La fièvre d'or. English

  CHAPTER X.

  IN WHICH THE SALE OF THE HERD IS DISCUSSED.

  What Dona Angela had told Don Cornelio was true: her father was reallyexpecting his mayordomo that morning, in order to consult with him aboutcertain improvements he wished to introduce at one of his haciendas, andalso about buying cattle to re-stock his prairies, which had beendevastated during the last periodical incursion which the Apache andComanche Indians are in the habit of making upon the Mexican territory.

  Still, Dona Angela, like the true Creole she was, had never hithertotroubled herself about her father's domestic affairs, having too much todo in thinking of her toilet and pleasures. Hence she did not know howto bring the conversation gently round to that point, without allowingthe interest she took in it to be suspected. But the most simple-mindedwoman becomes crafty when her interest is at stake. After the Spaniardhad withdrawn the girl remained pensive for a few moments; but then asmile played on her rosy lips, she patted her dainty little handsgleefully together, and fell asleep murmuring softly,--

  "I have found it."

  The Mexicans are early risers, that they may enjoy the freshness of themorning hours. At half past seven Dona Angela opened her eyes, anddevoutly paid her matin orisons to the Virgin; then, aided by Violanta,her clever camarista, she proceeded to the charming mystery of hertoilet.

  Her sleep had been as peaceful as that of a bird: hence she was calm,and gloriously lovely. At the moment that Violanta put in the last pin,intended to hold the long and thick tresses of her magnificent hair, aknock was heard at the door. It was the general.

  Don Sebastian was dressed in the rich costume of the Sonorian countrygentry; but his masculine and sharply-cut features, his haughty glance,his long moustaches, but, above all, his decided walk, allowed him to berecognised for a soldier at the first glance, in spite of the dress hehad assumed. It had been the general's custom for many long years tocome thus every morning, and wish his daughter good day: his child'sfrank and simple smile sent a gentle ray of sunshine into his heart,whose reflection aided him during the rest of the day in supporting theinseparable cares of power.

  Violanta hastened to open, and the general walked in. Dona Angelacunningly watched the expression of his face, and she bounded withdelight on fancying she saw that he was pleased in spite of the severeappearance he sought to give his features. Don Sebastian kissed hisdaughter affectionately, and sat down on a butaca which Violanta drewforward for him.

  "Oh, my child!" he said, "how fresh and radiant you are this morning! Itis easy to see that you have passed an excellent night."

  "At any rate, papa," she said with a little pout, "if it was not so, itwas not my fault, I assure you; for I was greatly inclined to sleep whenI retired last night."

  "What do you mean? Was your sleep disturbed?"

  "Yes, several times."

  "_Caramba!_ Dear little one, it was the same with me. Some scamppersisted in strumming the most melancholy airs on the guitar, thatwould have frightened the cats themselves, and kept me awake all nightDeuce take the musician and his silly instrument!"

  "It was not that, papa. I scarcely heard the man of whom you arespeaking."

  "What was it, then? I was not aware of any other noises last night butthat."

  "I cannot explain to you positively what I heard; but Violanta was alsoaroused several times like myself."

  "Is that true, little one?" the general asked, turning to the camarista,apparently busy at the moment in arranging the cuarto.

  "Oh, senor general," she exclaimed, clasping her hands, "it was afearful noise--a noise to wake the dead!"

  "What the deuce could it be?"

  "I do not know," she replied, assuming her most innocent air.

  "Did it last long?"

  "All the night," she said, trumping what her mistress had alleged.

  "Hum! But it must have resembled something, I suppose?"

  "Certainly, papa; but I do not know with what to compare it."

  "And you, little wench, cannot you make a guess?"

  "I fancy I know."

  "Ah! Well, then, tell us at once, instead of leaving us in the dark."

  "I will, Excellency. This morning, taking advantage of my lady'ssleeping, I went down very gently to try and discover the cause of thenoise that kept us awake all night."

  "And you found it?"

  "I think I did."

  "Very good: go on."

  "It seems that hunters arrived here yesterday with a large herd ofnovillos, toros, &c., which they are taking, I believe, to California.It was these animals which, by stamping and roaring, prevented ussleeping, for their corral adjoins this house."

  "And how did you learn all this?"

  "Oh! Very easily, Excellency. Accident willed it that I should addressone of the owners of the herd."

  "Listen to that! Accident was very kind."

  Violanta blushed. The general did not notice it, but continued, "Are yousure they were not vaqueros belonging to some hacienda?"

