CHAPTER XII.
A CONFIDENTIAL CONVERSATION.
Directly on emerging from the Paseo, the two men separated, as had beenagreed on between them; that is to say, the capataz went ahead, followedat a respectful distance by Martial the Tigrero, whom the reader hasdoubtless recognized.
All happened as the capataz had announced. The streets were deserted,the horsemen only met a few half sleeping serenos leaning against thewalls, and were only crossed by a patrol of celadores walking with ahurried step, and who seemed more inclined to avoid them, than to tryand discover the motives that caused them thus to ride about the streetsof the capital at night, in defiance of the law.
The Tigrero entered the Callejon del Pajaro, and about the middle ofthe street saw the capataz's horse held by an ill-looking fellow, whogazed curiously at him. Don Martial, following the instructions givenhim, pulled his hat over his eyes to foil the mozo's curiosity, stoppedbefore the door, dismounted, threw his bridle to the fellow, and,without saying a word to him, resolutely entered the house and carefullyclosed the door after him.
He then found himself in utter darkness, but after groping his way,which was not difficult for him to do, as all Mexican houses are builtnearly on the same model, he pushed forward. After crossing the zaguan,he entered a square yard on which several doors looked; one of thesedoors was open, and a man was standing on the threshold with a cigarettein his mouth. It was Carnero.
The tiger-slayer went up to him; the other made room, and he walked on.The capataz took him by the hand and whispered, "Come with me."
In spite of the protestations of devotion previously made by thecapataz, the Tigrero in his heart was somewhat alarmed at the manner inwhich he was introduced into this mysterious house; but as he was young,vigorous, well armed, brave, and resolved, if necessary, to sell hislife dearly, he yielded his hand Unhesitatingly to Carnero, and allowedhim to guide him while seeking to pierce the darkness that surroundedhim.
But all the windows were hermetically closed with shutters, whichallowed no gleam of light to enter from without.
His guide led him through several rooms, the floors of which werecovered with matting that deadened the sound of footsteps; he took himup a flight of stairs, and opening a door with a key he took from hispocket, conducted him into a room faintly lighted by a lamp placedbefore a statue of the Virgin, standing in one corner of the room, ona species of pedestal attached to the wall, and covered with extremelydelicate lace.
"Now," said Carnero, after closing the door, from which the Tigreronoticed that he removed the key, "draw up a butaca, sit down and let ustalk, for we are in safety." Don Martial followed the advice given him,and after carefully installing himself in a butaca, looked anxiouslyaround him.
The room in which he found himself was rather spacious, furnishedtastefully and richly; several valuable pictures hung on the walls,which were covered with embossed leather, while the furniture consistedof splendid carved ebony or mahogany tables, sideboards, chiffonniers,and butacas. On the floor was an Indian petate, several books werescattered over the tables, and valuable plate was arranged on thesideboard. In short, this room displayed a proper comprehension ofcomfort, and the two windows, with their Moorish jalousies, gaveadmission to the pure breeze which greatly refreshed the atmosphere.
The capataz lighted two candles at the Virgin's lamp, placed them onthe table, and then fetching two bottles and two silver cups, whichhe placed before the Tigrero, he drew up a butaca, and seated himselfopposite his guest.
"Here is sherry which I guarantee to be real Xeres de los Caballeros;this other bottle contains chinquirito, and both are at your service,"he said, with a laugh; "whether you have a weakness for sugar canespirits, or prefer wine."
"Thanks," Don Martial replied, "but I do not feel inclined to drink."
"You would not wish to insult me by refusing to hobnob with me?"
"Very well; if you will permit me, I will take a few drops ofchinquirito in water, solely to prove to you that I am sensible of yourpoliteness."
"All right," the capataz continued, as he handed him a crystal decanter,covered with curiously worked silver filagree; "help yourself."
When they had drunk, the capataz a glass of sherry, which he sipped likea true amateur, and Don Tigrero a few drops of chinquirito drowned in aglass of water, the capataz placed his glass again on the table with asmack of his lips, and said--
"Now, I must give you a few words in explanation of the slightlymysterious way in which I brought you here, in order to dispel anydoubts which may have involuntarily invaded your mind."
"I am listening to you," the Tigrero answered.
"Take a cigar first, they are excellent." And he lit one, after pushingthe bundle over to Don Martial: the latter selected one, and soon thetwo men were enveloped in a cloud of thin and fragrant smoke.
