by W. H. Hudson
CHAPTER X
After breakfast I bade a reluctant good-bye to my kind entertainers,took a last longing, lingering look at lovely Margarita, and mounted myhorse. Scarcely was I in the saddle before Marcos Marco, who wasalso about to resume his journey on the fresh horse he had borrowed,remarked:
"You are travelling to Montevideo, good friend; I am also going in thatdirection, and will take you the shortest way."
"The road will show me the way," I rejoined curtly.
"The road," he said, "is like a lawsuit; round-about, full of puddlesand pitfalls, and long to travel. It is only meant to be used by oldhalf-blind men and drivers of bullock-carts."
I hesitated about accepting the guidance of this strange fellow, whoappeared to have a ready wit under his heavy-slouching exterior. Themixed contempt and humility in his speech every time he addressed megave me an uncomfortable sensation; then his poverty-stricken appearanceand his furtive glances filled me with suspicion. I looked at my host,who was standing near, thinking to take my cue from the expression ofhis face; but it was only a stolid Oriental face that revealed nothing.An ancient rule in whist is to play trumps when in doubt; now my ruleof action is, when two courses are open to me and I am in doubt, totake the bolder one. Acting on this principle, I determined to go withMarcos, and accordingly we rode forth together.
My guide soon struck away across-country, leading me wide of the publicroad, through such lonely places that I at length began to suspect himof some sinister design against my person, since I had no property worthtaking. Presently he surprised me by saying: "You were right, my youngfriend, in casting away idle fears when you accepted my company. Why doyou let them return to trouble your peace? Men of your blood have neverinflicted injuries on me that cry out for vengeance. Can I make myselfyoung again by shedding your life, or would there be any profit inchanging these rags I now wear for your garments, which are also dustyand frayed? No, no, sir Englishman, this dress of patience and sufferingand exile, my covering by day and my bed by night, must soon be changedfor brighter garments than you are wearing."
This speech relieved me sensibly, and I smiled at the poor devil'sambitious dream of wearing a soldier's greasy red jacket; for I supposedthat that was what his words meant. Still, his "shortest way" toMontevideo continued to puzzle me considerably. For two or three hourswe had been riding nearly parallel to a range of hills, or _cuchilla,_extending away on our left hand towards the south-east. But we weregradually drawing nearer to it, and apparently going purposely out ofour way only to traverse a most lonely and difficult country. The few_estancia_ houses we passed, perched on the highest points of the greatsweep of moor-like country on our right, appeared to be very far away.Where we rode there were no habitations, not even a shepherd'shovel; the dry, stony soil was thinly covered with a forest of dwarfthorn-trees, and a scanty pasturage burnt to a rust-brown colour by thesummer heats; and out of this arid region rose the hills, their brown,woodless sides looking strangely gaunt and desolate in the fiercenoonday sun.
Pointing to the open country on our right, where the blue gleam of ariver was visible, I said: "My friend, I assure you, I fear nothing, butI cannot understand why you keep near these hills when the valley overthere would have been pleasanter for ourselves, and easier for ourhorses."
"I do nothing without a reason," he said, with a strange smile. "Thewater you see over there is the Rio de las Canas [River of Grey Hairs],and those who go down into its valley grow old before their time."
Occasionally talking, but oftener silent, we jogged on till about threeo'clock in the afternoon, when suddenly, as we were skirting a patchof scraggy woodland, a troop of six armed men emerged from it, and,wheeling about, came directly towards us. A glance was enough to tellus that they were soldiers or mounted policemen, scouring the countryin search of recruits, or, in other words, of deserters, skulkingcriminals, and vagabonds of all descriptions. I had nothing to fearfrom them, but an exclamation of rage escaped my companion's lips, and,turning to him, I perceived that his face was of the whiteness of ashes.I laughed, for revenge is sweet, and I still smarted a little at hiscontemptuous treatment of me earlier in the day.
"Is your fear so great?" I said.
"You do not know what you say, boy!" he returned fiercely. "When youhave passed through as much hell-fire as I have and have restedas sweetly with a corpse for a pillow, you will learn to curb yourimpertinent tongue when you address a man."
An angry retort was on my lips, but a glance at his face prevented mefrom uttering it--it was, in its expression, the face of a wild animalworried by dogs.
In another moment the men had cantered up to us, and one, theircommander, addressing me, asked to see my passport.
"I carry no passport," I replied. "My nationality is a sufficientprotection, for I am an Englishman as you can see."
