CHAPTER FORTY NINE.
BETWEEN TWO FIRES.
After the first moment of confusion had passed, the Royalists commencedpreparing to receive the attack, with that coolness which springs frompractised discipline. In a short while every one was at his post.
The sun was just appearing above the horizon, disclosing to each armythe view of its antagonist. The advanced sentinels along the lines hadalready retired from their posts, and were hurrying towards the camp.In the town could be heard the voices of the besieged, in solemn choruschaunting the psalm "_Venite exultemus Domine_," while shouts of "_VivaMorelos_!" came from the opposite direction, and loud above all could beheard the noted war-cry of the marshal, "_Aqui esta Galeana_!"
Almost at the same instant a double fusillade opened its formidabledialogue from the two separate wings of the Spanish army. Trujano andMorelos replied to it; one attacking in front, and the other upon therear. The hour of retaliation had come: the besiegers were now besiegedin their turn.
Meanwhile Morelos, having given orders to Galeana to direct themovement, had posted himself upon a little hill; where, telescope inhand, he stood watching the progress of the action.
After having coolly arranged his plan of attack, Trujano impetuouslylaunched himself upon the camp of Regules, at the same instant thatGaleana was advancing upon that of Caldelas.
On both sides the firing was of short duration. Neither the Marshal norTrujano were the men to remain long at a distance from their enemy; andboth, charging impetuously forward, brought their men hand to hand withthe Royalists.
Although inferior in numbers to their enemies, the _guerilleros_ ofTrujano made such a desperate attack upon the soldiers of Regules, thatthe latter, unable to sustain the shock, were thrown for a moment intoconfusion. Their general, however, succeeded in rallying them; andTrujano, with his handful of men, was held for a time in check.
Meanwhile, Bonavia and Caldelas, having united their forces, were usingall their efforts to resist the desperate charges made by Galeana; who,notwithstanding the impetuosity of his attack, found himself unable tobreak through their line and form a junction with Trujano.
There are men in whose company it is impossible not to feel brave--or atleast have the appearance of it--especially when fighting by their side.Trujano was one of this character. His ardent valour was contagious;and alongside of him, Lantejas had no difficulty in sustaining hisreputation for courage.
Nevertheless, the battle seemed to the Captain to be hanging a long timeundecided; and he was growing fearfully troubled that the day would goagainst them, when Trujano, wiping the perspiration from his forehead,cried out to him--
"Captain Lantejas! I fear we shall never be able to break their linewith such a handful of men. Put spurs to your horse, and gallop roundtill you find General Morelos. Ask him to reinforce me with two orthree battalions. Say that I have great need of them, and that thesuccess of the day depends upon it. Ride quickly; and I shall endeavourto sustain the attack till your return. _Vaya! Capitan_!"
The aide-de-camp, on receiving the order, went off at a gallop, lance inhand.
At the same instant an officer rode forth from the camp of Regules, on asimilar mission to the Commander-in-chief of the Spanish army. Thelatter, however, succeeded in executing his commission more promptlythan Don Cornelio; and Bonavia hastened, notwithstanding the protest ofCaldelas, to send to Regules the reinforcement he had demanded.
"That man will be our ruin," said Caldelas to Tres-Villas, as thebattalions were drawn from his brigade.
Don Rafael, mounted upon his favourite steed, El Roncador, was at thistime making every effort to reach the Marshal, whose defiant war-cry, sooften pealing in their ears, was beginning to create terror among theranks of the Royalists.
"_Mil demonios_!" exclaimed Caldelas, "if Regules prove the cause of ourdefeat, I shall blow out his brains, and afterwards my own!"
As the brigadier pronounced this threat, his soldiers, pressed by aviolent movement in front, commenced to give ground; and that which hehad foreseen was likely to be realised. His brigade, weakened by thebattalions sent as a reinforcement to Regules, was unable to withstandthe desperate charges of Galeana; and, in a minute or two after, histroops broke line, fell back, and then scattered in full retreat.