"We are in the mansion of General Don Sebastian Guerrero," the capatazcontinued.
"What?" the Tigrero exclaimed, with a start of uneasiness.
"Re-assure yourself, no one saw you enter, and your presence here isquite unknown, for the simple reason that I brought you in by my privateentrance."
"I do not understand you."
"And yet it is very easy to explain; the house I led you through belongsto me. For reasons too long to tell you, and which would interest youbut slightly, during Don Sebastian's absence as Governor of Sonora, Ihad a passage made, and established a communication between my houseand this mansion. Everybody save myself is ignorant of the existenceof this communication, which," he added, with a glowing smile, "may ata given moment be of great utility to me. The room in which we now areforms part of the suite I occupy in the mansion, in which the general,I am proud to say, has never yet set foot. The man who took your horseis devoted to me, and even were he to betray me, it would be of littleconsequence to me, for the secret door of the passage is so closelyconcealed that I have no fear of its being discovered. Hence you seethat you have nothing to fear here, where your presence is unknown."
"But suppose you were to be sent for, through the general happening towant you suddenly?"
"Certainly, but I have foreseen that; it is my system never to leaveanything to chance. Although it has never happened yet, no one can enterhere without my being informed soon enough to get rid of any person whomay be with me, supposing that, for some reason or another, that persondid not desire to be seen."
"That is capitally arranged, and I am happy to see that you are a man ofprudence."
"Prudence is, as you know, senor, the mother of safety; and in Mexico,before all other countries, the proverb receives its application atevery moment."
The Tigrero bowed politely, but in the fashion of a man who considersthat the speaker has dwelt sufficiently long on one subject, and wishesto see him pass to another. The capataz appeared to read this almostimperceptible hint on Don Martial's face, and continued with a smile--
"But enough on that head, so let us pass, if you have no objection, tothe real purpose of our interview. A man, whose name it is unnecessaryto mention, but to whom, as I have already had the honour of tellingyou, I am devoted body and soul, sent you to me to obtain certaininformation you require, and which he supposes I am in a position togive, I will now add, that what passed between us this evening, and thegenerous way in which you rushed to my assistance, render it my boundenduty not only to give you this information, but also to help you withall my might in the success of the projects you are meditating, whateverthose projects may be, and the dangers I may incur in aiding you. So,now speak openly with me; conceal nothing from me and you will only haveto praise my frankness towards you."
"Senor," the Tigrero answered, with considerable emotion, "I thank youthe more heartily for your generous offer, for you know as well as I dowhat perils are connected with the carrying out of these plans, to saynothing of their success."
"What you are saying is true, but it will be better, I fancy, for thepresent, for me to assume to be ignorant of them, so as to leave you
theentire liberty you need for the questions you have to ask me."
"Yes, yes," he said, shaking his head sadly, "my position is soprecarious, the struggle I am engaged in is so wild, that, although I amsupported by sincere friends, I cannot be too prudent. Tell me, then,what you know as to the fate of the unfortunate Dona Anita de Torres. Isshe really dead, as the report spread alleged?"
"Do you know what happened in the cavern after your fall down theprecipice?"
"Alas! no; my ignorance is complete as to the facts that occurred afterI was abandoned as dead."
Carnero reflected for a moment. "Listen, Don Martial: before I cananswer categorically the question you have asked me, I must tell you along story. Are you ready to hear it?"
"Yes," the other answered, without hesitation, "for there are manythings I am ignorant of, which I ought to know. So speak without furtherdelay, senor, and though some parts of the narrative will be mostpainful to me, hide nothing from me, I implore you!"
"You shall be obeyed. Moreover, the night is not yet far advanced; timedoes not press us, and in two hours you will know all."
"I am impatiently waiting for you to begin."
The capataz remained for some considerable time plunged in deep andserious reflection. At length he raised his head, leant forward, andsetting his left elbow on the table, began as follows:--
"At the time when the facts occurred I am about to tell you, I wasliving at the Hacienda del Palmar, of which I was steward. Hence I wasonly witness to a portion of the facts, and only know the rest fromhearsay. When the Comanches arrived, guided by the white men, Don Sylvade Torres was lying mortally wounded, holding in his stiffened arms hisdaughter Anita, who had suddenly gone mad on seeing you roll down theprecipice in the grasp of the Indian chief. Don Sebastian Guerrero wasthe only relation left to the hapless young lady, and hence she wastaken to his hacienda."
