CHAPTER FORTY TWO.
BEARDING A BRIGAND.
In addition to the consequences that would arise from his resolve--already foreseen by Don Rafael Tres-Villas--there was one other of whichhe could not have had any foresight.
A glance into the interior of the hacienda will proclaim thisconsequence.
Within that chamber, already known to the reader, were Don Mariano deSilva, with his two daughters; and their situation was enough to justifythe silence which succeeded to the summons of the dragoon. Inside theclosed door, and by the side of the two young girls, stood Arroyo andBocardo. Poignard in hand, the brigands were tracing out to Don Marianothe line of conduct he should pursue.
"Listen to me, Don Mariano de Silva," said the former, with an air ofbrutal mockery that was habitual to him, "I rather think you are tooloyal a gentleman to dishonour the laws of hospitality by delivering upyour guests."
"It is true," replied the haciendado, "you may rest assured--"
"I know it," continued Arroyo, interrupting him; "you would not betrayus of your own accord. But this demon of a dragoon captain will breakopen the gate, and take us in spite of your intreaties. Now, listen!and hear what I wish you to do."
"Can you suggest any means of preventing him from acting thus?"
"Nothing more simple, good Senor de Silva. This _coyote_ of the devilis your personal friend. If in the quality of your serving-man--thatis, in times past--I chanced to apprehend a little of what was going on,you cannot blame me. If I am not mistaken, the dragoon captain has alittle weakness for the pretty Dona Gertrudis. For that reason he willpay some regard to the danger that now hangs over the young lady'shead."
"Danger! I do not comprehend you."
"You will, presently. You may say to the captain outside there, that ifhe persists in breaking open your gates, he may capture _us_ alive.That he may do, beyond doubt; but as to yourself, and your twodaughters, he will find nothing more of you than your dead bodies. Youunderstand me now?"
Arroyo need not have been so explicit. Half the speech would have beenenough to explain his fearful meaning. The air of ferocity thatcharacterised his features was sufficiently indicative of his thoughts.
The daughters of Don Mariano, terrified at his looks, flung themselvessimultaneously into the arms of their father.
At that moment the notes of the bugle resounded through the building;and the voice of the dragoon was heard for the second time pronouncinghis summons.
The haciendado, troubled about the fate of his children--thus completelyin the power of his unfaithful vaqueros, whose companions crowded thecorridor--permitted the second summons to pass without response.
"_Mil Devionios_!" cried the bandit, "why do you hesitate? Come! showyourself at the window, and make known to this furious captain what Ihave told you. _Carrai_! if you do not--"
The bugle sounding for the third summons drowned the remainder of thebrigand's speech. As soon as the trumpet notes had ceased to echo fromthe walls, a voice was heard from without, the tones of which producedwithin the heart of Gertrudis at the same moment both fear and joy.
It was the voice of Rafael.
Quickly following it were heard the cries of the troopers as they calledaloud--
"Death to the enemies of Spain!"
"One moment!" shouted Don Mariano, presenting himself at the window,where he could command a view of the plain below; "I have two words tosay to your captain: where is he?"
"Here!" responded Don Rafael, riding a pace or two in front.
"Ah! pardon," said the haciendado, with a bitter smile; "I have hithertoknown Captain Tres-Villas only as a friend. I could not recognise himin the man who threatens with ruin the house where he has been a guest."
At this imprudent speech--whose irony Don Mariano had not been able toconceal--the face of the Captain, hitherto deadly pale, became red.
"And I," he replied, "can only recognise in you the promoter of animpious insurrection, which I have striven to crush, and the master of amansion of which brigands are the guests. You have understood mysummons? They must be delivered up."
"In any case," rejoined the haciendado, "I should not have betrayedthose I had promised to protect. As it is, however, I am not left to myown choice in this matter; and I am charged to say to you, on the partof those whom you pursue, that they will poignard my two daughters andmyself before suffering themselves to fall into your hands. Our livesdepend on them, Captain Tres-Villas. It is for you to say, whether youstill persist in your demand, that they be delivered up to you."
The irony had completely disappeared from the speech and countenance ofthe haciendado, and his last words were pronounced with a sad but firmdignity, that went to the heart of Don Rafael.
A cloud came over it at the thought of Gertrudis falling under thedaggers of the guerilleros, whom he knew to be capable of executingtheir threat; and it was almost with a feeling of relief that heperceived this means of escaping from a duty, whose fulfilment he hadhitherto regarded as imperious.
