CHAPTER XXIV.
FREE.
Don Miguel and General Ibanez were completely ignorant of what was goingon outside, and the rumours of the town did not reach their ears. Hadthey deigned to question their jailer, the latter, who was beginning tofear for himself the effects of the ill-treatment he had made the twogentlemen undergo, would doubtless not have hesitated to give them allpossible information, for the sake of regaining their favour; but eachtime this man presented himself before them, and opened his mouth tospeak, they turned their backs contemptuously, giving him a sign towithdraw at once, and be silent.
On this day, according to their wont, the two prisoners had risen atsunrise, and then, with incredible coolness, began conversing onindifferent topics. Suddenly a great noise was heard in the prison; aclang of arms reached the prisoners' ears, and hurried footstepsapproached the rooms in which they were confined. They listened.
"Oh, oh!" said Ibanez, "I fancy it is for today at last."
"Heaven be praised!" Don Miguel answered; "I am glad they have made uptheir minds to bring matters to a conclusion."
"On my honour, and so am I," the general said, gaily; "time wasbeginning to hang heavy in this prison, where a man has not theslightest relaxation. We are going to see again that splendid sun whichseems afraid of showing itself in this den. _Viva Cristo_! I feeldelighted at the mere thought, and gladly pardon my judges."
Still the noise drew nearer and nearer, and confused voices were mingledwith the echoing steps in the passage, and the rattling of sabres.
"Here they are," said Don Miguel; "we shall see them in a minute."
"They are welcome if they bring us death, that supreme solace of theafflicted."
At this moment a key creaked in the lock, and the door opened. The twoprisoners fell back in surprise on seeing the general, who rushed intothe cell followed by two or three officers. Assuredly, if the prisonersexpected to see anybody, it was not the worthy General Ventura. Ibanez'surprise was so great at this unexpected apparition, that he could notrefrain from exclaiming, with that accent of caustic gaiety which formedthe basis of his character--
"What the deuce do you want here, Senor Governor? Have you, too,suddenly become a frightful conspirator, such as we are accused ofbeing?"
Before answering, the general fell back into a chair, wiping away theperspiration that trickled down his forehead, such speed had hedisplayed in coming to the prison. Three or four officers stoodmotionless on the threshold of the widely open door. The condemned mencould not at all understand the affair.
"Have you by any chance, my dear governor," General Ibanez said, gaily,though not believing a word of it, "come to restore us to liberty? Thatwould be a most gallant action, and I should feel deeply indebted to youfor it."
General Ventura raised his head, fixed on the prisoners eyes sparklingwith joy, and said, in a panting voice--
"Yes, my friends, yes; I _would_ come myself to tell you that you arefree; I would not yield to anyone else the pleasure of announcing thegood news."
The prisoners fell back in amazement.
"What!" General Ibanez exclaimed, "You are speaking seriously?"
Don Miguel attentively looked at the governor, trying to read in hisface the reasons of his conduct.
"Come, come," General Ventura cried, "this hole is frightful; do notremain any longer in it."
"Ah!" Don Miguel remarked, bitterly, "You find it frightful; you havebeen a long time in discovering the fact; for we have lived in it nearlya month, and the thought never once occurred to you of disturbing ourrepose."
"Do not be angry with me, Don Miguel," the governor answered eagerly,"it was greatly against my will you were detained so long; had it onlydepended on me you would have been free; but, thanks to Heaven, all issettled now, and I have succeeded in having justice done you. Come away;do not remain a moment longer in this pestilential den."
"Pardon me, Caballero," Don Miguel said coldly, "but, with yourpermission, we will remain a few moments longer in it."
"Why so?" General Ventura asked, opening his eyes to their fullestextent.
"I will tell you."
Don Miguel pointed to a chair, and sat down himself. Ibanez followinghis example. There was a moment of deep silence between these three menas they strove to read each other's real secret thoughts.
"I am waiting your pleasure to explain yourself," the governor at lastsaid, as he was anxious to get away, and time pressed.
"I am about doing so," Don Miguel answered; "you have come to tell us weare free, sir; but you do not say on what conditions."
"What do you mean by conditions?" the general asked, not understandinghim.
"Of course," Ibanez went on, supporting his friend; "and theseconditions, too, must suit us; you must see, my dear sir, we cannotleave this delightful place without knowing the why or wherefore. _VivaCristo_! We are not vagabonds to be got rid of in that way; we must knowif we are justified in accepting the proposals you have just made."
"The general is right, sir," the hacendero said in his turn; "the careof our honor does not permit us to accept a liberation which might stainit; hence, we shall not leave this prison until you have given us anexplanation."
