CHAPTER XVII.
THE SPY.
While these events were occurring, the sun had set, and night almostimmediately succeeded day. So soon as the Jaguar had closed the trap onhis prisoners, he proceeded toward the masked door to rejoin hiscomrades; but a sound of footsteps he heard outside, made him change hisplans; he shut the door again, and returned to his old position to awaitthe newcomer. The latter did not delay long. Although the night was toodark to allow the Jaguar to recognise his features, by the sparkling ofhis gold lace, and the clank of his spurs and steel scabbard on thepavement, he saw that he was once more in the presence of a Mexicanofficer high in command. At the end of a moment, however, the Jaguar'seyes, gifted possibly with that precious quality possessed by animals ofthe feline race to see through the darkness, appeared to have recognisedthe stranger. The young man frowned, and gave a start ofdisappointment.
"Is there no one here?" the officer asked, as he stopped in the doorwaywith very excusable hesitation.
"Who are you, and what do you want?" the Jaguar answered, disguising hisvoice.
"That is a curious question," the officer continued, as he steppedforward with his hand on his sabre hilt; "first have this room lightedup, which looks like a cut-throat's den, and then we will talk."
"It is not necessary for what we have to say to each other, you canleave your sabre at rest; although this house is dark, it is nocut-throat den, as you seem to believe."
"What has become of General Rubio and the officers who accompanied him?"
"Am I their keeper, Colonel Melendez?" the Jaguar asked in a sarcastictone.
"Who are you, who appear to know me and answer so strangely?"
"Perhaps a friend, vexed at seeing you here, and who would be glad wereyou elsewhere."
"A friend would not hide himself as you are doing."
"Why not, if circumstances compel him?"
"A truce to this exchange of puerile speeches; will you answer myquestion, yes or no?"
"Which question?"
"The one I asked you about the General."
"Suppose I refuse?"
"I shall know how to compel you."
"That is haughty language, Colonel."
"Which I shall support by deeds."
"I do not think so: not that I doubt your courage, Heaven forbid, for Ihave long known it."
"Well! What will prevent me?"
"You have not the means to carry out your wishes."
"They are easily found."
"Try it."
While speaking, the Colonel had mechanically taken a couple of stepsinto the room.
"I shall soon return," he said, as he laid his hand on the door latch.
The Jaguar only answered by a hoarse laugh. The door was closed, in vaindid the Colonel try to open it; it resisted all his efforts.
"I am your prisoner, then?" he said, addressing the young man.
"Perhaps so; it will depend on yourself."
"You wish me to fall into the same snare into which the General and hisofficers probably fell before me. Try it, Se?or; still I warn you that Iam on my guard, and will defend myself."
"Your words are harsh, Colonel. You gratuitously insult a man of whom,up to the present, you have no cause to complain, and whom you willregret having attacked when you know him."
"Tell me the fate of my companions, and what your intentions are withregard to myself."
"My intentions are better than yours, Colonel; for, if you had me inyour power, as I have you in mine, it is probable that your General, ifnot yourself, would make me pay dearly for the imprudence I havecommitted; but enough of this, we have lost too much time already.General Rubio and his officers are my prisoners, and you feel in yourheart that I can do what I please with you; withdraw the soldiers whosurround my house, pledge me your word of honour that no attempt shallbe made on me by the Mexican Government for four-and-twenty hours, and Iwill immediately restore you all to liberty."
"I know not who you are, Se?or; the conditions you wish to impose on meare those a conqueror would offer to enemies reduced to impotence."
"What else are you at this moment?" the young man interrupted violently.
"Be it so; but I cannot take it on myself to accept or decline theseconditions, as the General alone has the right to form a determinationand pledge his word."
"Then, ask himself what his intentions are, and he will answer you."
"Is he here, then?" the Colonel exclaimed eagerly, as he moved a stepforward.
"It is of little consequence to you where he is, provided he hear andanswer you; do not stir from where you are; one step further, and youare a dead man; what is your resolve?"
"I accept."
"In that case speak to him."
The Jaguar worked the spring that opened the trap, and displayed theentrance of the vault into which the Mexican officers had been sosuddenly hurled; but the darkness was so intense, that the Colonel couldperceive nothing, in spite of his efforts to try and distinguish agleam; he merely heard a slight sound produced by the grating of thetrap in its groove. The Colonel understood that he must get out of thedifficulty as well as he could.
