The Purple Land: Chapter 15

Chapter 15

In the evening Alday returned with a couple of his friends, and, as
soon as an opportunity offered, I took him aside and begged him to let
me have a horse to continue my journey to Montevideo. He answered
evasively that the horse I had lost in the neighbouring forest would
probably be recovered in the course of two or three days. I replied
that if he would let me have a horse, the one I had lost, together
with saddle, _poncho_, etc., could be claimed by him whenever
they turned up. He then said that he could not very well give me ahorse,
"with saddle and bridle also." It looked as if he wanted to
keep me in his house for some purpose of his own, and this made me all
the more determined to leave it immediately, in spite of the tender,
reproachful glances which Monica flashed on me from under her long,
drooping eyelashes. I told him that if I could not have a horse I would
leave his _estancia_ on foot. That rather put him in a corner;
for in this country, where horse-stealing and cheating at cards are
looked on as venial offenses, to let a man leave your _estancia_
on foot is considered a very dishonourable thing. He pondered over my
declaration for some minutes, then, after conferring with his friends,
he promised to provide me with all I required next day. I had heard
nothing more about the revolution, but after supper Alday suddenly
became very confidential, and said that the whole country would be up
in arms in the course of a very few days, and that it would be highly
dangerous for me to attempt travelling by myself to the capital. He
expatiated on the immense prestige of General Santa Coloma, who had
just taken up arms against the Colorado party then in power, and
concluded by saying that my safest plan would be to join the rebels,
and accompany them on their march to Montevideo which would begin
almost immediately. I replied that I took no interest in the dissensions
of the Banda Orient�l, and did not wish to compromise myself by joining
a military expedition of any kind. He shrugged his shoulders, and,
renewing his promise of a horse next day, retired to rest.

On rising next morning I found that the others were already up. The
horses were standing saddled at the door, and Alday, pointing out a
very fair-looking animal, informed me that it had been saddled for me,
and then added that he and his friends would ride one or two leagues
with me to put me on the right road to Montevideo. He had suddenly
become almost too kind, but in the simplicity of my heart I believed
that he was only making amends for the slight inhospitality of the day
before.

After partaking of bitter _mat�_, I thanked my hostess, looked
my last into Monica's dark, sorrowful eyes, lifted for one moment to
mine, and kissed little Anita's pathetic face, by so doing filling the
child with astonishment and causing considerable amusement to the other
members of the family. After we had ridden about four miles, keeping
nearly parallel with the river, it struck me that we were not going
in the right direction--the right one for me, at any rate. I therefore
checked my horse and told my companions that I would not trouble them
to ride with me any further.

"My friend," said Alday, approaching me, "you will, if you leave us
now, infallibly fall into the hands of some _partida_, who, finding
you without a passport, will take you to El Molino, or to some other
centre. Though it would make no difference if you had a passport, for
they would only tear it up and take you all the same. In these
circumstances it is your safest plan to go with us to El Molino, where
General Santa Coloma is collecting his forces, and you will then be
able to explain your position to him."

"I refuse to go to El Molino," I said angrily, exasperated at his
treachery.

"You will then compel us to take you there," he returned.

I had no wish to become a prisoner again so soon, and, seeing that a
bold stroke was necessary to keep my liberty, I suddenly reined up my
horse and drew my revolver. "My friends," I said, "your road lies inthat
direction; mine in this. I wish you good morning."

I had scarcely finished speaking before a blow of a heavy whip-handle
descended on my arm below the elbow, almost breaking it, and sending
me off my horse, while the revolver went spinning away a dozen yards.
The blow had been dealt by one of Alday's two followers, who had just
dropped a little to the rear, and the rascal certainly showed a
marvellous quickness and dexterity in disabling me.

Wild with rage and pain, I scrambled to my feet, and, drawing my knife,
threatened to stab the first man who approached me; and then, in
unmeasured language, I abused Alday for his cowardice and brutality.
He only smiled and replied that he considered my youth, and therefore
felt no resentment against me for using such intemperate words.

"And now, my friend," he continued, after picking up my revolver and
remounting his horse, "let us waste no more time, but hasten on to El
Molino, where you can state your case to the General."

As I did not wish to be tied on to my horse and carried in that
unpleasant and ignominious manner, I had to obey. Climbing into the
saddle with some difficulty, we set out towards the village of El
Molino at a swinging gallop. The rough motion of the horse I rode
increased the pain in my arm till it became intolerable; then one of
the men mercifully bound it up in a sling, after which I was able to
travel more comfortably, though still suffering a great deal.

