by Reid, Mayne
I had now time to examine the stranger, who was a tall, thin, sallow old gentleman, with a face at once Spanish and intelligent. His hair was white and short, while a moustache, somewhat grizzled, shaded his lips. Jet-black brows projected over a pair of keen and sparkling eyes. His dress was a roundabout of the finest white linen, with waistcoat and pantaloons of the same material-the latter fastened round the waist by a scarf of bright red silk. Shoes of green morocco covered his small feet, while a broad Guayaquil hat shaded his face from the sun.
Though his costume was transatlantic-speaking in reference to Old Spain-there was that in his air and manner that bespoke him a true hidalgo.
After a moment's observation I proceeded, in my best Spanish, to express my regret for the fright which the young ladies-his daughters, I presumed-had suffered.
The Mexican looked at me with a slight appearance of surprise.
"Why, Senor Capitan," said he, "your accent!-you are a foreigner?"
"A foreigner! To Mexico, did you mean?"
"Yes, Senor. Is it not so?"
"Oh! of course," answered I, smiling, and somewhat puzzled in turn.
"And how long have you been in the army, Senor Capitan?"
"But a short time."
"How do you like Mexico, Senor?"
"I have seen but little of it as yet."
"Why, how long have you been in the country, then?"
"Three days," answered I; "we landed on the 9th."
"Por Dios! three days, and in our army already!" muttered the Spaniard, throwing up his eyes in unaffected surprise.
I began to think I was interrogated by a lunatic.
"May I ask what countryman you are?" continued the old gentleman.
"What countryman? An American, of course!"
"An American?"
"Un Americano," repeated I, for we were conversing in Spanish.
"Y son esos Americanos?" (And are these Americans?) quickly demanded my new acquaintance.
"Si, Senor," replied I.
"Carrambo!" shouted the Spaniard, with a sudden leap, his eyes almost starting from their sockets.
"I should say, not exactly Americans," I added. "Many of them are Irish, and French, and Germans, and Swedes, and Swiss; yet they are all Americans now."
But the Mexican did not stay to hear my explanation. After recovering from the first shock of surprise, he had bounded through the grove; and with a wave of his hand, and the ejaculation "Esperate!" (wait!) disappeared among the plantains. The men, who had gathered around the lower end of the basin, burst out into a roar of laughter, which I did not attempt to repress. The look of terrified astonishment of the old Don had been too much for my own gravity, and I could not help being amused at the conversation that ensued among the soldiers. They were at some distance, yet I could overhear their remarks.
"That Mexikin's an unhospitable cuss!" muttered Lincoln, with an expression of contempt.
"He might av axed the captain to dhrink, after savin' such a pair of illigant craythers," said Chane.
"Sorra dhrap's in the house, Murt; the place looks dry," remarked another son of the Green Isle.
"Och! an' it's a beautiful cage, anyhow," returned Chane; "and beautiful birds in it, too. It puts me in mind of ould Dimmerary; but there we had the liquor, the raal rum-oshins of it, alanna!"
"That 'ere chap's a greelye, I strongly 'spect," whispered one, a regular down-east Yankee.
"A what?" asked his companion.
"Why, a greelye-one o' them 'ere Mexikin robbers."
"Arrah, now! did yez see the rid sash?" inquired an Irishman.
"Thim's captin's," suggested the Yankee. "He's a captin or a kurnel; I'll bet high on that."
"What did he say, Nath, as he was running off?"
"I don't know 'zactly-somethin' that sounded mighty like 'spearin' on us."
"He's a lanzeer then, by jingo!"
"He had better try on his spearin'," said another; "there's shootin' before spearin'-mighty good ground, too, behind this hyur painted wall."
"The old fellow was mighty frindly at first; what got into him, anyhow?"
"Raoul says he offered to give the captain his house and all the furnishin's."
"Och, mother o' Moses! and thim illigant girls, too!"
"Ov coorse."
"By my sowl! an' if I was the captain, I'd take him at his word, and lave off fightin' intirely."
"Itis delf," said a soldier, referring to the material of which the parapet was constructed.
"No, it ain't."
"It's chaney, then."
"No, nor chaney either."
"Well, what is it?"
