by W. H. Hudson
CHAPTER XV
In the evening Alday returned with a couple of his friends, and, as soonas an opportunity offered, I took him aside and begged him to let mehave a horse to continue my journey to Montevideo. He answered evasivelythat the horse I had lost in the neighbouring forest would probably berecovered in the course of two or three days. I replied that if he wouldlet me have a horse, the one I had lost, together with saddle, _poncho_,etc., could be claimed by him whenever they turned up. He then said thathe could not very well give me ahorse, "with saddle and bridle also." Itlooked as if he wanted to keep me in his house for some purpose of hisown, and this made me all the more determined to leave it immediately,in spite of the tender, reproachful glances which Monica flashed on mefrom under her long, drooping eyelashes. I told him that if I could nothave a horse I would leave his _estancia_ on foot. That rather put himin a corner; for in this country, where horse-stealing and cheatingat cards are looked on as venial offenses, to let a man leave your_estancia_ on foot is considered a very dishonourable thing. He ponderedover my declaration for some minutes, then, after conferring with hisfriends, he promised to provide me with all I required next day. I hadheard nothing more about the revolution, but after supper Alday suddenlybecame very confidential, and said that the whole country would be upin arms in the course of a very few days, and that it would be highlydangerous for me to attempt travelling by myself to the capital. Heexpatiated on the immense prestige of General Santa Coloma, who had justtaken up arms against the Colorado party then in power, and concludedby saying that my safest plan would be to join the rebels, and accompanythem on their march to Montevideo which would begin almost immediately.I replied that I took no interest in the dissensions of the BandaOriental, and did not wish to compromise myself by joining a militaryexpedition of any kind. He shrugged his shoulders, and, renewing hispromise of a horse next day, retired to rest.
On rising next morning I found that the others were already up. Thehorses were standing saddled at the door, and Alday, pointing out a veryfair-looking animal, informed me that it had been saddled for me, andthen added that he and his friends would ride one or two leagues with meto put me on the right road to Montevideo. He had suddenly become almosttoo kind, but in the simplicity of my heart I believed that he was onlymaking amends for the slight inhospitality of the day before.
After partaking of bitter _mate_, I thanked my hostess, looked my lastinto Monica's dark, sorrowful eyes, lifted for one moment to mine, andkissed little Anita's pathetic face, by so doing filling the child withastonishment and causing considerable amusement to the other membersof the family. After we had ridden about four miles, keeping nearlyparallel with the river, it struck me that we were not going in theright direction--the right one for me, at any rate. I therefore checkedmy horse and told my companions that I would not trouble them to ridewith me any further.
"My friend," said Alday, approaching me, "you will, if you leave usnow, infallibly fall into the hands of some _partida_, who, finding youwithout 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 wouldonly tear it up and take you all the same. In these circumstances it isyour safest plan to go with us to El Molino, where General Santa Colomais collecting his forces, and you will then be able to explain yourposition to him."
"I refuse to go to El Molino," I said angrily, exasperated at histreachery.
"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 abold stroke was necessary to keep my liberty, I suddenly reined up myhorse and drew my revolver. "My friends," I said, "your road lies inthatdirection; mine in this. I wish you good morning."
I had scarcely finished speaking before a blow of a heavy whip-handledescended on my arm below the elbow, almost breaking it, and sending meoff my horse, while the revolver went spinning away a dozen yards.The blow had been dealt by one of Alday's two followers, who hadjust dropped a little to the rear, and the rascal certainly showed amarvellous quickness and dexterity in disabling me.
Wild with rage and pain, I scrambled to my feet, and, drawing myknife, threatened to stab the first man who approached me; and then, inunmeasured language, I abused Alday for his cowardice and brutality. Heonly smiled and replied that he considered my youth, and therefore feltno resentment against me for using such intemperate words.
"And now, my friend," he continued, after picking up my revolver andremounting his horse, "let us waste no more time, but hasten on to ElMolino, where you can state your case to the General."
As I did not wish to be tied on to my horse and carried in thatunpleasant and ignominious manner, I had to obey. Climbing into thesaddle with some difficulty, we set out towards the village of El Molinoat a swinging gallop. The rough motion of the horse I rode increasedthe pain in my arm till it became intolerable; then one of the menmercifully bound it up in a sling, after which I was able to travel morecomfortably, though still suffering a great deal.
The day was excessively warm, and we did not reach our destination tillabout three o'clock in the afternoon. Just before entering the town werode 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 cavalryexercises, the whole making a scene of wonderful animation. Verynearly all the men wore the ordinary gaucho costume, and those whowere exercising carried lances, to which were attached little white,fluttering bannerets. Passing through the encampment, we clattered intothe town, composed of about seventy or eighty houses of stone or mud,some thatched, others with tiled roofs, and every house with a largegarden attached to it. At the official building facing the plaza a guardof ten men, armed with carbines, was stationed. We dismounted and wentinto 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 showninto, addressing him as Major. He was a thin, elderly man, with calmgrey eyes and a colourless face, and looked like a gentleman. Afterhearing a few words from Alday, he turned to me and said courteouslythat he was sorry to tell me I should have to remain in El Molino tillthe 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, orany Oriental even, to join our forces; but we are naturally suspiciousof strangers, having already caught two or three spies in theneighbourhood. Unfortunately you are not provided with a passport, andit is best that the General should see you."
"Sir officer," I replied, "by ill-treating and detaining an Englishmanyou are doing your cause no good."
He answered that he was grieved that his people had found it necessaryto treat me roughly, for he put it in that mild way. Everything, hesaid, short of liberating me, would be done to make my sojourn in ElMolino pleasant.
