CHAPTER XI.
THE SORTIE.
In all the countries of Spanish America the heat is so stifling duringmidday, that the wise plan has been adopted of only travelling in themorning and evening; that is to say, from sunrise till about halfpast eleven, and from five in the afternoon till midnight. In thisway travelling is rendered far more convenient and less fatiguing fortravellers as well as for animals.
About ten o'clock at night, with the exception of the bivouac fireslighted by the peons congregated in the yards and gardens, all thelights were extinguished in turn in the hacienda, and a deep silencesoon reigned in this house, which, however, contained a thousandpersons, while a much larger number were temporarily quartered roundit. All were asleep, or seemed to sleep, with the exception of a fewsentries standing motionless on the walls, and who stood out distinctlyin the bright moonlight. The night, which was calm and starlit, wasonly disturbed by that indistinct murmur which is never extinct, eitherin city or desert, and is the incessantly ascending flood of life. Attimes a distant growl, or a half stifled bark, showed that the wildbeasts had left their hidden dens and were wandering about the forestin search of prey.
All at once, on the side where the walls were the highest and roseperpendicularly over the precipice, a door was cautiously opened.Through its position over the precipice, this door could not be seen bythe sentries, and the three persons who stepped through it one afterthe other, ran no risk of being perceived. These persons, who seemedperfectly acquainted with the dangerous road they were entering on,carefully closed the gate after them, and clinging to some projectionsprobably arranged to facilitate the descent, descended the cliffwithout any hesitation, stopping at times to draw breath, or lookinquiringly around them. The descent was a long one, for it could notbe performed directly, and the bold adventurers were compelled to keepto their left, and often to march parallel with the gulf; but at lengththey reached the bottom without accident, and took a few minutes' restby the side of a stream which ran silently at their feet.
Nearly opposite the spot where the bold adventurers reached the bottomof the abyss, was the yawning mouth of a natural cavern. After takinga parting glance above their heads, as if to feel certain that no onehad noticed their departure, and that the same tranquillity continuedto prevail in the hacienda, they disappeared in the grotto. Then theperson who marched last took off his zarape, which he held before theopening, while one of his companions struck a light and lit a torch ofocote wood, a considerable pile of which was collected in a hole of therock. By the glare of the torch, which suddenly cast a reddish tingeover the interior of the grotto, a spy would have easily recognized inthese three persons, Dona Emilia, her daughter, and Don Melchior.
When Dona Emilia, who held the torch, had gone far enough to preventthe light from being seen from the outside, Don Melchior pulled downhis zarape, and went off in his turn. The grotto had such numerousand sudden turns, that any stranger whom chance conducted to it wouldhave been infallibly lost, and Dona Emilia and her companions musthave known it for a long time when they ventured to enter it. Afterwalking for about ten minutes, our friends reached a species of hall,on to which six passages opened, which ran in diametrically oppositedirections probably for a great distance. This hall formed a ratherlarge room, in which were several clumsily made equipales, a ricketytable, and a sort of rack fastened to the wall, and filled with weaponsof every description, lances, daggers, machetes, pistols, and muskets,with bullet bags of tapir hide and buffalo horns full of powder.
Three horses with eyes full of fire were lying on thick litter, andvigorously munching their stock of alfalfa. On seeing their owners,they gave a neigh of pleasure, and got up as if impatient to leavetheir dark stable. Don Melchior fetched the saddles, which werecarefully arranged on a bench, and after rubbing down the noble animalshe began saddling them without a moment's delay. Five minutes later,each of them, holding their horse by the bridle, left the circularhall, and after some turnings reached the mouth of the grotto. Thisopening, perfectly concealed by shrubs, led to a rarely visited armof the Rio del Norte; the water flowed up to the very entrance of thecavern, which in the rainy season it penetrated, which rendered allinvestigation impossible on this side at least, and insured the secrecyof this hiding place.
After parting the branches, the horses were led through, and DonMelchior again concealed the fissure by which they passed out. Thetravellers mounted and entered the river, following the watercoursetill they reached a somewhat distant sandy point on which they landed.They found themselves in the heart of a dense forest, and all signs ofcultivation had disappeared.