"It's only a stone wall painted, you greenhorn!"
"Stone-thunder! it's solid delf, I say."
"Try it with your bayonet, Jim."
Crick -crick-crick-crinell! reached my ears. Turning round, I saw that one of the men had commenced breaking off the japanned work of the parapet with his bayonet.
"Stop that!" I shouted to the man.
The remark of Chane that followed, although utteredsotto voce , I could distinctly hear. It was sufficiently amusing.
"The captain don't want yez to destroy what'll be his own some day, when he marries one of thim young Dons. Here comes the owld one, and, by the powers! he's got a big paper; he's goin' to make over the property!"
Laughing, I looked round, and saw that the Don was returning, sure enough. He hurried up, holding out a large sheet of parchment.
"Well, Senor, what's this?" I inquired.
"No soy Mexicano-soy Espanol!" (I am no Mexican-I am a Spaniard), said he, with the expression of a true hidalgo.
Casting my eye carelessly over the document, I perceived that it was asafeguard from the Spanish consul at Vera Cruz, certifying that the bearer, Don Cosme Rosales, was a native of Spain.
"Senor Rosales," said I, returning the paper, "this was not necessary. The interesting circumstances under which we have met should have secured you good treatment, even were you a Mexican and we the barbarians we have been represented. We have come to make war, not with peaceful citizens, but with a rabble soldiery."
"Es verdad(Indeed). You are wet, Senor? you are hungry?"
I could not deny that I was both the one and the other.
"You need refreshment, gentlemen; will you come to my house?"
"Permit me, Senor, to introduce you to Major Blossom-Lieutenant Clayley-Lieutenant Oakes: Don Cosme Rosales, gentlemen."
My friends and the Don bowed to each other. The major had now recovered his complacency.
"Vamonos, caballeros!" (Come on, gentlemen), said the Don, starting towards the house.
"But your soldiers, Capitan?" added he, stopping suddenly.
"They will remain here," I rejoined.
"Permit me to send them some dinner."
"Oh! certainly," replied I; "use your own pleasure, Don Cosme, but do not put your household to any inconvenience."
In a few minutes we found our way to the house, which was neither more nor less than the cage-looking structure already described.
* * *
"Pasan adentro, Senores," said Don Cosme, drawing aside the curtain of the rancho, and beckoning us to enter.
"Ha!" exclaimed the major, struck with thecoup-d'oeil of the interior.
"Be seated, gentlemen.Ya vuelvo ." (I will return in an instant.)
So saying, Don Cosme disappeared into a little porch in the back, partially screened from observation by a close network of woven cane.
"Very pretty, by Jove!" said Clayley, in a low voice.
"Pretty indeed!" echoed the major, with one of his customary asseverations.
"Stylish, one ought rather to say, to do it justice."
"Stylish!" again chimed in the major, repeating his formula.
"Rosewood chairs and tables," continued Clayley; "a harp, guitar, piano, sofas, ottomans, carpets knee-deep-whew!"
Not thinking of the furniture, I looked around the room strangely bewildered.
<
br /> "Ha! Ha! what perplexes you, Captain?" asked Clayley.
"Nothing."
"Ah! the girls you spoke of-the nymphs of the pond; but where the deuce are they?"
"Ay, where?" I asked, with a strange sense of uneasiness.
"Girls! what girls?" inquired the major, who had not yet learned the exact nature of our aquatic adventure.
Here the voice of Don Cosme was heard calling out-
"Pepe! Ramon! Francisco! bring dinner.Anda! anda !" (Be quick!)
"Who on earth is the old fellow calling?" asked the major, with some concern in his manner. "I see no one."
Nor could we; so we all rose up together, and approached that side of the building that looked rearward.
The house, to all appearance, had but one apartment-the room in which we then were. The only point of this screened from observation was the little veranda into which Don Cosme had entered; but this was not large enough to contain the number of persons who might be represented by the names he had called out.
Two smaller buildings stood under the olive-trees in the rear; but these, like the house, weretransparent , and not a human figure appeared within them. We could see through the trunks of the olives a clear distance of a hundred yards. Beyond this, the mezquite and the scarlet leaves of the wild maguey marked the boundary of the forest.
