CHAPTER XVII.
GUAYMAS.
The Mexicans are only children, though terrible children we allow, onwhom it is impossible to calculate, no matter in what way. Theirdeplorable conduct, under all circumstances, since they succeeded inconstituting themselves an independent nation, proves that, unless anentire change takes place in their character, no more is to be hopedfrom them in the future than they have effected in the past.
Curious, fickle, cowardly, rash, distrustful, cruel, andsuperstitious--such is the Mexican.
Let it not be supposed that we speak thus through a hatred of a people,among whom we lived so long; on the contrary, we love the Mexicans, wepity them, we should like to see them regard seriously their position,as a free nation, and behave as men; but we repeat it, they areterrible, stormy, and obstinate children, from whom no good can bederived, we are honestly afraid.
One of the manias of this people is to attract, by the most handsomepromises, fallacious offers, and most friendly demonstrations, thosestrangers whom they fancy may prove useful in any way. They receivethese foreigners with open arms, weep with joy while embracing them,offer them the most tenderly fraternal caresses, and give them more thanthey ever ventured to ask. Then one fine day, without any reason,motive, or slightest pretext, they change from white to black, beginhating with their whole soul the foreigners they have so greatly petted,insult and betray them, lay snares for them, and eventually ill treat orassassinate them, and that, too, while offering them a hand, and smilingon them.
If we wished to recriminate, how many names could we quote, how manyshades would it be easy for us to evoke in support of our statements,without counting the noble and unfortunate De Raousset Boulbon, and theimpetuous and generous Lapuillade, victims offered in a cowardly way tothat hideous Mexican prejudice--a prejudice which is the basis of thepolicy of this unlucky people, and which will ruin it--not through ahatred of the foreigner, for that is a noble and national feeling, butthrough a hatred of Europeans, whom they despair of ever equalling, andto whom, in their ignorance and carelessness, they feel a mortaljealousy and envy.
It is evident that during the ten years' struggle Mexico had to sustainagainst Spain, the former country produced grand and noble characters;but it seems that, exhausted by that gigantic effort, it was incapableof casting others like them into the crucible, for since the first hourof its liberty to the present day, it has not produced a single manworthy of walking, even at a distance, in the footsteps of theillustrious founders of its independence.
This is very sad to say; and yet, if we passed it over in silence, wemight be reproached for not stating the truth, and for recoiling fromthe task we imposed on ourselves in writing this story, in which we havemerely changed the names through a feeling that will be appreciated.
The arrival of the French company, however, was anxiously expected atGuaymas. The most absurd and contradictory reports were spread about it,its chief, and the object of the expedition; and as is generally therule, the most absurd rumours obtained the greatest and firmestcredence. Even before the arrival of the French, malevolence waswatching in the shade, and seeking darkly to arouse the ill will of thepopulation against the new arrivals.
What Colonel Flores stated in his conversation with Don Antonio Pavo wasperfectly correct. Hardly had the organisation of the Atravida companybeen completed in San Francisco, ere two American houses, perfectlycomprehending the advantages of this enterprise in which they were notallowed to join, for reasons we will be silent about for their credit,treacherously established a rival company, intended to impede theoperations of the elder company by all means, even the most dishonest.
Hatred never slumbers. The affair went on rapidly, so rapidly that thesecond company had all its batteries prepared for effective actionbefore the French had quitted San Francisco. This operation was managedwith such Machiavellism, and the secret was so well kept, that thecount, in spite of his extensive relations, suspected nothing, andembarked for Sonora with his heart full of hope and illusions.
Valentine was awaiting his friend with the most lively impatience. Thehunter had conscientiously fulfilled the commissions the count gave him;and all had, apparently, succeeded famously. A comfortable barrack wasprepared for the company: the French agent had been most honeyed, andplaced himself at the hunter's disposal to do all he might desire withthe most charming affability. Still the latter was not satisfied. Withno plausible reason, with nothing arising to contradict these offers offriendship, Valentine, by one of those forebodings which Heaven sends tothose it loves and wishes to protect, felt that all this amenityconcealed a snare; the lips smiled, it is true, but the eyebrowsfrowned, and the brow was wrinkled.