"General," he said raising his voice, "can you hear me?"
"Who speaks?" the General answered immediately.
"I, Colonel Melendez de Gongora."
"Heaven be praised!" the General shouted; "in that case all goes well."
"On the contrary, all goes ill."
"What do you mean?"
"That, like yourself, I am in the hands of the accursed insurgents whohave captured you."
"Mil Demonios!" the old soldier shouted angrily.
"Are you all right?"
"Bodily, yes; my officers and myself have received no wounds; I mustconfess that the demon who played us this trick was so far civil."
"Thanks, General," the Jaguar said in a tone of mockery.
"Ah, Salteador," the General exclaimed in a rage; "I swear by Heaventhat we shall settle our accounts some day."
"I hope so too, General; but for the present, believe me, you had betterlisten to what Colonel Melendez has to say to you."
"I suppose I must," the Governor muttered. "Speak, Colonel," he addedaloud.
"General, we are offered our liberty on condition," the Colonelimmediately replied, "that we pledge our word of honour to attemptnothing against the man whose prisoner we are."
"Or against his adherents, whoever they may be," the Jaguar interrupted.
"Be it so, or against his adherents, during the next twenty-four hours,and that the house shall be left free."
"Hum:" said the General, "that requires reflection."
"I give you five minutes."
"Demonios! That is very short; you are not at all generous."
"It is impossible for me to grant a longer period."
"And suppose I refuse?"
"You will not do so,"
"For what reason?"
"Because you are furious with me, and hope to avenge yourself some day."
"Excellently reasoned; but supposing I _do_ refuse?"
"In that case, I will treat you and yours exactly as you intended totreat me and mine."
"That is to say?"
"You will be all shot within a quarter of an hour."
There was a mournful silence. No other sound could be heard but the dryand monotonous one produced by the escapement of the clock. These men,collected without seeing each other, in so narrow a space, felt theirhearts beat as if to burst their chests; they trembled with impotentrage, for they recognised that they were really in the hands of animplacable foe, against whom any struggle was mad, if not impossible.
"Viva Dios!" the Colonel shouted; "better to die than surrender thus!"
And he rushed forward with uplifted sabre. Suddenly a hand of ironclutched him, threw him down, and he felt the point of his own sword,which he had let fall, slightly prick his throat.
"Surrender, or you are a dead man," a rough voice shouted in his ear.
"No; mil Demonios!" the Colonel said, furiously; "I will not surrenderto a bandit; kill me."
"Stop," the Jaguar said, "I insist."
The man who held the Colonel down left him at liberty, and the latterrose, ashamed and partly stunned.
"Well," the young man continued, "do you accept, General?"
"Yes, demon," the latter replied passionately; "but I shall revengemyself."
"Then, you give me your word as a soldier that the conditions I imposeon you will be legally carried out by you?"
"I give it; but who guarantees me that you will act honourably on yourside?"
"My honour, Se?or General," the Jaguar answered, proudly; "my honour,which, as you know, is as unsullied as your own."
"Very good, Se?or, I trust to you as you do to me. Must we surrender ourswords?"
"General," the Jaguar answered nobly, "a brave soldier never separatesfrom his weapons; I should blush to deprive you of yours. Yourcompanions, like yourself, can keep their swords."
"Thanks for that courtesy, Caballero, for it proves to me that everygood feeling is not dead in your heart. Now I am waiting for you tosupply me with the means for leaving the place into which you made mefall so skilfully."
"You shall be satisfied, Se?or General. As for you, Colonel, you canretire, for the door is now open."
"Not before I have seen you," the officer answered.
"What good would that do, since you have not recognised me?" the youngman said, reassuming his natural voice.
"The Jaguar!" the Colonel ejaculated in surprise.
"Ah! I might have expected that; I shall certainly remain now," headded, with a singular inflection in his voice.
"Very good," said the Chief, "remain."
He clapped his hands, and four peons entered with lighted candelabra. Sosoon as the saloon was lit up, the young officer perceived the Generaland his aides-de-camp standing up in the vault. A criado brought aladder to the trap, and the Mexicans ascended--half-pleased,half-ashamed.