"We have only your word for that," said the man. "There is an Englishconsul in the capital, who provides English subjects with passportsfor their protection, in this country. If you have not got one you mustsuffer for it, and no one but yourself is to blame. I see in you onlya young man complete in all his members, and of such the republic is inneed. Your speech is also like that of one who came into the world underthis sky. You must go with us."
"I shall do nothing of the sort," I returned.
"Do not say such a thing, master," said Marcos, astonishing me very muchwith the change in his tone and manner. "You know I warned you a monthago that it was imprudent to leave Montevideo without our passports.This officer is only obeying the orders he has received; still, he mightsee that we are only what we represent ourselves to be."
"Oh!" exclaimed the officer, turning to Marcos, "you are also anEnglishman unprovided with a passport, I suppose? You might at leasthave supplied yourself with a couple of blue crockery eyes and a yellowbeard for your greater safety."
"I am only a poor son of the soil," said Marcos meekly. "This youngEnglishman is looking for an _estancia_ to buy, and I came as hisattendant from the capital. We were very careless not to get ourpassports before starting."
"Then, of course, this young man has plenty of money in his pocket?"said the officer.
I did not relish the lies Marcos had taken upon himself to tell aboutme, but did not quite know what the consequences of contradicting themmight be. I therefore replied that I was not so foolish as to travel ina country like the Banda Oriental with money on my person. "To payfor bread and cheese till I reach my destination is about as much as Ihave," I added.
"The government of this country is a generous one," said the officersarcastically, "and will pay for all the bread and cheese you willrequire. It will also provide you with beef. You must now come with meto the Juzgado de las Cuevas, both of you."
Seeing no help for it, we accompanied our captors at a swinging gallopover a rough, undulating country, and in about an hour and a halfreached Las Cuevas, a dirty, miserable-looking village, composed of afew _ranchos_ built round a large plaza overgrown with weeds. On oneside stood the church, on the other a square stone building with aflagstaff before it. This was the official building of the Juez de Paz,or rural magistrate; just now, however, it was closed, and with nosign of life about it except an old dead-and-alive-looking man sittingagainst the closed door, with his bare, mahogany-coloured legs stretchedout in the hot sunshine.
"This is a very fine thing!" exclaimed the officer, with a curse. "Ifeel very much inclined to let the men go."
"You will lose nothing by doing so, except, perhaps, a headache," saidMarcos.
"Hold your tongue till your advice is asked!" retorted the officer,thoroughly out of temper.
"Lock them up in the _calaboso_ till the Juez comes to-morrow,Lieutenant," suggested the old man by the door, speaking through a bushywhite beard and a cloud of tobacco-smoke.
"Do you not know that the door is broken, old fool?" said the officer."Lock them up! Here I am neglecting my own affairs to serve the State,and this is how I am treated. We must now take them to the Juez at
hisown house and let him look after them. Come on, boys."
We were then conducted out of Las Cuevas to a distance of about twomiles, where the Senor Juez resided in the bosom of his family. Hisprivate residence was a very dirty, neglected-looking _estancia_ house,with a great many dogs, fowls, and children about. We dismounted, andwere immediately taken into a large room, where the magistrate sat ata table on which lay a great number of papers--goodness knows what theywere about. The Juez was a little hatchet-faced man, with bristly greywhiskers, standing out like a cat's moustache, and angry eyes--or,rather with one angry eye, for over the other a cotton handkerchiefwas tied. No sooner had we all entered than a hen, leading a brood of adozen half-grown chickens, rushed into the room after us, the chickensinstantly distributing themselves about the floor in quest of crumbs,while the mother, more ambitious, flew on the table, scattering thepapers right and left with the wind she created.
"A thousand demons take the fowls!" cried the Juez, starting up in afury. "Man, go and bring your mistress here this instant. I command herto come."
This order was obeyed by the person who had ushered us in, agreasy-looking, swarthy-faced individual, in threadbare militaryclothes; and in two or three minutes he returned, followed by avery fat, slatternly woman, looking very good-tempered, however, whoimmediately subsided, quite exhausted, into a chair.
"What is it, Fernando?" she panted.
"What is it? How can you have the courage to ask such a question,Toribia? Look at the confusion your pestilent fowls are creating amongstmy papers--papers that concern the safety of the republic! Woman, whatmeasures are you going to take to stop this before I have your fowls allkilled on the spot?"
"What can I do, Fernando?--they are hungry, I suppose. I thought youwanted to ask my advice about these prisoners--poor fellows! and hereyou are with your hens."