General Guerrero, while testifying his delight at the arrival of thecompany, and placing himself at the orders of the hunter, had continuedunder various pretexts to reside at Hermosillo, instead of coming toGuaymas to welcome the company, as he should have done; in the firstplace as governor of the province, secondly, as member of the company;two reasons more than sufficient to suggest his change of abode.
Valentine, hence, was very restless; and the more so because, whilefeeling that a storm was collecting, he could not foresee whence itwould come. Hence, he remained a greater part of the day by theseashore, watching anxiously every sail that appeared, hoping to see hisfriend arrive at any moment; for he supposed, with some show of reason,that the presence of the count and his brave comrades would suffice tosilence those who sought to injure him: for the majority of the peoplewas not only far from being hostile to the expedition, but seemed welldisposed toward it.
Things were in this state one morning, when, according to his custom,Valentine was preparing to proceed to his observatory, as he called therock on which he passed whole days. All at once, Don Antonio and ColonelFlores rushed into the cuarto where he resided, crying, gesticulating,and repeating, both at once:--
"Here they are, here they are! They are coming!"
"Who?" Valentine asked them, hardly able yet to put faith in suchblessed news.
"El conde! El conde!"
"He will be here in an hour at the latest," said Don Antonio.
"Perhaps before," the colonel backed him up. "We are going to meet him."
"And I, too," Valentine exclaimed.
They went out. The news had spread with the rapidity of a powder train.Guaymas took a holiday. Immediately, before any orders were given by theauthorities, the houses were hung with flags; for, as it happened,Corpus Christi would be celebrated a few days later, and the banners hadbeen got in readiness.
The inhabitants, dressed in their best clothes, the Hiaqui Indians, ofwhom a great number let themselves out to private persons as workmen andservants--in a word, everybody, hurried and ran toward the beach,shouting, laughing, singing, and uttering interminable hurrahs. It wasreally a curious sight,--this crowd, hastening joyously to meet a fewFrenchmen, whose good intentions toward them they instinctively guessed.
The authorities of the town followed the popular movement; but it waseasy to read that they did not act from their own will, but were carriedonward by the current of public opinion.
When Valentine and the two men who had constituted themselves hiscompanions reached the beach, it was already invaded by the wholepopulation. A few cable's lengths from shore the ship that brought theFrench might be distinctly seen. It advanced majestically, impelled by astrong breeze. It had its top-gallant sails set, and its lower sailsclewed up, which allowed a large crowd to be seen on the poop. When thevessel had passed a little beyond Venado Island--the usual anchorage oflarge ships--it tacked, and sent down top-sails; then the anchor was letgo, and the main jib lowered.
Valentine leaped hurriedly into a canoe, and, before Don Antonio and thecolonel could follow him, pushed off. Not noticing the signs hiscompanions made him, the hunter proceeded rapidly in the direction ofthe ship, vigorously aided by the man already in the canoe, and who wasno other than Curumilla. In a few minutes they reached the vessel. Louisperceived them fr
om a distance, so that when they came alongside hereceived them, and helped them aboard. Even before embracing his fosterbrother, or pressing his hand, Valentine turned and looked searchinglyalong the beach.
"Good!" he said, "they have not found a boat yet. Come, brother, let usgo down into your cabin, I must speak with you without delay."
"Let me, at least, say 'how do you do' to you," Louis remarked, with asmile.
"Come: we have not a moment to lose."
The count looked at the hunter, and saw that his face was grave. Heunderstood at once that he had important news to communicate. He nolonger resisted. He gave his orders hurriedly to one of his officers, toprepare everything for the debarkation, and followed his foster brotherwho was anxiously awaiting him. Louis led him into the modest berthwhich he had engaged during the passage, and prepared to shut the door.
"No," Valentine said, preventing him, "leave it open, on the contrary;in that way we shall see the persons who come."
"As you please. Speak."
"I have only two words to say to you; but they are two I would adviseyou to profit by."
"You may be sure of that."