"Gentlemen," the insurgent continued, "you are free. Any other in myplace would, doubtless, have profited by the bad position in which youwere, to impose on you conditions far harder than those I demanded ofyou; but I only understand a fair fight, steel against steel, chestagainst chest. Go in peace, but take care, for hostilities have begunbetween us, and the war will be rude."
"One word before separating," said the General.
"I listen, Caballero."
"Whatever may be the circumstances under which we may meet at a laterdate, I shall not forget your conduct of this day."
"I dispense you from any gratitude on that account, General; the moreso, because if I acted thus it was for reasons entirely strange to you."
"Whatever be the motive of your conduct, my honour urges me to rememberyour conduct."
"As you please; I only ask you to remember our conditions."
"They shall be punctually carried out."
The Jaguar, upon this, bowed to the General; the latter returned hissalute, and, making a sign to his officers to follow him, left theroom. The young Chief listened attentively to the sound of the retiringfootsteps, and then drew himself up.
"What!" he exclaimed with surprise, on perceiving the Colonel, "are youstill here, Se?or Don Juan?"
"Yes, brother," the latter answered, in a sad voice, "I am still here."
The Jaguar walked rapidly up to him, and took his hand.
"What have you to say to me, brother?--have you a fresh misfortune toannounce?"
"Alas, friend, what greater misfortune could I tell you of than thatwhich, by ruining our dearest hopes, has plunged us into despair?"
"Have you received news of our friends?"
"None."
"Tranquil?"
"I know not what has become of him."
"Loyal Heart?"
"Has also disappeared."
"Listen, brother, this situation cannot endure long; whatever happens,it must cease. Time fails me at this moment to explain to you certainmatters you ought to know; but we will meet tomorrow."
"Where, and at what hour?"
"At the Salto del Frayle, at two in the afternoon."
"Why so far and so late, brother?"
"Because between this and then something will happen, which I cannottell you at present, but which will doubtless oblige me to cross the bayand seek shelter on the mainland."
"I have no right to ask you for an explanation, brother; but take care.Whatever you may attempt, you will have to deal with a rude adversary;the General is furious against you; he has his revenge to take; and ifyou furnish him with the opportunity, he will not let it slip."
"I am convinced of it, friend, but the die is cast; unfortunately, wefollow different roads. Heaven will help the good cause. Your hand oncemore, and good-bye."
"Good-bye, brother, and it is settled that we meet tomorrow."
"Death alone can prevent me being at the place of meeting I haveselected."
The two political enemies, so cordially attached, shook hands andseparated. The Colonel wrapped himself in his cloak, and immediatelyleft the room and the house. The General, as he went away, had given thecompany posted round the mansion orders to follow him, and the streetwas completely deserted. The Jaguar was so intimately convinced of thefidelity with which General Rubio would fulfil his engagements, that hedid not even take the trouble to assure himself of the fact.
So soon as he was alone he closed the trapdoor, touched the spring ofthe secret door, and left the saloon in his turn, to enter the darkcorridor through which, on the General's entrance, his friends haddisappeared at the heels of John Davis. This passage, after severalturnings, opened into a rather large room, in which all the conspiratorswere assembled, silent and gloomy, waiting, with their hands on theirweapons, till the Chief claimed their assistance.
Lanzi was standing sentry in the doorway, to prevent any surprise: theJaguar resumed his mask, thrust his pistols in his girdle, and entered.On seeing him, the conspirators gave a start of joy, which wasimmediately suppressed, however, at a signal from the young man.
"My comrades," he said, in a saddened voice, "I have evil tidings tocommunicate to you. Had not my measures been so well taken, we shouldall have been prisoners at this moment. A traitor has slipped in amongus, and this man has given the Governor the most detailed and positiveinformation about our projects. A miracle has alone saved us."
A shudder of indignation ran through the ranks of the conspirators; byan instinctive movement they separated, giving each other sinisterglances, and laying their hands on their weapons. The vast hall, onlylighted by a smoky lamp, whose reddish light threw strange reflectionsat each breath of air on the energetic faces of the conspirators, had amournful, and yet striking aspect. After a moment's silence the Chiefwent on, in a firm and marked voice--
"What matter, comrades, if a cowardly spy has stepped in among us; thehour of fear and hesitation has passed away, and we shall now go to workin the sight of all. No more secret meetings, no more masks," he added,violently tearing off his own and trampling it under foot; "our enemiesmust know us at length, and learn that we are really the apostles ofthat liberty which is about to gleam like a brilliant beacon over ourcountry."