The governor hardly knew whether he was on his head or his heels; he hadnever before had to deal with such obstinate prisoners. He racked hisbrains in vain to discover why it was that men condemned to death couldso peremptorily decline their liberty. His ideas were too narrow, hisheart was too cowardly for him to comprehend the grandeur and nobilityin this determination on the part of two men, who preferred an honourabledeath to a branded life which they only owed to the pity of theirjudges. Still, he must induce them to quit the prison, for time was fastslipping away, and their obstinacy might ruin everything. Hence, GeneralVentura made up his mind like a man.
"Gentlemen," he said, with feigned admiration, "I understand whatnobleness there is in your scruples, and am happy to see that I was notmistaken in the greatness of your character. You can leave this prisonin full security, and take once more the station that belongs to you inthe world. I will lay no conditions on you; you are free, purely andsimply. Here are the documents connected with your trial, the proofsproduced against you; take them and destroy them, and accept my sincere,apologies for all that has passed."
While saying this, the governor drew from his breast an enormous bundleof papers, which he offered Don Miguel. The latter declined them with anair of disgust; but General Ibanez, less scrupulous or wiser in hisgeneration, eagerly clutched them, looked through them to see that thegovernor was not deceiving him, and then threw them into the _brasero_,standing in the middle of the room. In less than four minutes, all thisundigested mass was consumed. General Ibanez watched them burning with acertain degree of pleasure, for he began to feel himself really free.
"I am waiting for you, gentlemen," said the governor.
"One word more, by your leave," the hacendero remarked.
"Speak, sir."
"On leaving this prison, where are we to go?"
"Wherever you please, gentlemen. I repeat to you that you are perfectlyfree, and can act as you think proper. I do not even ask your word ofhonor to enter into no further conspiracy."
"Good sir," Don Miguel said, holding out his hand to General Ventura,"your conduct affects me--thanks."
The governor blushed.
"Come, come," he said, to hide his embarrassment on receiving this soill-deserved praise.
The prisoners no longer hesitated to follow him.
In the meanwhile, the news of Don Miguel's deliverance had spreadthrough the town with the rapidity of a train of gunpowder. Theinhabitants, reassured by the continence of the Comanches, and knowingthat they had only come to save a man, in whose fate the entirepopulation felt interested, had ventured to leave their houses, and atlength thronged the streets and squares; the windows and roofs werefilled with men, women, and children, whose eyes, fixed on the prison,awaited the moment of Don Miguel's appearance. When he did so,t
remendous shouts greeted him.
Unicorn walked up to the governor.
"My father has kept his promise," he said, gravely, "I will keep mine;the white prisoners are free; I now depart."
The governor listened to these words with a blush; the sachem returnedto the head of his war party, which rapidly retired, followed by theshouts of a mob intoxicated with joy. Don Miguel, perplexed by the scenewhich had taken place in his presence, and who began to suspect amystery in the governor's conduct, turned to him to ask an explanationof the Indian chief's words--an explanation the governor luckilyescaped, owing to the eagerness of the people who flocked up tocongratulate the prisoners on their release.
On reaching the gate of the Cabildo, General Ventura bowed courteouslyto the two gentlemen, and hurried into his palace, happy at havingescaped so cheaply, and not tearing with his own hands the cloak ofgenerosity which he had paraded in the sight of his prisoners.
"What do you think of all that?" the hacendero asked his friend.
"Hum!" General Ibanez muttered, "The governor's conduct seems to merather queer; but, no matter, we are free. I confess to you, my friend,that I should have no objection to go a little distance from this place,the air of which, despite General Ventura's protestations, appears to meremarkably unhealthy for us."
At this moment, and ere Don Miguel could answer, the general felt aslight touch on his shoulders; he turned and saw Curumilla before him,with a smiling face. Don Miguel and the general suppressed a cry of joyat the sight of the grave and excellent Indian.
"Come!" he said to them, laconically.
They followed him, with some difficulty, through the crowd thataccompanied them with shouts, and whom they were obliged to stop andthank. On reaching a small street near the square, and which was nearlydeserted, Curumilla led them to a house before which he stopped.
"It is here," he said, as he tapped twice.
The door opened, and they entered a courtyard, in which were three readysaddled horses, held by a groom, which they at once mounted.
"Thanks, brother," the hacendero said, warmly, as he pressed the chiefshand; "but how did you learn our deliverance?"
The Araucano smiled pleasantly. "Let us go," he said, making no otheranswer.
"Where to?" Don Miguel asked.
"To join Koutonepi."
The three men started at full speed. Ten minutes later they were out ofthe town, and galloping across the plain.
"Oh!" General Ibanez said, gaily, "How pleasant the fresh air is! Howgood it is to inhale it after remaining for two months stifled betweenthe walls of a prison!"
"Shall we soon arrive? Don Miguel asked.
"In an hour," the chief answered.
And they went on with renewed speed.