Part 12 (2/2)
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.”
CHAPTER XVI
When Alday had left us, the charming senorita, in whose care I was well pleased to find myself, led me into a cool, s.p.a.cious room, dimly lighted, scantily furnished, and with a floor of red tiles. It was a great relief to drop into a sofa there, for I now felt fatigued and suffered great pain from my arm. In a few moments I had the senorita, her mother, Dona Mercedes, and an old serving-woman all round me.
Gently drawing off my coat, they subjected my wounded arm to a minute examination; their compa.s.sionate finger-tips--those of the lovely Dolores especially--feeling like a soft, cooling rain on the swollen, inflamed part, which had become quite purple.
”Ah, how barbarous of them to hurt you like that! a friend, too, of our General!” exclaimed my beautiful nurse; which made me think that I had involuntarily become a.s.sociated with the right political party in the State.
They rubbed the arm with sweet oil; while the old servant brought in a bundle of rue from the garden, which, being bruised in a mortar, filled the room with a fresh, aromatic smell. With this fragrant herb she made a cooling cataplasm. Having dressed my arm, they placed it in a sling, then in place of my coat a light Indian _poncho_ was brought for me to wear.
”I think you are feverish,” said Dona Mercedes, feeling my pulse. ”We must send for the doctor--we have a doctor in our little town, a very skilful man.”
”I have little faith in doctors, senora,” I said, ”but great faith in women and grapes. If you will give me a cl.u.s.ter from your vine to refresh my blood I promise to be well very soon.”
Dolores laughed lightly and left the room, only to return in a few minutes with a dish full of ripe, purple cl.u.s.ters. They were delicious, and did seem to allay the fever I felt, which had probably been caused as much by angry pa.s.sions as by the blow I had received.
While I reclined luxuriously, sucking my grapes, the two ladies sat on each side of me, ostensibly fanning themselves, but only, I think, trying to make the air cooler for me. Very cool and pleasant they made it, certainly, but the gentle attentions of Dolores were at the same time such as might well create a subtler kind of fever in a man's veins--a malady not to be cured by fruit, fans, or phlebotomy.
”Who would not suffer blows for such compensation as this!” I said.
”Do not say such a thing!” exclaimed the senorita, with wonderful animation. ”Have you not rendered a great service to our dear General--to our beloved country! If we had it in our power to give you everything your heart might desire it would be nothing, nothing. We must be your debtors for ever.”
I smiled at her extravagant words, but they were very sweet to hear, none the less.
”Your ardent love of your country is a beautiful sentiment,” I remarked somewhat indiscreetly, ”but is General Santa Coloma so necessary to its welfare?”
She looked offended and did not reply. ”You are a stranger in our country, senor, and do not quite understand these things,” said the mother gently. ”Dolores must not forget that. You know nothing of the cruel wars we have seen and how our enemies have conquered only by bringing in the foreigner to their aid. Ah, senor, the bloodshed, the proscriptions, the infamies which they have brought on this land! But there is one man they have never yet succeeded in crus.h.i.+ng: always from boyhood he has been foremost in the fight, defying their bullets, and not to be corrupted by their Brazilian gold. Is it strange that he is so much to us, who have lost all our relations, and have suffered many persecutions, being deprived almost of the means of subsistence that hirelings and traitors might be enriched with our property? To us in this house he is even more than to others. He was my husband's friend and companion in arms. He has done us a thousand favours, and if he ever succeeds in overthrowing this infamous government he will restore to us all the property we have lost. But _ai de mi_, I cannot see deliverance yet.”
”_Mamita,_ do not say such a thing!” exclaimed her daughter. ”Do you begin to despair now when there is most reason to hope?”
”Child, what can he do with this handful of ill-armed men?” returned the mother sadly. ”He has bravely raised the standard, but the people do not flock to it. Ah, when this revolt is crushed, like so many others, we poor women will only have to lament for more friends slain and fresh persecutions.” And here she covered her eyes with her handkerchief.
Dolores tossed her head back and made a sudden gesture of impatience.
”Do you, then, expect to see a great army formed before the ink is dry on the General's proclamation? When Santa Coloma was a fugitive without a follower you hoped; now when he is with us, and actually preparing for a march on the capital, you begin to lose heart--I cannot understand it!”
Dona Mercedes rose without replying, and left the room. The lovely enthusiast dropped her head on her hand, and remained silent, taking no notice of me, a cloud of sorrow on her countenance.
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