"Long live the Jaguar!" the conspirators shouted as they rushed joyfullytowards him.
"Yes, the Jaguar," he continued in a thundering voice, "the Chief of theFreebooters, the first man in Texas who dared to rise against ouroppressors; the Jaguar, who has sworn to make you free, and who willkeep his oath, unless death prevent him; now let the coward who has soldus complete his work by revealing my name to the Governor, who hasalready almost divined it, and will be happy to acquire the certainty atlast. This final denunciation will assuredly be paid highly, but he mustmake haste, for tomorrow will be too late."
At this moment a man burst through the conspirators, thrusting backright and left those who barred his passage, and placed himself oppositethe young Chief.
"Listen," he said, turning to hi
s comrades, "and let what you are aboutto hear form a profitable lesson to you:--The man who revealed thesecret of your meetings to the Governor, the man who sold you, the man,in a word, who wished to give you up, I know!"
"His name, his name!" all the conspirators shouted, brandishing theirweapons passionately.
"Silence!" the Jaguar ordered, "allow our comrade to speak."
"Do not give me that name, Jaguar, for I am not your comrade, and neverwas such. I am your enemy, not your personal enemy, for I do not knowyou; but the enemy of every man who tries to tear from the MexicanRepublic that Texas where I was born, and which is the most brilliantgem of the union. It was I, I alone who sold you, I, Lopez HidalgoD'Avila, but not in the cowardly way you suppose, for when the momentarrived for me to make myself known to you, I had sworn to do so; nowyou know all, and I am in your power. There are my weapons," he added,as he threw them disdainfully on the ground; "I shall not resist, andyou can do with me as you please."
After uttering these words with a haughty accent impossible to render,Don Lopez Hidalgo proudly crossed his arms on his chest, drew up hishead, and waited. The conspirators had listened to this strangerevelation with an indignation and rage that attained such a pitch ofviolence that their will was, so to speak, paralyzed, and in spite ofthemselves they remained motionless. But so soon as Don Lopez hadfinished speaking, their feelings suddenly burst out, and they rushedupon him with tiger yells.
"Stay, stay!" the Jaguar shouted, as he rushed forward and made of hisown person a rampart for the man on whom twenty daggers were lifted;"Stay, brothers; as this man has said, he is in our power, and cannotescape us; although his blood be that of a traitor, let us not commit anassassination, but try him."
"Yes, yes," the conspirators yelled, "let us try him."
"Silence," the Jaguar ordered, and then turning to Don Lopez Hidalgo,who during their proceedings had remained as calm and quiet as if hewere a stranger to what was going on; "will you answer frankly thequestions I ask you?" he inquired.
"Yes," Don Lopez simply replied.
"Was it pure love of your country, as you call it, that urged you topretend to be one of us in order to betray us more securely, or was itnot rather the hope of a rich reward that impelled you to the infamousaction of which you have been guilty?"
The Mexican shrugged his shoulders with disdain.
"I am as rich as the whole of you put together," he replied; "who doesnot know the wealthy Don Lopez Hidalgo d'Avila?"
"That is true," one of the company remarked; "this man, I am bound toallow, for I have been acquainted with him for many years, does notknow the amount of his fortune."
The Jaguar's forehead was wrinkled by the effect of a little thought.
"Then, that noble and revered feeling, the love of one's country,instead of elevating your soul and making generous feeling spring up init," he continued, "has made you a coward. Instead of fighting honestlyand loyally in the daylight against us, you followed the gloomy path ofespial to betray us, and assumed the mask of friendship to sell us."
"I only picked up the weapon yourselves offered me. Did you fight, pray,in the open day? No, you conspired craftily in the darkness; like themole, you dug the underground mine that was to swallow us up, and Icountermined you. But what use is discussion? for you will no morecomprehend my assertions than I can yours. Now to the business, for I amconvinced that is the only point on which we shall agree."
"One moment, Don Lopez; explain to me the reason why, when no suspicionpointed to you, when no one thought of asking you to account for youractions, you denounced yourself and trusted to our mercy:"
"Although unseen, I overheard what passed between you and yourGovernor," the Mexican coldly answered; "I saw in what way the perilousposition in which I had succeeded in placing you turned to youradvantage; I understood that all was lost, and did not wish to surviveour defeat."
