CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.
A CLUMSY COCHERO.
Perhaps no people in the world have been more accustomed to spectacularsurprises than they who perambulate the streets of the Mexicanmetropolis. For the half-century preceding the time of which I write,they had witnessed almost as many revolutions as years, seen bloodspilled till the stones ran red with it, and dead bodies lying beforetheir doors often for hours, even days, unremoved. As a consequence,they are less prone to curiosity than the dwellers in European cities,and the spectacle or incident that will stir their interest in any greatdegree must needs be of an uncommon kind.
Rare enough was that they were called on to witness now--such of them aschanced to be sauntering along the Calle de Plateros, where thechain-gang was at work. They first saw a carriage--a handsome equipageof the landau speciality--drawn by a pair of showy horses, and driven bya coachman in smart livery, his hat cockaded, proclaiming the owner ofthe turnout as belonging to the military or diplomatic service. Onlyladies, however, were in it--two of them--and the horses proceeding at arather leisurely pace. As several other carriages with ladies in them,and liveried coachmen on the boxes, had passed before, and some seencoming behind, there was nothing about this one to attract particularattention; unless, indeed, the beauty of the two "senoritas" inside,which was certainly exceptional. Both were young, and, if related, notlikely to be sisters; in contour of features, complexion, colour of eyesand hair, everything different, even to contrast. But alike in thateach after her own style was a picture of feminine loveliness of themost piquantly attractive kind; while their juxtaposition made it allthe more so, for they were seated side by side.
Such could not fail to draw the eyes of the street passengers upon them,and elicit looks of admiration. So far from courting this, however,they seemed desirous of shunning it. The day was one of the finest, theatmosphere deliciously enjoyable, neither too warm nor too cold; othercarriages were open, yet the hoods of theirs met overhead, and theglasses were up. Still, as these were not curtained they could be seenthrough them. Some saw who knew them, and saluted; gentlemen by raisingthe hat, lady acquaintances by a nod, a quivering of the fingers. Forit was the hour of promenade to the Alameda. Others to whom they wereunknown inquired whose carriage it was. But not a few noticed in thefaces of its fair occupants an expression which struck them as singular;something of constraint or anxiety--the last so unlike what should havebeen there.
And so all along the line of street, until the carriage came nearlyopposite the entrance gate of the Alameda, still going slowly; at whichthe pampered, high-spirited horses seemed to chafe and fret. Just then,however, they showed a determination to change the pace, or at allevents the direction, by making a sudden start and shy to the right;which carried the off wheels nearly nave-deep into the ridge of mudrecently thrown out of the sewer.
Instinctively, or mechanically, the coachman pulled up. No one couldsuppose designedly; since there was sufficient likelihood of his havingan overturn. Still, as the mud was soft, by bearing on the near rein,with a sharp cut of the whip, he might easily clear the obstruction.
This was not done; and the spectators wondered why it was not. They hadalready made up their minds that the balk was due to the coachman'smaladroit driving, and this further proof of his stupidity quiteexhausted their patience. Shouts assailed him from all sides, jeers,and angry ejaculations.
"_Burro_!" (donkey) exclaimed one; a second crying out, "What a clumsy_cochero_!" a third, "You're a nice fellow to be trusted with reins! Arope tied to a pig's tail would better become you?"
Other like shafts, equally envenomed, were hurled at Josh's head; for itscarce needs telling that he was the driver of the carriage, and theladies inside it his mistress and the Condesa Almonte. For all heseemed but little to regard what was being said to him--indeed nothing,having enough on hand with his restive horses. But why did he not givethem the whip, and let them have more rein! It looked as if that wouldstart them off all right again, and that was what every one was shoutingto him to do, he instead doing the very opposite, holding the animals intill they commenced plunging.
The ladies looked sorely affrighted; they had from the first, for it wasall but the occurrence of an instant. Both had risen to their feet, onetugging at the strap to get the sash down, the other working at thehandle of the door, which perversely refused to act, all the whileuttering cries of alarm.
Several of the passengers rushed to the door in the near side to assistthem, that on the off being unapproachable by reason of the open drain.But on this also appeared rescuers--a pair of them--not streetpromenaders, but two of the chain-gang! All muddy as these were, theywere advancing with as much apparent eagerness as the others--more inreality--to release the imperilled senoritas. A proof that humanity mayexist even in the breast of a gaol-bird; and the spectators, pleasedwith an exhibition of it, so rare and unexpected, were preparing toapplaud them enthusiastically.
Their admiration, however, received a rude and almost instantaneouscheck, changing to wild astonishment, succeeded by equally wildindignation. The _forzados_ got their door open first; but the ladies,apparently terrified at the rough, unclean creatures, refused to go outthat way, and only shrank back. Luckily, the other was by this alsoopened, and they made through it into the street. But not before thetwo scavengers had leaped up into the carriage beside them, and, as ifangry at their earlier offer being declined, given them a rude shoveoutward!
That was not all the spectators saw to astonish them. Other incidentsfollowed equally unlooked-for, and with lightning rapidity. One wasindeed of simultaneous occurrence; a second couple of the scavengers--the _gigante y enano_--rushing towards the coachman's box, clambering upto it, Rock flinging the dwarf before him as one would an oldcarpet-bag, and mounting after. Then, jerking the reins and whip out ofJosh's hands--letting him still keep his seat, however,--he loosened theone, and laid the lash of the other on the horses' hips, so sharply andvigorously, as to start them at once into a gallop.
Meanwhile, the uncouth couple inside had pulled-to the doors, shuttingthemselves in, and taken the seats late occupied by the elegantlydressed ladies--a transformation so grotesque as to seem more dream thanreality. And so off all went, leaving behind a crowd as much amazed asany that ever witnessed spectacle on the streets of the Mexicanmetropolis.