"If it is necessary that the General should see me himself before I canhave 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 leavetill half-past three."
"It is nearly that now," said the officer, consulting his watch. "Takehim to the General at once, Lieutenant Alday."
I thanked the officer, who had looked and spoken so unlike arevolutionary bandit, and, as soon as I had succeeded in clambering onto my horse, we were once more dashing along the main street at a fastgallop. We drew up before a large, old-looking stone house at the end ofthe town, standing some distance back from the road, and screened fromit by a double row of tall Lombardy poplars. The back of the house wastowards the road, and, passing round to the front after leaving ourhorses at the gate, we entered a spacious _patio_, or yard. Runningalong the front of the dwelling was a wide corridor, supported by woodenpillars, painted white, while the whole of the
_patio_ was shaded byan immense grape-vine. This was evidently one of the best houses in theplace, and, coming directly from the glaring sun and the white, dustyroad, the vine-shaded _patio_ and corridor looked delightfully cool andinviting. A gay company of twelve or fifteen people were gathered underthe corridor, some sipping _mate_, others sucking grapes; and whenwe came on the scene a young lady was just finishing a song she wassinging. I at once singled out General Santa Coloma, sitting bythe young lady with the guitar--a tall, imposing man, with somewhatirregular features, and a bronzed, weather-beaten face. He was bootedand spurred, and over his uniform wore a white silk _poncho_ withpurple fringe. I judged from his countenance that he was not a stern ortruculent man, as one expects a Caudillo--a leader of men--in the BandaOriental to be: and, remembering that in a few minutes he would beleaving the house, I was anxious to push forward and state my caseto him. The others, however, prevented me, for the General just thenhappened to be engaged in a vivacious conversation with the young ladysitting by him. When I had once looked attentively at this girl I hadeyes for no other face there. The type was Spanish, and I have neverseen a more perfect face of the kind; a wealth of blue-black hairshading the low, broad forehead, straight nose, dark, luminous eyes,and crimson, pouting lips. She was tall, perfect in her figure as in herface, and wore a white dress with a deep red China rose on her bosom foronly 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, hersparkling eyes, and damask cheeks flushed with excitement. Here is awoman, I thought with a sigh--I felt a slight twinge at that disloyalsigh--I could have worshipped. She was pressing the guitar on theGeneral.
"You have promised to sing one song before you go, and I cannot let youoff," she exclaimed.
At length he took the instrument, protesting that his voice was a verybad one; then, sweeping the strings, began that fine old Spanish song oflove and war:
"_Cuando suena la trompa guerrera_."
His voice was uncultivated and somewhat harsh, but there was a gooddeal of fire and expression in the performance, and it was rapturouslyapplauded.
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, andsaid, "How did you get hurt? Tell me quickly."
His sharp, impatient manner, and the sight of twenty people all standinground staring at me, quite upset me, and I could only stammer out a fewunintelligible words, feeling that my face was blushing scarlet to thevery roots of my hair.
"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 firstrestored my anger to me, and with that came back the power of speech andthe 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'shouse at night, a stranger, lost, on foot, for my horse had been stolenfrom me. I asked him for shelter in the belief that at least the onevirtue of hospitality still survives in this country. He, assistedby these two men, treacherously disabled me with a blow on my arm anddragged me here a prisoner."
"My good friend," said the General, "I am extremely sorry that you havebeen 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 itenables me to assure you that one other virtue besides hospitality stillsurvives 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 hisface, suddenly that scene at the magistrate's _estancia_, when I wentwith the key to let my fellow-traveller out of the stocks, and he jumpedup and seized my hand, flashed on me. Still I was not quite sure, andhalf whispered tentatively, "What, Marcos Marco?"
"Yes," he returned, smiling, "that was my name at that moment. Myfriends," he continued, resting a hand on my shoulder, and speaking tothe others, "I have met this young Englishman before. A few daysago, when I was on my way hither, I was arrested at Las Cuevas in hiscompany; it was by means of his assistance that I succeeded in making myescape. He did this good deed, believing at the time that he was helpinga poor peasant, and not expecting any return."
I might have reminded him that only after he had given me a solemnassurance that he did not intend attempting to make his escape, did Iconsent to get his legs out of the stocks. However, as he thought properto forget 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 standing near with the others,I found her dark eyes fixed on my face with an expression of tendernessand sympathy in them that sent the blood rushing to my heart.
"They have hurt you badly, I fear," said the General, addressing meagain. "To continue your journey now would be imprudent. Let me beg ofyou 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 yourmother take charge of my young friend till I return, and see that hisinjured arm is attended to?"
"My General, you will make us happy by leaving him in our care," shereplied, with a bright smile.
He then introduced me as Don Ricardo simply--for he did not know mysurname--to the lovely senorita, Dolores Zelaya; after which he againbade us adieu and hurried away.
When he had gone, Alday advanced, hat in hand, and gave me back myrevolver, which I had forgotten all about. I took it with my lefthand, and put it in my pocket. He then apologised for having treated meroughly--the Major had taught him that word--but without the faintesttrace of servility in his speech or manner; and after that he offered mehis hand.
"Which will you have," I said, "the hand you have injured or the lefthand?"
He immediately dropped his own hand to his side, then, bowing, said hewould 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 thatI 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 backyour horse now," I said, "as I have no further use for it, and accept mythanks for conducting me thus far on my journey."
"Do not mention it," he replied, with a dignified wave of his hand. "Iam pleased to have been able to render you this small service."