Part 19 (1/2)
”See that yours are loaded and in firing order,” Rivas added, at the sa to his own
The injunction was not needed, as the Irish the weapons put into his hand, with a view to their efficiency
Both pair of pistols were of the old-fashi+oned duelling kind-- flintlocks, with barrels nearly a foot in length Like as not the Condesa's father and Don Ignacio Valverde, in days long gone by, had vindicated honour with them
The inspection was quick and short, as had been all that preceded; pans sprung open, showing them filled with powder; raain, and replaced in their thiood for two lives”
”And mine the same,” rejoined Rivas, ”unless I'er Now to dispose of the knives My countryht That would ruin all afterwards But, if I mistake not, your colossal comrade is the man to make play with one of them in a pinch”
”You may be sure of it He was in the Ala a knife into his hands; he'll ood use of it if we're driven to close quarters”
”Let hiive it, and tell hi hold of one of the two knives, that see it in, passed it on to Cris Rock--not through the carriage , but a hole cut in the leathern hood by the blade itself Speaking through the saate where there's a guard of soldiers--ently up, and, if you see it open, pass through--then lay on the whip Should it be shut, approachof yourself--wait till I give you the word”
”Trust me, Cap; ye kin do that, I kilk'late”
”I can, Cris Take this knife, and if you hear pistols cracking behind, you'll then knohat to do with it”
”I gie a guess, anyhow,” rejoined the Texan, taking hold of the knife, in a hand passed behind hi it forward and under his eyes, he added, ”'Taint sech a bad sort o' blade eyther, tho' I weesh 'twas my ole bowie they took from me at Mier Wal, Cap; ye kin count on me makin' use o't, ef 'casion calls, an' uts; notwithstandin' this durnation clog that's swinging at it shet o' that I'd--”
What he would do or intended saying, had to stay unsaid Rivas interrupted hi hi the place of danger
CHAPTER THIRTY TWO
AN UNLOOKED-FOR SALUTE
In a strict military sense the capital of Mexico cannot be called a fortified city Still, it has defences, one being an _enceinte_ wall, which envelops it all round, leaving no straggled suburb, scarce so s of the modern city as those of ancient Tenochtitlan, whose site it occupies, though the waves of Tezcuco and Xochier lap up to its walls
The _enceinte_ spoken of is a e sun-baked blocks of yptians, whoseso vexed Moses and the Israelites Here and there uns in it; but only on revolutionary occasions--the wall, so far as defence goes, ler than the soldier; and less contraband froulations of home co to the _octroi_ of France, and the _corvee_ of some other European countries
The tax is collected at the ”garitas,” of which there is one on every road leading out of the city, or rather into it; for it is theexit, who is called upon to contribute to the _alcabala_ It is levied on every article or coht fro escapes it; the produce of fararitas_, so losing a considerable percentage of their value The brown aboriginal, his ”burro” laden with charcoal, or skins of _pulque_, or hih down a donkey, which he has transported from a mountain forest--ten or twenty miles it may be--is arita_
Not unfrequently he is unable to meet the demand till he have made sale of the taxed commodity On such occasions he hypothecates his hat, or _frezada_, leaving it at the gate, and going on bareheaded or bare-shouldered to the market, to redeeates there is no access to, or egress from, the Mexican capital; and at each, besides the official having charge of the revenue uard-house provided; their duties being of a mixed, three-cornered kind--customs, police, and military Five or six such posts there are, on the five or six roads leading out fro liarita_ El Nino Perdido--literally, the gate of the ”Lost Child” It is, however, one through which the traffic is of secondary importance; since it is not on any of the main routes of travel That which it bars is but a country road, coes of Mixcoac, Coyoacan, and San Angel
Still, these being places of rural residence, where some of the _fa through the gate of the Lost Child is no rarity Besides, froate itself runs a _Calzada_, or causeide and straight for nearly twoeach side, whose pleasant shade invites, and often receives, visits from city excursionists out for a stroll, ride, or drive Near the end of the second ht, in the direction of San Angel--a sharp corner the writer has good reason to re been shot at by _salteadores_, luckilyround it on his way from country quarters to the city A horse of best blood saved _his_ blood there, or this tale would never have been told
Asking the reader's pardon for a personal digression--with the excuse that it ht on the scene to follow--it will be understood how easily the guard on duty at the gate h it; especially on that day when there were so s in the city
Several had just passed, going country-wards; for it was the season of rural sojourn a in the sa a to inspire hiuard at the Palace scores of times; and by appearance knew all ere accusto authority Liveries he could distinguish at any distance; and when he saw a carriage approaching along the street, with a coachman in sky-blue and silver, cockaded, he did not need its being near to recognise the equipage of one of the Cabinet Ministers