It was equally puzzling to us whither the girls had gone, or whence "Pepe, Ramon, and Francisco" were to come.
The tinkling of a little bell startled us from our conjectures, and the voice of Don Cosme was heard inquiring:
"Have you any favourite dish, gentlemen?"
Someone answered, "No."
"Curse me!" exclaimed the major, "I believe he can get anything we may call for-raise it out of the ground by stamping his foot or ringing a bell. Didn't I tell you?"
This exclamation was uttered in consequence of the appearance of a train of well-dressed servants, five or six in number, bringing waiters with dishes and decanters. They entered from the porch; but how did they get into it? Certainly not from the woods without, else we should have seen them as they approached the cage.
The major uttered a terrible invocation, adding in a hoarse whisper, "This must be the Mexican Aladdin!"
I confess I was not less puzzled than he. Meantime the servants came and went, going empty, and returning loaded. In less than half an hour the table fairly creaked under the weight of a sumptuous dinner. This is no figure of speech. There were dishes of massive silver, with huge flagons of the same metal, and even cups of gold!
"Senores, vamos a comer" (Come, let us eat, gentlemen), said Don Cosme, politely motioning us to be seated. "I fear that you will not be pleased with mycuisine -it is purely Mexican-estilo del pais."
To say that the dinner was not a good one would be to utter a falsehood, and contradict the statement of Major George Blossom, of the U.S. quarter-master's department, who afterwards declared that it was the best dinner he had ever eaten in his life.
Turtle-soup first.
"Perhaps you would preferjulienne or vermicelli , gentlemen?" inquired the Don.
"Thank you; your turtle is very fine," replied I, necessarily the interpreter of the party.
"Try some of theaguacate -it will improve the flavour of your soup."
One of the waiters handed round a dark, olive-coloured fruit of an oblong shape, about the size of a large pear.
"Ask him how it is used, Captain," said the major to me.
"Oh, I beg your pardon, gentlemen. I had forgotten that some of our edibles may be strange to you. Simply pare off the rind, and slice it thus."
We tried the experiment, but could not discover any peculiar improvement in the flavour of the soup. The pulp of the aguacate seemed singularly insipid to our northern palates.
Fish, as with us, and of the finest quality, formed the second course.
A variety of dishes were now brought upon the table; most of them new to us, but all piquant, pleasant to the taste, and peculiar.
The major tried them all, determined to find out which he might like best-a piece of knowledge that he said would serve him upon some future occasion.
The Don seemed to take a pleasure in helping the major, whom he honoured by the title of "Senor Coronel."
"Puchero, Senor Coronel?"
"Thank you, sir," grunted the major, and tried the puchero.
"Allow me to help you to a spoonful ofmole ."
"With pleasure, Don Cosme."
Themole suddenly disappeared down the major's capacious throat.
"Try some of thischile relleno ."
"By all means," answered the major. "Ah, by Jove! hot as fire!-whew!"
"Pica! Pica!" answered Don Cosme, pointing to his thorax, and smiling at the wry faces the major was making. "Wash it down, Senor, with a glass of this claret-or here, Pepe! Is the Johannisberg cool yet? Bring it in, then. Perhaps you prefer champagne, Senores?"
"Thank you; do not trouble yourself, Don Cosme."
"No trouble, Capitan-bring champagne. Here, Senor Coronel, try theguisado de pato ."
"Thank you," stammered the major; "you are very kind. Curse the thing! how it burns!"
"Do you think he understands English?" inquired Clayey of me in a whisper.
"I should think not," I replied.
"Well, then, I wish to say aloud that this old chap's a superb old gent. What say you, Major? Don't you wish we had him on the lines?"
"I wish his kitchen were a little nearer the lines," replied the other, with a wink.
"Senor Coronel, permit me-"
"What is it, my dear Don?" inquired the major.
"Pasteles de Moctezuma."
"Oh, certainly. I say, lads, I don't know what the plague I'm eating- it's not bad to take, though."
"Senor Coronel, allow me to help you to aguana steak."
"A guana steak!" echoed the major, in some surprise.
"Si, Senor," replied Don Cosme, holding the steak on his fork.
