Part 12 (1/2)
”Neither that, Excellentissimo”
”Then he must be here?”
”He is here, your Excellency”
”What's his name?”
”Kearney--Florence Kearney, _un Irlandes_”
A peculiar expression ca look, as much as to say the na, only an hour before, Don Ignacio Valverde had audience of hi to this same man--Florence Kearney; in short, to obtain cle Irishman--full pardon, if possible
But the Minister had been disue proreat, and about the inated from--Santa Anna had conceived suspicions
Of all this he said nothing to the --
”Is the _Irlandes_ at Tacubaya?”
”No, your Excellency; he's in the Acordada”
”Since you had the disposal of the Tejano prisoners, I can understand that,” returned the Dictator, with a significant shrug ”It's about him, then, you're here, I suppose Well, what do you want?”
”Your authority, Excellentissi that tracing on your cheek, eh? You repent not having punished him more at the time when you yourself had the power? Isn't it so, Senor Colonel?”
Santander's face reddened, as he ether, your Excellency There's so besides, for which he deserves to be treated differently frouess at what the exceptional so was To his subtle perception a little love drahts to hily fixed on Santander's face
”This Kearney,” continued the latter, ”though an Irishman, is one of Mexico's bitterest eneainst your Excellency In a speech he made to the _filibusteros_, he called you a usurper, tyrant, traitor to liberty and your country--ay, even coward
Pardonthe vile epithets he made use of”
Santa Anna's eyes now scintillated with a lurid sinister light, as if filled with fire, ready to blaze out In the American newspapers he had often seen his name coupled with such opprobrious phrases, but never without feeling savagely wrathful And not the less that his own innate consciousness told hiara_!” he hissed out, for he was not above using this vulgar exclamation ”If it is true what you say, Don Carlos, as I presu of an _Irlandes_! have him shot, or have him despatched by _La Garrota_, whichever seems best to you But no--stay! That won't do yet There's a question about these Tejanos with the United States Minister; and as this Kearney is an Irishman, and so a British subject, the representative of that country may make trouble too So till all this is settled, the _Irlandes_ arrotted Instead, let him be treated tenderly You comprehend?”
The staff-colonel did comprehend; the emphasis on the ”tenderly” , which was just as he desired it As he passed out of the presence, and from the room, his countenance was lit up, or rather darkened, by an expression of fiendish triumph He now had it in his power to humiliate them who had so humbled him
”Quite a little comedy!” soliloquised Santa Anna, as the door closed on his subordinate, ”in which, before it's played out, Icreature, this Senorita Valverde But, ah!
nothing to the Condesa That woman--witch, devil, or whatever I may call her--bids fair to do oman never did--make a fool of Lopez de Santa Anna”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
A WOODEN-LEGGED LOTHARIO
For soarrito after cigarrito, and puffing away at theht frivolity had forsaken his face, which was now overcast with gloom