Part 40 (1/2)

”You will grant me one--that of giving me your hand,” said the ex-muleteer, at the same time cordially holding out his own.

”Never to a conqueror!” exclaimed Don Rafael, though evidently affected, in spite of himself, by the action and speech of his generous enemy.

”Here there is neither conqueror nor conquered,” rejoined Trujano, with that winning smile that gained all hearts. ”There is a man, however, who always remembers a service done to him.”

”And another who never forgets one,” repeated Don Rafael, with warmth, at the same time grasping the hand that was still held towards him.

Then the two hors.e.m.e.n drew their horses nearer, and exchanged the most cordial greetings.

Trujano profited by this occasion to whisper in the ear of his enemy, and with a delicacy which still further moved Don Rafael, whose pride he had treated with such condescension--

”Go--you are free. Only promise not to cut the hair off the heads of any more poor women; although it is said there was one whose heart trembled with pride that the conqueror of Aguas Calientes should send her such a terrible souvenir. Go!” added he, withdrawing his hand from the convulsive grasp of Don Rafael, ”deliver yourself up a prisoner at the hacienda Las Palmas, where the road is open for you, believe me.”

Then, as if he had too long occupied himself with the trivial affairs of the world, the countenance of Trujano resumed its expression of ascetic gravity, and when the eye of Don Rafael was interrogating it, in hopes of reading there the true signification of the last words, the insurgent chieftain called out--

”Let Don Rafael Tres-Villas pa.s.s free! Let every one forget what has occurred.”

Saying this, he formally saluted the Royalist colonel with his sword, who could only return the salute with a glance of the most profound grat.i.tude.

Don Rafael pressed the hand of the Captain; and bowing coldly to the other insurgents, rode out from their midst. Then, urging his horse into a gallop, he followed the road that led outward from the plain of Huaj.a.pam.

On finding himself alone, he reduced the speed of his horse to a walk, and became absorbed in a reverie of reflection. The last words of Trujano--what could they mean? ”_The road is open for you, believe me_.” Was it an a.s.surance that he should be welcomed at the hacienda of Las Palmas? Should he proceed thither, as the insurgent colonel had counselled him? or should he go direct to Del Valle, to make arrangements for his last campaign against the brigand Arroyo?

Once more had commenced the struggle between love and duty.

Don Rafael would not have hesitated long as to the course he should pursue, had some good genius only made known to him a certain fact--that at that same hour an accident was occurring at the hacienda Del Valle, of a nature to reconcile the two conflicting sentiments that had warped the thread of his destiny.

A messenger from Don Mariano--the same who had brought back Roncador to Del Valle--had on that very day again presented himself at the hacienda.

This time his errand was one of a purely personal nature--to Don Rafael Tres-Villas himself.

”Where are you from?” demanded Veraegui of the messenger, in his usual blunt Catalonian fas.h.i.+on.

”Oajaca!”

”Who has sent you?”

”Don Mariano de Silva.”

”What do you want with the Colonel?”

”I can only declare my errand to the Colonel himself.”

”Then you will have to go to Huaj.a.pam first--that is, unless you prefer to wait till he arrives here. We expect him in three or four days.”

”I prefer going to Huaj.a.pam,” rejoined the man ”my errand is of such a nature that it will not bear delay.”

This messenger was on his way to Huaj.a.pam, and not more than thirty leagues from the town, at the moment when Don Rafael was leaving it to proceed in the opposite direction.

Meanwhile Trujano, returning to the field of battle covered with the bodies of his dead and wounded enemies, caused all his soldiers to kneel, and publicly render thanks to G.o.d for having delivered them from their long and painful siege. Morelos at the same moment ordered his troops to prostrate themselves in prayer; and then a psalm was sung by all in chorus, to consecrate the important victory they had gained.

Don Rafael was still not so distant from the field but that he could hear the swelling of many voices in the pious chaunt. The sounds fell with melancholy effect upon his ears, until the tears began to chase themselves over his cheeks.