"You have powerful enemies here. Who they are I know not; but theydetest you."
"What do you say?"
"A thing of which I am certain."
"But, my dear fellow, whoever those enemies may be, I have nothing tofear from them. My papers are all regular, my grant is clearly andcarefully registered. I have not only the authorisation, but also thesupport of the government. I only act by formal orders, and, therefore,fear nothing."
"Brother," Valentine answered sententiously, "when you have to deal withMexicans, you must always apprehend treachery. I have known them many along year, and unfortunately know also what dependence is to be placedin them."
"You startle me."
"No, I warn you, that is all. It is your duty to be constantly on yourguard."
"Do you know that, before Heaven, I am responsible for the lives of allthese brave fellows intrusted to me?"
"That is why I advise you to be prudent, and not to trust in any one.There are two men above all whom I recommend you to distrust."
"Their names?"
"Don Antonio Pavo, and Colonel Don Francisco Flores."
Louis could hardly refrain from a start of surprise, as he looked hisbrother in the face.
"It is not possible," he exclaimed; "you must be mistaken."
"Why so?"
"Because these two men, one of whom is agent to the French governmenthere, and the other the delegate of the Atravida, are both shareholdersin the company. I am specially recommended to them, and have lettersfor both."
"As you please; but I assure you these men are betraying you."
"Have you any proof?"
"None."
"How do you know it, then?"
"I do not know it, and yet I am sure of it. Believe me, brother; for youare aware that I am rarely mistaken."
Louis shook his head sadly.
"All this is strange," he said.
At this moment a man leaned over the companion, and uttered the oneword, "Spies!" in a low voice, yet sufficiently loud to be heard by thetwo men.
"Halloh!" Louis exclaimed with a start.
"It is nothing," Valentine observed; "only Curumilla warning us that ourtwo men are coming. Let us return to the deck, for they must not fancywe have any doubts of them. Examine the two men carefully, when you findyourself in their presence; and I am certain you will come over to myopinion afterwards."
Louis made no reply. They went on deck, and Valentine left him.
"I am returning to land," he said; "you will see me again on the beach."
The hunter leaped into the canoe, which Curumilla had allowed to fallbehind the vessel, so that it might not be noticed; and he pushed offfor land at the very moment the colonel and Don Antonio set foot ondeck.
No people is possessed, to so eminent a degree as the Mexican, of themost refined politeness and most graceful gallantry. By their feline andgentle manners they can seduce and charm persons they have an interestin cheating, whenever they please. Unfortunately, in spite of all theefforts they made, and the cajolery they employed to convince Don Louisof their sincerity and profound attachment to him, Don Antonio and thecolonel had physiognomies which so clearly revealed the disgracefulpassions that moved them, that all their labour was thrown away.
As Valentine had warned him, on the approach of these two men the counthad involuntarily experienced a feeling of repulsion, so strong, that hewas compelled to make an effort over himself, to prevent them seeing theeffect they produced upon him. The count, however, thought it advisableto pretend to be their dupe, in order to profit by the faults theirfancied security might induce them to commit, and derive from them allthe information he might need at a future date.
He therefore responded to their advances and offers of service with suchfrankness and cordiality, that he succeeded in completely duping thecrafty scoundrels who fancied him their dupe.
The count had scarce arrived in Sonora, he had not yet set foot on land,ere he had to commence his diplomatic apprenticeship, and contend incraft and falsehood with people, from whom he should have expected thefrankest friendship and most absolute devotion--a rude task for acharacter so loyal and thoroughly honest as that of the count; but thesuccess of the expedition depended on his finesse, and the skill withwhich he eluded the snares which would be incessantly spread beneath hisfeet. He understood this, and made up his mind to his course of action,though it was against the grain.
After conversing for some time with the two men, the count, seeing thatall was in readiness for the landing, gave orders for it. Immediatelythe adventurers took their stations with admirable order in the boatsbrought from the port to receive them. The small flotilla advancedsteadily toward the beach, amid the shouts of the crowd assembled on theshore, and the clangor of all the town bells, rung as a symbol ofrejoicing.