"Now," Dona Emilia said, with a peculiar smile, as she drew up herreins and leant over her horse's neck, "forward, and in Heaven's name!"
These were the first words uttered since leaving the hacienda; thehorses started at a gallop and disappeared beneath the foliage. We willleave Dona Emilia for a season and return to the Hacienda del Barrio.
The two Canadians, as we have already stated, lay down on the ground,where they at once fell asleep. The Sumach could not have stated howlong he had been slumbering, when he felt his shoulder slightly tapped.Adventurers and wood rangers, owing to the mode of life they lead, havean excessively light sleep; the adventurer at once opened his eyes andsaw a man leaning over him with a finger laid on his lip as if urgingsilence on him.
"Quick," this person whispered; "get up and follow me."
"Well," the Canadian said to himself, "I know that where there is amystery there are ounces to be gained; it is a fine time to assureone's self of the truth of the statement."
Without displaying the slightest surprise, the Sumach or Oliver,whichever the reader likes to call him, rose from his humble couch,carefully wrapped himself in his zarape to guard against the nightdew, and after making certain that his pistols were still in hisgirdle, and that his knife moved easily in its sheath, he followedhis mysterious conductor without any hesitation. The latter, to whomthe hacienda appeared familiar, led him through several passages andapartments feebly lighted by smoking candles fastened to the wall, intoa room of small dimensions, completely devoid of furniture, with theexception of two equipales and a table. This stranger, who was wrappedup in a large cloak that completely concealed his features, opened adark lantern, took a glance round the room, shut the door, placed thelight on the table, sat down, and made the Canadian a sign to imitatehim.
"Sit down and let us talk," he said.
The adventurer bowed; then, with the utmost coolness he laid hispistols on the table within reach, seated himself and rested his headon his hands, looking cunningly the while at the stranger.
"I am quite ready to talk."
"Why do you take this precaution?" the other said, pointing to thepistols.
"Hang it," he said, "for a very simple reason; it is that I may have anargument handy to convince you, should our conversation grow warm."
The stranger began laughing.
"You are prudent," he said.
"Prudence is the mother of safety," the Canadian answered,sententiously.
"I do not blame you," the stranger continued, still laughing. "I amfree to confess, indeed, that I am delighted to see you behave thus."
"In that case, all is for the best."
"As for me, look," he said, as he opened his cloak. "I have not somuch as a pin about me."
"That is easy to comprehend," said the adventurer, "for you are athome."
"What do you mean?" the stranger asked, in surprise. "What do you knowabout it?"
"I mean that you are in your own country, while I am a foreigner; thatis all."
"Ah, very good; but in order to reassure you completely, and prove toyou that I wish to deal above-board with you, look at me," he said, ashe took off the broad-brimmed hat which concealed his face.
"Father Sandoval!" the Canadian exclaimed in surprise, recognizing thepriest.
"Silence!" the latter said quickly. "Not so loud. Have you forgottenthat our interview must be secret?"
The Canadian silently shook his head, and, uncocking his pistols,returned them to his belt.
"Why do you frown so?" the priest asked him after examining himattentively. "Are you vexed at recognizing me?"
"Oh no, it is not that," he answered.
"What is it, then?"
"On my word, I confess that I am trying in vain to discover what you, aperson I do not know, have so secret and important to say to me."
"Are you sure of that."
"How, sure of it?" he exclaimed, with surprise.
"Yes," the priest remarked with a smile.
"Hang it," he said, "unless I have seen you in a dream, I am ready toswear that we meet today for the first time."
"Look at me closely, my friend," he said. "Will you really swear thatyou never saw me before?"
The Canadian, more and more surprised at this pressing, leant overto the singular speaker, and, taking up the lantern, made a carefulinspection of him, which Don Pelagio permitted with the best possiblegrace. At the expiration of a moment, the adventurer deposited thelantern on the table again, and scratched his head with an embarrassedair.
"It is strange," he said. "I now fancy that you may be in the right.Certain of your features, to which I did not at first pay attention,are familiar to me, though it is perfectly impossible for me torecollect how or when chance brought us together, if, as you insist onassuring me, we have already met."
"I do not say that we were positively acquainted, but we have met, andremained together for two hours."