"What?" Don Martial exclaimed in surprise. "Don Sebastian is a relationof Dona Anita?"
"Did you not know that?"
"I had not the slightest idea of it; and yet I had for several yearsbeen closely connected with the Torres family, for I was their tigrero."
"I know it. Well, this is how the relationship exists: Don Sebastianmarried a niece of Don Sylva's, so you see they were closely connected.Still, for reasons never thoroughly made known, a few years after thegeneral's marriage, a dispute broke out which led to a total suspensionof intimacy between the two families. That is probably the reason whyyou never heard of the connection existing between the Sylvas and theTorres."
The Tigrero shook his head. "Go on," he said. "How did the generalreceive his relation?"
"He was not at the hacienda at the time; but an express was sent offto him, and I was the man. The general came post haste, seemed greatlymoved at the double misfortune that had befallen the young lady, gaveorders for her to be kindly treated, appointed several women to waiton her, and returned to his post at Sonora, where events of the utmostgravity summoned him."
"Yes, yes, I have heard of the French invasion, and that their leaderwas shot by the general's orders. I presume you are alluding to that?"
"Yes. Almost immediately after these events the general returned tothe Palmar. He was no longer the same man. The horrible death of hisdaughter rendered him gloomier and harsher to any person whom chancebrought into contact with him. For a whole week he remained shut up inhis apartments, refusing to see any of us; but, at last, one day hesent for me to inquire as to what had happened at the hacienda duringhis absence. I had but little to tell him, for life was too simple anduniform at this remote dwelling for anything at all interesting for himto have occurred. Still he listened without interruption, with his headin his hands, and apparently taking great interest in what I told him,especially when it referred to poor Dona Anita, whose gentle interestingmadness drew tears from us rough men, when we saw her wandering, paleand white as a spectre, about the huerta, murmuring in a low voice onename, ever the same, which none of us could overhear, and raising toheaven her lovely face, bathed in tears. The general let me say all Ihad to say, and when I ended he, too, remained silent for some time. Atlength, raising his head, he looked at me for a moment angrily."
"'What are you doing there?' he asked."
"'I am waiting,' I answered, 'for the orders it may please yourexcellency to give me.'"
"He looked at me for a few more moments as if trying to read my verythoughts, and then laid his hand on my arm. 'Carnero,' he said to me,'you have been a long time in my service, but take care lest I shouldhave to dismiss you. I do not like,' he said, with a stress on thewords, 'servants who are too intelligent and too clear-sighted,' andwhen I tried to excuse myself, he added, 'Not a word--profit by theadvice I have given you, and now lead me to Dona Anita's apartments.'"
"I obeyed with hanging head; the general remained an hour with theyoung lady, and I never knew what was said between them. It is truethat now and then I heard the general speaking loudly and angrily, andDona Anita weeping, and apparently making some entreaty to him; butthat was all, for prudence warned me to keep at too great a distanceto overhear a single word. When the general came out he was pale, andsharply ordered me to prepare everything for his departure. The morrowat daybreak we set out for Mexico, and Dona Anita followed us, carriedin a palanquin. The journey was a long one, but so long as it lasted thegeneral did not once speak to the young lady, or approach the side ofher palanquin. So soon as we reached our journey's end, Dona Anita wascarried to the Convent of the Bernardines, where she had been educated,and the good sisters received her with tears of sorrowful sympathy. Thegeneral, owing to the influence he enjoyed, easily succeeded in gettinghimself appointed guardian to the young lady, and immediately assumedthe management of her estates, which, as you doubtless are aware, areconsiderable, even in this country where large fortunes are so common."
"I know it," said the Tigrero, with a sigh.
"All these matters settled," the capataz continued, "the generalreturned to Sonora to arrange his affairs, and hand over the governmentto the person appointed to succeed him, and who started for his postsome days previously. I will not tell you what happened then, as youknow it; besides, we have only been back in Mexico for a fortnight, andyou and your friends followed our track from the Rocky Mountains."
The Tigrero raised his head. "Is that really all?" he asked.
"Yes," the capataz answered.
"On your honour?" Don Martial added, looking fixedly at him.
Carnero hesitated. "Well, no," he said at last, "there is something elseI must tell you."