Part 18 (1/2)
With his immense, unspeakably serious eyes fixed on me, he remarked quietly, ”And this, my friends, is the man who says it is wrong to steal horses!”
But I was past shrieking now. Even this rich specimen of topsy-turvy Banda Oriental morality only evoked a faint gurgling as I rolled about on the gra.s.s, my sides aching, as if I had received a good bruising.
CHAPTER XX
Day had just dawned when I rose to join Mariano at the fire he had already kindled to heat the water for his early _mate_. I did not like the idea of lying there concealed amongst the trees like some hunted animal for an indefinite time; moreover, I had been advised by Santa Coloma to proceed directly to the Lomas de Rocha, on the south coast, in the event of a defeat, and this now seemed to me the best thing to do.
It had been very pleasant lying there ”under the greenwood tree,” while those veracious stories of hags, lampalaguas, and apparitions had proved highly entertaining; but a long spell, a whole month perhaps, of that kind of life was not to be thought of; and if I did not get to Rocha now, before the rural police were set to catch runaway rebels, it would perhaps be impossible to do so later on. I determined, therefore, to go my own way, and, after drinking bitter _mate_, I caught and saddled the dun horse. I really had not deserved the severe censure Lechuza had pa.s.sed on me the previous evening in reference to horse-stealing, for I had taken the dun with very little more compunction than one is accustomed to feel in England when ”borrowing” an umbrella on a rainy day. To all people in all parts of the world, a time comes when to appropriate their neighbour's goods is held not only justifiable, but even meritorious; to Israelites in Egypt, Englishmen under a cloud in their own moist island, and to Orientals running away after a fight. By keeping the dun over thirty hours in my possession I had acquired a kind of prescriptive right to it, and now began to look on it as my very own; subsequent experience of his endurance and other good qualities enables me to endorse the Oriental saying that a ”stolen horse carries you well.”
Bidding farewell to my companions in defeat, who had certainly not been frightened out of their imaginations, I rode forth just when it was beginning to grow light. Roads and houses I studiously avoided, travelling on at an easy gallop, which took me about ten miles an hour, till noon; then I rested at a small _rancho_, where I fed and watered my horse and recruited my own energies with roast beef and bitter _mate_.
On again till dark; by that time I had covered about forty miles, and began to feel both hungry and tired. I had pa.s.sed several _ranchos_ and _estancia_ houses, but was shy of seeking entertainment at any of them, and so went farther, only to fare worse. When the brief twilight was darkening to night I came upon a broad cart-track, leading, I suppose, to Montevideo from the eastern part of the country, and, seeing a long, low _rancho_ near it, which I recognized as a _pulperia_, or store, by the flagstaff planted before it, I resolved to purchase some refreshment for myself, then to ride on a mile or two and spend the night under the stars--a safe roof if an airy one. Tying my horse to the gate, I went into the porch-like projection at the end of the _rancho_, which I found divided from the interior by the counter, with its usual grating of thick iron bars to protect the treasures of gin, rum, and comestibles from drunken or quarrelsome customers. As soon as I came into the porch I began to regret having alighted at the place, for there, standing at the counter, smoking and drinking, were about a dozen very rough-looking men. Unfortunately for me, they had tied their horses under the shadow of a clump of trees some distance from the gate, so that I had missed seeing them on my arrival. Once amongst them, however, my only plan was to disguise my uneasiness, be very polite, get my refreshments, then make my escape as speedily as possible. They stared rather hard at me, but returned my salutation courteously; then going to a disengaged corner of the counter, I rested my left elbow on it and called for bread, a box of sardines, and a tumbler of wine.
”If you will join me, senores, the table is spread,” said I; but they all declined my invitation with thanks, and I began to eat my bread and sardines.