Her placid manner acted like oil on the fire of his wrath. Hestormed about the room, kicking over chairs, and hurling rulers andpaper-weights at the birds, apparently with the most deadly intentions,but with shockingly bad aim--shouting, shaking his fist at his wife, andeven threatening to commit her for contempt of court when she laughed.At last, after a great deal of trouble, the fowls were all got out, andthe servant placed to guard the door, with strict orders to decapitatethe first chicken that should attempt to enter and disturb theproceedings.
Order being restored, the Juez lit a cigarette and began to smooth hisruffled feathers. "Proceed," he said to the officer, from his seat atthe table.
"Sir," said the officer, "in pursuance of my duty I have taken in chargethese two strangers, who are unprovided with passports or documentsof any description to corroborate their statements. According to theirstory, the young man is an English millionaire going about the countrybuying up estates, while the other man is his servant. There aretwenty-five reasons for disbelieving their story, but I have notsufficient time to impart them to you now. Having found the doors of theJuzgado closed, I have brought these men here with great inconvenienceto myself; and I am now only waiting to have this business despatchedwithout further delay, so that I may have a little time left to devoteto my private affairs."
"Address not me in this imperative manner, sir officer!" exclaimed theJuez, his anger blazing out afresh. "Do you imagine, sir, that I haveno private interests; that the State feeds and clothes my wife andchildren? No, sir, I am the servant of the republic, not the slave; andI beg to remind you that official business must be transacted during theproper hours and at the proper place."
"Sir Juez," said the officer, "it is my opinion that a civil magistrateought never to have any part in matters which more properly come underthe military authorities. However, since these things are differentlyarranged, and I am compelled to come with my reports to you in the firstplace, I am only here to know, without entering into any discussionconcerning your position in the republic, what is to be done with thesetwo prisoners I have brought before you."
"Done with them! Send them to the devil! cut their throats; let themgo; do what you like, since you are responsible, not I. And be sure, sirofficer, I shall not fail to report your insubordinate language to yoursuperiors."
"Your threats do not alarm me," said the officer; "for one cannot beguilty of insubordination towards a person one is not bound to obey.And now, sirs," he added, turning to us, "I have been advised to releaseyou; you are free to continue your journey."
Marcos rose with alacrity.
"Man, sit down!" yelled the irate magistrate, and poor Marcos,thoroughly crestfallen, sat down again. "Sir Lieutenant," continued thefierce old man, "you are dismissed from further attendance here. Therepublic you profess to serve would perhaps be just as well off withoutyour valuable aid. Go, sir, to attend to your private affairs, and leaveyour men here to execute my commands."
The officer rose, and, having made a profound and sarcastic bow, turnedon his heel and left the room.
"Take these two prisoners to the stocks," continued the little despot."I will examine them to-morrow."
Marcos was first marched out of the room by two of the soldiers; forit happened that an outhouse on the place was provided with the usualwooden arrangement to make captives secure for the night. But when theother men took me by the arms, I recovered from the astonishment themagistrate's order had produced in me, and shook them roughly aside."Senor Juez," I said, addressing him, "let me beg you to consider whatyou are doing. Surely my accent is enough to satisfy any reasonableperson that I am not a native of this country. I am willing to remain inyour custody, or to go wherever you like to send me; but your men shalltear me to pieces before making me suffer the indignity of the stocks.If you maltreat me in any way, I warn you that the government you servewill only censure, and perhaps ruin you, for your imprudent zeal."
Before he could reply, his fat spouse, who had apparently taken a greatfancy to me, interposed on my behalf, and persuaded the little savage tospare me.
"Very well," he said, "consider yourself a guest in my house for thepresent; if you are telling the truth about yourself, a day's detentioncannot hurt you."
I was then conducted by my kind intercessor into the kitchen, where weall sat down to partake of _mate_ and talk ourselves into good humour.
I began to feel rather sorry for poor Marcos, for even a worthlessvagabond, such as he appeared to be, becomes an object of compassionwhen misfortune overtakes him, and I asked permission to see him. Thiswas readily granted. I found him confined in a large empty room builtapart from the house; he had been provided with a _mate_-cup and akettle of hot water, and was sipping his bitter beverage with an airof stoical indifference. His legs, confined in the stocks, werethrust straight out before him; but I suppose he was accustomed touncomfortable positions, for he did not seem to mind it much. Aftersympathising with him in a general way, I asked him whether he couldreally sleep in that position.