The day was excessively warm, and we did not reach our destination
till about three o'clock in the afternoon. Just before entering the
town we rode through a little army of gauchos encamped on the adjacent
plain. Some of them were engaged cooking meat, others were saddling
horses, while others, in bodies of twenty or thirty, were going through
cavalry exercises, the whole making a scene of wonderful animation.
Very nearly all the men wore the ordinary gaucho costume, and those
who were exercising carried lances, to which were attached little
white, fluttering bannerets. Passing through the encampment, we
clattered into the town, composed of about seventy or eighty houses
of stone or mud, some thatched, others with tiled roofs, and every
house with a large garden attached to it. At the official building
facing the plaza a guard of ten men, armed with carbines, was stationed.
We dismounted and went into the building, only to hear that the General
had just left the town, and was not expected back till the following
day.

Alday spoke to an officer sitting at a table in the room we were shown
into, addressing him as Major. He was a thin, elderly man, with calm
grey eyes and a colourless face, and looked like a gentleman. After
hearing a few words from Alday, he turned to me and said courteously
that he was sorry to tell me I should have to remain in El Molino till
the General's return, when I could give an account of myself to him.

"We do not," he said in conclusion, "wish to compel any foreigner, or
any Oriental even, to join our forces; but we are naturally suspicious
of strangers, having already caught two or three spies in the
neighbourhood. Unfortunately you are not provided with a passport, and
it is best that the General should see you."

"Sir officer," I replied, "by ill-treating and detaining an Englishman
you are doing your cause no good."

He answered that he was grieved that his people had found it necessary
to treat me roughly, for he put it in that mild way. Everything, he
said, short of liberating me, would be done to make my sojourn in El
Molino pleasant.

"If it is necessary that the General should see me himself before I
can have my liberty, pray let these men take me to him at once," I
said.

"He has not yet left El Molino," said an orderly, standing in the room.

"He is at the end of the town at the Casa Blanca, and does not leave
till half-past three."

"It is nearly that now," said the officer, consulting his watch. "Take
him to the General at once, Lieutenant Alday."

I thanked the officer, who had looked and spoken so unlike a
revolutionary bandit, and, as soon as I had succeeded in clambering
on to my horse, we were once more dashing along the main street at a
fast gallop. We drew up before a large, old-looking stone house at the
end of the town, standing some distance back from the road, and screened
from it by a double row of tall Lombardy poplars. The back of the house
was towards the road, and, passing round to the front after leaving
our horses at the gate, we entered a spacious _patio_, or yard.
Running along the front of the dwelling was a wide corridor, supported
by wooden pillars, painted white, while the whole of the _patio_
was shaded by an immense grape-vine. This was evidently one of the
best houses in the place, and, coming directly from the glaring sun
and the white, dusty road, the vine-shaded _patio_ and corridor
looked delightfully cool and inviting. A gay company of twelve or
fifteen people were gathered under the corridor, some sipping
_mat�_, others sucking grapes; and when we came on the scene a
young lady was just finishing a song she was singing. I at once singled
out General Santa Coloma, sitting by the young lady with the guitar--a
tall, imposing man, with somewhat irregular features, and a bronzed,
weather-beaten face. He was booted and spurred, and over his uniform
wore a white silk _poncho_ with purple fringe. I judged from his
countenance that he was not a stern or truculent man, as one expects
a Caudillo--a leader of men--in the Banda Orient�l to be: and,
remembering that in a few minutes he would be leaving the house, I was
anxious to push forward and state my case to him. The others, however,
prevented me, for the General just then happened to be engaged in a
vivacious conversation with the young lady sitting by him. When I had
once looked attentively at this girl I had eyes for no other face
there. The type was Spanish, and I have never seen a more perfect face
of the kind; a wealth of blue-black hair shading the low, broad
forehead, straight nose, dark, luminous eyes, and crimson, pouting
lips. She was tall, perfect in her figure as in her face, and wore a
white dress with a deep red China rose on her bosom for only ornament.
Standing there unnoticed at the end of the corridor, I gazed with a
kind of fascination on her, listening to her light, rippling laughter
and lively talk, watching her graceful gestures, her sparkling eyes,
and damask cheeks flushed with excitement. Here is a woman, I thought
with a sigh--I felt a slight twinge at that disloyal sigh--I could
have worshipped. She was pressing the guitar on the General.

"You have promised to sing one song before you go, and I cannot let
you off," she exclaimed.