"Then you know the conditions I imposed on General Rubio?"
"And which he was constrained to accept. Yes, I know them; I am aware,also, that you are too clever and determined a man not to profit by thetwenty-four hours' respite which you have so adroitly gained; then Idespaired of the cause I was defending."
"Good! Don Lopez, that is all I wished to know. When you entered ourassociation you accepted all the laws?"
"I did so."
"You are aware that you have deserved death?"
"I know it and desire it."
The Jaguar turned to the conspirators, who had listened, panting withfury and impatience, to this singular dialogue.
"Brothers," he said, "you have heard all that passed between Don LopezHidalgo d'Avila and myself?"
"Yes," they answered.
"On your soul and conscience, is this man guilty?"
"He is guilty," they burst forth.
"What punishment does he deserve?"
"Death!"
"You hear, Don Lopez; your brethren condemn you to die."
"I thank them; that favour is the only one I hoped and desired toreceive from them."
There was a moment of supreme silence; all eyes were fixed on theJaguar, who, with his head hanging on his breast, and frowning brows,seemed plunged in serious thought. Suddenly the young man raised hishead; a lightning glance flashed from his eyes, a strange smile curledhis lip, and he said, with a tone of bitter irony--
"Your brethren have condemned you to die; well, I, their Chief, condemnyou to live!"
Don Lopez, despite all his courage, felt himself turn pale at thesecutting words; he instinctively stooped to pick up the weapons he hadpreviously hurled at his feet; but the Jaguar guessed his thoughts.
"Seize that man!" he shouted.
John Davis and two or three other conspirators rushed on the Mexican,and, in spite of his active resistance, soon rendered him powerless.
"Bind him," the Jaguar next ordered.
This command was immediately carried out.
"Now, listen to me, brothers," the Jaguar continued, in a loudvoice--"the task we have taken on ourselves is immense, and studded withperils and difficulties of every description; we are no longer men butlions, and those who fall into our power must eternally bear the mark ofour powerful claws. What this man has done for an object honourable inhis eyes, another might be tempted to do to satisfy a sordid passion.Death is only the end of life, a moment to endure; many men desire it,through weariness or disgust. Don Lopez has himself told us that hewished to give us a profitable lesson; and he is not mistaken, for weshall profit by it. In killing him we should but accomplish his dearestwish, as himself said: let him live, as we desire to punish him, but letthat life he retains be such a burden to him, and so miserable, that hemay for ever regret not having fallen beneath our daggers; this man isyoung, handsome, rich, and honoured by his fellow citizens; let usdeprive him, not of his riches, for that is not in our power, but of hisbeauty, that flower of youth of which he is so proud, and make him themost wretched and despicable being in creation. In that way ourvengeance will be complete; we shall have attained our object byimprinting a just terror on the hearts of those who may be temptedhereafter to follow his example."
The conspirators, despite all their resolution and ferocity, experienceda secret terror on hearing the savage words of their chief, whose gloomycountenance reflected a terrible energy.
"Don Lopez Hidalgo d'Avila," the Jaguar continued, in a hollow voice,"traitor to your brothers, your false tongue will be plucked out andyour ears cut off. Such is the sentence which I, the Chief of theFreebooters, pass on you; and in order that everybody may know that youare a traitor, a T will be cut on your forehead between your eyebrows."
This sentence caused a momentary stupor among the company; but soon atiger-like yell burst from all their panting chests, and it was with atremor of ferocious joy that these men prepared to carry out theatrocious sentence pronounced by their Chief. The prisoner struggled invain to burst the bonds that held him. In vain he demanded death withloud cries. As the Jaguar had said, the lion's paw wa
s on him; theconspirators were inexorable, and the sentence was carried, out in allits rigour.
An hour later, Don Lopez Hidalgo d'Avila, bleeding and mutilated, wasdeposited at the door of the Governor's palace. On his chest wasfastened a large placard, on which were written in blood the two words:
COBARDE! TRAIDOR!
After this fearful execution, the conspirators continued their meetingas if nothing extraordinary had interrupted them. But the Jaguar'srevenge was foiled--at least partially; for when the unhappy victim waspicked up at daybreak he was dead. Don Lopez had found the strength andcourage to dash out his brains against the wall of the house near whichhe had been thrown as an unclean animal.