CHAPTER TWENTY THREE.
THE PROCESSION.
Disagreeable as was their job, some of the _forzados_ made light of it,bandying jests with the street passengers, who did not find it safe togo too near them. A scoopful of the inky liquid could be flung so as tospoil the polish on boots, or sent its splashes over apparel stillhigher. Even the vigilance of the sentries could not prevent this, orrather they cared not to exercise it. The victims of such practicaljokes were usually either of the class _felado_, or the yet more humbleaboriginals, accustomed to be put upon by the soldiers themselves, whorather relished the fun.
But only the more abandoned of the gaol-birds behaved in this way, manyof them seeming to feel the degradation more than aught else. For amongthem, as we know, were men who should not have been there. Some mayhave seen friends passing by, who gave them looks of sympathy or pity,and possibly more than one knew himself under eyes whose expression toldof a feeling stronger than either of these--love itself. Indeed thislast, or something akin to it, seemed the rule rather than theexception. In Mexico, he must be a deeply disgraced criminal whosesweetheart would be ashamed of him; and every now and then, abrown-skinned "muchacha" might be seen crossing to where the scavengerswere at work, and, with a muttered word or two, passing something into ahand eagerly outstretched to receive it. The sentries permitted this,after examining the commodity so tendered, and seeing it a safe thing tobe entrusted to the receiver. These gifts of friendship, or _gagesd'amour_, were usually eatables from the nearest cook-shop; their donorswell knowing that the fare of the Acordada was neither plentiful norsumptuous.
But beyond these interested ones, few of the pedestrians stopped or evenlooked at the chain-gang. To most, if not all, it was an ordinaryspectacle, and attracted no more attention than would a crossing-sweeperon a London street. Not as much as the latter, as he is often anOriental. On that particular day, however, the party of scavengerspresented a novelty, in having the two Tejanos in it; with a yet greaterone in the odd juxtaposition of Cris Rock and his diminutive "mate." InMexico, a man over six feet in height is a rarity, and as Cris exceededthis by six inches, a rarer sight still was he. The colossus coupled tothe dwarf, as Gulliver to Lilliputian--a crooked Lilliputian at that--nowonder that a knot of curious gazers collected around them, many as theyapproached the grotesque spectacle uttering ejaculations of surprise.
"_Ay Dios_!" exclaimed one. "_Gigante y enano_!" (a giant and adwarf)--"and chained together! Who ever saw the like?"
Such remarks were continually passing among the spectators, who laughedas they listened to them. And though the Texan could not tell what theysaid, their laughter "riled" him. He supposed it a slur upon hisextraordinary stature, of which he was himself no little proud, whilethey seemed to regard it sarcastically. Could they have had translatedto them the rejoinders that now and then came from his lips, like therumbling of thunder, they would have felt their sarcasm fully paid back,with some change over. As a specimen:--
"Devil darn ye, for a set of yaller-jawed pigmies! Ef I hed about amillyun o' ye out in the open purairu, I'd gie you somethin' to larf at.Dod-rot me! ef I don't b'lieve a pack o' coycoats ked chase as many o'ye as they'd count themselves; and arter runnin' ye down 'ud scorn toput tooth into yur stinkin' carcasses!"
Fortunately for him, the "yaller-jawed pigmies" understood not a word ofall this; else, notwithstanding his superior size and strength, he mighthave had rough handling from them. Without that, he was badly plaguedby their behaviour, as a bull fretted with flies; which may have hadsomething to do with his readiness to go down into the drain. There, upto his elbows, he was less conspicuous, and so less an object ofcuriosity.
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It had got to be noon, with the sun at fire heat; but for all the_forzados_ were kept on at work. No rest for them until the task shouldbe completed, and they taken back to their prison quarters at a latehour of the afternoon. The cruel gaoler told them so in a jeering way.He seemed to take a pleasure in making things disagreeable to them, ashe strutted to and fro along their line, flourishing his _quirt_, andgiving grand exhibition of his "brief authority."
A little after midday, however, there came a change in their favour,brought by unlooked-for circumstances. Groups of people began to gatherin the Calle de Plateros, swarming into it from side streets, and takingstand upon the foot-walk. Soon they lined it all along as far as theeye could reach. Not _pelados_, but most of them belonging to a classrespectable, attired in their holiday clothes, as on a _dia de fiesta_.Something of this it was, as the scavengers were presently told, thoughsome of them may have had word of it before without feeling any concernabout it. Two, however, whom it did concern--though little dreamt theyof its doing so--were only made aware of what the crowd was collectingfor, when it began to thicken. These were Kearney and Rivas, who,knowing the language of the country, could make out from what was beingsaid around them that there was to be a _funcion_. The foundation-stoneof a new church was to be laid in the suburb of San Cosme the chiefmagistrate of the State himself to lay it--with all ceremony and asilver trowel. The procession, formed in the Plaza Grande, would, ofcourse, pass through the Calle de Plateros; hence the throng of thepeople in that street.
_Funcions_ and _fiestas_ are of such frequent occurrence in the Mexicanmetropolis--as indeed everywhere else in that land of the _far niente_--that this, an ordinary one and not much announced, excited no particularinterest, save in the suburb of San Cosme itself--a quarter where achurch might be much needed, being a very den of disreputables. Still,a large number of people had put on their best apparel, and salliedforth to witness the procession.
This did not delay long in showing itself. It came heralded by thestirring notes of a trumpet, then the booming of the big drum in a bandof music--military. A troop of cavalry--Lancers--formed the advance, toclear the way for what was to follow; this being a couple of carriages,in which were seated the Bishop of Mexico and his ecclesiastical staff,all in grand, gaudy raiments; on such an occasion the Church havingprecedence, and the post of honour.
Behind came the gilded coach of the Dictator--flanked on each side byguards in gorgeous uniform--himself in it. Not alone, but with oneseated by his side, whose presence there caused Florence Kearneysurprise, great as he ever experienced in his life. Despite the coat ofdiplomatic cut and its glittering insignia, he easily recognised his_ci-devant_ teacher of the Spanish tongue--Don Ignacio Valverde.
But great as was his astonishment, he was left no time to indulge in it,or speculate how his old "crammer" came to be there. For close behindthe Dictator's carriage followed another, holding one who had yet moreinterest for him than Don Ignacio--Don Ignacio's daughter!