At length he took the instrument, protesting that his voice was a very
bad one; then, sweeping the strings, began that fine old Spanish song
of love and war:

"_Cuando suena la trompa guerrera_."

His voice was uncultivated and somewhat harsh, but there was a good
deal of fire and expression in the performance, and it was rapturously
applauded.

The moment the song was over he handed her back the guitar, and,
starting up hastily, bade the company adieu, and turned to go.

Coming forward, I placed myself before him and began to speak.

"I am pressed for time and cannot listen to you now," he said quickly,
scarcely glancing at me. "You are a prisoner--wounded, I see; well,
when I return--" Suddenly he stopped, caught hold of my wounded arm,
and said, "How did you get hurt? Tell me quickly."

His sharp, impatient manner, and the sight of twenty people all standing
round staring at me, quite upset me, and I could only stammer out a
few unintelligible words, feeling that my face was blushing scarlet
to the very roots of my hair.

"Let me tell you, General," said Alday, advancing.

"No, no," said the General; "he shall speak."

The sight of Alday so eager to give his version of the affair first
restored my anger to me, and with that came back the power of speech
and the other faculties which I had lost for a moment.

"Sir General, all I have to say is this," I said; "I came to this man's
house at night, a stranger, lost, on foot, for my horse had been stolen
from me. I asked him for shelter in the belief that at least the one
virtue of hospitality still survives in this country. He, assisted by
these two men, treacherously disabled me with a blow on my arm and
dragged me here a prisoner."

"My good friend," said the General, "I am extremely sorry that you
have been hurt through an excess of zeal on the part of one of my
people. But I can scarcely regret this incident, painful as it seems,
since it enables me to assure you that one other virtue besides
hospitality still survives in the Banda Orient�l--I mean gratitude."

"I do not understand you," I said.

"We were companions in misfortune a very short time ago," he returned.
"Have you forgotten the service you did me then?"

I stared at him, astonished at his words; and while I looked into his
face, suddenly that scene at the magistrate's _estancia_, when
I went with the key to let my fellow-traveller out of the stocks, and
he jumped up and seized my hand, flashed on me. Still I was not quite
sure, and half whispered tentatively, "What, Marcos Marc�?"

"Yes," he returned, smiling, "that was my name at that moment. My
friends," he continued, resting a hand on my shoulder, and speaking
to the others, "I have met this young Englishman before. A few days
ago, when I was on my way hither, I was arrested at Las Cuevas in his
company; it was by means of his assistance that I succeeded in making
my escape. He did this good deed, believing at the time that he was
helping a poor peasant, and not expecting any return."

I might have reminded him that only after he had given me a solemn
assurance that he did not intend attempting to make his escape, did
I consent to get his legs out of the stocks. However, as he thought
proper to forget that part of the affair I was not going to recall it
to him.

There were many surprised exclamations from the bystanders, and,
glancing at that beautiful girl, who was standing near with the others,
I found her dark eyes fixed on my face with an expression of tenderness
and sympathy in them that sent the blood rushing to my heart.

"They have hurt you badly, I fear," said the General, addressing me
again. "To continue your journey now would be imprudent. Let me beg
of you to remain where you are, in this house, till your arm is better."
Then, turning to the young lady, he said, "Dolores, will you and your
mother take charge of my young friend till I return, and see that his
injured arm is attended to?"

"My General, you will make us happy by leaving him in our care," she
replied, with a bright smile.

He then introduced me as Don Ricardo simply--for he did not know my
surname--to the lovely se�orita, Dolores Zelaya; after which he again
bade us adieu and hurried away.

When he had gone, Alday advanced, hat in hand, and gave me back my
revolver, which I had forgotten all about. I took it with my left hand,
and put it in my pocket. He then apologised for having treated me
roughly--the Major had taught him that word--but without the faintest
trace of servility in his speech or manner; and after that he offered
me his hand.

"Which will you have," I said, "the hand you have injured or the left
hand?"

He immediately dropped his own hand to his side, then, bowing, said
he would wait till I had recovered the use of my right hand. Turning
to go, he added with a smile that he hoped the injury would soon heal,
so that I would be able to wield a sword in my friend Santa Coloma's
cause.

His manner, I thought, was a little too independent. "Pray take back
your horse now," I said, "as I have no further use for it, and accept
my thanks for conducting me thus far on my journey."

"Do not mention it," he replied, with a dignified wave of his hand.
"I am pleased to have been able to render you this small service."

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