  "O no, Excellency; they are hunters."

  "Good; and they want to sell their _ganado_?"

  "The man I spoke with said so."

  "I suppose he asks a high price?"

  "I do not know."

  "That is true. Well, my child," he added, rising and turning to hisdaughter, "so soon as you are ready we will breakfast, and perhaps Iwill deliver you from the horrible noise of these animals."

  The general kissed his daughter once again, and left the room. So soonas he was gone the two girls began laughing like little madcaps.

  We must allow that both had played their part to perfection, and thoughhe little suspected it, had, in a few moments, led the general to doexactly what they wanted, while leaving him persuaded that he was merelyacting from his own impulse.

  A few minutes later Dona Angela joined her father in the cuarto, whichwas employed as dining room. The mayordomo had arrived, and the generalonly awaited his daughter's presence to begin the meal. This mayordomo,already known to the reader, was no other than Don Isidro Vargas, whohad accepted this situation as a retiring pension.

  The Mexican haciendas, especially in Sonora, are often eight to tenleagues in extent. To watch so large a tract of country, on whichimmense bands of wild horses and numerous herds of cattle pasture atliberty, a young, robust, and active man is generally selected, who iscalled in that country a _hombre de a caballo_. In truth, the professionof a mayordomo is excessively severe: he must constantly be onhorseback, galloping day and night, in heat or cold, doing everythingand looking after everything himself, and obliging the peons to work,who are the idlest fellows in existence, and the biggest thievesimaginable.

  Don Isidro was no longer young. At the period when we bring him again onthe stage he was nearly seventy; but this long, thin man, on whose bonesa yellow skin, dry as parchment, seemed to be glued, was as upright andvigorous as if he were but thirty: age had gained no power over hisbody, which was solely composed of muscles and nerves. Thus, by hiscontinual vigilance, his indefatigable ardour, and his uncommon energy,he was the terror of the poor fellows whom their evil destiny had placedunder his orders, and who fully believed that their mayordomo had made acompact with the demon, so closely did he watch them, and so thoroughlywas he acquainted with their slightest actions.

  The mayordomo had retained his _botas vaqueras_, and his spurs withenormous rowels, which compel the wearer to walk tiptoe. His zarape andhat of vicuna skin were negligently thrown on a butaca in a corner, andat his left side hung a sheathless machete, passed through an iron ring.

  So soon as he perceived the young lady he walked up to her, wished hergood day, and embraced her affectionately. The captain knew Dona Angelafrom the day of her birth, and loved her as his daughter. She, for herpart, entertained a great friendship for the old soldier, with whom shehad played when a child, and whom she still liked to tease, to which theworthy mayordomo lent himself with the best grace in the world.

  They sat down to table; but that expression is so
mewhat pretentious whenapplied to a Mexican breakfast.

  We have already frequently remarked that the Spanish Americans are themost sober people in the world. The least thing suffices them. Thus thebreakfast in question was only composed of a small cup of that excellentchocolate which the Spaniards alone know how to make, of a few maizetortillas, and a large glass of water. This meal, if it be one, iscommon to all classes of society in Mexico.

  The party sat down to table, then, Dona Angela said the benedicite andthe chocolate was served. The conversation, at the outset, wascompletely in the hands of the general and the captain, and turnedexclusively on what had happened at the hacienda since the general'slast visit; then it gradually veered round to the subject of the ganado.

  "By the way," Don Sebastian said, "have you recovered any of the cattlethose demons of Apaches took from us in their last attack?"

  "Not a head, general, _Valgame Dios!_ You might as well pursue the windand the tempest as try to catch up those red devils."

  "Then we have lost--"

  "All that was within their reach; that is to say, about 2500 head."

  "That is hard; and how have you repaired the loss?"

  "Up to the present I have only succeeded in collecting 1500 head; and ifyou remember, it was on this very subject that you gave me the meetinghere."

  "I remember the fact perfectly; still I do not exactly see what we cando, except buy other cattle."

  "Hang it! That is the only way we have of completing our herds."

  "Have you any in view?"

  "At this moment?"

  "Yes."

  "No, indeed, I have not, for the ganado is growing beyond all price. Thediscovery of gold in California has caused an enormous number ofadventurers from every country to flock there. You know what the_gringos_ are; they must have meat. These miserable heretics are suchgluttons that they could not do without it; and thus they have devouredall the ganado they could find in their neighbourhood, and are nowobliged to fetch it for nearly two hundred leagues. You can understandthat such a thing sends prices up enormously."