Blinded by rage, Caldelas turned his horse, leaving to Don Rafael theduty of collecting the dispersed soldiers, and, furiously plying thespur, he galloped off towards the ground where Regules was stillcontesting the issue with Trujano.
Meanwhile Don Cornelio was going at full speed on his message toMorelos. He was not proceeding in a very direct line, however. Notdesiring to get again embroiled in the battle, he had resolved on makinga wide circuit round a vast field of maize, that extended along the edgeof the plain, and slightly elevated above it. Every now and then heendeavoured to discover whether he was opposite the position held byMorelos; but in this he was unsuccessful; for the blades of the maizeplants rising above his head hindered him from having a view over theplain. He at length reached a crossroad; and, deeming that he hadridden far enough to put him beyond the ground occupied by the Royalistforces, he turned his horse along the road, still going at a gallop.
The combatants were hidden from his view by a thicket of low bushes thatskirted the side of the road. This, however, at length terminatedabruptly; and Don Cornelio, riding into the open ground, all at oncefound himself in the presence of a large body of Spanish soldiers, whoappeared in front of him forming a semicircle of swords, bayonets, andlances.
Terrified at the excess of his involuntary boldness, he turned his horseupon the instant, and plunged back into the crossroad; but he had scarcemade three lengths of his horse in the back direction, when he sawriding towards him a Spanish officer, who, pistol in hand, and with acountenance red with rage, was uttering the most emphatic threats andprotestations. In another instant they must meet face to face.
The advancing horseman had his eyes fixed upon the field of battle; and,although he did not appear to be aware of the approach of Don Cornelio,the latter had no other belief than that he himself was the object ofthe blasphemous menaces. If the Spaniard was not expressly searchingafter him to kill him, why should he thus cut off his retreat by thecrossroad--the only direction that offered him a chance of escape?
Believing that the horseman was advancing to assail him, and suddenlynerved by despair, the Captain, on his side, charged forward; anddelivering a vigorous thrust with the lance, he pierced his unsuspectingantagonist through the body, striking him lifeless out of his saddle!
A cry of grief reached the ears of the ex-student, coming from anotherpart of the field; but not staying to see who had uttered it, he againspurred his steed along the crossroad--determined this time to make adetour sufficiently wide before heading towards the position of Morelos.
He had not gone far, however, when he heard a loud voice hailing himfrom behind; while the hoarse snorting of a horse was mingled with thecries--a snorting that resembled the roaring of a jaguar, and for thatreason awakened within him the most terrible souvenirs.
"It is surely the horse of the Apocalypse?" muttered the ex-student oftheology, while using every effort to maintain the distance that laybetween himself and this mysterious pursuer.
In order to gallop more freely, he had flung away the lance, and was nowplying the spurs with all the energy of a racing jockey; but still thesingular snorting appeared to grow louder, and the pursuer was evidentlygaining upon him.
To say the least, the situation of Captain Lantejas was becomingcritical--to judge by the fierce zeal exhibited by his pursuer. Perhapsin all his life the ex-student had never been in a position of greaterperil than at that moment.
Just as he was about reaching the crossing of the roads, he heard closebehind him the breathing of the man who was in pursuit of him; and,glancing over his shoulder, he saw the head of the animal he had termedthe horse of the Apocalypse--almost on a level with the croup of hissaddle.
In another moment, a vigorous hand seized him by the collar, thatlifting him out of his stirrups, dragged him backward, till he felt thathe was lying across the pummel of his adversary's saddle.
Don Cornelio now saw a poignard raised to strike, which flashed beforehis sight like the sword of an archangel. He closed his eyes, believinghis last hour had come; when all at once the arm fell, and a voice criedout--
"_Tomal_ Why it is Don Cornelio Lantejas!"
The ex-student reopened his eyes; and, looking up, recognised the youngofficer in whose company he had journeyed, on his way to San Salvador,whom he had afterwards met at the hacienda Las Palmas.