"Listen to me. I do not doubt your word, for I do not see what motiveyou could have in trying to make a fool of me. You appear to me toosober-minded a man for such jokes. Explain yourself frankly, for thatwill be the only way to settle the matter."
"I see that I must do so. I should have liked to avoid it, because Ishall now appear to be compelling you to carry out a promise, by askingof you what I wished to obtain solely from your honour and good heart."
"My worthy father, you are becoming most mysterious, and I really donot know how all this will end."
"One word will give you the clue."
"Say it, then, at once, for deuce take me if I am not as curious as anold woman at this moment."
"Have you forgotten the Beaver pond and the sumach to which the PawneeIndians fastened you, after smearing you with honey?"
The adventurer smote his forehead violently, and, hurriedly rising,seized the priest's hand.
"iViva Dios!" he exclaimed warmly. "Where could my brains be, that Ishould forget the features of the Christian who so generously savedme from a horrible death? My good father, forgive me; my eyes alonewere guilty, for I have ever remembered you from the moment when yourendered me this immense service at the risk of your life."
Father Sandoval cordially returned the adventurer's squeeze, but heremained silent for a moment, with his eyes obstinately fixed on him,as if trying to read his most secret thoughts.
"What!" the Canadian said hotly, "Could you doubt me? I am only a poordevil of an adventurer, it is true, but I consider myself a man. Wewood rangers, if we are rather quick at the use of the knife and inshooting an enemy, know better than town folk, perhaps, how to retainthe recollection of an act of kindness. Speak, father, speak withoutfear. Whatever you bid me I will do. I belong to you, body and soul.I repeat that I am entirely yours; hence, do not be afraid aboutexplaining yourself frankly, for I shall catch your meaning at a word."
"Indeed!" the priest at length answered. "Why should I doubt you? Youhave given me no cause to suspect your loyalty. Moreover, what I wishto ask of you, Don Oliver, is only conditional. I merely desire tomake sure of your assistance in case of need, that is all."
"Speak, speak; have I not told you that you can count on me?"
"Well, so be it. This is what I expect of you. You are going to startin the morning. The mission I have intrusted to you is a dangerousone, though I have strong reasons for believing that you will get outof it safe and sound; but that is not the point at the present moment.You are about to start, I repeat; no one knows how long you may remainabsent. For my part, I shall probably be obliged to push forward. Giveme your word that, on whatever day or hour I need you, whatever youmay be doing, when you receive a message from me summoning you, giveme your word to abandon everything instantly, and run to my help, toaid me to the utmost of your power in the accomplishment of what I haveresolved on, and without asking me for an explanation, however grave orterrible the matter in which I ask your support may be. Do you promiseme this? Do not answer hastily; reflect before pledging your word,for the engagement you are going to make is serious, and may entailconsequences which it is impossible to foresee."
The Canadian listened to these words with visible impatience. WhenFather Sandoval ended, he shrugged his shoulders carelessly.
"Why so much beating about the bush?" he said. "I am yours. You ask formy word, and I give it. Now, may heaven grant me the opportunity offulfilling my pledge."
"Thanks! I trust, I repeat, that I may not be constrained to haverecourse to you. Still, we are bound to take our precautions. In caseof my being forced to send a messenger to you, take half this ring.The apparently most faithful man may, at a given moment, become atraitor; and I have learned the truth of that by sad experience. Youwill only follow the man who hands you the other half of this ring,and says, 'The hour is come--the master waits.' You will ask this manno questions, for he will be unable to answer you, as he will knownothing. Have you thoroughly understood me? Is this arranged?"
"All right. I understand you," the Canadian replied, as he carefullystowed away the half ring the priest gave him. "Have you any furtherrecommendations to give me?"
"No. We must part now. Follow me."
They rose and left the room. After some time the Canadian found himselfagain at the spot where Moonshine was lying. Father Sandoval gave theadventurer a parting sign to be discreet, and went away.
"Hum!" the Sumach said, as he examined the sky, "I have not much timeto lose, if I want a little rest before starting."
After this reflection, he lay down again by the side of his comrade,who still slept, and almost directly fell himself into deep slumber.