"A guana steak! Do you think, lads, he means the ugly things we saw at Lobos."
"To be sure-why not?"
"Then, by Jove, I'm through! I can't go lizards. Thank you, my dear Don Cosme; I believe I have dined."
"Try this; it is very tender, I assure you," insisted Don Cosme.
"Come, try it, Major, and report," cried Clayey.
"Good-you're like the apothecary that poisoned his dog to try the effect of his nostrums. Well,"-with an oath-"here goes! It can't be very bad, seeing how our friend gets it down. Delicious, by Jupiter! tender as chicken-good, good!"-and amidst sundry similar ejaculations the major ate his first guana steak.
"Gentlemen, here is an ortolan pie. I can recommend it-the birds are in season."
"Reed-birds, by Jove!" said the major, recognising his favourite dish.
An incredible number of these creatures disappeared in an incredibly short time.
The dinner dishes were at length removed, and dessert followed: cakes and creams, and jellies of various kinds, and blancmange, and a profusion of the most luxurious fruits. The golden orange, the ripe pine, the pale-green lime, the juicy grape, the custard-like cherimolla, the zapote, the granadilla, the pitahaya, the tuna, the mamay; with dates, figs, almonds, plantains, bananas, and a dozen other species of fruits, piled upon salvers of silver, were set before us: in fact, every product of the tropical clime that could excite a new nerve of the sense of taste. We were fairly astonished at the profusion of luxuries that came from no one knew where.
"Come, gentlemen, try a glass of curacoa. Senor Coronel, allow me the pleasure."
"Sir, your very good health."
"Senor Coronel, would you prefer a glass of Majorca?"
"Thank you."
"Or perhaps you would choosePedro Ximenes . I have some very oldPedro Ximenes ."
"Either, my dear Don Cosme-either."
"Bring both, Ramon; and bring a couple of bottles of the Madeira-sello verde ," (green seal).
"As I am a Christian, the old g
entleman's a conjuror!" muttered the major, now in the best humour possible.
"I wish he would conjure up something else than his infernal wine bottles," thought I, becoming impatient at the non-appearance of the ladies.
"Cafe, Senores?" A servant entered.
Coffee was handed round in cups of Sevres china.
"You smoke, gentlemen? Would you prefer a Havanna? Here are some sent me from Cuba by a friend. I believe they are good; or, if you would amuse yourself with a cigaritto, here are Campeacheanos. These are the country cigars-puros, as we call them. I would not recommend them."
"A Havanna for me," said the major, helping himself at the same time to a fine-looking "regalia."
I had fallen into a somewhat painful reverie.
I began to fear that, with all his hospitality, the Mexican would allow us to depart without an introduction to his family; and I had conceived a strong desire to speak with the two lovely beings whom I had already seen, but more particularly with the brunette, whose looks and actions had deeply impressed me. So strange is the mystery of love! My heart had already made its choice.
I was suddenly aroused by the voice of Don Cosme, who had risen, and was inviting myself and comrades to join the ladies in the drawing-room.
I started up so suddenly as almost to overturn one of the tables.
"Why, Captain, what's the matter!" said Clayley. "Don Cosme is about to introduce us to the ladies. You're not going to back out?"
"Certainly not," stammered I, somewhat ashamed at mygaucherie .
"He says they're in the drawing-room," whispered the major, in a voice that betokened a degree of suspicion; "but where the plague that is, Heaven only knows! Stand by, my boys!-are your pistols all right?"
"Pshaw, Major! for shame!"
* * *
We hurried after Don Cosme towards theante-sala , both myself and my companions ignorant of this new object of dread.
When we emerged from the stairway the scene that hailed us was one of terrific sublimity. Earth and heaven had undergone a sudden and convulsive change. The face of nature, but a moment since gay with summer smiles, was now hideously distorted. The sky had changed suddenly from its blue and sunny brightness to an aspect dark and portentous.
Along the north-west a vast volume of black vapour rolled up over the Sierra Madre, and rested upon the peaks of the mountains. From this, ragged masses, parting in fantastic forms and groupings, floated off against the concavity of the sky as though the demons of the storm were breaking up from an angry council. Each of these, as it careered across the heavens, seemed bent upon some spiteful purpose.