They appeared to be all persons living in the immediate neighbourhood, for they addressed each other familiarly and were conversing about love matters. One of them, however, soon dropped out of the conversation, and, edging away from the others, stood a little s.p.a.ce apart, leaning against the wall on the side of the porch farthest from me. I began to notice this man very particularly, for it was plain to see that I had excited his interest in an extraordinary manner, and I did not like his scrutiny. He was, without exception, the most murderous-looking villain I have ever had the misfortune to meet: that was the deliberate opinion I came to before I formed a closer acquaintance with him. He was a broad-chested, powerful-looking man of medium height; his hands he kept concealed under the large cloth _poncho_ he wore, and he had on a slouch hat that just allowed his eyes to be seen under the rim. They were truculent, yellowish-green eyes, that seemed to grow fiery and dim and fiery again by turns, yet never for a single instant were they averted from my face. His black hair hung to his shoulders, and he also had a bristly moustache, which did not conceal his brutal mouth, nor was there any beard to hide his broad, swarthy jowl. His jaws were the only part of him that had any motion, while he stood there, still as a bronze statue, watching me. At intervals he ground his teeth, after which he would slap his lips together two or three times, while a slimy froth, most sickening to see, gathered at the corners of his mouth.
”Gandara, you are not drinking,” said one of the gauchos, turning to him. He shook his head slightly without speaking or taking his eyes off my face; whereupon the man who had spoken smiled and resumed his conversation with the others.
The long, intense, soul-trying scrutiny this brutal wretch had subjected me to came to a very sudden end. Quick as lightning a long, broad knife flashed out from its concealment under his _poncho_, and with one cat-like bound he was before me, the point of his horrid weapon touching my _poncho_ just over the pit of my stomach.
”Do not move, rebel,” he said in a husky voice. ”If you move one hair's breadth, that moment you die.”
The other men all ceased talking and looked on with some interest, but did not offer to interfere or make any remark.
For one moment I felt as if an electric shock had gone through me, and then instantly I was calm--never, in fact, have I felt more calm and collected than at that terrible moment. 'Tis a blessed instinct of self-preservation which nature has provided us with; feeble, timid men possess it in common with the strong and brave, as weak, persecuted wild animals have it as well as those that are fierce and bloodthirsty. It is the calm which comes without call when death suddenly and unexpectedly rises up to stare us in the face; it tells us that there is one faint chance which a premature attempt to escape or even a slight agitation will destroy.
”I have no wish to move, friend,” I said, ”but I am curious to know why you attack me?”
”Because you are a rebel. I have seen you before, you are one of Santa Coloma's officers. Here you shall stand with this knife touching you till you are arrested, or else with this knife in you here you shall die.”
”You are making a mistake,” I said.
”Neighbours,” said he, speaking to the others, but without taking his eyes from my face, ”will you tie this man hand and foot while I stand before him to prevent him from drawing any weapon he may have concealed under his _poncho_?”
”We have not come here to arrest travellers,” returned one of the men.
”If he is a rebel it is no concern of ours. Perhaps you are mistaken, Gandara.”
”No, no, I am not mistaken,” he returned. ”He shall not escape. I saw him at San Paulo with these eyes--when did they ever deceive me? If you refuse to a.s.sist me, then go one of you to the Alcalde's house and tell him to come without delay, while I keep guard here.”
After a little discussion one of the men offered to go and inform the Alcalde. When he had left, I said, ”My friend, may I finish my meal? I am hungry, and had just begun to eat when you drew your knife against me.”
”Yes; eat,” he said; ”only keep your hands well up so that I can see them. Perhaps you have a weapon at your waist.”
”I have not,” I said, ”for I am an inoffensive person and do not require weapons.”
”Tongues were made to lie,” he returned, truly enough. ”If I see you drop your hand lower than the counter I shall rip you up. We shall then be able to see whether you digest your food or not.”
I began to eat and sip my wine, still with those brutal eyes on my face and the keen knife-point touching my _poncho_. There was now a ghastly look of horrible excitement on his face, while his teeth-grinding performances became more frequent and the slimy froth dropped continually from the corners of his mouth on to his bosom. I dared not look at the knife, because a terrible impulse to wrest it out of his hands kept rising in me. It was almost too strong to be overcome, yet I knew that even the slightest attempt to escape would be fatal to me; for the fellow was evidently thirsty for my blood and only wanted an excuse to run me through. But what, I thought, if he were to grow tired of waiting, and, carried away by his murderous instincts, to plunge his weapon into me? In that case I should die like a dog, without having availed myself of my one chance of escape through over-caution. These thoughts were maddening, still through it all I laboured to observe an outwardly calm demeanour.