Part 31 (1/2)
”Capito San Benavides,” announced the officer, and the man stood to attention.
”Enter, my friend,” said San Benavides to his ragged companion. The latter stepped within; the wicket was locked, and the click of the bolt was suggestive of the rattle of the dice with which Dom Corria De Sylva was throwing a main with fortune. Perhaps some thought of the kind occurred to him, but he was calm as if he were so poor that he had naught more to lose.
”Who is the officer of the guard?” San Benavides asked the soldier.
”Senhor Tenente [Lieutenant] Regis de Pereira, senhor capito.”
”Tell him, with my compliments, that I shall be glad to meet him at the colonel's quarters in fifteen minutes.”
The queerly-a.s.sorted pair moved off across the barrack square. The sentry looked after them.
”My excellent captain seems to have been brawling,” he grinned. ”But what of the _mendigo_?”
What, indeed? A most pertinent question for Brazil, and one that would be loudly answered.
The colonel's house was in darkness, yet San Benavides rapped imperatively. An upper window was raised. A voice was heard, using profane language. A head appeared. Its owner cried, ”Who is it?”--with additions.
”San Benavides.”
”Christo! And the other?”
”One whom you expect.”
The head popped in. Soon there was a light on the ground floor. The door opened. A very stout man, barefooted, who had struggled into a pair of abnormally tight riding-breeches, faced them.
”Can it be possible?” he exclaimed, striking an att.i.tude.
Dom Corria spoke not a word. He knew the value of effect, and could bide his time. The three pa.s.sed into a lighted apartment. De Sylva placed himself under a chandelier, and took off a frayed straw hat which he had borrowed from someone on board the _Unser Fritz_. The colonel, a grotesque figure in his present _deshabille_, bowed low before him.
”My President!--I salute you,” he murmured.
”Thank you, General,” said Dom Corria, smiling graciously. ”I knew I could depend on you. How soon can you muster the regiment?”
”In half an hour, Excellency.”
”See that there is plenty of ammunition for the machine guns. What of the artillery?”
”The three batteries stationed here are with us heart and soul.”
”Colonel San Benavides, as chief of the staff, is acquainted with every detail. You, General, will a.s.sume command of the Army of Liberation.
Some trunks were sent to you from Paris, I believe?”
”They are in the room prepared for your Excellency.”
”Let me go there at once and change my clothing. I must appear before the troops as their President, not as a jail-bird. For the moment I leave everything to you and San Benavides. Let Senhor Pondillo be summoned. He will attend to the civil side of affairs. You have my unqualified approval of the military scheme drawn up by you and my other friends. There is one thing--a gunboat lies in the harbor. Is she the _Andorinha_?”
The newly-promoted general smote his huge stomach with both hands--”beating the drum,” he called it--and the rat-tat signified instant readiness for action.
”The guns will soon scare that bird,” he exclaimed. As _Andorinha_ means ”swallow” in English there was some point to the remark. Nor was he making a vain boast. The most astounding feature of every revolution in a South American republic is the alacrity with which the army will fire on the navy, _et vice versa_. The two services seem to be everlastingly at feud. If politicians fail to engineer a quarrel, the soldiers and sailors will indulge in one on their own account.
It was so now at Maceio. Dawn was about to peep up over the sea when twelve guns lumbered through the narrow streets, waking many startled citizens. A few daring souls, who guessed what had happened, rushed off on horseback or bicycle to remote telegraph offices. These adventurers were too late. Every railway station and post-office within twenty miles was already held by troops. Revolts are conducted scientifically in that region. Their stage management is perfect, and the c.u.mbrous methods of effete civilizations might well take note of the speed, thoroughness, and efficiency with which a change of government is effected.