"Well, then," said he, after a short silence, and in a tone that bespokethe abandonment of his resolution, "say to the brigand, who is calledArroyo, that he has nothing to fear, if he will only show himself. Ipledge my solemn word to this. I do not mean to grant him pardon--onlythat reprieve which humanity claims for him."
"Oh! I don't require your solemn word," cried the bandit, impudentlypresenting himself by the side of Don Mariano. "Inside here I have twohostages, that will answer for my life better than your word. You wishme to show myself. What want you with me, Senor Captain?"
With the veins of his forehead swollen almost to bursting, his lipquivering with rage, and his eyes on fire, Don Rafael looked upon theassassin of his father--the man whom he had so long vainly pursued--thebrigand, in fine, whom he could seize in a moment, and yet was compelledto let escape. No wonder that it cost him an effort to subdue theimpetuous passions that were struggling in his breast.
Involuntarily his hand closed upon the reins of his bridle, and hisspurs pressed against the flanks of his horse, till the animal,tormented by the touch, reared upwards, and bounded forward almost tothe walls of the hacienda.
One might have fancied that his rider intended to clear the obstaclethat separated him from his cowardly enemy--who, on his part, could notrestrain himself from making a gesture of affright.
"That which I wish of the brigand Arroyo," at length responded theCaptain, "is to fix his features in my memory, so that I may know themagain, when I pursue him, to drag his living body after the heels of myhorse."
"If it is to promise me only such favours that you have called me out--"said the bandit, making a motion to re-enter the chamber.
"Stay--hear me!" cried Don Rafael, interrupting him with a gesture;"your life is safe. I have said it. Humanity has compelled me to spareyou."
"_Carrambo_! I am grateful, Captain; I know the act is to your taste."
"Gratitude from you would be an insult; but if in the red ditch-waterthat runs through your heart there be a spark of courage, mount yourhorse, choose what arms you please, and come forth. I defy you tosingle combat!"
Don Rafael in pronouncing this challenge rose erect in his stirrups.His countenance, noble and defiant, presented a strange contrast to theaspect of vulgar ferocity that characterised the features of the manthus addressed. The insult was point blank, and would have aroused theveriest poltroon; but Arroyo possessed only the courage of the vulture.
"Indeed?" responded he, sneeringly. "Bah! do you suppose me such a foolas to go down there? fifty to one!"
"I pledge my honour, as a gentleman," continued the captain, "as anofficer, in the presence of his soldiers; as a Christian, in thepresence of his God--that whatever may be the issue of the combat--thatis, if I succumb--no harm shall happen to you."
For a moment the bandit appeared to hesitate. One might have fanciedthat he was calculating the chances of an encounter. But the addressand valour of the dragoon captain were
known to him by too many proofs,to allow him to reckon many chances in his favour. He dared not riskthe combat.
"I refuse," he said, at length.
"Mount your horse. I shall abandon mine, and fight you on foot."
"_Demonio_! I refuse, I tell you."
"Enough. I might have known it. One word more then, I shall stillagree to your life being spared. I solemnly promise it, if you willallow the inmates of this hacienda to leave the place, and putthemselves under the safeguard of a loyal enemy."
"I refuse again," said the bandit, with a demoniac sneer.
"Away, poltroon! you are less than man; and, by the God of vengeance,when this hand clutches you, you shall not die as a man, but as a maddog."
After delivering this terrible adieu, the captain put spurs to hishorse, turning his back upon the bandit with a gesture of the mostprofound contempt.
The bugle sounded the "forward;" and the detachment, wheeling around thewall of the hacienda, once more took the road that led over the ridge.
Among other bitter reflections, with which this interview had furnishedDon Rafael, not the least painful was his apprehension for the safety ofGertrudis. No wonder he should have fears; considering the character ofthe ruffians in whose power he was compelled to leave her.
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The apprehensions of Don Rafael were only realised in part.
Two days afterwards he received information from one of his scouts--sentto Las Palmas for the purpose--that Arroyo and Bocardo had quitted theneighbourhood--this time in reality--and that Don Mariano and hisdaughters had suffered no further injury from them, beyond the pillageof their hacienda. This the robbers had stripped of every valuable thatit was convenient for them to carry away.