Part 23 (1/2)
”That is so,” he struck in, pleased with ot”
”I should have thought the nose ravely returned ”You can make a loud noise with the nose when you snore or blow it in a handkerchief; but it has no door of cos that are in the brain flow out by thei-hole, or what you like, and the noseis this: Dona Demetria has entrusted you with some liquor to pass on to me; now pass it, thick or clear”
”Not thick,” he answered stubbornly
”Very well; clear then,” I shouted
”To give it to you clear Istill and notabout the bush, I reined up rass without another word
He followedhimself in a comfortable position, deliberately drew out his tobacco-pouch and began arette I could not quarrel with hi, stiarette an Oriental finds it difficult to collect his thoughts Leaving him to carry out his instructions in his own laborious fashi+on, I ventedit up by handfuls
”Why do you do that?” he asked, with a grin
”Pluck grass? What a question! When a person sits down on the grass, what is the first thing he does?”
”Makes a cigarette,” he returned
”In rass,” I said
”In the Banda Oriental we leave the grass for the cattle to eat,” said he
I at once gave up pulling the grass, for it evidently distracted hisas placidly as I could
At length he began: ”There is not in all the Banda Oriental a worse person to express things thanthe truth,” I said
”But what is to be done?” he continued, staring straight before hi as little heed toat a stiff fence would pay to a reet a knife, he breaks in two an old pair of sheep-shears, and with one of the blades makes himself an implement which has to serve him for a knife
This is how it is with Dona Demetria; she has no one but her poor Santos to speak for her If she had asked me to expose my life in her service, that I could easily have done; but to speak for her to a man who can read the almanac and knows the names of all the stars in the sky, that kills me, senor And who knows this better than my mistress, who has been intimate with me from her infancy, when I often carried her in my arms? I can only say this, senor; when I speak, remember my poverty and that ue to convey her wishes Words has she told me to say to you, but my devil of a memory has lost them all What ahbour's horse, and went to hihbour, for I have fallen in love with it and my heart is sick with desire, so that I must have it at any price,' would that not be madness, senor? Yet I must be like that i, and all her expressions, which were like rare flowers culled froarden, have been lost by the way Therefore I can only say this thing whichit in my own brute words, which are like wild flowers I have rance nor beauty to recommend them”
This quaint exordium did not advancee entrusted to Santos was one of very grave ian slowlyhimself a second one; but I waited patiently for him to speak, my irritation had quite vanished, those ”wild flowers”
of his were not without beauty, and his love and devotion for his unhappy mistress made them smell very sweet
Presently he resumed: ”Senor, you have told my mistress that you are a poor man; that you look upon this country life as a free and happy one; that above all things you would like to possess an _estancia_ where you could breed cattle and race-horses and hunt ostriches All this she has revolved in her s you desire does she now ask you to aid her in her trouble And now, senor, let me tell you this The Peralta property extends all the way to the Rocha waters; five leagues of land, and there is none better in this department It was formerly well stocked There were thousands of cattle and mares; for my master's party then ruled in the country; the Colorados were shut up in Montevideo, and that cut-throat Frutos Rivera never came into this part Of the cattle only a remnant remains, but the land is a fortune for any man, and, when my old master dies, Dona Demetria inherits all Even now it is hers, since her father has lost his calabash, as you have seen Now let o Don Hilario was at first a peon--a poor boy the Colonel befriended When he grew up he was made _capatas,_ then _mayordomo_ Don Calixto was killed and the Colonel lost his reason, then Don Hilariowhat he liked with hisDona Demetria's authority aside Did he protect the interests of the _estancia?_ On the contrary, he was one with our enes for our cattle and horses he was behind the party, when the Blancos had lost everything Noishes to marry Dona Demetria to make himself owner of the land Don Calixto is dead, and who is there to bell the cat? Even now he acts like the only owner; he buys and sells and the money is his
My mistress is scarcely allowed clothes to wear; she has no horse to ride on and is a prisoner in her own house He watches her like a cat watching a bird shut in a room; if he suspected her of an intention to make her escape he would murder her He has sworn to her that unless she marries him he will kill her Is not this sad? Senor, she asks you to deliver her froine that you see her before you a suppliant on her knees, and that you knohat the thing is she asks, and see her lips h you do not hear her words”
”Tellveryher off forcibly--do you understand? Is it not in your power to return in a few days' ti? You uised and armed If I am in the way I will do what I can to protect her, but you will easily knock me down and stun me--do you understand? Don Hilario , for, though he is brave enough to threaten a wo that hears thunder You can then take her to Montevideo and conceal her there The rest will be easy Don Hilario will fail to find her; Rahter is out of his sight perhaps he will forget her Then, senor, there will be no trouble about the property; for who can resist a legal claim?”
”I do not understand you, Santos,” said I ”If Demetria wishes me to do what you say, and there is no other way to save her fro to serve her, and I have no fear of that dog Hilario But when I have placed her in concealment, who in Montevideo, where she is without a friend, will take up her cause and see that she is not defrauded of her rights? I can give her liberty, but that will be all”