said, slowly removing his mask, andrevealing to Don Tadeo, in the pale beams of the moon, a countenancewith manly, marked features, and wearing a frank and loyal expression.
"Oh! my heart did not deceive me!" Tadeo cried--"Don Gregorio Peralta!"
"Yes, it is I, Don Tadeo!" the young man, he was scarcely thirty,replied--"and cannot comprehend the depression of the man whom theavengers have chosen as their chief."
"How do you know? Notwithstanding our friendship, I have alwaysconcealed from you--"
"Were you not condemned to death?" Don Gregorio interrupted. "Yourcompanions elected me _King of Darkness_ in your place, that is, theyplaced in my hands an immense power, as they had done in yours, ofwhich I was left the uncontrolled disposal. Death unbound the oath ofsilence imposed upon the brethren. Your name was unknown to all; I wasas ignorant that you were the energetic chief who had made our societya power, as you were, my dear friend, that I was one of your soldiers.But, thanks be to God, you are saved, Don Tadeo! Resume your place.You alone, under present circumstances, are able to fill worthily thepost which our confidence has assigned you. Become again the King ofDarkness! But," he added, in a deep, concentrated tone, "remember thatwe are the avengers; that we ought to be without pity for ourselvesas for others; that one feeling, and one alone, ought to live in oursouls--the love of our country!"
Then followed a short silence; the two men appeared to be reflectingdeeply. At length Don Tadeo raised his head proudly.
"Thanks, Don Gregorio!" he said, in a firm voice, and pressing hishand--"thanks for your rough words; they have restored me to myself. Iwill prove myself worthy of you. Don Tadeo de Leon no longer exists;the hired assassins of a tyrant have shot him tonight upon the PlazaMayor. No one is left but the King of Darkness! the implacable leaderof the Dark-Hearts! Woe be to them whom God shall bring across my path!for I will crush them without pity. We shall triumph, Don Gregorio;for from this day I am no longer a man, I am the avenging sword, theexterminating angel, fighting for our country!"
While uttering these words, Don Tadeo had drawn his imposing stature upto its full height; his handsome, noble features became animated, andhis eyes sparkled in accordance with his speech.
"Oh," Don Gregorio exclaimed, cheerfully, "I have found my friend again!Thank God! thank God!"
"Yes, my brother," the leader continued, "from this moment the realstruggle between us and the tyrant begins--a struggle without pity,without truce, and without mercy, which can only terminate in thecomplete extinction of our enemies. Woe be to them! Woe!"
"No time is to be lost; let us begone!" Don Gregorio said.
"But whither am I to go?" Don Tadeo asked, with a sardonic smile. "Am Inot legally dead in the eyes of all? My house is no longer mine."
"That is true," the lieutenant of the Dark-Hearts murmured. "Well, nevermind that! Tomorrow the news of your miraculous resurrection will be athunderclap to our enemies! Their awaking will be terrible! They willlearn with stupor that the invincible athlete, whom they thought theyhad for ever crushed beneath their feet, is up again, and ready to renewthe contest."
"And this time, I solemnly swear," Don Tadeo cried, with energy, "thefall of the tyrant alone shall terminate it. But you are right; wecannot remain longer here. Come home with me; for a time you will bethere in safety; unless," he added, with a smile, "you prefer asking anasylum of Dona Rosario?"
Don Tadeo, who had taken Don Gregorio's arm, stopped suddenly at thisquestion, of which his friend did not suspect the terrible extent.A convulsive shudder darted through his frame, a cold perspirationinundated his face.
"Oh," he exclaimed, in a tone of agony, "my God! I had forgotten!"
Don Gregorio was terrified at the state he beheld him in.
"In heaven's name, what is the matter?" he asked.
"What is the matter!" the chief replied, in a voice choked with emotion,"that woman--that serpent whom we have weakly failed to crush--"
"Well, what of her?"
"Oh, I have but this moment recollected a horrible threat she made. Goodheavens! good heavens! What is to be done?"
"Explain yourself, my friend; you quite terrify me."
"By her orders, Dona Rosario this very night, was to be carried off; andwho knows if, furious at my escape from her assassins, that woman hasnot by this time put her to death?"
"Oh, that is frightful!" Don Gregorio cried. "What is to be done?"
"Oh, that woman!" the wounded man replied; "and not to be able to act,or to know how to thwart her horrible schemes."
"Let us fly to Dona Rosario's residence!" Don Gregorio said.
"Alas! you see I am wounded; I can scarcely support myself."
"Well, when you can no longer walk, I will carry you," his friend said,resolutely.
"Thanks, brother! May God help us!"
And the two men, the one leaning upon the other, set off, as fast as thestate of Don Tadeo would permit, towards the residence of the lady whomthey were so anxious to save. But, in spite of the earnest will thatanimated him, Don Tadeo felt his strength fail him; and, notwithstandingall his efforts, it was with extreme difficulty he sustained himself.Whilst labouring on thus, the noise of horses' footsteps reached themfrom a distance. Torches gleamed up the street, and a troop of horsemenappeared in sight.
"Oh, oh!" Don Gregorio said, stopping, and endeavouring to make out whothose persons could be, who, in defiance of the police regulations,dared to be passing along the streets at this hour of the night.
"Let us stop," Don Tadeo replied; "I see the glitter of uniforms. Theyare the spies of the minister of war."
"By Saint Jago!" cried Don Gregorio, "it is General Bustamente himself!The two accomplices are going to have a little chat together."
"Yes," the wounded man said, in a faltering voice; "he is going towardsthe residence of the Linda."
As the horsemen were but at a short distance, the two men, fearing to besurprised, turned quickly into a side street, and the General and hissuite passed by without seeing them.
"Let us begone as fast as possible," Don Gregorio said; and hiscompanion, aware of the urgency for prompt flight, made a desperateeffort. They resumed their course, and had walked for about ten minutes,when they heard the steps of more horses coming towards them.
"What can this mean?" the wounded man said, endeavouring to smile; "Areall the people of Santiago running about the streets tonight?"
"Hum!" said Don Gregorio, "I will find out this time."
All at once a female voice was heard in a lamentable tone imploring help.
"Make her hold her tongue, _carajas!_" a man said, coarsely.
But the sound of that voice had reached the ears of Don Tadeo and hisfriend. At that voice, which both had recognized, they were roused tofeelings of deep interest and anger. They pressed each other's handfirmly; their resolution was formed--to die or to save her who calledupon them for help.
"Holloa! what is this about?" another individual said, pulling up hishorse.
Two men, standing firmly in the middle of the street, seemed determinedto bar the passage of the horsemen, of whom there were five. One of themheld a woman before him on his horse.
"Holloa!" cried the one who had just spoken, "get out of the way, if youdon't wish to be ridden over."
"You shall not pass," a deep voice replied, "unless you release thewoman you are bearing off."
"Shan't we?" the horseman remarked with a laugh.
"Try," said Don Gregorio, cocking his pistol; a movement silentlyimitated by Don Tadeo, whom he had supplied with firearms.
"For the last time, stand out of the way!" the horseman shouted.
"We will not!"
"We will ride over you, then!" and turning towards his companions,"Forward!" he cried angrily.
The five horsemen advanced with uplifted sabres upon the two men, who,firmly fixed in the middle of the street, made no effort to avoid them.
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