  "That is annoying."

  "And yet, general, only an instant agone, while placing my horse in thecorral. I saw the most magnificent herd of novillos that can beimagined. It is evident that the poor animals have travelled at leastone hundred leagues, for they appear so fatigued."

  Dona Angela gave a sly glance at her camarista, who was standing behindher.

  "I have heard of them," the general said carelessly; "they are on theroad to San Francisco, I believe."

  "What did I say not a moment ago?" the captain exclaimed, striking hisfist on the table. "_Caray!_ If those confounded gringos are let alone,they will have devoured all our cattle before ten years have passed."

  "Can we not try to purchase these?"

  "It would be an excellent business for us, even if we paid dearly; buttheir owners will not be inclined to sell."

  "Who knows? I fancy, on the contrary, that they are willing to get ridof them."

  "_Rayo de Dios!_ Buy them, then."

  "Yes; but at what price?"

  "It is certain that cattle are growing scarcer and scarcer: offer themfor each head bought here the price it would fetch at San Francisco."

  "Hum! And how is the market down there?"

  "About eighteen piastres."

  "Oh, oh! That is to say, for six hundred head--"

  "Ten thousand eight hundred piastres: offer the even money."

  "That is dear."

  "What would you have? You will have to do it."

  "That is true; but it is hard."

  The general reflected for a moment, and then turned to his daughter.

  "Angela," he said, "what is the name of the hunter who owns the herd?"

  The young lady started.

  "Why do you ask me, papa?" she replied, with feigned astonishment; "Ireally do not know what you mean. I am entirely ignorant whether thereis a herd in this hostelry."

  "That is true," the general said, recollecting. "Where the deuce is myhead gone? It was your camarista, I believe, who spoke to one of thefellows."

  "Yes, papa."

  "Pardon me. Come, Violanta, my child, can you tell me this man's name?"

  The girl approached with downcast eyes, and twisting the hem of her finemuslin apron between her fingers with an embarrassed air. It was evidentshe was trying all she knew to blush. The general awaited her answer forseveral minutes, but then lost patience.

  "Come, you little fool," he exclaimed, "will you make up your mind tospeak, yes or no? People would fancy I was asking you a question unfitfor a maiden to answer."

  "I do not say that, general," she replied hesitatingly.

  "Enough of that mock modesty. What is the name of the owner of thisganado?"

  "There are two, general."

  "What are their names, then?"

  "One is a Spaniard, the other a Frenchman, Excellency."

  "What do I care what country the scamps belong to? I only want to knowtheir names."

  "One is called Don Cornelio."

  "And the other?"

  "Don Louis."

  "But they have other names beside those?"

  Violanta exchanged a rapid glance with her mistress.

  "I do not know them," she said.

  "Hum!" the general remarked sarcastically, "you only know people, itappears, by their baptismal names. That's worth knowing."

  This time the girl really blushed, and retired in great confusion. DonSebastian made a sign to a peon who was standing respectfully a fewpaces off.

  "Gregorio," he said, "go and present the compliments of General DonSebastian Guerrero to the Senores Don Louis and Don Cornelio, and begthem to honour him with a visit. You understand me?"

  The peon bowed and went out.

  "We must be polite with these people," the general observed. "Now thatthe discovery of the Californian placers has overthrown all classes ofsociety, who knows with whom we may have to deal?"

  And he accompanied this remark by a sarcastic laugh, in which thecaptain, as the worthy Mexican he was, noisily joined.

  We will observe parenthetically that General Guerrero, like the majorityof his countrymen, professed the most inveterate hatred for Europeans, ahatred which nothing justified, unless it was that superiority which theCreoles are obliged to recognise in the Europeans--a superiority whichthey submit to unwillingly, but before which they are forced to bowtheir heads.

  Several minutes elapsed, and then the peon returned.

  "Well?" the general asked him.

  "Excellency," the peon answered respectfully, "the caballeros will havethe honour of waiting on you. They are following me."

  "Very good. Put a bottle of Catalonian refino and glasses on the table.I know from experience that these gentry have no partiality for purewater."

  After this new jest the general rolled a _papelito,_ lighted it, andwaited. Within five minutes the sound of footsteps was heard in thecorridor; the door opened, and two men appeared.

  "It is not he!" Dona Angela murmured in a low voice, for her eyes wereanxiously fixed on the door.

  The two men were Valentine and Don Cornelio.