Part 39 (1/2)
”_Tomal_ Why it is Don Cornelio Lantejas!”
The ex-student reopened his eyes; and, looking up, recognised the young officer in whose company he had journeyed, on his way to San Salvador, whom he had afterwards met at the hacienda Las Palmas.
CHAPTER FIFTY.
A SPLENDID STROKE.
Surrounded by his staff, Morelos still continued to watch the progress of events. From the commanding position which he held, almost every incident of the battle could be observed. Even those occurring at the most distant point of the field were observable through the medium of the telescope. Among other objects that had attracted his notice was a horseman going at full gallop along the crossroad, which led from the field of maize to the Royalist encampment.
”Ha!” exclaimed he to an officer of his staff; ”if I'm not mistaken, it is our Captain Lantejas who is galloping down yonder. Where can he be going? No doubt he is about to strike one of those improvised, decisive blows in which he excels--as when at Cuautla, he dashed his horse full tilt against the gigantic Spanish cuira.s.sier, and received the sabre stroke that might else have fallen upon my own skull. Fortunately his sword turned in the hand of the Spaniard, and Don Cornelio was struck by the flat side of the blade, which only knocked him out of his saddle, without doing him any great injury.”
”Senor General,” remarked the officer, with some show of hesitation; ”there are evil-disposed persons, who pretend to say that--that--”
”What do they pretend to say?” demanded Morelos.
”Why, that on the occasion of which your Excellency speaks, the horse of Senor Lantejas was running away with him.”
”An odious calumny!” p.r.o.nounced Morelos, in a severe tone. ”Envy is always the proof of merit.”
At this moment, Don Cornelio disappeared from off the crossroad; and Morelos now saw coming in the same direction a Spanish officer also going at a gallop.
”_Santissima_!” cried Morelos, recognising the latter through his gla.s.s.
”As I live, it is the brave Caldelas, who also appears to have been seized with vertigo! What can all this galloping mean?”
It was in reality Caldelas, who, pistol in hand, was searching for Regules, to accomplish the threat he had made.
Just then Don Cornelio again appeared in the crossroad; but this time going in the opposite direction, as if charging forward to meet Caldelas.
”See!” cried Morelos to his staff. ”Look yonder--an encounter between Caldelas and the Captain! Ha! what was I saying to you? _Viva Dios_!-- did you ever see such a beautiful _coup de lance_? He has struck down the most formidable of our enemies. Huzza! Victory is ours! The Spaniards are scattering! They yield the ground, and all because their bravest leader has been slain. Now, sir!” continued the General, turning to the officer who had doubted the courage of Don Cornelio; ”will that silence the detractors of Senor Lantejas? To whom, if not to him, are we indebted for this splendid victory? Presently you will see him ride with his accustomed modesty, to say that he has simply done his duty. Otherwise, should he present himself to be complimented, he shall find his mistake: I must reprimand him for being too rash.”
”Happy is he whom your Excellency is pleased to reprimand in such fas.h.i.+on,” said the officer, withdrawing to one side.
”Let us onward!” exclaimed Morelos. ”The action is over--the siege is raised, and our enemies are in full retreat. To Yanguitlan, and then-- to take up our winter-quarters in the capital of Oajaca!”
On p.r.o.nouncing these word, Morelos remounted his horse and rode off, followed by his officers.
We return to Colonel Tres-Villas and the ex-student of theology.
Notwithstanding the violent wrath of Don Rafael against the man who had killed his brave comrade, Caldelas, there was something so ludicrously comic in the countenance of the ex-student--so much innocent simplicity in its expression--that the resentment of Don Rafael vanished upon the instant. Then, quick as a flash of lightning, came over him the remembrance of that day--at the same time terrible and delightful--when parting from the student of theology, he had hurried forward to see Gertrudis, and receive from her the avowal of her love--alas! too soon forgotten!
These souvenirs--but more especially that recalling the daughter of Don Mariano--formed the aegis of the ex-student. A bitter smile curled upon the lip of Don Rafael, as he looked upon the pale and feeble youth within his grasp. ”If such a man,” thought he, ”has been able to give his death-blow to the valiant Caldelas--whose very glance he could scarce have borne--it must be that the hours of the vice-royalty are numbered.”
”You may thank your stars,” he continued, addressing himself to Lantejas, ”for having fallen into the hands of one, who is hindered by old memories from revenging upon you the death of the valiant Caldelas, the bravest of the Spanish chiefs.”
”Ah! is the brave Caldelas dead?” inquired Don Cornelio, scarce sensible of what he was saying. ”Is it possible? But it must be so, if you say it. In any case, I pardon him, and you too.”
”Very gracious of you,” rejoined Don Rafael, with a sarcastic smile.