"No," he replied, with indifference. "But, do you know, I do not mindabout being taken. They will send me to the _comandancia_, I suppose,and after a few days liberate me. I am a good workman on horseback, andthere will not be wanting some _estanciero_ in need of hands to get meout. Will you do me one small service, friend, before you go to yourbed?"
"Yes, certainly, if I can," I answered.
He laughed slightly and looked at me with a strange, keen glitter inhis eyes; then, taking my hand, he gave it a powerful grip. "No, no, myfriend, I am not going to trouble you to do anything for me," he said."I have the devil's temper, and to-day, in a moment of rage, I insultedyou. It therefore surprised me when you came here and spoke kindly tome. I desired to know whether that feeling was only on the surface;since the men one meets with are often like horned cattle. When onefalls, his companions of the pasture-ground remember only his pastoffences, and make haste to gore him."
His manner surprised me; he did not now seem like the Marcos Marco Ihad travelled with that day. Touched with his words, I sat down on thestocks facing him, and begged him to tell me what I could do for him.
"Well, friend," said he, "you see the stocks are fastened with apadlock. If you will get the key, and take me out, I will sleep well;then in the morning, before the old one-eyed lunatic is up, you can comeand turn the key in the lock again. Nobody will be the wiser."
"And you are not thinking of escaping?" I said.
"I have not even the faintest wish to escape," he replied.
"You could not escape if you did," I said, "for the room would belocked, of course. But if I were disposed to do what you ask, how couldI get the key?"
"That is an easy matter," said Marcos. "Ask the good senora to let youhave it. Did I not notice her eyes dwelling lovingly on your face--for,doubtless, you reminded her of some absent relative, a favourite nephew,perhaps. She would not deny you anything in reason; and a kindness,friend, even to the poorest man, is never thrown away."
"I will think about it," I said, and shortly after that I left him.
It was a sultry evening, and, the close, smoky atmosphere of the kitchenbecoming unendurable, I went out and sat down on a log of wood out ofdoors. Here the old Juez, in his character of amiable host, came anddiscoursed for half an hour on lofty matters relating to the republic.Presently his wife came out, and, declaring that the evening air wouldhave an injurious effect on his inflamed eye, persuaded him to goindoors. Then she subsided into a place at my side, and began to talkabout Fernando's dreadful temper and the many cares of her life.
"What a very serious young man you are!" she remarked, changing her tonesomewhat abruptly. "Do you keep all your gay and pleasant speeches forthe young and pretty senoritas?"
"Ah, senora, you are yourself young and beautiful in my eyes," Ireplied; "but I have no heart to be gay when my poor fellow-travelleris fastened in the stocks, where your cruel husband would also haveconfined me but for your timely intervention. You are so kind-hearted,cannot you have his poor tired legs taken out in order that he may alsorest properly to-night?"
"Ah, little friend," she returned. "I could not attempt such a thing.Fernando is a monster of cruelty, and would immediately put out my eyeswithout remorse. Poor me, what I have to endure!"--and here she placedher fat hand on mine.
I drew my hand away somewhat coldly; a born diplomatist could not havemanaged the thing better.
"Madam," I said, "you are amusing yourself at my expense. When you havedone me a great favour, will you now deny me this small thing? If yourhusband is so terrible a despot, surely you can do this without lettinghim know! Let me get my poor Marcos out of the stocks and I give youmy word of honour that the Juez will never hear of it, for I will be upearly to turn the key in the lock before he is out of his bed."
"And what will my reward be?" she asked, again putting her hand on mine.
"The deep gratitude and devotion of my heart," I returned, this timewithout withdrawing my hand.
"Can I refuse anything to my sweet boy?" said she. "After supper I shallslip the key into your hand; I am going now to get it from his room.Before Fernando retires, ask to see your Marcos, to take him a rug, orsome tobacco or something; and do not let the servant see what you do,for he will be at the door waiting to lock it when you come out."
After supper the promised key was secretly conveyed to me, and I had notthe least difficulty in liberating my friend in misfortune. Luckily theman who took me to Marcos left us alone for some time, and I related myconversation with the fat woman.
He jumped up, and, seizing my hand, wrung it till I almost screamed withpain.
"My good friend," he said, "you have a noble, generous soul, have doneme the greatest service it is possible for one man to render to another.You have, in fact, now placed me in a position to--enjoy my night'srest. Good night, and may Heaven's angels put it in my power to rewardyou at some future time!"
The fellow was overdoing it a little, I thought; then, when I had seenhim safely locked up for the night, I walked back to the kitchen slowlyand very thoughtfully.